Thursday, October 30, 2008

One Thousand Ninety Six Days and Counting...

One thousand ninety six days is how long Chip and I have been married. One thousand ninety six days ago I was walked down the aisle wearing a beautiful gown, my Grandma's necklace and cowboy boots by my Dad to start the beginning of the rest of my life with my best friend, the love of my life, Chip. On that day, Saturday, October 29, 2005, our closest friends and family surrounded us with their love and support as they witnessed us taking our vows.

I am blessed beyond my wildest dreams with a man who is incredible. He is patient, understanding, kind, I could go on for days. Our families are both amazing! My family absolutely adores Chip and my parents truly feel that he is their son. Chip's family - they have welcomed me with open arms (Texas accent and all). His parents, Judy & Skip, are the nicest people - they are my other parents and I love them as much as I love my own. When I hear other's stories of their in laws, I just have to laugh and thank God for mine. What stories could I share? That they buy pink towels just for me? That they have Dr. Pepper and my favorite S'mores ice cream waiting when we pull in the driveway? You see - I can't compete. Actually, I would win best in laws hands down. Along with best parents who SPOIL the heck out of me. :)

Chip - I love you! I love you more than words can possibly say and now the entire internet knows (or at least those who read our blog). Thank you for being you - my hero, my rock, my strength, my love.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Update

Sorry - it has been about a week. I am alove and well - just trying to balance life again since I have gone back to work for the first time in four and a half months. AHH - sweet memories of summer and being a teacher...

Seriously, we are great - the job is great - the girls are great - bible study is great - life is great! Updates to come soon... Love you all!

Friday, October 17, 2008

Humility

This week in bible study we are studying the chapter on Humility. As I am learning as I go deeper in this book, each time I think I have one of the traits of love covered, I find out that I have a lot more work to do! Humility, according to Chapman, is stepping down so someone else can step up. Also, humility is also recognizing our own worth, so that we are not constantly looking to others for affirmation. This is definitely something that I struggle with. I don't have the best self confidence and rely too much on others to validate my worth. By working through this book, I am realizing that I need to love myself so that I can truly love others fully.

In showing our weaknesses, we are actually showing strength of character (p. 121). One of my major weaknesses is accepting the help of others. Of course, Chapman covers this by saying, "accepting the help of others is one of the best and most difficult ways of fostering loving relationships." God has wonderful ways of helping us face our weaknesses to grow stronger. For me, moving to Pennsylvania has helped me face my weaknesses head on. I do not know anyone here, so I have to ask for help. This has been an incredible learning experience for me and has lead me to meeting and making friends with some amazing people. I am so grateful by God's continued awesomeness!

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God is also so good in another way. He lead me to a wonderful job interview at the place I wanted to work. Chip is actually the one who found the job listing and thought of me - so sweet! I start in the classroom, teaching three year olds, on Monday. This week, I got my TB test, flu shot, physical, and clearances (background checks). I can't wait to work with the precious kids!

Okay - I am going to get back to my book. I found some books that I just can't put down! Love you all!

This weekend we are taking our family Christmas pictures - the girls are so excited! hehe

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Acts of Courtesy and Kindness

I must say - the trees are even more gorgeous right now in Pennsylvania. I am glad to be back at home with my husband and girls. I had a wonderful time in Texas - ate too much fried food at the Fair, had plenty of salsa, quality time with my friends and family, and I was able to join in with my LifeGroup. All in all - a great week. Now, I am job hunting. There has been a change in circumstances at Chip's work that makes it necessary for me to find a job sooner than later. I am okay with that. Truth be told, the whole staying home being a housewife thing was making me a tad crazy. If not for my lovely neighbor, Lindsay, and our Starbucks accidents, then the days would have gone by so slowly. Also - the girls did keep me entertained quite a bit. God will provide, of this I am certain. I had my first interview today and I have another one on Friday. The one on Friday is really where I want to work, so please pray for God's guidance and direction. He will place me exactly where He knows I need to be.

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My flight from DFW to Washington, DC to Pittsburgh was an adventure. It started off on a great note - I ran into the mom of one of my very best friends, Jennifer. Jenn's mom, Judy, was headed to California to see Jenn, Jackson and Joe. She was so sweet and hung out with me until I had to board my flight.

My flight from DFW to Washington, DC was running late because the plane had to go around a storm in Indiana. I had a really close connection from DC to Pittsburgh, so I was worried if I would make the last leg of my trip. I went up to the ticket counter and told the agent about my situation. I told her that if I needed to be placed on a later flight that was okay and that I understood that this was not at all her fault. At that moment, I was even more grateful for this past week's lesson on courtesy. The sweet agent moved my seat from row 15 to row 3 so that I could be closer to the front of the plane in hopes that I would make my connection.

The courtesy and kindness doesn't end there.

We pulled up to the gate about 11 minutes before the next plane was due to take off. We had six minutes until take off by the time we got off the plane. We (there were several of us hoping to make the DC to Pitt flight) were in another concourse. A very nice gate agent directed us to the bus that drove us to the other gate. We all raced up the stairs and to the gate only to see the door to the jet way closed. OH NO! The gate agent was talking to another gentleman and telling him that he would not be able to get on the plane. At that exact moment, a baggage handler came through the closed door and told the gate agent that the plane was waiting on seven "hot bags" (term for a plane just landed and the bags have to quickly get from one plane to another). The gate agent said that he wasn't told that and that he was not letting us on the plane. I prayed for God to grant me patience in the situation. The baggage handler talked to someone else and then the gate agent opened the jet way and let us all onto the plane. The baggage handler was so sweet when we all gave him our thanks. He told us that we looked nice and he wanted to help us. God works in such wonderful ways!

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So - I made it home. Chip had a late meeting so my neighbor, Lindsay, picked me up. She had a rough day. Her dog was attacked by our other neighbor's new dog. Her dog is okay and the vet was able to save her. Our poor neighbors feel terrible - they lost their dog in May and just got the new dog a few days before from a rescue. Lindsay has shown great courtesy in this situation. She is not upset at our neighbors or at the dog. She is just sad that her dog got hurt and grateful that she is okay. It makes me grateful to live here when I see how kind everyone is - how gracious - how giving. I am truly blessed! I think I need to have my girls make our neighbor's dog a get well soon card.

Have a blessed week and look for the moments to be kind and courteous - you never know whose life you will change.

Monday, October 6, 2008

Courtesy

This week's chapter in bible study focused on Courtesy. Not courtesy as just meaning good manners, but courtesy in treating others as personal friends; to be "friendly-minded." To me, courtesy is really a key cornerstone in developing relationships and furthering (deepening) relationships. It is not enough to make friends - we must be friends in our thoughts, words and actions.

When I think about being courteous myself, I realize that I am sometimes more courteous to strangers than to those I'm closest to. I guess we are all guilty of this at some point - my sweet husband will comfort me when I am sobbing about something that is really not that big of a deal at all - I think a server at a restaurant might not want to comfort me with a big hug as I'm sobbing. :) I must say that being a courteous person really makes a tremendous difference - to both the giver and the receiver. Let me explain.

Chip and I were celebrating a friend's birthday last Monday at a local grill. The place was very empty and we were there for a few hours watching the Steelers game. Our waitress only had three tables the entire night. When the bill came, we tipped her a little more than average. Then God told me what to do. This sweet waitress was sitting a few tables over from us counting her tips for the night and filling out paperwork. She had a book she was reading on the table beside her. She had this look that well - it touched my heart. She had served us all night and done an excellent job. She had (as Chapman puts it in one of his stories) a considerate spirit. I asked Chip if he had any extra cash on him. He gave me what he had - a five dollar bill. I walked over to our waitress and laid the money down on top of her book. I told her how much we appreciated her service and that she just seemed like a really nice person. My heart felt full when I walked away and sat back down. The waitress then came by our table as she was leaving. She told us thank you and said that was the nicest thing that had happened to her all month. I wanted to cry - I wished I had more money to give her. However, that is not what I think it was about. She had given more to us that night than we had given her. Her gratitude showed me that being courteous to someone for no more reason than to just be courteous gives so much to us. I felt honored to be in her section that night - to share what God has blessed us with. I think that is what courtesy is all about.

My hope and prayer now is to be that courteous all of the time. I want to be able to give others the same feeling I get when people are courteous to me. My prayer is to become the person who is able to show how much others mean to me in ways that make them feel appreciated. My friend, Kathy, is one of the most courteous people I know. When she gives you a present, you know that she has put thought into it. Last year she gave me a plaque that she had made with my favorite saying of my Grandma's - "True Love is kissing in the kitchen." Not only did Kathy remember the saying, she also had the plaque made in my two favorite colors - pink and brown. The best part of all about Kathy's courteous nature is that it is part of who she is. It is a part of her character and her love. I feel so honored to be her friend and I hope that she knows how much I love and cherish her friendship.

I must share about another person who is so courteous and thoughtful. It is actually more than one person - it is a group. My LifeGroup is incredible. This group of ladies - it is almost impossible to describe what we have. It is a group where we can share our concerns, our prayers, our joys, our lives and know that those in the group are there to support you in every way possible. Not only is our group supportive and caring - you know that they are praying for you every step of the way. The Lord has placed each of us in this group for a very specific reason. To understand LifeGroup, you have to experience it. It is a room full of women who laugh, cry, pray, and are just there for each other. I believe that LG embodies not only what it is to live a life of courtesy, they embody what it is to live a life of love.