hair.

Since December I've been saying I am going to chop my hair off before we go to the beach.... well it's here now and we're leaving for the beach in a week and now I can't decide if I should do it. My hair grows like a snail and the thought of just chopping it all off after I've been so patient to let it grow throughout the last two years is killing me. But then I think, why am I even growing it out anyway since it basically doesn't grow..... ahhhh. I need advice! Do you think I should cut it or let is stay "long"??

ok... I cut it and I love it :) Now I'm ready for the beach!

as of late...

There is no other way to start this blog than to say GOD IS SO GOOD! Things aren't perfect and most things in our life are still a little crazy but in the midst of everything it is just so freeing to know that GOD IS GOOD, ALWAYS, NO MATTER WHAT. I know He has a plan for our lives and will carry it on until the day of completion (Phil 1:6).... and that gives me HOPE.

With that said... these past few weeks have certainly been a whirlwind. A few days after moving into our new house in Amarillo, we traveled to the Texas Star Ranch near Ft. Worth for the wedding of Chris & Meredith Lancaster. It was a beautiful outdoor wedding and we were excited to get to be there. Here are some pics from the wedding:
The following weekend my parents drove down from Missouri to stay with us for five days and help us get moved in and set up. It was such a blessing to have so much help from my parents and from the Masons! (especially since Mark doesn't have much free time to work on stuff because he's studying) It really was a special time with my parents and I couldn't be more thankful for their love, their generosity and their willingness to help in every way!

Our main project was the flower beds in the front of the house. We added the porch and brick columns and we're still waiting on the iron railing to be put it. We also added a cute black awning over the front window. We tore out all the old plants, brought in new soil, framed it in rock, planted a crepe myrtle tree and a bush, planted boxwoods in the back and monkey grass in the front, then filled in the rest with pretty flowers! My parents also got us a fun rocker bench for the porch (which is now my favorite spot!!) One of my other favorites is our new red door!! My sweet mom labored over at least five coats of red paint on that door and it looks fantastic! I love it. The whole proces was A LOT of hard work but it all looks soooo much better.

BEFORE:

IN PROGRESS:

AFTER:

My dad and Mark spent almost a whole day trimming trees on the side of the house and cleaning up the backyard. It seriously looks like a new house! My dad also spent A LOT of time trying to fix our washer and finally got it working! He's such a fix-it-man. There were about a million other things we did while they were here and I'm going to make a list later. I was so sad to see them go but cannot wait to see them when we head to the beach in a few short weeks!! Thanks for all your help mom and dad!! I love you more than words.

AND MORE IMPORTANTLY: June 4, 2009 my best bestie in the whole world and her husband (Lindsay and Elliott) welcomed their first little baby girl into the world - Avery Elizabeth Drake. Praise Jesus! They live in the DR so unfortunately I won't be able to meet baby Avery for a while :( but skype will have to suffice for now. She's a week old today and just the cutest thing you've ever seen!! Lindsay and Elliott are doing great and I know they are already the most incredible parents! I couldn't be more excited for them!

More updates and pictures to come...

Happy Birthday Gunner!

Our crazy Vizsla, Gunner, turned six on May 7th! Even though that makes him about 42 in dog years, we are convinced that Vizsla's live as puppies forever! I made cupcakes in honor of his birthday and I even let him lick the bowl! (I promise we never feed him table food - unless its leftover meat scraps which go in his bowl outside - but this was a special occasion, so I gave in! haha)Here's to many more crazy years of chasing squirrels, playing catch in the backyard, going nuts over light reflections, running in circles, jumping as high as the door frame and shaking like a fish in the air, sneaking around the couch to secretly sit under our feet, whimpering when it rains/storms and long runs in the park. We love you, Gunner.

old and new

Here we are before we moved into our Lubbock house:
and here we are the day we moved out nearly two years later...

We had a whirlwind of a day yesterday! We packed up our first little house all weekend and loaded the uhaul on Sunday (thanks so much to all who helped! we couldn't have done it without you!) I was really sad to say goodbye to 2323 96th Street. So many fantastic memories in that house!

We closed on the house Monday morning and then headed out to Amarillo to close on the new house. Mark and Gunner were in the uhaul and I followed in the explorer. Gunner was so excited haha! I love his crazy personality!
We pulled up to our new house around 3 to begin unloading. It went pretty fast, thanks to all the help! We didn't get much unpacked but at least it's all in the house. I had to get up early this morning and drive back to Lubbock to finish three more days at work... boo. I'm dying that I can't be in the new house to set things up until Friday. Mark is probably ready to turn his phone off since I've called him about a billion times today to check on things! I just want to know what's going on every second! They're putting in a new shower and pouring a new front patio! I'm so excited. The inside of the house is awesome and we only have little things to do in there... but the outside needs some work and we have a beautiful vision for it! I will post pictures as we make updates! Can't believe I am now a resident of Amarillo. Who ever would have thought!

glory to God...

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory...." Eph. 3:20-21

This is my theme verse for my life these days. I mean really, God is working things out more perfectly than I could have asked or imagined! We're so excited about our new house - 325 Sunset Terrace and we're even more excited that we can move out of the old house and into the new all in one day! What an incredible blessing! We're having a packing marathon weekend trying to get out of our house by Sunday night, but all we really have left to pack, besides the furniture, is our closet.

On another note, Mark is officially finished with his second year of med school! Whoo. I'm so proud and I can't believe how fast these two years have flown by. Now, please keep him in your prayers as he begins his study program for the STEP 1 board exam he takes the end of June.

I had two more job interviews last week. They both went fine, however, I just don't feel great about either of those positions. I signed up to take a pre-admission test for a teaching certification program and have sent in my application to Amarillo ISD to possibly teach EC-4 next year! Not really sure what I'm getting myself into, but I know our future in Amarillo is in the Lord's hands and I can't wait to see what else He has for us there.

Ok.... time to tackle the closet.

ps. we just took a packing break and watched SNL with Justin Timberlake from last weekend..... hilarious!!!!!

SOLD

It's true.... almost. We got a signed contract today!! We close on May 18th! Praise the Lord. He is so good and always faithful to provide in His timing.

"I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever." Psalm 86:12

Now onto the next huge decision/transition.... buying a new house in Amarillo and finding my dream job. We went house hunting all day today and ended up finding a super cute house and made an offer! So unexpected! The outside is pretty boring and needs some fixing up but the inside has a lot of character! We figured out that the people we'd be buying it from are the Neagles..... like from Monk & Neagle! Maybe he'll leave us an autographed cd?! :)

Thanks for your prayers and support through all this change. I am so thankful that Jesus has gone before us and paved the way for us in Amarillo. He has a perfect plan for our lives and I'm excited to see what that is. Keep ya posted...

"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do." Eph. 2:10

reunion

May 2, 2009 - Mr. & Mrs. Blake Michelson
Last weekend I drove to Dallas to join my dear Baylor friends at the wedding of our friends Megan Harris and Blake Michelson. It was such a beautiful wedding and I had sooo much fun being reunited with my besties and dancing the night away.

roomies forever:

and yes, the highlight of the evening.... mr. tony romo:

Whit and I acted like giddy, thirteen-year-old girls and it was hilarious and soooo worth it!