You can't keep a good crafter down!

I had a friend-date a few days ago to get crafty with some lovely ladies from my church. Every now and then I just have to be creative, and lately it's been bottling up inside me to the point that I've been feeling kind of down. So, needless to say, I was pretty excited about this Crafternoon! I had gotten the dates mixed up (typical me) and didn't realize it was last Sunday, so I had to run to Michael's last minute to grab all of my supplies. I had all of my awesome purchases in the car and was ready to head off to this awesome afternoon of crafty fun and fellowship WHEN...my car wouldn't start. Boo, dead battery =[

I didn't make it to the craftivities, what with waiting on a tow truck and all. But I didn't let that squelch my crafty spirit! I had plans and supplies, by-gum!

So here is how my (now solitary) afternoon progressed, with the husband off video gaming.

Scrapbook paper Cash Envelope System



I unfolded an FPU Cash Envelope to use as a template.
(Make sure to use one that was actually attached so it's big enough to punch holes in)



I used a ruler to make nice straight creases
(Make sure to leave a little space under the side flaps for you holes!)



I used an adhesive runner to avoid a sticky mess



It only takes one strip of adhesive



Tah dah!

The holes I've been talking about

I folded a piece of scrapbook paper in half, then cut it to fit in my wallet.
Then I used a blanket stitch of white ribbon to sew them all together.
(Make sure it's loose enough to unfold all of the envelopes!)

All stitched up

Later, I added these cute vintage labels. You can download them here

Personalized Wedding Dress Hanger (this has turned into a bit of a money maker!)

I don't think I could post an actual "how-to" for this, but if you'd like to learn I'd be happy to show you! This bride also needs 6 "Bridesmaid" hangers. There definitely won't be a lack of craftiness in the Owens home. I also have a couple other orders!

P.S. How many times did I use a variation of the word "craft" in this blog? =P

We are the dreamers of dreams

There are so many things that I think I’d love to do with my life. It tends to change with the weather (and we all know how often Kentucky weather changes =P). A few years ago I bought a decent camera and began doing some photography.  Hello, love at first shutter! I adore capturing people’s memories and giving them something beautiful. It also warms my heart to look at my favorite photographs and know that I did that.

My newest kick is to become a full service wedding consultant/planner. I had such a blast planning my own wedding, and it would be amazing to do that for a living. I’m a major do-it-yourselfer. I designed and printed my invitation and programs and made all of the wedding decorations myself. I’m also currently helping a friend plan her wedding, passing along ideas I’ve found and working on some detail  crafty projects (pictures to come!). I think it would be super fun and rewarding to be someone's one-stop-shop for their wedding needs. I've met lots of brides who were full of ideas but had no clue how to carry them out, or became so overwhelmed with the whole process that they had to give up on some of those awesome ideas. I want to be the remedy for that!

I guess we'll see how long I hold on to this crazy scheme. What do you guys think? What are your dreams and goals?

Starting over...

It feels like God hit the reset button for us about a week and a half ago, and we've been reeling ever since. I'll never understand why God works the way he does, but I have to trust that it is in my best interest.

As we were preparing to move to our new apartment, our house was broken into and robbed. We made things pretty convenient for the theif, too. He was after our PS3 and we had already packed all of the video games and DVDs neatly into one box so he lifted that too, making off with about $2500 worth of my husband's things.

It's a strange feeling, knowing that someone has been in your living space without your knowledge or permission. Upon first arriving home, I didn't even know anything had happened. I thought our landlord (who we had been arguing with earlier that day) had come by and locked the door back in a different way. When I finally realized what had happened, I completely lost it. This man could have killed my dog, he could have destroyed precious momentos of our wedding, and he did take a collection that had taken my husband nearly a decade to build.

Mixed with all of the unpleasantness from our landlord we had had enough. There was no way either of us could sleep in that house, knowing the theif might come back for the game system he hadn't managed to get unplugged, and we weren't going to leave any of our things there either. By the grace of God, we were allowed to move into the new place a week early and could begin bringing in our things that day.

We spent the rest of that day throwing things unceremoniously into boxes and loading whatever we could into a trailor, with the help of wonderful family and friends. By the end of the day the house wasn't completely empty, but there was certainly nothing left worth stealing.

We are now completely finished with the old place, and I have vowed that I will never go anywhere near it again. That might seem extreme, but we lived there for a year and a half that was full of ridiculous amounts of undue stress. I'm ready to move on.

Currently, we are squatters amidst an avalanch of boxes! It is getting better. We managed to cook a real meal and eat at the kitchen table last night (which was an adventure in and of itself. First time making fried chicken...oh my!). I'm absolutely in love with our new place, despite the mess. And I can already feel my stress level lowering. Stay tuned for an awesome house party in the future! That is, once all of the boxes are finally gone =P

Change is coming

It's finally (almost) fall!!!

Fall is my favorite season. Kentucky turns into a gorgeous tapestry of colors as all the leaves change, I get to wear sweaters and drink Pumpkin Spice Lattes again, and there's this certain smell in the air that gives me goose bumps and makes me smile.

Fall is a transition time for the earth, and this fall is turning into a transition time for me and my wonderful husband.

We recently stumbled upon a new place to live and we'll be moving at the beginning of October. I'm extremely excited! It's going to give us some more space and allow us to plan for a family some time in the future. I can't wait to realized its potential! I'll be posting some photos once we get moved in and settled.

I recently became an official, full-time merit employee with the Commonwealth of Kentucky Department of Revenue!! I survived my probation, and now it's a whole lot harder for them to fire me =P It feels weird to know that there isn't a time limit on this job. I can stay here as long as I want. I guess I'm a big kid now. Oh my!

Mike and I also finally paid off our credit card this month! That was a huge weight off of us. It's a joy to know that, though there was a season of our life where we needed simply to make ends meet, it's not needed anymore. We're past that, and will never have one again.

God has showed me answers to my prayers this fall; some of them, I didn't even know I was praying. He listen and he provides.

I love my husband!!

So far, I have been married for 2 years, 2 months and 24 days. My husband and I were together "forever" before we finally reached that beautiful day on June 6th, 2009. Yet, somehow, I am still astounded when I realize how absolutely perfect he is for me. This is not a one-time realization, mind you. I am continually taken aback at how his personality and reasoning compliment mine.

It really shouldn't be such a shock. I have an all-knowing, wise and wonder Father who knows me better than I will ever know myself, and he chose my husband for me. He formed him to be just the man I would need him to be. He sensitive and strong, and firm when he needs to be. He has this way of presenting logic to me when all I'm feeling are 15 different impulses that, if followed, would probably land me either a) in a load of debt or b) committed to something that I'm really less than passionate about. But, at the same time, he eggs on some of those impulses (somehow he knows the good ones) and we end up doing things on the fly that turn out awesome! (i.e. getting Oscar)

In short, I am ridiculously blessed and oh so super happy =]

The fruits of my labor!

 

Tah dah!! This is the Amish White bread.

Doesn't it look awesome?! And it tastes d-licious! I recommend slicing with an electric knife if you have one available. The husband and I were fortunate to recently inherit one from my grandparents.

And now for dinner!!

This was the most amazing grilled cheese sandwich ever!!

Suzie Homemaker

I've really been feeling the urge to do more "homemaking," and by that I mean trying to be healthier, to cook more, to be a better house keeper and a better wife. In doing this, I have to decided that I am no longer going to buy bread from the grocery store. I don't like to spend too much on bread so I usually end up buying the cheap stuff that really doesn't taste very good. But a couple of weeks ago, I decided to try my hand at making some bread of my own. While I did have to pay a little more to get all of the ingredients, I also made 4 loaves of bread and have enough ingredients left over to do the same again. Did I mention it was absolutely delicious?

So, from now on, I'm going to be baking my own bread instead of buying the cheap yucky stuff. And, no, I don't own a bread maker. This is good old-fashioned, "two hands and an oven" type of bread making.

Here are the two recipes that I have made with great success:

Amish White Bread

Ingredients
2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2/3 cup white sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
6 cups bread flour

Directions

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water, and then stir in yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam.
2. Mix salt and oil into the yeast. Mix in flour one cup at a time. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Place in a well oiled bowl, and turn dough to coat. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
3. Punch dough down. Knead for a few minutes, and divide in half. Shape into loaves, and place into two well oiled 9x5 inch loaf pans. Allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until dough has risen 1 inch above pans.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes. 

Simple Whole Wheat Bread (Note: this recipe says it yields 3 loaves, but it really only yields 2 loaves)

Ingredients
3 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
1/3 cup honey
5 cups bread flour
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/3 cup honey
1 tablespoon salt
3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions

1. In a large bowl, mix warm water, yeast, and 1/3 cup honey. Add 5 cups white bread flour, and stir to combine. Let set for 30 minutes, or until big and bubbly.
2. Mix in 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1/3 cup honey, and salt. Stir in 2 cups whole wheat flour. Flour a flat surface and knead with whole wheat flour until not real sticky - just pulling away from the counter, but still sticky to touch. This may take an additional 2 to 4 cups of whole wheat flour. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to coat the surface of the dough. Cover with a dishtowel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled.
3. Punch down, and divide into 3 loaves. Place in greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pans, and allow to rise until dough has topped the pans by one inch.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes; do not overbake. Lightly brush the tops of loaves with 2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine when done to prevent crust from getting hard. Cool completely

Husband and Wife

Lately I've been wrecked/shocked/disgusted with the state of marriage in society. So many relationships around me are crumbling and I feel helpless looking at the pieces. The enemy is at work in our families, and I think we've forgotten a lot of what we're up against.

^"44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies."-John 8:44

That's incredibly heavy. And nowhere, in my mind, is his deceit more evident than in the skewed ideas of husbands and wives and engaged couples today. Fidelity is optional, trust is nonexistent, and biblical leadership from the husband has all but disappeared.

Ladies, we are fully living up to the curse passed down from Eve. We beat down and belittle our husbands. We make sure he knows that anything he can do we can do better, and then we berate him for not stepping up and pulling his weight. Feminism has taken hold and women everywhere are neglecting those responsibilities that they were divinely created for:

^"4and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, ⁵to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. - Titus 2:4-5"

"Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands." - Ephesians 5:24

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not one of those "women in the workplace is scandalous and sinful" kind of people. I hold a full-time job and will continue to do so even after I have children simply because finances call for it these days. But I do believe that a woman's first responsibility is to her home and her family. If she is so focused on her career that her family takes a back seat, that is sinful. Women were specifically designed to nurture - to "nest" as all those pregnancy articles call it. Our husbands weren't made that way, and that is all part of God's beautiful design.

Now, to all you  husbands (or husbands-to-be). Don't let your wife be the "ball and chain." Lead! Stand up! Assert yourself! But do this in a gentle and loving way. Men today seem to get confused on their role in the home. You either shrink back and let your wife wear the pants, or you rule with an iron fist making demands and barking orders. This is exactly the enemy's plan for you, and the curse brought down by Adam.

"Your(woman's) desire shall be for your husband,
   and he shall rule over you." Genesis 3:16b

A man's desire to be in charge is not, in and of itself, sinful. God created men to lead. They are designed to be the head of the household. Deep in their core, they are conquerors and protectors. But bringing home the bacon isn't your only job, husbands. You're called to lead in your family as well as in the work place. Your wife is called to submit to you, so be worthy or her submission. Lead her in righteousness and train your children in the wisdom of God.

^"19Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them." - Colossians 3:19

"Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered." - 1 Peter 3:7

Our Father created a beautiful union for us. One that mirrors His own love and covenant with His church. But we, with Satan's persuasion, have begun to think we know better and try to add things in or take things out. As expected, we've screwed it all up.

We've begun to look at marriage like a graduated form of dating, rather than the life long commitment that it is. We feel those "in love" feelings so we decide to get married, but make sure to sign a prenup so we can get out quickly with all of our own stuff when that feeling fades.

Divorce has become an easy out, and brides walk down the aisle almost expecting it to come.

We let our pride control our actions, and would rather hold on to bitter feelings of hurt and resentment than seek wise council that could mend our relationships.

We trust the enemy when he whispers that we should not show love to the spouse that is unloving, and that an affair is absolutely acceptable because we deserve to feel happy and loved.

We have become paranoid and refuse to trust each other with access to our finances and also to the true desires of our hearts.

A generation of resentful spouses has sprung up. From the time we're kids we're made to think that being married is miserable and you just have to suffer through or divorce.

My prayer for all of my married and soon-to-be married friends is that you strive to understand the purpose that marriage was created for. God has something truly beautiful for you if you will make the commitment to be the best for your spouse and to pray continually for them, even when they are undeserving.

 "²² Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. ²³For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. ²⁴Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.  ²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, ²⁶that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, ²⁷so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.^{[a] 28}In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, ³⁰because we are members of his body. ³¹ "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." ³²This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. ³³However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband." - Ephesians 5:22-33

Deals of the day!!

I recently began collecting coupons and being more conscious of store deals. I don't quite have it down yet, but here are some deals I got at Kroger today!

Cars 2 $5 for 5 Promo:
Eggo Waffles 24 pack: $3.99with KP card - $1promo = $2.99
Huggies Diapers: $8.99KP - $1promo - $2 coupon = $5.99 (that ain't bad for good quality diapers!)
2 boxes Special K Cereal Bars: $2.99KP each - $1promo each = $1.99 each
Cottonelle Bath Tissue 12 double rolls: $5.99KP - $1promo - $2 coupon = $2.99

Total Savings = $9.00!

40 oz Heinz Ketchup is on sale for $1.99 - $0.50 that doubles = $0.99!!

I saved a total of $27.61 on my whole order, which isn't amazing, but it's a start! And I'm not trying to stock pile diapers before I have a baby. I needed them for a baby shower gift!! =P

A note to my readers: It appears as if Kroger does not double store coupons. I had a $0.40 coupon for Kroger Cottage Cheese. Per Kroger's coupon policy, all coupons up to $0.50 will double (like the the ketchup), but the cottage cheese coupon did not double. I'm not quite bold enough to challenge the register at this point, but I will be calling Kroger to check on that.

I also have 4 coupons for 1 FREE can of Seattle's Best Coffee drinks. The coupon reads: "One coupons per purchase." I'm not sure if this means 1 per item or 1 per transaction. Kroger didn't even have these drinks so I didn't check, but I will be checking on that with Kroger and Wal-mart.

HOORAY SAVINGS!!!

2 years and counting!!

Two years ago today, I was laying in bed in anticipation of the biggest moment of my life, to date. The rehearsal was done. Everyone knew when to walk and where to stand, and the little ones were taking their jobs very seriously.

I can't say I slept well that night, knowing that it was the last night I would sleep in my purple room in my parents' home as a single girl. There were so many details going through my head. I'm only going to get one wedding day and it had to be perfect! Friends and I spent hours cutting out and assembling programs, and I don't know how many times I designed and redesigned what I wanted the ceremony site to look like.

But more than all of the details that I hoped would go just right, I just couldn't believe that I was actually about to say "I do" (or "I will" in our actual vows) and become some one's wife! Honestly, the idea of it still kind of blows my mind. I'm used to my new name, and waking up to my favorite red head each morning has become part of the routine, but the idea of being a wife still seems like something reserved for "grown ups," and I don't feel like a grown up yet =]

I did end up having the wedding of my dreams, but, better than that, I married that man of my dreams. Our life may not be idyllic at this point and our marriage is most definitely still a work in progress, but I consider myself ridiculously blessed. I'm madly in love with my wonderful husband and I know that he is completely devoted to me. I really couldn't ask for anything more wonderful. It's hard to believe it's already been 2 years!

"I, Michael, in faith, honesty and love, take you, Anna, to be my wedded wife, to share with you God's plan for our lives together united in Christ. And, with God's help to strengthen and guide me, I will be a strong spiritual leader for us in our life, as Christ leads the Church, for better, for worse, in sickness and in health, in joys and in sorrows, until we are parted by death."

"I Anna, in faith, honesty and love, take you, Michael, to be my wedded husband, to share with you God’s plan for our lives together united in Christ. And, with God’s help to strengthen and guide me, I will submit myself to you as to Christ, for better, for worse, in sickness and in health, in joys and in sorrows, until we are parted by death.”

Working to live up to these words every day!

Teach me patience!

I'm easily annoyed this evening. For example, I wanted to find a cute background for this lovely blog. I started looking, but didn't immediately find one I was in love with so I just picked one that was ok. When I couldn't figure out how to make it work on the first and second try I got annoyed and quit. Now I feel very annoyed and agitated. Ugh, sometimes I wish I had more patience with little things like that. There's no reason to get upset with something so silly.

I've always been good about keeping the things that bother me inside and not letting anyone know that they bothered me. But you can't bottle things up forever. Eventually they start to leak out in the little things - like trying to change your blog background. I suppose if I had blogged about the big things that have been annoying me, maybe I wouldn't lose my patience with the little things. Who knows =P

To make myself think more positively, here are some things I am thankful for:

My wonderful husband who sometimes keeps from going nuts and other time forces me to it.
My fuzzy little puppy that gets so sad when I leave him that he tears into his bag of treats and barfs them all back up on the couch.
My job that challenges me to act like Christ even when I think the person I'm talking to on the phone is a complete moron.
Health insurance that actually covers expenses and will allow me to receive the care I need without worrying about $50 billion in doctor's bills coming after me for one simple check up.
Friends in my own town that I can meet with and decompress to whenever, which, for awhile, I thought would never come.
My family, which is the best and most wonderful family in the whole wide world.

Our Father provides for his children, and I'm so thankful!

It's been quite awhile since I posted last. My life has taken quite a dramatic turn since then, for which I am incredibly thankful! God does provide!

I got the job with the Dept. of Revenue and started on  March 1st. It was definitely a bittersweet day. I spent the day before as my last with my sweet Caroline, and I still miss spending my time with her. She seems to be growing so much faster now that I don't see her every day!

There was absolutely nothing bitter about leaving Gatti's. I gave them one last week after finding out about the new job and then I was gone! And I feel so incredibly free with out the idea of possibly having to work during special occassions or never having an evening to be home.

My entire attitude about life seems to have changed recently. I feel contented and happy for the first time in many many months and I almost don't know what to do with that kind of feeling. Our house is getting cleaner and I'm able to cook for my family again. I've cut back on the things I volunteer for, so that I can take advantage of the time I'm able to be at home and I'm making my home and family and priority in my life, finally. It's been wonderful, and I'm looking forward to things getting even better!!

He will provide

Ever since I graduated from college a year and a half ago, I have been asking God why life has to be so difficult, why I have to work at a job I hate and why my family has to suffer from my lack of income. Why did I put so much effort into being successful in college if I was just going to end up working with people who barely finished high school.

But God has a reason behind everything. I am not in this position to be punished, but to be humbled. Those same people that I would have thought less of, had I simply gone in to eat at Gatti's, have become my friends. I have experienced first hand the hurt that customers' preconceptions can cause. And I have learned to appreciate even more, my drive to do better for myself.

In early December I applied for a postion with KY Dept. of Revenue. Not thinking much of it, I mentioned it to a fellow Gatti's employee who works for Revenue also. It just so happened that she knew the hiring contact and was able to put in a good word for me. She was told I would be getting an interview and yesterday I confirmed my interview time for this coming Monday at 11am. Obviously, I am not guaranteed a job, but it's difficult enough just to get an interview with the State.

Does God put us in places for a reason? I believe He does. And I believe that He will always provide for me.

Dreaming...

Frankfort, Kentucky is home to Kentucky State University - a predominantly African-American school, the majority of who's students come from very large cities out of state. It is not unusual for these young adults to feel very out of place in a "small town" like Frankfort. This is a feeling that is not helped by the fact that Frankfort tends to ignore the university that has been a part of it's community since 1887.

I went to college at Campbellsville University where the tiny town of Campbellsville, KY revolved around the rapidly growing campus. The churches in the area offered college age Sunday School classes and worship services and several of the restaurants as well as the movie theater offered student discounts.

Frankfort is anything but a college town. Most churches in the area would be shocked and unprepared if the students of KSU came for a visit and there isn't a single restaurant in town that I know of that offers them a discount. In many ways KSU's campus is treated like a leper colony by many of Frankfort's natives. We give it a wide berth and we don't intermingle. Jokes are made and we move on.

I want to change this! It has been put on my heart to reach out to the students of KSU. Regardless of who you are or where you come from, college is a stressful time, full of lifestyle changes and new people. The transition is made easier when there are comfortable place to relax, hang out with friends and meet new people. I have a dream to open a coffee shop close to campus that offers student discounts and caters to the college crowd with free wi-fi and comfy couches and tables for studying. I'd also like to have live entertainment, including open mic nights, from time to time.

There are just a few problems with my plan. I know nothing about owning my own business, I know nothing about coffee, other than that I like it, and I have no money. Starting a business is expensive, not to mention however much it costs to go to barista school to learn how to make the coffee I'd be selling.

Obviously this is a dream that has a reality very far into the future, but I keep praying that if this is part of God's plan for me, that he will make a way for it to happen.



My friend, Elisabeth. KSU's first white homecoming queen!



What's wrong with my brain?!?

Why does it seem like whenever I think I'm getting my life organized and on track, I find 50 different things that have to be done that I've forgotten about? Today alone, I found two bills that are overdue, one of which I thought I had already mailed, but had actually gotten shoved under the seat of my husband's car. I'm not horribly unorganized and I've been working to be better, but lately, it seems like no matter what I do, I will always forget something. And it's usually something important. I feel like a failure for not being able to even remember a few bills.

The sad thing is, my crazy forgetfulness is also affecting random aspects of my daily life. During the power-outage, I was determined to take a drink of Mike's Mountain Dew, while my Dr. Pepper (which is what I really wanted) was sitting directly in front of me. I don't know how many times I reached for that can that was extra far away. And I can't seem to keep myself on top of things at work. Yesterday, I asked a co-worker to keep an eye on the register while I went to the bathroom, but I took my StaffCard with me so she couldn't make any transactions until I returned. And the crowning glory? I recently squirted contact solution on my toothbrush. Really? What is wrong with my brain?!?

Always on my mind...

Those of you that know me well probably know that I've recently been bitten by the baby bug, but I'm really not sure that anyone knows the extent to which this little bug has been ravaging my heart. Mike and I are very sensible. We don't make much money and we live in a less than ideal location for raising a family. We have decided not to even think about children until I have a full time job and we are able to move into a more stable and suitable living situation. But all of this reasoning and logic doesn't stop my heart from aching when I see a newborn or from being jealous of my 18 year old co-worker who found herself unexpectedly pregnant. I am not jealous of the struggles she will have, but I cannot help but be saddened to think that her irresponsibility has given her something that I long for, but am too responsible to go after.

I have so many wonderful kids in my life already - my awesome nephew, Preston; and Caroline, who hangs out with me every day, and who, even as she sits here smearing peanut butter all over her face, melts my heart. I will be an aunt again in April, and then again in August (though not biologically). I say that I am content to live vicariously through these little ones until Mike and I are ready, but it's just not true. If it were up to me, we'd be ready now. I feel ready now. I know that I will be a wonderful mother and Mike will be an excellent father, and, regardless of our situations, we would give our child the best life possible.

It is a comfort, but also a struggle, to remind myself that my satisfaction should not come from my situations in this life, but from my Savior who provides for my every need. I know that I should be satisfied, but I'm not. I am praying each day that God strengthens my faith and gives me His peace.

Are my feeling irrational? Or am I over-reacting to normals feelings for a married woman my age?

The way of the future!

Mike and I have joined the ranks of the techonologically elite. We are officially iPhone users! Hooray for a new toy to play with! Even though they are not cheap, I am hoping that it will actually help me keep a better hold on our finances. Let's see if I can successfully use my new budgeting app. At any rate, I'm thankful that I didn't have to deal with a phone with a broken display for very long and that my husband will now be able to use his phone at work.

New Beginnings

So, I thought I'd give this blog thing a try. It's a new year, why not start something new?

I can't say I'm sad to see 2010 go. Like every year, it had it's ups and downs. Mike and I started our marriage living in a beautiful 2 bedroom, 1 1/2 bath apartment in downtown Lawrenceburg. When we first signed the lease we couldn't stop talking about what a bargain it was, but by the start of 2010 I was unemployed and we were putting at least $200 on our credit card each month just to stay afloat. In April we moved from my dream apartment in a nice area to a tiny 1 bedroom house in one of the worst areas of Frankfort with no inside doors except for the one on the tiny bathroom. And while we don't feel unsafe in our new neighbor, we did inherit some neighbors I could do without. It gets really easy to feel sorry for myself when I look at things this way.

But 2010 wasn't all bad. While I don't always love our living situation, we pay very low rent for a stand-alone house with a fenced in backyard that our awesome puppy Oscar loves. This past year, I went from being unemployed to having two jobs. During the school year I am an in-home nanny for the most beautiful and amazing little girl in the world, Caroline Martin. I've fallen madly in love and am firmly wrapped around her finger. In the evenings and on weekends I work at Gatti's Pizza. Sometimes it stinks to think that I went to college for 4 years and now make minimum wage at a pizza place, but they gave me a job when no one else would so I have to be grateful for that. We also took the big step to cut up our credit card after finishing Financial Peace University. It's great to know that we don't have to rely on it anymore and that the temptation isn't even there. We're slowly but surely getting rid of our debt and learning to spend responsibly.

The absolute highlight of the year was celebrating the first of many wedding anniversaries with my awesome husband, Mike. We didn't have much money to celebrate with, but we spent a wonderful evening reflecting on how fast the year had gone and all of the great things we had enjoyed about being married.

We've also become parents! Pet parents, anyway. In Cctober of '09 we adopted Oscar - the coolest and craziest puppy in the world. He's my baby and I spoil him rotten. Then in July of '10 I found a tiny stray kitten and brought him home. Unfortunately, he was sick and didn't live very long. Oscar was very sad to have lost his friend so we decided to adopt another kitten who we named Tesla. At first he absolutely hated Oscar and we weren't sure that it would work out, but now they're best buds who love to wrestle and play. They bring a lot of joy and tons of laughter to our home.

I'm excited to see what God has in store for me in 2011 and am already making positive changes to make myself healthy and happy for this new year!