A Relaxing Weekend at Home

We just enjoyed a relaxing weekend at home. We cooked some, watched movies, hung out with friends, and just enjoyed one another. We spent all day Saturday with some friends...had a great time, and then Sunday we went to Mt. View Baptist, where Jake's uncle pastors to visit them and listen to Elizabeth, a friend of mine that I went to school with, lead worship. It was really good! We had a good time! We took Norah to the soccer field up by our house to let her run and boy did she enjoy that!! She met a friend..an odd but cute dog that was some mix of a lab, and a hound dog...She loved Norah! (How couldn't you, right?) We just realized how wonderful it is sometimes to slow down and enjoy the simple things in life. We are blessed with the opportunity to enjoy time together! I'm so thankful to my heavenly Father for never leaving us, and seeing us through all our ups and downs!!
Here are a few pictures from this weekend!


This is a crazy picture of one of our friends neighbors soaking up the rays in the 60 degree weather over the weekend! Some people are just a little desperate for spring I think! HaHa!


Norah and her friend "Lake", the lab/hound/something mix...








Great pics..Coutesy of the Hubby!
Love to you All!!!
J & K

So, It's been a while.....

It's been a while since we've written. Since the last post, there's been some good things happen for us. I am officially a Registered Nurse, and I've finished my second week of working on a "real" RN license and not just a temporary. That's been a wonderful feeling!! I can't tell you how excited and overwhelmed I was to find out that I passed boards!! What a blessing. We've really enjoyed being able to work and then enjoy our down time when we're off.
Jake and I celebrated our 1st married Valentine's Day, and we had a wonderful time. We had a great dinner at J.Alexander's! That was our first formal date night in a long time. Life has been crazy and money has been tight, so it was nice to have a nice night out at one of our favorite restaurants. After dinner, we went to watch the movie Valentine's Day with Andrew and Leakhena. We always enjoy our time with friends.

Today I traveled to Wallace State Community College in Hanceville, AL to watch my sister and her basketball team play in a regional game. She is a sophomore, so it was an awesome honor for her to be able to go and play in the tournament. I'm so proud of her and her awesome team spirit. She is always encouraging her teammates and complimenting their efforts. I know she wishes that she could have played more in the game, but you would never know it by her actions. I'm just glad to be her sister, and I look forward to watching her play for 2 more years! I love watching my siblings grow up and I love watching them participate in things they enjoy!
Well I'm tired tonight.....I will post some random pictures from the past few weeks. Enjoy! I hope you all are doing well, and we hope you are continuing to feel God's love in your life.
Love J & K
Pictures from our last weekend home (to Decatur)




Our Little Norah...Getting Big


Our mischievous little girl...Yes, that would be dice she found under our bed! That's her new thing to go trampsing under the bed. She thinks she's cool. She found the dice and dumped them all in the floor. She thought they were the coolest things ever. I had to stop taking pictures so she wouldn't eat one!!


It's All Official...



GOD IS GOOD!!

Peace...in the Midst of Unrest

My prayer lately is that the Lord would give me peace and calm my soul. I have been comforted time and again by kind words of friends and family, but the support of my husband has been especially comforting. I know the Lord has given him to me to help me get through this life. I had to take the BIG test for nursing, and now I am waiting to find out the results, and what feels like my fate. I have been battling all the many thoughts about what could be, or might be...One thing I do know is that the devil loves when you start those mind games. It's a prime opportunity for him to come in and help you down the spiral of negativity. I have to admit that I have let him win more than I should, but that's where my awesome husband comes in and lifts me out of my puddle of gloom. I know the Lord uses him to get to me. And I'm so thankful He does. I also know that the Lord uses these times to strategically draw you closer to Him...where you should be all along. Sometimes I wonder and fear that the Lord takes offense when I draw closer to Him during those times, and not every day, and all the time. Then I remind myself that we serve a God who gladly and mercifully forgives, who keeps no count of wrongs, and Always welcomes our love and praise. A praise that He always deserves...a praise far beyond what we can give. I have tried to take hold of the peace He gives so freely, and I have tried to grasp the enormity of the idea that He has already numbered all my days, and my purpose in this life has already been planned. I am merely a vessel waiting for its next voyage to be made clear. With that, I find comfort and peace. Today's Psalm in the one year bible reading was very timely, and I thought l would share...
Psalm 31:19-24:
"How great is your goodness,
which you have stored up for those who fear you,
which you bestow in the sight of men,
on those who take refuge in you.
In the shelter of your presence you hide them
from the intrigues of men;
in your dwelling you keep them safe
from accusing tongues.
Praise be to the LORD,
for he showed his wonderful love to me
when I was in a besieged city.
In my alarm I said,
"I am cut off from your sight!"
Yet you heard my cry for mercy
when I called to you for help.
Love the LORD, all his saints!
The LORD preserves the faithful,
but the proud he pays back in full.
Be strong and take heart,
all you who hope in the LORD.

I have also been listening to a song that I have, since the day I found it, taken great delight and comfort in listening to. It is a version of Psalm 23, and I just love the words to that verse. The words to the song are...
"The Lord is my shepherd.
He makes me lie in pastures green.
He leads me beside quiet waters, that wash over me...
Though I may walk in the shadows, His rod and his staff comfort me.
And I will recline at the table...in the presence of my enemies...
Surely, Surely goodness and mercy will follow me..
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord.
Close by your side, I will abide, in His loving kindness..." Praise the Lord.

To really grasp the words to this song and to these verses is to truly understand God's work in our lives and His ever present spirit at work in our daily comings and goings. What a blessing to be called a child of God and what a blessing to live and love through Him each and every day on this earth. No matter what tomorrow brings, I will never lose hope and I will never stop pursuing His call on my life. We are called to do great things my friends...

The video of the song I quoted above is on youtube. The link is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3WA9iHz5ww&NR=1
The video is of a woman in labor and she was singing this song to get through her contractions. Her and her husband are music ministers at their church. The video touches my heart, and the words to the song beckon the holy spirit to meet with me and comfort my soul. True worship...
You are blessed...so bless.
With much love...J & K

Being Used by Him

So I've made it through my first two weeks of being a "real" nurse. It's been an adventure so far. I have had moments of sweet triumph, and moments of feeling totally defeated. This profession is definitely one that will take you on a roller coaster, and most often, you will hardly see the turns coming. I have been encouraged though, by the feedback from my patients and their families, and I feel confident in most things concerning my skills as a nurse. I was able to practice several skills I had not performed in a while, and I was able to perform some new ones as well. I was successful at them all...a great confidence booster. My heavenly father is good, and He knows just what I need. I think He also knows that His child is very strong willed and likes things to come to her quickly, and there have been times where I know He is testing my patience. After some frustration and unexpressed anger, I get over it and realize only time and practice will help me master those things that challenge me. I was frustrated on my last day of work this week, and I was feeling really down, then I walk into one of my patient's rooms and the mom, out of nowhere, tells me how great of a job I am doing, and how amazed she is considering it was only my 5th day. She then told me that she's had a lot of "new nurses", and I have taken care of her son like I've been doing it for years. She encouraged me to keep it up and continue to have the sweet demeanor I have shown them. I walked out of their room and wanted to cry...all I could say was, Father, thank you. You knew just what I needed to hear...I know I am in the profession He has called me to be in, because I feel at home taking care of his children, and I feel honored to be His hands and feet. I only pray that I always view my work as His work, and I will always pray for opportunities to share His amazing love with those He puts in my path.
My husband has continued to be the amazing man he is throughout these first two weeks. He's such a sweet supporter of all I do, and he never stops telling me how thankful he is for me. I have been blessed with a husband that is not selfish, but rather selfless, and will make the most of the time he does get with his wife. I am still exhausted by the time he gets home, but we are still trying to make a little time to share about our days before I fall asleep. My youngest brother played in his championship game last night, and big sister had to come up and watch! He is a champion...but we already knew that. He's quite an amazing athlete, and he is becoming an even more amazing young man. Makes a big sister proud. So, Jake and I are spending our first few days apart from each other since we got married in October. Neither one of us are very fond of the separation. Jake said he hated coming home to just Norah, and we both hated falling asleep with an empty side of the bed. I think we're in love...
Our sweet little Norah is growing up...She's not growing as much in size these days, but she is growing up in personality. She is such a smart little pup, and she is constantly amazing Jake and I with what she understands. Jake said he taught her a new trick last night...She has always done really well with "sit", and she has been getting better with "stay", but he taught her to "sit" and then he would throw her ball (she loves to play fetch) and make her stay for about 20 seconds and she would stare the ball down, then he would let her go after it! I can just imagine how anxious she must have been! We are trying our best to train her not to bark (schnauzers have a tendency to bark alot), and so far she's doing great..."NO Barking Norah!!" She keeps us entertained and laughing...We're in love with her and we're so glad she's a part of our lives!
I hope all of you feel blessed today...we all have so much to be thankful for, and I pray that we never stop giving praise where praise is due! We serve an awesome God, and I am once again, and always, thankful to be called His child...
Blessings and Encouragement to You all...Today, and always...
Love... J & K

A Few pictures from the game:

Not a great shot, but him shooting...

Another Abstract Shot...haha.

The Champion

The Championship Team