Date Night...Married Style

Josh and I came back from his Summer Regional meeting Sunday. Beforehand, we kept thinking we'd have lots of alone time together to go for dips in the hot tub, take long walks along the incredible nature trail there, etc. Well, it ended up being a lot busier than we thought, and we spent most of the time there with other people. On our way home, we decided to try to get in some mini dates this week, since we had not seen much of eachother the week before because of VBS and will be going away for a week this Thursday. Last night our idea was to go to HEB and get an already made rotessori chicken, fruit, green beans and rolls (we have fun going to the store together...kinda weird, I know), and then go home and eat it. Then we were going to make popcorn and watch Napoleon Dynomite for the 6th time (we hadn't watched it in about 2 months, so it was about time). Well, our date didn't exactly turn out as planned. We both worked late and didn't get home until about 8:00, so we rushed to the store. When we got there, we kept finding things we needed, so it took a little longer. As we were about to drive off, we realized that we couldn't! We were in Josh's 4 year old Honda Accord (shouldn't be giving us problems), and the gear stick wouldn't move. We tried lots of things, none of them working, so we asked my parents to come help us, thinking my dad would know what to do. While we waited on them to get there, since we were both starving (it was getting close to 9:30)and had our delicious smelling meal in the car, we started eating some of the food in our trunk. We got some funny looks! Mom and Dad got there and couldn't figure it out (my dad said it was something in the transmission), so they took us and our groceries home, leaving the car in the parking lot. As soon as we got home, I quickly prepared it while Josh got the movie ready. At about 10:00, we sat down on the couch to eat and watch the movie (no popcorn now). We were wide awake while we were eating, but then about 20 minutes later we both couldn't keep our eyes open. So...we went right to bed! We actually both had fun still, but we are not looking forward to the bill for our car trouble!

We're back!

Thank you so much for your prayers on our behalf! We had a whirlwind of a trip! Despite the circumstances, we had such a wonderful time with his family and were glad to get an extra trip in to see them. The funeral was so nice and fitting for the person she was. Josh had a really hard time once he saw her and realized it was real, but after everything was over, we all had such an overwhelming peace about it. Seeing her and taking it all in really put life into perspective. I was so moved by so many things while I was there, but what has really given me so much peace and excitement is knowing where she is right now. Jo Anna (Josh's sister) and I decided to look up all the verses in the Bible we could find on what happens after we die (This was during one of the many hours we were in the car Wednesday). It was so neat to read about how after people die, they really are still aware of their family, and I think that means they are watching over us (Luke 16:19-28). I like to think that even though my mom's mom (who everyone says was an amazing woman) knows me and loves me, even though she died before I was born. I have always known that heaven will be exciting, but it really hit me on this trip how real it is! That is such an incredible gift to us from God that we will be in heaven one day where we will be whole and complete. We are God's creation, and only He knows how to make us whole...and it's not here on earth! I think we should live with the excitement like you have the week before you are about to go on a really awesome vacation to a fabulous destination, because that is what will happen at the end of our lives.

A Journey Completed

Today Josh's grandmother, Audrey Satterfield, has completed her journey here on earth and has gone to be with our Father. Meemaw, as everyone called her, was a huge part of Josh's upbringing and helped make him the person he is today. Josh says that she and Josh's grandfather had one of the biggest impacts on developing his faith growing up. She was your typical southern grandmother who cooked a huge southern feast every Sunday after church and made Josh the big eater he is today! She was sweet, kind, and cared deeply about her family. She always knew what was going on with every person in their big family, including me! I was always shocked that even when she was very ill, she remembered so many details about my life and thought to ask me about them. Even though she was not my grandmother, I felt like I was very lucky and blessed to be able to have known her for the little time I did. Josh, his sister, niece, and I are going to leave tomorrow morning at 3 a.m. to drive out to Atlanta. Please keep us in your prayers tomorrow as we drive and his family in your prayers as they deal with such a huge loss.

This weekend

This weekend was a very fun and eventful weekend! Friday night, Josh and I had a date with Matthew (my nephew who's 5 now) and got to laugh the whole night. He is the most hilarious little boy I have ever met. We took him to dinner, to see Madagascar, which was really cute, he spent the night, and then we took him to get Krispy Kreme donuts (I pushed that one!) in the morning. After that, the hospital that my mom works for had their annual picnic, which is always fun because of good food and fun activities going on. My sister and I went over to the dancing area and got the dancing started. That was a blast, except that we were outside and it felt like it was 100 degrees outside, so we were dripping with sweat by the end. Then I headed home to get ready for my next event. For my birthday, my brother told me that he wanted to take me on a date in Dallas. If you knew my brother, you would know that this was a very special treat. He is hilarious and so much fun to be with and talk to, but is very busy and lives in Dallas now, so I don't get to hang out with him as much as I'd like. So Josh called a buddy up in Dallas to hang out with so we could ride together, and I had one of the most fun nights I've had in a long time! He took me to a really neat restaurant in the West Village, which is a very hip place to go, and we dined on DELICIOUS food while catching up on eachother's lives. Then we went to SMU and threw the football and frisby. I could throw the football for hours, but I'm not so good at frisby. We got a good laugh out of how many time he kept showing me how, but I still threw it every which way imaginable. Then we started going around campus taking goofy pictures. We probably looked really strange (or like "loosers", as we were told by some high school boys!), but that made it even funnier. After that, we got some of the best ice cream I've ever had in downtown Dallas. It was called cake batter, and it tasted like just that. We called it a night after the ice cream, and Josh and I stayed over at his apartment. The next morning we were able to finally go to his church with him (Farmer's Branch), and I was able to meet all of his friends. THEN.... Josh and I headed straight back home, did a mad dash around the house to get it clean, and 30 minutes later welcomed his sister, mom, and niece, who had just driven 13 hours (from Atlanta) to come visit us for the week. I'm very excited about their stay with us as we always have lots of fun together! Well, that takes my to right now, when I need to be heading to bed since I have to work tomorrow! Good night!

Sell your possessions

I think it's interesting that you can read a chapter of the Bible several times, and everytime you read it, you can pick up new meaning. I've been reading Matthew, and as I was reading the parables, a theme just stood out to me. I noticed more than ever that God placed so much importance in giving up your possessions and then you can have treasures in heaven and then follow Him. I don't think this means He literally wants us all to sell all of our possessions, but I think that means letting go of them in your heart. He wants so badly for us to let go of putting such an importance in those things and replace them with Him. God says we cannot serve two gods. I used to think I really could love money and serve Him, but God has convicted me that I was in the wrong. I'm so thankful to Him in how He continues to show and prove to me how much more satisfying it is to replace everything taking up space in my heart with Him.

A Great Start to the Summer

I am having a great start to my very wonderful, long break for summer! Ending school was harder than I thought it would be. I thought it would never get there, but then it came and I wasn't quite prepared for it! I cried the last day thinking about how I'd never see my babies on a day to day basis anymore (although there were some I was not sad about), and I was also sad about not seeing my wonderful coworkers daily. When you spend 5 days a week from 8-4 with your team teachers, you get very close! But.... when Tuesday morning rolled around and everyone was back at work, I had a BIG smile on my face! (sorry!) Especially when I rolled out of bed at 10:00 a.m. and never really got dressed the whole day. Am I making you non-teachers sick? At least you all can laugh at us when August rolls around and we have to get prepared to start all over and retrain 21 kiddos how to be in school. Back to my week...I have really enjoyed organizing my house. Our laundry room is organized for the 1st time since we moved in! I have also enjoyed spending lots of time with my sis and getting my daily fix from my adorable niece and nephews. More things I love about summer time are staying up later than usual and watching tv and having free time to read. I have said that I will get back into exercising now that I have so much free time, but everyday I seem to find an excuse. Maybe tomorrow... One thing I am doing, though, is going on nightly walks with Josh. We live in a great walking neighborhood and can't go a night now without walking together. It's been so hot that when 7:30 at night hits, it's about our only time to go enjoy the outdoors! Well, off to go watch some late night tv!