The past few months have been life-changing to say the least! Ryan and I were not expecting the pregnancy but we could not be happier that our sweet baby girl is coming soon! We know that we are so very blessed that this chapter of our life happened so unexpectantly when we know so many others struggle with getting pregnant and carrying their babies full term. I honestly always worried I wouldn't be able to have children so the fact that it has been the biggest surprise of my life has been, well, surprising! In the beginning I really struggled with the changes we would need to make in our life- the sacrifices in giving up the right to be selfish, go on trips when we wanted etc. but when I heard that heartbeat for the first time I realized the things I would be giving up were just not important at all compared to holding our daughter for the first time and spending the rest of our lives raising our family.
I have also been so overwhelmed and blessed with the outpouring of love and excitement from both of our families and all of our friends. It is no secret that a few years ago I was deeply hurt by a very close friend that is no longer apart of my life. If you are a regular reader of my blog you know that it has been a process for me because I have never experienced anything like this before and honestly would be shocked if it ever happened again. The Lord has been faithful through it all and has placed such amazing people around me; although no one can fill the place that this person has in my heart I strongly believe that the ones closest to me now are exactly who should be there.
What has also been really amazing through all of this is that I have met and become close with multiple girls who have gone through similar experiences after I did and I was able to listen and share in their pain- this is something I would have never been able to do had I not gone through this difficult time. I have been avoiding bringing this up because I feel so at peace with everything and have for quite some time but writing is an outlet for me and there is just something about putting it all on paper, or on the computer screen that allows so much reflection and I just love that!
All of that being said, I am so SO thankful for my friends, I am not sure that I deserve having such close friendships with the most amazing people on earth but I am so glad you are all here! I am also thankful for a husband that understands how important my friends are to me- just last weekend he gladly gave our house up for the day so that a few of my besties could come spend the night and hang-out on our couch all day. I know some people walk through life never meeting even one close friend and I have been surrounded with so many from different chapters in my life that I have been able to pick-up along the way and plan to keep with me forever :-)
Faith Bible Church has also played a HUGE role in the healing process for me. I still miss Fort Worth most days, I miss being across the street from two of my besties, all of the fun things to do and just that entire chapter of our life but I know without a doubt that God has brought us home for a reason and serving at FBC has been amazing. Being apart of the student ministry and seeing Ryan in action has strengthened our marriage more than I thought possible. The staff is so gracious and everyone is a few steps ahead of us- Ryan's boss and his wife have been such amazing examples to us in particular and are two people we aspire to be in so many ways. I have written about our small group before but those friendships are so different than the rest because we have an entire group of people going through the same chapter of life that we are and they have shared in our joys in pains over the last year and I am sure they will always be apart of our life.
Ryan and I are so lucky to have such great families who are supportive and share in our joy which I know is such a rare occurence these days. We have exciting days ahead that I know will hold all sorts of different emotions but we want you to know how thankful we are that you are apart of our life and this chapter we are embarking on! We are now accepting names to be submitted for our little girl so if you have any PLEASE send them my way! I hope that you and your family will have a very Merry Christmas!!
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Saturday, December 17, 2011
It's a...
For the entire pregnancy thus far I have been 99% sure the baby was a boy. Ever since I took the pregnancy test I have been saying it was a boy. We decided to do a gender reveal party which I HIGHLY recommend, it was such a blast!! My sister and parents threw it for us last night and I just loved it.
Everyone that came got to cast their vote by holding up a mustache or pink lips- my sister did such an amazing job and only 4 people voted girl with the other 25 or so people voting boy! Here we are, casting our votes:
We cut into a cake in that was in a present shape and the inside would be either pink or blue :-)
The lips and mustaches were so hilarious, here begins the photo shoot:
Our small group, we love them so much:
Everyone that came got to cast their vote by holding up a mustache or pink lips- my sister did such an amazing job and only 4 people voted girl with the other 25 or so people voting boy! Here we are, casting our votes:
We cut into a cake in that was in a present shape and the inside would be either pink or blue :-)
To our surprise, it was PINK inside!!
We were so surpised and EXCITED!! I can't wait to meet our little girl :-)
Here is the spread, they did such a great job! We had so much fun!!
The lips and mustaches were so hilarious, here begins the photo shoot:
My girls:
Our small group, we love them so much:
Being suspicious with our mustaches:
Sweet Suzanne and me, she had a crazy day and still made it for our big moment! love her!
My pregnant sis and I- we are SO excited to both be having girls so close to one another:
Future Grandma, my Mom-In-Law:
Future Great Aunt and Great-Nana:
Future Grandparents, My Mom-in-law and Father-in-law
Future Grandparents, My parents:
Thanks to everyone that was able to come and support us, we couldn't be happier about our baby girl!!
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Being pregnant is weird...
So I guess it's probably the same for everyone but I didn't really know what to expect after finding out I was pregnant. I am super comfortable with taking care of the baby once he/she is here but carrying it around for 9 months is just really weird.
Although I think it is amazing, the fact that this tiny baby is growing everyday and becoming the little person it will be forever the thought of it just hanging out in my stomach is just an interesting thought.
Our baby which is apparently the size of a medium shrimp makes alot of decisions for me. For instance, whether or not I can eat something- it might sound really great to me but once I smell it the baby makes the decision and more often than not it is "No way Mom, I will make you sick if you make me eat that!"
This sweet baby also decides when and in what position I will sleep, sit and when it is time or me to sit down. If I don't obey the baby I don't get to go to sleep and my back will start killing me!
All of this aside though at only 13 weeks our baby has fingerprints- isn't that crazy! he/she also has all of their organs, veins and very thin skin. It has been pretty awesome to hear the heart beat a few times and to read each week what is forming. I am avoiding most books an unwarranted advice...I just don't need to know horror stories, everything about a random person's pregnancy or every little worry out there- whatever happens throughout this pregnancy is part of God's plan for our family and I just have to trust that He has already prepared me for what is coming our way. I will say that the labor part really freaks me out. I am definately not a fan of Eve and wish a stork really would just bring me a baby wrapped in a white blanket.
Anyway, I have been rambling for a while- I am off to visit my Nana for a little bit and hopefully get a chunk of our Christmas presents taken care of! I hope you all enjoy your weekend!
Although I think it is amazing, the fact that this tiny baby is growing everyday and becoming the little person it will be forever the thought of it just hanging out in my stomach is just an interesting thought.
Our baby which is apparently the size of a medium shrimp makes alot of decisions for me. For instance, whether or not I can eat something- it might sound really great to me but once I smell it the baby makes the decision and more often than not it is "No way Mom, I will make you sick if you make me eat that!"
This sweet baby also decides when and in what position I will sleep, sit and when it is time or me to sit down. If I don't obey the baby I don't get to go to sleep and my back will start killing me!
All of this aside though at only 13 weeks our baby has fingerprints- isn't that crazy! he/she also has all of their organs, veins and very thin skin. It has been pretty awesome to hear the heart beat a few times and to read each week what is forming. I am avoiding most books an unwarranted advice...I just don't need to know horror stories, everything about a random person's pregnancy or every little worry out there- whatever happens throughout this pregnancy is part of God's plan for our family and I just have to trust that He has already prepared me for what is coming our way. I will say that the labor part really freaks me out. I am definately not a fan of Eve and wish a stork really would just bring me a baby wrapped in a white blanket.
Anyway, I have been rambling for a while- I am off to visit my Nana for a little bit and hopefully get a chunk of our Christmas presents taken care of! I hope you all enjoy your weekend!
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
We have an announcement...
Some of you may remember a post I wrote back in September about babies and how we were waiting for a while longer but that I hoped it would be a surprise...
Well, we have definately recieved a surprise recently! Ryan and I are going to be parents in June!! This has come as a complete shock as we were planning to wait for another year or so but obviously this is such a happy surprise. It has been a whirlwind of emotions but we feel so blessed that we are being intrusted with this sweet little baby.
Although the timing is not what we were expecting we know that God's plan is so much better than anything we could have ever lined out for ourselves and we are thankful for this new chapter that will be starting in just a few short months!
An extra fun thing that is happening with all of this is that both Ryan's brother and sis-in-law and my sister and bro-in-law have babies that are going to be so close to ours. Our twin niece and nephew were born in September and our niece from my side is due in February- our babies will only be 8 months and 4 months apart! I love that b/c we are both close to our siblings and it is so fun to be going through this all together.
I have been really, really sick. Thankfully it has been getting better the last few days since I am going to be 3 months by the end of this week and I am ready for that 2nd trimester to start! Up until the last week or two I have been in kind of a shock-fog but the thought that we are going to have a little baby next holiday season makes me really excited and we have heard the heart beat twice so it has been such a life-changing, amazing experience.
I ask that you pray for us as we embark on this new journey, all the ups and downs that I know are coming our way and just that we will rely on God and lean on each other. I am so very lucky to have such an amazing husband, everytime I have had a difficult moment thus far he is so calm, happy and everything I could need to get happy again and I don't take that for grantit, not even for a second.
In other news... how great is Pinterest? It is my new BFF.
This Thanksgiving the Jasper family has so much to be thankful for- I hope that you and your family have a wonderful holiday filled with ridiculous amounts of food and loved ones! :-)
Well, we have definately recieved a surprise recently! Ryan and I are going to be parents in June!! This has come as a complete shock as we were planning to wait for another year or so but obviously this is such a happy surprise. It has been a whirlwind of emotions but we feel so blessed that we are being intrusted with this sweet little baby.
Although the timing is not what we were expecting we know that God's plan is so much better than anything we could have ever lined out for ourselves and we are thankful for this new chapter that will be starting in just a few short months!
An extra fun thing that is happening with all of this is that both Ryan's brother and sis-in-law and my sister and bro-in-law have babies that are going to be so close to ours. Our twin niece and nephew were born in September and our niece from my side is due in February- our babies will only be 8 months and 4 months apart! I love that b/c we are both close to our siblings and it is so fun to be going through this all together.
I have been really, really sick. Thankfully it has been getting better the last few days since I am going to be 3 months by the end of this week and I am ready for that 2nd trimester to start! Up until the last week or two I have been in kind of a shock-fog but the thought that we are going to have a little baby next holiday season makes me really excited and we have heard the heart beat twice so it has been such a life-changing, amazing experience.
I ask that you pray for us as we embark on this new journey, all the ups and downs that I know are coming our way and just that we will rely on God and lean on each other. I am so very lucky to have such an amazing husband, everytime I have had a difficult moment thus far he is so calm, happy and everything I could need to get happy again and I don't take that for grantit, not even for a second.
In other news... how great is Pinterest? It is my new BFF.
This Thanksgiving the Jasper family has so much to be thankful for- I hope that you and your family have a wonderful holiday filled with ridiculous amounts of food and loved ones! :-)
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
What did you do this weekend?
I had the complete joy of going on a JR High retreat with our youth group. As most of you know my husband is a JR High pastor and we have been part of an absolutely amazing church for about a year and a half.
We moved in view of a call in May of 2010 and it has been a whirlwind of a blessing. We were very lucky to be able to move back to our hometown and be a part of a congregation that we would honestly go to whether or not Ryan was on staff. That might sound weird to say but many times in ministry you are called to a church in spite of the fact that the church is in a super small town and there are no other people your age. I am not saying that joy can't be found in these amazing churches as well, I just believe that God knew Ryan and I needed to be somewhere that we could serve and pour into students as well as making new lasting friendships. I am so thankful for where God has us right now and couldn't imagine us being anywhere else. Serving in the youth and joining a small group has really changed our marriage and for me, strengthened my walk with Christ. We have always been a part of a church but in Fort Worth our schedules didn't allow much time for pouring into people or serving so we never quite felt like we fit. We felt at home from the first time we set foot inside Faith Bible Church and that feeling is indescribable and has been life-changing. I honestly think we have been incredibly spoiled beyond what we deserve in being a part of Faith Bible Church.
Our youth group is amazing. There really is no other word for them- these students have taught Ryan and I so much in such a short period of time and getting to know them has been such a great experience. We spend the most time with JR High but I have also been able to build relationships with some pretty awesome High School and now College freshman girls that I miss so much!
This past weekend we really felt like we had come full circle. I remember last year Ryan and I being so stressed and nervous about retreat, just trying to get everything ready and we were so blessed by a smooth sailing weekend. This year couldn't have gone better! The weather was beautiful, the students were so receptive and our volunteers are just wonderful. Getting to hang-out with the girls until all hours of the night always brings ridiculous laughing and fun and spending time with my fellow volunteers is really encouraging. Just being outside for two days in itself was great because the camp we go to (Carolina Creek) is just gorgeous. From ziplines to tree top obstacle courses to swimming pools there is never a time where you aren't having fun. If you are looking for a place to go you should definately visit Carolina Creek!
One of my friends/fellow volunteers said it best, "if you want to be blessed volunteer in your youth group." I couldn't agree more!
We moved in view of a call in May of 2010 and it has been a whirlwind of a blessing. We were very lucky to be able to move back to our hometown and be a part of a congregation that we would honestly go to whether or not Ryan was on staff. That might sound weird to say but many times in ministry you are called to a church in spite of the fact that the church is in a super small town and there are no other people your age. I am not saying that joy can't be found in these amazing churches as well, I just believe that God knew Ryan and I needed to be somewhere that we could serve and pour into students as well as making new lasting friendships. I am so thankful for where God has us right now and couldn't imagine us being anywhere else. Serving in the youth and joining a small group has really changed our marriage and for me, strengthened my walk with Christ. We have always been a part of a church but in Fort Worth our schedules didn't allow much time for pouring into people or serving so we never quite felt like we fit. We felt at home from the first time we set foot inside Faith Bible Church and that feeling is indescribable and has been life-changing. I honestly think we have been incredibly spoiled beyond what we deserve in being a part of Faith Bible Church.
Our youth group is amazing. There really is no other word for them- these students have taught Ryan and I so much in such a short period of time and getting to know them has been such a great experience. We spend the most time with JR High but I have also been able to build relationships with some pretty awesome High School and now College freshman girls that I miss so much!
This past weekend we really felt like we had come full circle. I remember last year Ryan and I being so stressed and nervous about retreat, just trying to get everything ready and we were so blessed by a smooth sailing weekend. This year couldn't have gone better! The weather was beautiful, the students were so receptive and our volunteers are just wonderful. Getting to hang-out with the girls until all hours of the night always brings ridiculous laughing and fun and spending time with my fellow volunteers is really encouraging. Just being outside for two days in itself was great because the camp we go to (Carolina Creek) is just gorgeous. From ziplines to tree top obstacle courses to swimming pools there is never a time where you aren't having fun. If you are looking for a place to go you should definately visit Carolina Creek!
One of my friends/fellow volunteers said it best, "if you want to be blessed volunteer in your youth group." I couldn't agree more!
Monday, November 7, 2011
Christmas Gift Ideas...
Although I am not a fan of seeing Christmas decor out in stores etc. before Thanksgiving has happened I am a fan of getting a start on all the Christmas presents around this time... I wish I were one of those people that shopped all throughout the year but I am just not!
This year I would really love to make personal gifts for everyone- not just for saving money but just to give something that means a little more than a gift card or an item the person told me they wanted. I have been all over pinterest, etsy and different blogs checking out some pretty adorable things!
I would love to hear of any ideas you might have, the blogworld is always a place I go to for ideas so please share!! I am really concentrating on items for family members, Ryan and I are thinking we would rather go out of town somewhere instead of getting presents so anything you can send my way of things you have made or event items on your list that you love would be greatly appreciated!!
Other than that the Jasper household is just getting ready for our 2nd annual JR High retreat that is this weekend up in our old stomping grounds of Huntsville, TX at a really great camp! I am so excited about spending time with our awesome girls and being outside all weekend! Please pray for us as we prepare and for the hearts of the students- I know that God has huge plans and we are so blessed to play a small role!
Happy Monday! If we got through today the rest of the week should go alot easier right??
This year I would really love to make personal gifts for everyone- not just for saving money but just to give something that means a little more than a gift card or an item the person told me they wanted. I have been all over pinterest, etsy and different blogs checking out some pretty adorable things!
I would love to hear of any ideas you might have, the blogworld is always a place I go to for ideas so please share!! I am really concentrating on items for family members, Ryan and I are thinking we would rather go out of town somewhere instead of getting presents so anything you can send my way of things you have made or event items on your list that you love would be greatly appreciated!!
Other than that the Jasper household is just getting ready for our 2nd annual JR High retreat that is this weekend up in our old stomping grounds of Huntsville, TX at a really great camp! I am so excited about spending time with our awesome girls and being outside all weekend! Please pray for us as we prepare and for the hearts of the students- I know that God has huge plans and we are so blessed to play a small role!
Happy Monday! If we got through today the rest of the week should go alot easier right??
Monday, October 17, 2011
Fall is my favorite.
As usual I feel that I should begin this post by saying life has been busy... I am really going to try to avoid this statement even though it is true b/c when is life not busy??
I hope you are all enjoying fall, even though we have only had a few days of rest from the oppressive Texas heat I still love this season. I actually love it more than Christmas. I love fall decor, the colors are basically what our house is decorated in so I love breaking out all my fall garland, pumpkins and my wreath b/c it just goes well with everything :)
I also love Thanksgiving- I love that we can all pig-out without the stress of presents but I do love the time off I get from work with Christmas, we usually get 1.5-2 weeks depending on how it falls and that is always a much anticipated break!
Anyway, back to fall. I am an "Autumn-Cool" meaning that those colors look best with my skin tone according to the people who color print so I also love that about fall. This fall in particular has been a very exciting and crazy one for us!
We helped Ryan's brother and sis-in-law with their precious new twins and our 3 year old niece a few weeks ago to kick-off October! I loved being able to spend an extended period of time with our nieces and nephew along with just seeing how their everyday life is! Since we are 4 hours away we don't normally get to see each other very often so we were glad that everything worked out for us to be able to help out.
That following weekend Ryan preached to the entire church at both services for the first time which was a pretty exciting day! He has never spoken to that many people at one time so he was nervous but you couldn't tell at all! He did a really, really great job! It was one of my proudest moments :-)
Work has been pretty intense for me lately, just trying to get my fall events taken care of and getting more schools on board- recruitment has been going a little slower than I would like it to be and I am so ready to switch gears and just be able to focus on the event planning but we will get there!
I can't believe we are already in the middle of October, I lead a 7th grade girls small group on Sunday nights and we were planning our Trunk or Treat costume and car plans and it just seems too early but it is only 2 weeks away! I am really excited about what we are doing and can't wait to post pictures!
We are also doing a Murder Mystery with our friends for Halloween that weekend, I am so excited b/c I have never done one before!!
My sister's baby shower is only 3 weeks away, I am so very excited about it!! We are doing a "Tea Party" theme which I think is just adorable so I can't wait for that either!
The following weekend we have our Jr High retreat and then the weekend after that we are heading to Fort Worth for much needed visit to our friends and Ryan is in a Judo competition. Then 4 days later is Thanksgiving!! Not to mention all of the random little things in between,we have a few friends getting married in December as well so I think by the time 2011 ends we will just crash!
The next few months are going to be so fun though and I am excited for everything headed our way!!
I hope you are all enjoying fall, even though we have only had a few days of rest from the oppressive Texas heat I still love this season. I actually love it more than Christmas. I love fall decor, the colors are basically what our house is decorated in so I love breaking out all my fall garland, pumpkins and my wreath b/c it just goes well with everything :)
I also love Thanksgiving- I love that we can all pig-out without the stress of presents but I do love the time off I get from work with Christmas, we usually get 1.5-2 weeks depending on how it falls and that is always a much anticipated break!
Anyway, back to fall. I am an "Autumn-Cool" meaning that those colors look best with my skin tone according to the people who color print so I also love that about fall. This fall in particular has been a very exciting and crazy one for us!
We helped Ryan's brother and sis-in-law with their precious new twins and our 3 year old niece a few weeks ago to kick-off October! I loved being able to spend an extended period of time with our nieces and nephew along with just seeing how their everyday life is! Since we are 4 hours away we don't normally get to see each other very often so we were glad that everything worked out for us to be able to help out.
That following weekend Ryan preached to the entire church at both services for the first time which was a pretty exciting day! He has never spoken to that many people at one time so he was nervous but you couldn't tell at all! He did a really, really great job! It was one of my proudest moments :-)
Work has been pretty intense for me lately, just trying to get my fall events taken care of and getting more schools on board- recruitment has been going a little slower than I would like it to be and I am so ready to switch gears and just be able to focus on the event planning but we will get there!
I can't believe we are already in the middle of October, I lead a 7th grade girls small group on Sunday nights and we were planning our Trunk or Treat costume and car plans and it just seems too early but it is only 2 weeks away! I am really excited about what we are doing and can't wait to post pictures!
We are also doing a Murder Mystery with our friends for Halloween that weekend, I am so excited b/c I have never done one before!!
My sister's baby shower is only 3 weeks away, I am so very excited about it!! We are doing a "Tea Party" theme which I think is just adorable so I can't wait for that either!
The following weekend we have our Jr High retreat and then the weekend after that we are heading to Fort Worth for much needed visit to our friends and Ryan is in a Judo competition. Then 4 days later is Thanksgiving!! Not to mention all of the random little things in between,we have a few friends getting married in December as well so I think by the time 2011 ends we will just crash!
The next few months are going to be so fun though and I am excited for everything headed our way!!
Monday, September 26, 2011
Babies, Babies, everywhere!
I don't know about you but it feels like it is baby season all over the world. I have never known so many people to be having babies at the same time than I have recently. Here is a quick run-down...
1. My sister is having a baby in February, so are two of my sorority sisters- on the same day... all girls! How randomly weird? Can't wait to meet my sweet niece and my two friends baby girls! February is going to be such a fun month!
2. My sister-in-law just had twins: Lydia and Jackson!! They are precious, sweet and doing really well! We got to meet them a week ago and we are going up to help with them next week which will mean alot of sweet baby cuddle time! :-)
3. My friend Mandy just had a sweet baby boy- please keep baby Beckett (love that name) in your prayers as he is a premie at 25 weeks but couldn't be cuter!
4. My friend Jalei is going to be having a baby boy any day now- Davis Reid (isn't that just the cutest name??)
5.My friend Meg is having a baby in March- so excited for her!!
6. My friend Windy is having a baby boy in January that I can't wait to meet!
7. Andrea, who I have known since the 4th grade is having a baby boy in December- he will be here so soon!
8. Claire recently had baby Bradley- I am so excited for her and Russell! Although I have not met him yet he looks adorable in pictures!
9. My friend Chisum and his wife just had baby boy Slate, he is cute as can be! So exited for Chisum and Mary Ann!
10. Ryan's best friend growing up and his sweet wife Emily just had their first baby, James! We can't wait to meet him, he is so cute!
That is 13 babies! 13! All so close together! Some of you may think this will make Ryan and I want to have babies soon... sorry to inform you that this actually makes us want to wait longer. This way we can just have fun with our friends and family's babies and hand them back when they start crying and take a vacation should we get the urge anytime soon.
Don't get me wrong, we definately want children but right now we are just loving being apart the excitement of everyone else! Honestly, I hope that our 1st baby is a complete surprise- I don't want it to be a plan at all so you will probably not read a post of me saying we are ready... just one saying we are expecting! Don't quote me on that but if there was a plan that'd be it!
Congratulations to all my beautiful pregnant friends and family members along with the ones who are enjoying their babies already and your proud husbands! I will be spoiling you and your babies very soon if I haven't already started :-)
1. My sister is having a baby in February, so are two of my sorority sisters- on the same day... all girls! How randomly weird? Can't wait to meet my sweet niece and my two friends baby girls! February is going to be such a fun month!
2. My sister-in-law just had twins: Lydia and Jackson!! They are precious, sweet and doing really well! We got to meet them a week ago and we are going up to help with them next week which will mean alot of sweet baby cuddle time! :-)
3. My friend Mandy just had a sweet baby boy- please keep baby Beckett (love that name) in your prayers as he is a premie at 25 weeks but couldn't be cuter!
4. My friend Jalei is going to be having a baby boy any day now- Davis Reid (isn't that just the cutest name??)
5.My friend Meg is having a baby in March- so excited for her!!
6. My friend Windy is having a baby boy in January that I can't wait to meet!
7. Andrea, who I have known since the 4th grade is having a baby boy in December- he will be here so soon!
8. Claire recently had baby Bradley- I am so excited for her and Russell! Although I have not met him yet he looks adorable in pictures!
9. My friend Chisum and his wife just had baby boy Slate, he is cute as can be! So exited for Chisum and Mary Ann!
10. Ryan's best friend growing up and his sweet wife Emily just had their first baby, James! We can't wait to meet him, he is so cute!
That is 13 babies! 13! All so close together! Some of you may think this will make Ryan and I want to have babies soon... sorry to inform you that this actually makes us want to wait longer. This way we can just have fun with our friends and family's babies and hand them back when they start crying and take a vacation should we get the urge anytime soon.
Don't get me wrong, we definately want children but right now we are just loving being apart the excitement of everyone else! Honestly, I hope that our 1st baby is a complete surprise- I don't want it to be a plan at all so you will probably not read a post of me saying we are ready... just one saying we are expecting! Don't quote me on that but if there was a plan that'd be it!
Congratulations to all my beautiful pregnant friends and family members along with the ones who are enjoying their babies already and your proud husbands! I will be spoiling you and your babies very soon if I haven't already started :-)
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Info Dump!
The summer ended, although you would never know with how hot it has been. The new school year has started which for the Jasper household it means everything gets very busy!
My job's busy season is the school year, most busy being the fall semester with recruitment and event planning and then it really doesn't calm down until mid-March and we wind down to summer and then there is the blessed, blessed break of summer.
Ryan's busy season really is summer with all the traveling but our schedule on Sunday's is very busy during the school year whereas in the summer it is pretty relaxed.
I COULD NOT BE MORE EXCITED ABOUT THE JUNIOR HIGH MINISTRY FOR THIS YEAR! We have enjoyed the ride at Faith Bible Church so very much and are amazed daily at how God is using this church to bring us closer together and to Him. Ryan does such an awesome job with the students and we have so many fun things ahead- they all start this weekend with a Ropes Course Challenge Day on Saturday followed by our first full Sunday back with our Junior Service kicking-off Sunday night. I am so excited about getting to know our new 7th grade girls and growing closer to our our 8th grade girls that I could just pop- they are all so much fun!
Ryan's classes started back up at seminary last week as well so he has a lot on his plate but so far the classes seem to be going pretty well. We are also doing quite a few weekend trips in the near future, Ryan has a judo tournament next weekend in San Antonio, we love an excuse to get away and I am pretty excited about that! We may be doing a few Austin area trips as well and I also desperately need to get a girl's weekend on the books to see my lovlies who are in Fort Worth.
We have alot of babies on the way that we are so excited to meet! Ryan's brother and sis-in-law have TWINS coming any day now, we are just waiting for the call! We are actually going to spend a few days helping out in the beginning and I am really looking forward to spending time with our gorgeous niece Sophia that we don't get to see near enough, meeting our new niece and nephew and spending some time with Justin and Annalisa!
My sister and bro-in-law are also having a baby in February! It is a girl and we can't wait for her arrival! I am in baby shower planning mode now and loving every minute of it. My Mom and I got to plan a reveal party for her a month ago and it was so fun!
Spoiling all of our nieces and our new nephew are pretty high on our priority list and I am so excited!!
We recently went to an auction in Magnolia and it was so fun!! My wonderful parents fought over the cutest vanity when I lost to this lady that tried to steal it from me and they won! I have always wanted an antique vanity and really couldn't love a piece of furniture more... I only wish I had a ridiculous hoop skirted dress to wear as I sit in it to put my make-up on. We had to rearrange our entire house basically for it to fit well but it was totally worth it :-)
My bro-in-law is going to come do some much needed painting in our house soon and I can't wait!! I had the idea of putting my china pattern on the kitchen wall (it's a really cute red tree) and he is going to fix a really bad paint job we did in our room. I will put pictures up once it's done but we are hoping to get started within the month.
Well I think that is all of the information I am going to dump on you for now! Hope you are all well and are enjoying the "fall!"
My job's busy season is the school year, most busy being the fall semester with recruitment and event planning and then it really doesn't calm down until mid-March and we wind down to summer and then there is the blessed, blessed break of summer.
Ryan's busy season really is summer with all the traveling but our schedule on Sunday's is very busy during the school year whereas in the summer it is pretty relaxed.
I COULD NOT BE MORE EXCITED ABOUT THE JUNIOR HIGH MINISTRY FOR THIS YEAR! We have enjoyed the ride at Faith Bible Church so very much and are amazed daily at how God is using this church to bring us closer together and to Him. Ryan does such an awesome job with the students and we have so many fun things ahead- they all start this weekend with a Ropes Course Challenge Day on Saturday followed by our first full Sunday back with our Junior Service kicking-off Sunday night. I am so excited about getting to know our new 7th grade girls and growing closer to our our 8th grade girls that I could just pop- they are all so much fun!
Ryan's classes started back up at seminary last week as well so he has a lot on his plate but so far the classes seem to be going pretty well. We are also doing quite a few weekend trips in the near future, Ryan has a judo tournament next weekend in San Antonio, we love an excuse to get away and I am pretty excited about that! We may be doing a few Austin area trips as well and I also desperately need to get a girl's weekend on the books to see my lovlies who are in Fort Worth.
We have alot of babies on the way that we are so excited to meet! Ryan's brother and sis-in-law have TWINS coming any day now, we are just waiting for the call! We are actually going to spend a few days helping out in the beginning and I am really looking forward to spending time with our gorgeous niece Sophia that we don't get to see near enough, meeting our new niece and nephew and spending some time with Justin and Annalisa!
My sister and bro-in-law are also having a baby in February! It is a girl and we can't wait for her arrival! I am in baby shower planning mode now and loving every minute of it. My Mom and I got to plan a reveal party for her a month ago and it was so fun!
Spoiling all of our nieces and our new nephew are pretty high on our priority list and I am so excited!!
We recently went to an auction in Magnolia and it was so fun!! My wonderful parents fought over the cutest vanity when I lost to this lady that tried to steal it from me and they won! I have always wanted an antique vanity and really couldn't love a piece of furniture more... I only wish I had a ridiculous hoop skirted dress to wear as I sit in it to put my make-up on. We had to rearrange our entire house basically for it to fit well but it was totally worth it :-)
My bro-in-law is going to come do some much needed painting in our house soon and I can't wait!! I had the idea of putting my china pattern on the kitchen wall (it's a really cute red tree) and he is going to fix a really bad paint job we did in our room. I will put pictures up once it's done but we are hoping to get started within the month.
Well I think that is all of the information I am going to dump on you for now! Hope you are all well and are enjoying the "fall!"
Monday, August 8, 2011
I love this new tiny television...
I have not owned a computer since college. I graduated in 2007...
My job obviously provides a laptop but it's just not the same when it's a company computer! Thank goodness for my smart phone because without it I would never know what is going on in the world! This weekend Ryan took me to BestBuy for a brand new laptop!! I ended up picking out an HP- the screen is HUGE! 17 inches which the graphic designer in me obviously loves! Definately a huge selling point for me- the BestBuy guy definately thought it was weird I wanted a large screen. Seriously dude?? I told you what I needed to use it for... anyway I think I have a pretty awesome husband and love playing on my new toy!
Here is a picture of my computer's newest fan...
My job obviously provides a laptop but it's just not the same when it's a company computer! Thank goodness for my smart phone because without it I would never know what is going on in the world! This weekend Ryan took me to BestBuy for a brand new laptop!! I ended up picking out an HP- the screen is HUGE! 17 inches which the graphic designer in me obviously loves! Definately a huge selling point for me- the BestBuy guy definately thought it was weird I wanted a large screen. Seriously dude?? I told you what I needed to use it for... anyway I think I have a pretty awesome husband and love playing on my new toy!
Here is a picture of my computer's newest fan...
Saturday, July 30, 2011
When Sting Rays Attack...
Well do I have a story for you!
My Mom, Sis and I decided to head down to Galveston the other day to eat some seafood and visit the beach for a bit. We set everything up and my sister and I headed out to the water.... about 2 minutes in I felt a HORRIBLE pain in my foot- it felt like both a knife and a bee sting going into my foot which prompted me to scream and kick my foot as hard as possible and immediately try to get out of the water. After making it to shore, scared to look down I realize that my foot is in fact bleeding and the pain is getting worse. My Mom and I immediately jumped into the car and left my sister with our chairs and headed as fast as we could to the seawall to find a lifeguard station. MY FOOT WAS BURINING. MY ANKLE WAS EVEN HURTING.
We got stuck at a light so I jumped out of the car and hobbled down to the lifeguard and asked if he knew anything about stings. He rand off of his station and said "I bet it's a jellyfish right?" I answer "I'm not sure" then, as he reaches me and looks at my foot an awful expression comes over him while he says "Oh no, that's no jelly fish- that is a Stingray. You have got to be in terrible pain" me- "Yes I am- what do I do" he proceeds to explain a few things that help stop the bleeding and tells me that I should have called 911 and that I need to get to the hospital... WAIT... WHAT?? Is this really that serious??
Off we go to the Urgent Care since they would probably be able to see me quicker according to Mr.Lifeguard who was really fantastic and helpful. I am not saying that in a sarcastic tone- but after reading it, it totally sounds like I am- he really was great! Anyway, the hospital immediately tells me that I must put my foot in burning hot water. They bring a tub to me... it's HOT, seriously hot. I am told this will neutralize the poison. TOTALLY WORKS despite my sceptisism. I then get xrays and everything looks OK and the doctor tells me that I am going to be on a series of medications to avoid Staph infection.
After getting my meds filled we headed back to get my sister and we decided to stay a little while since the afternoon was RUINED. Then we headed to get dinner and came home.
So, here I am- full of antibiotics and I have had a tussle with a Sting Ray. Galveston waters will not be seeing me anytime soon.
My Mom, Sis and I decided to head down to Galveston the other day to eat some seafood and visit the beach for a bit. We set everything up and my sister and I headed out to the water.... about 2 minutes in I felt a HORRIBLE pain in my foot- it felt like both a knife and a bee sting going into my foot which prompted me to scream and kick my foot as hard as possible and immediately try to get out of the water. After making it to shore, scared to look down I realize that my foot is in fact bleeding and the pain is getting worse. My Mom and I immediately jumped into the car and left my sister with our chairs and headed as fast as we could to the seawall to find a lifeguard station. MY FOOT WAS BURINING. MY ANKLE WAS EVEN HURTING.
We got stuck at a light so I jumped out of the car and hobbled down to the lifeguard and asked if he knew anything about stings. He rand off of his station and said "I bet it's a jellyfish right?" I answer "I'm not sure" then, as he reaches me and looks at my foot an awful expression comes over him while he says "Oh no, that's no jelly fish- that is a Stingray. You have got to be in terrible pain" me- "Yes I am- what do I do" he proceeds to explain a few things that help stop the bleeding and tells me that I should have called 911 and that I need to get to the hospital... WAIT... WHAT?? Is this really that serious??
Off we go to the Urgent Care since they would probably be able to see me quicker according to Mr.Lifeguard who was really fantastic and helpful. I am not saying that in a sarcastic tone- but after reading it, it totally sounds like I am- he really was great! Anyway, the hospital immediately tells me that I must put my foot in burning hot water. They bring a tub to me... it's HOT, seriously hot. I am told this will neutralize the poison. TOTALLY WORKS despite my sceptisism. I then get xrays and everything looks OK and the doctor tells me that I am going to be on a series of medications to avoid Staph infection.
After getting my meds filled we headed back to get my sister and we decided to stay a little while since the afternoon was RUINED. Then we headed to get dinner and came home.
So, here I am- full of antibiotics and I have had a tussle with a Sting Ray. Galveston waters will not be seeing me anytime soon.
Day 30: Reflection
Wow! I FINALLY finished the 30 day blog challenge and it only took me FOREVER to finish it. Although I am still not a daily blogger I do feel that this challenge helped me blog more often which was my main reason in trying to complete it. So, my main thought about it is that it was great for me! It was a great way to just write for the sake of writing and about random things that I would have probably never written about without the challenge. One thing that I didn't like about it was that it made me shy away from writing my own entries about life because it was time consuming and when I sit and write I want to write alot and I didn't want to post a bunch of posts all at once. Anyway, it was so fun and if you are trying to start a blog, come back to that blog you can never keep up with or just want something new to do you should definately try it!
Friday, July 15, 2011
Day 28: Something that stresses you out...
I honestly don't get stressed out often at all... instead I will list things annoy me.
- The old pizza pocket commercial that the lady smashes an entire pizza into the toaster.
- roaches.
- dog hair. luckily my dog doesn't shed- pretty sure i could never have a dog who did shed- i would be a disaster and carrying a lint brush with me everywhere.
- standing behind an unorganized person at airport security. READ THE SIGNS! if you aren't ready then step aside because I can't take it!
- picking-up people from the airport.
- my alarm.
- a dirty kitchen or bathroom.
- the currently yellow wall in our bedroom- we need to repaint it.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Day 29: 3 wishes...
world peace. new president. end poverty.
Although these three would be great a few real wishes I have are that I would be a positive influence in the world, me a mom one day and be a millionaire.
the end.
Although these three would be great a few real wishes I have are that I would be a positive influence in the world, me a mom one day and be a millionaire.
the end.
Day 27: Pets!
Those of you who know me at all or have ever visited this blog know that I have a dog. His name is Scout and he is my son. He is the first pet that I have actually owned, not just the family dog- Ryan and I picked him out after searching for days at local animal shelters. We had no idea what we wanted but we did know we wanted to rescue a dog. We had one dog picked out but I just wasn't sold- as cute as "8 ball" was (don't even get me started on the names that are assigned by animal shelters) he was very nervous and had quite a few accidents just in the short time we were trying to get to know him. I made a rash decision to stop by a smaller animal shelter before we chose 8-ball. We walked in and Scout was right next to the door in his cage. It was love at first site. The play area was next to his cage so we immediately opened the cage and he licked my face when I picked him up. We played with him for a few minutes and it already felt like he was ours. The shelter worker encouraged us to put him back and check-out the other animals to be sure he was what we wanted so we did so, we did bring this one other dog out to the play area- it was a girl which is what we originally wanted and she was cute but when we tried to play with her she also had a few accidents and the thing that really made our decision is that Scout cried the entire time we were looking at that other dog- after like 30 seconds of hearing him cry I said "take this dog away, i want the white one."
His name then was "Luther Van Dross" then - really???
Luther and I have been best friends ever since- we swiftly changed his name to Scout and he is the sweetest, funniest dog ever! We celebrated his 2nd birthday yesterday, he was born on July 4th. Here he is after a long day of playing, swimming and being spoiled. He decided to take a nap with his Aunt Jess.
I LOVE YOU SCOUT JASPER!
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Day 26: A picture of your Family
This one is kind of old but it's the only one I have of the 3 of us- thanksgiving last year.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Day 25: 1st 10 songs on your i-pod shuffle
Yes I have an I-pod. Do I load songs on it often? NOT AT ALL. I use it to work-out and that is about the extent. I don't even know how to use I-tunes. Ryan has loaded the few songs I have which are Taylor Swift, Tim McGraw and Justin Timberlake. Dont judge me.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Hello craft week!
Earlier this week i went to Potteryland with my sister, Nana, Aunt and cousins and it was so much fun! I painted a ceramic pitcher that I can't wait to pick-up! I am in Fort Worth for the weekend catching up with friends and have had so much fun! I got to see my friends Jalei and Lane's new adorable house, eat breakfast with 2 of my great Fort Worth friends and hold their babies and the rest of the time has been spent with my two besties! I have LOVED all the girl time lately- it was much needed :-)
Tonight we went to Painting with a Twist- I have done it a few times in the past and really loved it so I was pumped! This night did not disappoint, we brought quite a spread to enjoy while painting and all of our paintings turned out SO cute! We did Van Gogh's "Red Poppies" which made me excited because that is my favorite flower and it will go great in our kitchen!
I will post pictures soon of my creations, I am not normally very crafty and feel so accomplished to have done 2 very crafty things in one week! Maybe I can start trying to make a habit of it!
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!! I will be getting a pedi tomorrow and eating amazing food before heading back home to the Mr!! What did you do this weekend?? Do you have any craft ideas for me to do this summer??
Tonight we went to Painting with a Twist- I have done it a few times in the past and really loved it so I was pumped! This night did not disappoint, we brought quite a spread to enjoy while painting and all of our paintings turned out SO cute! We did Van Gogh's "Red Poppies" which made me excited because that is my favorite flower and it will go great in our kitchen!
I will post pictures soon of my creations, I am not normally very crafty and feel so accomplished to have done 2 very crafty things in one week! Maybe I can start trying to make a habit of it!
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!! I will be getting a pedi tomorrow and eating amazing food before heading back home to the Mr!! What did you do this weekend?? Do you have any craft ideas for me to do this summer??
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Yeah, it's been a while...
Hi Blog. Things have been a little nutty around here so I have put you on the back burner... In order to catch everyone up I am going to just list what has been going on.
Ryan went to the Dominican Republic for a mission trip for work with our church. He had such an amazing time there and really got to see God work. If you prayed or contributed we thank you so very much!!
I worked while he was gone and spent alot of time seeing a few of my favorite girls- it was so much fun! Everyday I was with a different set of girls and even had one of my FW besties come stay for a few days- LOVE THAT!
Ryan got back which made me super happy and on the 3rd day he was home we realized he got a stomach bacteria from the D.R. it was awful. He ran a 103 fever along with MAJOR stomach issues.
It took some time, alot of icepacks and cold baths along with this miracle medice we got from his boss and he was better after 3 days.
I lost 9 lbs from dieting. He lost 14 lbs from being in the D.R and being sick.
Scout needs a haircut really bad. He has a fro.
I cut my contact in half somehow and it really hurt my eye. I had to wear my glasses all weekend because it was my last pair. SO NOT HAPPY ABOUT WEARING THE GLASSES. I am going to the doctor tomorrow.
Today is Father's Day. I love days that celebrate the people I love and my Dad is definately a life to be celebrated. He has always been such a rock in my life- I know I am very, very lucky to have such an amazing Dad who has always led me, taught me how to be a good person and been an example of what a good man is. I can only hope one day that I will be half as good a parent as he is. Whether it be fixing my car, killing bugs or quoting Tombstone with me we always have a blast and I take it as a huge compliment when people tell me that we are just alike. I love you Daddy!
Ryan got a mohawk about a month ago. It suits him- I really like it which is shocking.
We have a cat that thinks we are his parents. He sleeps on our porch and hangs out under our cars. Hello cat, who are you and where did you come from?
Monday, I am not happy about you being a few short hours away. I am so tired of you ruining my perfectly good weekends.
I think that is everything I needed to say for now. Hope you all have a great week!!
Ryan went to the Dominican Republic for a mission trip for work with our church. He had such an amazing time there and really got to see God work. If you prayed or contributed we thank you so very much!!
I worked while he was gone and spent alot of time seeing a few of my favorite girls- it was so much fun! Everyday I was with a different set of girls and even had one of my FW besties come stay for a few days- LOVE THAT!
Ryan got back which made me super happy and on the 3rd day he was home we realized he got a stomach bacteria from the D.R. it was awful. He ran a 103 fever along with MAJOR stomach issues.
It took some time, alot of icepacks and cold baths along with this miracle medice we got from his boss and he was better after 3 days.
I lost 9 lbs from dieting. He lost 14 lbs from being in the D.R and being sick.
Scout needs a haircut really bad. He has a fro.
I cut my contact in half somehow and it really hurt my eye. I had to wear my glasses all weekend because it was my last pair. SO NOT HAPPY ABOUT WEARING THE GLASSES. I am going to the doctor tomorrow.
Today is Father's Day. I love days that celebrate the people I love and my Dad is definately a life to be celebrated. He has always been such a rock in my life- I know I am very, very lucky to have such an amazing Dad who has always led me, taught me how to be a good person and been an example of what a good man is. I can only hope one day that I will be half as good a parent as he is. Whether it be fixing my car, killing bugs or quoting Tombstone with me we always have a blast and I take it as a huge compliment when people tell me that we are just alike. I love you Daddy!
Ryan got a mohawk about a month ago. It suits him- I really like it which is shocking.
We have a cat that thinks we are his parents. He sleeps on our porch and hangs out under our cars. Hello cat, who are you and where did you come from?
Monday, I am not happy about you being a few short hours away. I am so tired of you ruining my perfectly good weekends.
I think that is everything I needed to say for now. Hope you all have a great week!!
Monday, June 6, 2011
Day 24: Something you have learned...
I feel that the last few years have held so many lessons for me...
I have learned that it is so important that the people in your "inner-circle" need to be uplifting and supportive, loving you unconditionally along with helping you to bring out the best version of yourself.
I have learned that marriage is challenging, fun and the most amazing thing I have ever experienced.
I have learned that you can cook a baked potato in the microwave.
I have learned that the moments I am completely exhausted and feel I can't go on that God moves in huge ways since He was just waiting on me to choose him instead of choosing to do it all myself.
I have learned that El Paso has mountains.
I have learned that I can be quite a controlling person.
I have learned the importance of working on letting go of my controlling nature.
I have learned the difference between being in God's will and doing Godly things.
I have learned that I really enjoy reading- something I had not done a lot of until the last year.
I have learned that being a pastor's wife is rewarding.
I have learned that 7th and 8th graders are a blast to hang-out with!
I have learned how to make lasagna from scratch.
I have learned that you can't control other people's actions- only your reaction.
I have learned that regardless of my situation God is in control. Even when I don't understand my circumstances.
I have learned that I am an awful painter. Just ask my yellow wall in our room.
I have learned that I have a lot more to learn!
I have learned that it is so important that the people in your "inner-circle" need to be uplifting and supportive, loving you unconditionally along with helping you to bring out the best version of yourself.
I have learned that marriage is challenging, fun and the most amazing thing I have ever experienced.
I have learned that you can cook a baked potato in the microwave.
I have learned that the moments I am completely exhausted and feel I can't go on that God moves in huge ways since He was just waiting on me to choose him instead of choosing to do it all myself.
I have learned that El Paso has mountains.
I have learned that I can be quite a controlling person.
I have learned the importance of working on letting go of my controlling nature.
I have learned the difference between being in God's will and doing Godly things.
I have learned that I really enjoy reading- something I had not done a lot of until the last year.
I have learned that being a pastor's wife is rewarding.
I have learned that 7th and 8th graders are a blast to hang-out with!
I have learned how to make lasagna from scratch.
I have learned that you can't control other people's actions- only your reaction.
I have learned that regardless of my situation God is in control. Even when I don't understand my circumstances.
I have learned that I am an awful painter. Just ask my yellow wall in our room.
I have learned that I have a lot more to learn!
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Day 23: A picture of yourself
I would have a hard time finding a picture of just me since I love pictures so much I am usually always armed with a camera but usually taking pictures with other people. Anyway, you will see below that I am showing you pictures of me with my family members instead :-) I actually have two pictures to show you because I just cut 7 inches off of my hair! Who knew it even got that long to have 7 inches to chop off?? I have been growing it out for the last year and about a month ago started thinking it was time for a change. Here you go!
Before:
And here is the after picture!
So I guess this is what I look like... One day I will finish this 30 day challenge, only 6 more posts to go! I have really enjoyed doing it even if it has taken me way longer than 30 consecutive days to get it finished :-)
Before:
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| Me, My Mom and Sister on Mother's Day |
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| Ryan and I at the Waterway |
Pray for Ryan
Ryan left yesterday for the Dominican Republic with our church for a mission trip. They took a group for the week and a second trip is coming in when they leave next Saturday. Please pray for the people they are impacting, the group's health and that the weather will take a turn for the good! A tropical storm is headed their way and so obviously we want it to go the other direction!
I miss him already but I am so excited for his opportunity. He was so excited to lead a baseball camp and do construction work while also building relationships with the people in the village they are working in. I have to say that it was such a proud moment knowing that I am married to a man that values helping others and wants to spend his time doing so.
While he is gone I will be working and spending alot of time with some of my favorite girls :-) I can't wait for him to come back home and tell me all about the trip! Thanks for your prayers!!
I miss him already but I am so excited for his opportunity. He was so excited to lead a baseball camp and do construction work while also building relationships with the people in the village they are working in. I have to say that it was such a proud moment knowing that I am married to a man that values helping others and wants to spend his time doing so.
While he is gone I will be working and spending alot of time with some of my favorite girls :-) I can't wait for him to come back home and tell me all about the trip! Thanks for your prayers!!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Day 22: Favorite Vacation...
Hmm... this is a hard one because I am such a travel fanatic.
Even though it is cliche I am going to with our honeymoon. We went to Cozumel and spend one day in Play Del Carmen...
Our honeymoon was amazing- we had our own private entrance to the beach, our own hot tub on our veranda and it was definately the most relaxing trip I have ever been on. The food was great, it was beautiful there and I loved spending a full 7 days with Ryan with no interruptions from the outside world. Yeah, hands down it was definately the best vacation! If I could repeat it I would jump on a plane in 1 hour and be the happiest person on the planet.
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| Our private entrance to the beach- i was standing on our veranda we were SO close to the water. |
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| La Playa Bonita- it was my favorite beach. We found it while driving around the Cozumel and spent an afternoon there totally by ourselves- that was pretty cool! |
My other top vacations are definately Lake Tahoe, Napa Valley and Charleston.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Easter!
Just trying to keep up with the 30 day blog plan has been hard enough so needless to say I haven't blogged about life lately...
I know Easter is long gone but I want to write about it because it really is one of my favorite holidays. This year was so great because we were back in The Woodlands with family- last year we didn't come down and it just wasn't the same not seeing my family etc. We went to church that morning and the service was really great and moving, I definately cried. The thing that I love about Easter the most is that it is the ultimate new beginning and it changed our world forever. Although there are no take-backs in life there is forgiveness and from God there is complete redemption and that is amazing. Easter is such a pefect picture of grace, hope and future and I honestly don't know how people make it through the day without the support and belief that Jesus is the one and only way to heaven and He is our new beginning. After the service we took fun pictures with one of our new couple friends... I like to refer to them as A & E. Here they are in all of their glory...
Then we headed to my parent's house for our annual Easter Sunday Los Cucos fajitas feast and I made this easter Hummingbird cake:
Happy Belated Easter!!
I know Easter is long gone but I want to write about it because it really is one of my favorite holidays. This year was so great because we were back in The Woodlands with family- last year we didn't come down and it just wasn't the same not seeing my family etc. We went to church that morning and the service was really great and moving, I definately cried. The thing that I love about Easter the most is that it is the ultimate new beginning and it changed our world forever. Although there are no take-backs in life there is forgiveness and from God there is complete redemption and that is amazing. Easter is such a pefect picture of grace, hope and future and I honestly don't know how people make it through the day without the support and belief that Jesus is the one and only way to heaven and He is our new beginning. After the service we took fun pictures with one of our new couple friends... I like to refer to them as A & E. Here they are in all of their glory...
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| Me with my handsome hubby! |
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| Aron and Elyse- they are so cute! |
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| Me and E!! love her! |
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| Our crazy husbands!! |
After our papparazi moment we headed out to the petting zoo where there were baby goats, kangaroos and event a camel- this is me talking him... he was cute. smelly. but cute.
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| Hello Camel... |
After we were stuffed we then took family pictures and went swimming... here is a million more pictures of us:
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| Mom, me and sister |
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| us with our cousin Ethan |
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| Nana, me, my sister and my Aunt- Scout is in the background :-) |
Day 21: Favorite City
This is a hard one... my favorite city to live in would be Fort Worth, but favorite city to visit is a hard one to answer. I really love Charleston, Paris, Nashville and Lake Tahoe. I mean even looking at this picture of Paris makes me miss it...
If I must pick just one I guess I would say Charleston. I loved the food and personality of the city. It was so homey, clean and I loved biking everywhere.
My least favorite would definately be Vegas. Of course I had fun when I went but I don't really have much of a desire to go back- too dirty, hot and crowded.
What are your favorite cities??
Monday, May 16, 2011
Day 20: Nicknames...
Mine are not very inventive... Come on people- get creative with the nicknames! J/K
Obviously my most popular is just Jen- rarely do people ever call me Jennifer. Here are a few other ones...
Jenny from the block
Jen-Jen
JenLea
Jenny-Lea
Q-ball
Qualls
J-Lo
JJ
J-squared
The fabulous J
Flying J
Did I leave any out??
Obviously my most popular is just Jen- rarely do people ever call me Jennifer. Here are a few other ones...
Jenny from the block
Jen-Jen
JenLea
Jenny-Lea
Q-ball
Qualls
J-Lo
JJ
J-squared
The fabulous J
Flying J
Did I leave any out??
Friday, May 13, 2011
Dsy 19: Something you miss...
Fort Worth!! Big surprise right? I really do miss the city, bbq, all the fun things to do and most importantly the people! 2 of my closest friends in the world live there and it has been quite the adjustment being without them. Luckily we take turns visiting and so I still get to see them but it's just not enough! When you move away from your family your friends really become your extended family and we all just became a huge part of one another's lives. I would never take the time I spent back with them and miss them everyday. I also just miss the excitement and the newness of our life back there- we were always visiting new places, eating new food and anything else that comes with getting to know a new city. We still have fun here but now it's more about revisiting places we love instead if finding new spots.
Although there is no doubt in my mind that we are supposed to be back in The Woodlands I do wish we were just a little closer to Fort Worth. I miss and love you Raven and Katie and all of my extended family in Fort Worth!
Although there is no doubt in my mind that we are supposed to be back in The Woodlands I do wish we were just a little closer to Fort Worth. I miss and love you Raven and Katie and all of my extended family in Fort Worth!
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Day 18: Something you regret
Hmmm... I am not an advocate of regretting things. You can't take anything back so thinking about it seems like a waste of time but I will continue on this blogging challenge and give an answer...
I regret putting other things in front of enjoying life- whether it be work, responsibilities, trying to control things or even just trying to fix broken relationships. I tend to focus on trying to make things perfect and it's just not worth it. This is something I learned about myself a few years ago and at times it's great because it gives me a good work ethic and makes me work hard at being a good wife, friend, daughter etc. but like with anything too much is exhausting and I can't really "fix" or control anything. I wrote a post a while ago about how beautiful not being in control can be and this really goes back to that...
So what if the house gets a little messy, someone gets annoyed because I didn't do what they thought I should or I finish that work project tomorrow before the deadline instead of today- the world will not fall off the hinges. Moving to Fort Worth really helped with this because I had to dive into the unknown which is scary for me and it turned out to be amazing so I look forward to more opportunities like that one.
In college I was very responsible and worked alot- sometimes I wish I had concentrated more on just enjoying my sorority and living in the tiny h-ville as opposed to setting myself up for a career. I have great college memories don't get me wrong- I had a blast but I also put alot of pressure on myself. I am not saying that my hard work didn't pay off because now I have a great job and get to work from home but I don't want to look back on the chapter I am in now and wish I had taken more risks etc. but that I had truly lived life to the fullest.
Single, Married, Kids, No Kids, College, High School, etc. live in YOUR chapter. Don't get me wrong I think that planning is great and that goals are necessary in life but none of this should take away from your enjoyment of what is happening now becaue you will never get it back. I am also not saying that being responsible isn't important because it is but as with anything there must be a balance.
I know this post is supposed to be about regrets but I would rather focus on living a life without regret- don't you wish that we could keep no record of our own wrongs just as God doesn't keep our records?? Sometimes a little bit of amnesia would be great... I try not to dwell on the past but more on living a life without regrets and worries. I actually would not consider myself much of a worrier because I am such a planner that worry rarely sets in but one verse that I would like to leave this post with is one that is such a challenge...
Matthew 6:34 - Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
I regret putting other things in front of enjoying life- whether it be work, responsibilities, trying to control things or even just trying to fix broken relationships. I tend to focus on trying to make things perfect and it's just not worth it. This is something I learned about myself a few years ago and at times it's great because it gives me a good work ethic and makes me work hard at being a good wife, friend, daughter etc. but like with anything too much is exhausting and I can't really "fix" or control anything. I wrote a post a while ago about how beautiful not being in control can be and this really goes back to that...
So what if the house gets a little messy, someone gets annoyed because I didn't do what they thought I should or I finish that work project tomorrow before the deadline instead of today- the world will not fall off the hinges. Moving to Fort Worth really helped with this because I had to dive into the unknown which is scary for me and it turned out to be amazing so I look forward to more opportunities like that one.
In college I was very responsible and worked alot- sometimes I wish I had concentrated more on just enjoying my sorority and living in the tiny h-ville as opposed to setting myself up for a career. I have great college memories don't get me wrong- I had a blast but I also put alot of pressure on myself. I am not saying that my hard work didn't pay off because now I have a great job and get to work from home but I don't want to look back on the chapter I am in now and wish I had taken more risks etc. but that I had truly lived life to the fullest.
Single, Married, Kids, No Kids, College, High School, etc. live in YOUR chapter. Don't get me wrong I think that planning is great and that goals are necessary in life but none of this should take away from your enjoyment of what is happening now becaue you will never get it back. I am also not saying that being responsible isn't important because it is but as with anything there must be a balance.
I know this post is supposed to be about regrets but I would rather focus on living a life without regret- don't you wish that we could keep no record of our own wrongs just as God doesn't keep our records?? Sometimes a little bit of amnesia would be great... I try not to dwell on the past but more on living a life without regrets and worries. I actually would not consider myself much of a worrier because I am such a planner that worry rarely sets in but one verse that I would like to leave this post with is one that is such a challenge...
Matthew 6:34 - Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Day 17: Something you are looking forward to...
Well, I am looking forward to a lot of things in life! One short term thing that I am looking forward to is definately summer! The nature of my job is that our busy time is during the school year so we get a huge break during the summer! Every year I really look forward to it and this year is no different :-) The nature of Ryan's job is that summer is his busiest season so that being said I look forward to the time that we spend away together. We aren't planning any huge trips for this summer but we hope to do a few long weekends away- I definately look forward to that since my life is one big waiting room until the next vacation. :-)
Long term, I look forward to paying off student loans, having babies (in the far away future) and traveling! We want to take a big trip when Ryan graduates next year- we are thinking Greece or just doing a European tour type of thing. It has been way to long since I have been to Europe so I definately look forward to that!
Long term, I look forward to paying off student loans, having babies (in the far away future) and traveling! We want to take a big trip when Ryan graduates next year- we are thinking Greece or just doing a European tour type of thing. It has been way to long since I have been to Europe so I definately look forward to that!
Friday, April 29, 2011
Day 16: Dream House
This would definately be a dream house for me... I LOVE castles. I always have. When I was in Europe a few years ago I saw every castle I could. They just fastinate me. I love how unique they always are. Obviously this is not something I would ever own but this picture below definately is! It has a few castle like qualities- my main desire in houses is that they have personality, even with our first home I wanted something that was sweet and cute. I also really like plantation homes because I love the white columns but the gothic era is probably my favorite.
I can't wait for a few years when we start looking at houses again - although we had to move quickly I had so much fun looking at everything. It really didn't stress me out too much because I was just too excited!
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Day 15: Favorite Bible Verse
It's hard to just pick one but I have become a pretty big fan of Psalms in the last few weeks and one of my new favorites is below:
Psalms 62:5-8
For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fotress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my might rock, my refuge is God. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.
My all-time favorite verse since I was a kid was:
Isaiah 40:29-31
He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
Psalms 62:5-8
For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fotress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my might rock, my refuge is God. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.
My all-time favorite verse since I was a kid was:
Isaiah 40:29-31
He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Day 14: A picture that you love
I keep telling Ryan that I want to renew our vows soon so we can have another ceremony and I can wear my dress again- he tells me we aren't celebrities and should probably wait a few years. I disagree... ;-)
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Day 13: Goals...
Goals... these change from day to day at times but here are a few that I have right now:
- Become a runner- I would really like to at least accomplish a 10K in the next year. Before moving to Fort Worth I really had a great start on training and then the wedding and my new job took over and now here I am 2.5 years later and want to start it all again!
- Get debt free! We have some student loans to take care of and with Ryan still being in school we are unable to make as a big a dent as I would like so we are trying to make a conscious effort to cut back on things that we don't need.
- Become healthier! Yes, I would really like to lose weight- I have lost about 12 lbs so far but I have a long way to go. Beyond just loosing weight though I want to become healthier and I want the weight to be lost in a healthy way through diet and exercise.
- Travel as much as possible before we have kids- I know that once we decide to start a family our priorities will need to change and we want to welcome the changes. This being said I want to enjoy this time that it's just us because we can never get it back and we have alot of places we want to visit and things we want to do- I really love this chapter that we are in!
- Continue to enjoy my career- I am so lucky to have a job that I get to work from home and do something that I enjoy while also making a difference- I don't know where my career is headed but I do know that I want it to continue to challenge me and be something that I have fun with.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Day 12: What you believe...
I am so thankful to have grown-up in a strong Christian home. My parents didn't just take us to church- they served and they lead very Godly lives and I look up to them so much. I was saved a very young age of 5 on December 11, 1989. Although it is young and some people don't thing a 5 year old can really know what they are being saved from I remember the feeling of asking Jesus in my life and never being the same.
Although I grew up in church I did loose my way a little after highschool like alot of people. There were definately chapters in my life that I was selfish, lost and confused about where my life was headed. Beyond anything I ever deserved though the Lord fought for me and brought me back through a Christian sorority that I joined while in college. Shortly after He blessed me even more with bringing me Ryan. I am so blessed to be with a man of God who truly leads me closer to the Lord. No, he isn't perfect (although I really thought he might have been for a while there haha) but he fights daily for his relationship with God to grow and I can't ask for anything more.
I believe that Jesus is the only way and by His grace alone I am saved. I hope that my lifesong will sing to Him and that one day our children can say that they grew up in a home like the one I did.
Although I grew up in church I did loose my way a little after highschool like alot of people. There were definately chapters in my life that I was selfish, lost and confused about where my life was headed. Beyond anything I ever deserved though the Lord fought for me and brought me back through a Christian sorority that I joined while in college. Shortly after He blessed me even more with bringing me Ryan. I am so blessed to be with a man of God who truly leads me closer to the Lord. No, he isn't perfect (although I really thought he might have been for a while there haha) but he fights daily for his relationship with God to grow and I can't ask for anything more.
I believe that Jesus is the only way and by His grace alone I am saved. I hope that my lifesong will sing to Him and that one day our children can say that they grew up in a home like the one I did.
Day 11: Favorite TV Shows...
I do love a good sitcom... since we have joined Netflix however Ryan and I rarely ever watch the actual TV- we became huge fans of Psych, Arrested Developement and after we finished those we moved on to Lost which is by far the most addicting thing I have ever watched! We are in Season 3 and its going to be sad when it is all over! My favorite shows of all time are below:
Boy Meets World
Friends
One Tree Hill
Felicity
Dawson's Creek
My fav's that are actually still in existance are:
Psych
One Tree Hill
Glee
The Office
Modern Family
Dancing with the Stars
What are your favorites?? Any of you Lost fans out there??
Boy Meets World
Friends
One Tree Hill
Felicity
Dawson's Creek
My fav's that are actually still in existance are:
Psych
One Tree Hill
Glee
The Office
Modern Family
Dancing with the Stars
What are your favorites?? Any of you Lost fans out there??
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