Life in May

Life has been so good since I last updated our blog. Busy, like everyone, but good.

To start things off, these pretty girls came to visit me while Matt was camping with the guys. Kailee, is such a sweet blessing from college and Alex is a friend from high school that I haven't spoke to in 5 or 6 years. So neat to catch up on life! We played disc golf, something we REALLY enjoying doing, and did other girl things like painted our toenails and cooked supper! 

At the beginning of May, our puppies celebrated another year of puppy life! Presley (black dog) is 4 and Lola is 1!

We celebrated Mother's day with my momma and brother, Logan (it was his birthday as well) in Lubbock. We played golf, a common thing with my family and being married to Matt. It was a good weekend! And I am so thankful for the support my mom has provided me over the years! 

May 18th-20th we went to Galveston with Matt's family for a weekend at the beach and for our niece, Reagan's dance recital. It was so relaxing to spend time on the beach! Last year, we went on the same trip and I got severely sunburned, but I learned my lesson and this time I put plenty of sunscreen on and re-applied. We played football, volleyball, and built sandcastles on the beach. Wish the beach was closer to us! The mosquitos were so bad, so I definitely don't miss that. Also, we played putt-putt one night and ate at Golden Corral (a family must do with these guys, love it!).

Matt and I at Reagan's Dance recital and the pretty dancing queen with her flowers for doing such a good job! After the dance recital, we went to the Rainforest Cafe - the dancing queen's choice! 

The girls: Dawn, Reagan, Landra, and Judy

The guys: Tibby, Matt, and Toby

As most of you know we have been with 1 car for a year, so we have been searching for another vehicle for the last month. Before going to Houston, we looked at a bunch of cars online and said "We are coming home with a car." So Monday, after our weekend at the beach, we went car shopping. And we made another BIG purchase for the year! Its a 2010 metallic blue Ford escape. We have really enjoyed having 2 vehicles again! Its my "mom" car, so all I need now is some kids to fill up! :) 

I just completed my first year at Joy school! The end of anything is bittersweet. I have enjoyed my kids so much and I am so sad to see them grow up. Next year I will continue teaching at Joy school, but I will teach 5 day 4 year olds (instead of 3 days). These kids will always have a special place in my heart.

On May 29th, Matt and I will celebrate our 2 year anniversary! I can not believe it has already been 2 years! Fall more in love with that man every day! The grass in the backyard, patio furniture, and the escape are our gifts to each other! Here's a pic of our wedding night 2 years ago! 

And that was just the month of May! I post lots of pictures, because I feel like the pictures tell "our story" better than my words ever could. 

Spring 2012

Wow, life has been busy! I want to update my blog more than I get to, but time does not allow. So here is an update for the last few months.

At the end of February, we went to Ruidoso with some of our friends! It was a blast! The first day we played disc golf and that night went to the casino! Such a neat disc golf course in the mountains!

 Kailee, Chandra, and Landra

 Dressed up for dinner and the casino!

The second day we went skiing and snowboarding, one of my favorite things to do in the winter! 

 The whole group after a day on the mountain! Matt, Landra, Wascom, Chandra, Kailee, and Jakody. Weekend get-away with these peeps is always great!

In March, my mom came to visit and she brought my grandma with her. She had not been to san angelo since we got married 2 years ago and she hasn't seen our new home, so it was soo good to have her here for a weekend! We played golf and hung out at our house! 

And then for Easter weekend, my dad came to visit and brought my Mema! Her first time to see our home as well! It was a great few weeks to have both of my grandma's come to our house! They are both 80 and still going strong and very encouraging women! 

Last year, I wrote about how Matt and I were leading a bible study through our church. The bible study has been such a blessing and we have meet several couples in the same stage of life as us! We started hanging out with Colby and Jessica Chesshire, and now we pretty much never sit at home or go to sleep early! We like these people so much, that we even spent Easter day with them, cause our families were in different towns. New friends are good for the heart! 

The biggest purchase we have made so far this year is getting grass in the backyard! We have gone with dirt/mud for over a year, so grass in the backyard is a HUGE excitement for us! The joys of being a new home owner! Our dogs are even pumped about the grass! 

Sitting on the porch enjoying our new yard! Now we need some patio furniture! 

As I've said before this is just a way for me to record the days of our lives that God has already ordained for us! I love looking back over the updates I have posted to remind myself how blessed I am!

Things made from Pinterest!

Christmas "S" for our front door! This was an easy project, just time consuming! I bought the "S" at Hobby Lobby and painted it gold, then super glued berries all over it! Attached some ribbon and voila! Project was about $15! Check out blog for directions on how to make your own letter!

I made this snowman with my kids at Joy school. Its half shaving cream and half Elmer's glue. This is a great activity for kids! I let mine play in it first and then we molded it into a snowman. The glue mixed with shaving cream will make it stick to construction paper. We used raisins for the eyes, mouth, and buttons. Sticks for the arms. I precut the hat and nose. A must do for the winter!

"I love you" ABC book for my husband! Each card has a letter of the alphabet with one reason why I love Matt! i.e. R - relationship with Jesus. This picture doesn't really do my work justice. It was a great Valentine's Day gift!

"You make my heart glow" Valentine gifts to my Joy school kiddos! Easy. Kids loved them. And a way to express my heart. Check out blog for more ideas like this one! Thats a great blog for teachers. 

Here are two recipes I have made from Pinterest:

Taco Ring - I loved this! We had ours with fiesta style corn! This recipe gives you a healthy way to make it. Would be great for a get together! 

Donuts - Homemade donuts! Very unhealthy, but very YUMMY! Must try atleast once!

That's all for now! Like most women, I love pinterest and wish I had more time to bake and be crafty! 

Start of 2012!

Well alot has happened since I last updated our blog! We started the new year and its gonna be great year!

I wanted to start the year off right, so I decided to start a journal of 365 things I am thankful for. Each day I am writing one thing I am thankful for and going to continue until 2012 is over. Each day as I reflect on one thing I am thankful for it is changing my daily attitude to one of gratitude. I, of course, got this idea from Pinterest!

I also wanted to read more this year! I have read 2 books so far, both of which I would recommend to everyone: Grace for the Good Girl by Emily Freeman and Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo (the links describe what the books are about, check em out). I love that God ordains everything in time, even the specific time I read each of these books. Each book was exactly what I needed at the time of reading it! I have lots of nervous energy, so reading is a blessing for my mind! 

We had a snow day! May not seem like a big deal too many, but in West Texas this is a BIG deal! I want record of it since it doesn't happen much! 

Matt and Lola

 Bundled up with Presley

Matt celebrated another year of life! On February 4th, he turned 29, so close to 30! Haha We celebrated his birthday with family by eating at Logan's Roadhouse and going bowling! It was a great night! And I am soo very thankful for my wonderful husband! 

"Be very careful, then, how you live -- not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." Ephesians 5: 15-16 

Christmas 2011!!

Our Christmas happenings:

- Christmas program at Joy school! The kiddos dressed up as shepherds and angels! And sang songs about Jesus, not much is sweeter than that! :)

- Matt and I went to New York with my mom and my brother the week before Christmas! We had a great time! There was soo much to see and do, wish we could have stayed for a few more days. I'm just gonna let the pictures tell the story!

View from our hotel! Yes, thats the new years ball!

We rode bikes through Central Park!

Rockefeller Center! Love the Christmas-y feel everywhere!

Mom and bro! Love them!

Our first subway ride! So cool!

That sphere set in front of the World Trade Center and what was left was displayed as memorial.

Matt posin in front of the Statue of Liberty

With my love at the 9/11 memorial. So many different emotions as we should there looking at the place the twins towers once were, with a list of names of those lost listed on the sides of the waterfall.

Empire State Building. Matt and Logan went to the 102nd floor of this building, but I'm afraid of heights, so instead I chose to go shopping at The original Macy's! 

 We got dressed up for a Broadway play! We saw Addam's Family with Brooke Shields! 

With the hubs at the play! It was soo good!

Ok, that was alot of pictures but I thought that would be the best way to describe our experience there! Of course, there was many more pics but I would be here all day if I put all of them on here. We are so very thankful that we got to go with my mom and brother! 

- When we got back from NYC, we quickly hurried around getting ready for Christmas at our house with the Stanley side! Dawn, Toby, and Reagan are staying with us! Such a blessing! 

Our 3rd Christmas together! :)

This is my beautiful niece, Reagan!

"She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." Matthew 1:21

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:17

 

My battle with Anxiety

I decided on this topic, because I just stopped talking an anti-depressants that I had been taking for 8 months for Generalized Anxiety disorder. Praise Jesus! I know that it is only through him and by him that I have been able to overcome the anxiety and I must daily surrender myself to Him, saying "I need you every moment!" 

Well....hears my story! Last year in Septmember, I had gone to eat at Cici's with Matt and some friends. While there I started to get a migraine (migraines are normal for me) and then that migraine lead to a panic attack, which at the time I did not know was a panic attack. I felt that my heart was pounding, I was shaking uncontrollably, and I felt as though I was having a hard time breathing. I made Matt rush me to the emergency room and there the doctor ran some test that showed everything was fine! The doctors gave me a pain relief shot and we were on our way home, not really sure what happened. These attacks continued to happen about once a week, then went to twice a week, and continued to get more often. I decided I better check with my primary care doctor. The doctor assumed it was generalized anxiety disorder, but wanted to ran some test to be sure it was nothing else. So my battle with anxiety started.... And thats exactly what it was, a daily battle against the devil who was feeding my mind with lies that I started to believe. I lived in fear of everything. I had irrational thoughts. It changed who I was. I couldn't sleep. I couldn't do my job. I cried. I feared being alone. I was afraid that this would be permanent. There was always medicine I could take, but I refused to take medicine. "I did not want to be that person who was dependent on medicine." My anxiety controlled me. At this point, in December, I decided I better see a counselor. I started visiting with a counselor at our church once a month. Things were a little better, but I was not back to my normal self. After getting advice from several others who struggled with anxiety as well, I decided I better take medicine to help me get my feet back under me. At the end of February, I started an antidepressant called Pristiq and it got me back to Landra! 

This was all during our first year of marriage, we were definitely being tested! And I would say Matt passed. Through the anxiety, Matt was sooo patience! He could never really understand me or what was going on (I didn't even know), but he was soo comforting and so supportive. The biggest thing of all is that Matt showed me more of God's unconditional love by the way he loved me during this time!

I am now on the outside of the storm and praising Jesus! When I looked back over the last year, I don't really understand why or the purpose, but I do know that God always does things for my good and his glory. Ps. 84:11 "...no good thing does he withhold from those who walk with integrity." Now, I control the anxiety, it DOES NOT control me.