Thankful Thursdays #4

1. The change in seasons being celebrated with a heavier comforter and a night in front of the fire pit.

2. Jesus calling me closer to Him, making his Word alive in my heart, affecting my outlook on life in the most wonderful ways.

3. Challenges at work, and rewards at work.

4. Roger's morning snuggles, Benny's ever-present licks.

5. Reinventing outfits from all my current clothes thanks to a budget that Noel and I both agree on and live by. 

Progress on October Goals

So far this week, I've worked out 3 times.

Sunday, did a 20 minute legs and 10 minute abs video.
Tuesday, ran 3 miles with Noel at lunch - discovered a great way to spend a long lunch break.
Wednesday, did arms and Barre3.

I am a goal-setter, though not always a goal-follow-througher. I like structure, but I like freedom.

Last night at house church, we covered 1 Corinthian 6: 12-20. Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible, but I will not be mastered by anything.

I am always living in a state of being mastered by lesser freedoms. I want to sleep, so I miss my time with God. I want to feel full, so I miss practicing self-control. I want my way, so I miss humility.

Having goals can set me up for freedom, but the goals can become the master as well. I am praying through and focusing on the freedom found in Christ, lived out through following his Word. Not, setting goals for myself to feel better about myself so I can present a prettier picture of myself to the world. 

It's all about Him. 

Anyway, got sidetracked. So far, so good on October goals. 

Thankful Thursdays #3

As work continues to throw more responsibility and challenge my way, I am learning how much God wants/needs to show up in this category of my life. For so many years, personal relationships consumed all my best efforts and energies.

And then blessed Noel came along. And it takes effort, and it takes energy, but not in a depleting way. In a life-giving way.

So now it's all about work. And responsibility. Dependability. Integrity. Making the most of my resources. It hasn't been easy or fun, but it's been eye-opening and heart-stretching. For that, I am so thankful.

1. A promotion at work.

2. Answered prayers in the work category for Noel.

3. As much as I love them, my mom taking the boys for a break.

4. Prosecco for celebrating.

5. Iced tea as an alternative to the gallons of Coke Zero I could very easily consume. Regularly.

Monday

Oy. 

I normally get to work at 6:30 to avoid traffic and have about an hour of alone time before everyone starts filing in. Sometimes though, like this morning, waking up early enough to be in the office at that time is just too early. 

It was cold (for Texas) last night, which made granting myself a later alarm clock a lot easier. 
Noel was at work, so I was sleepy-mopey about not having his good morning kiss to start my day off.
And this weekend was just pretty rough, so I didn't feel rested to start another Monday.

But I got up, let the fuzzy boys out, and started my day. I can't say I'm fully present in this Monday yet, but I also don't want to waste any more time going through the motions. 

I have 8 hours of work to put in. Sometimes work is mental challenge, sometimes the people at work are the mental challenge, but mostly this is a personal challenge to do my best at all times, even in situations that aren't my favorite. I've never been good at giving my best when I feel a situation doesn't merit my all. 

 Tonight we're having dinner with my parents.

I am on day 7 of my October goals, one of which is to workout 5x a week, 30 minutes minimum. So I'll be getting in a 30 minute sweat session before dinner. 

And then I'll have an evening with my man, something I miss when he's gone. 

All of these things are wonderful, undeserved blessings, not unwanted to-do's. It's so easy after a day of work and traffic and phone calls and so much other STUFF to want to check out. Sit on the couch. Give Noel 20% of my already depleted energy. 

But it's the stuff after the working hours - the workout, family dinner time, Noel time - that really matter in my life. 

I pray God will show me how to balance it all. I pray He will give me the energy or show me how to use my current energy supplies to invest in the things that will last. My relationships, my health. Not let those things suffer because I am aching for more or different from 6:30 to 3:30. God, please help me learn to serve you with an expectant, generous mind and heart, not just waiting for the day to end. Please help me to find my refresh button once I get home. 

Thankful Thursdays #2

1. What a wonderful month October is, even in Houston. Even though temperatures aren't dropping and leaves aren't changing, it's a new season. New foods in the produce section, new clothes in stores, seasonal candles, warm colors everywhere... I love October.

2. My husband who continually reminds me of Christ's love for me. There is no greater gift than my marriage to Noel. There is no better man or mate for me.

3. Those seasonal candles. Non-stop. As soon as I get home, the hoodie comes on and the candles get lit.

4. Budgeting. Having control of our money. This has been a huge blessing and a huge challenge for me.

5. An amazing place to work. God is showing me that he isn't just Lord of my relationships, he is Lord of my work. I have encountered more work stress recently than ever in my life, and I had to learn (maybe for the first time), that God is here too, and he's calling me to submit here, too. Interesting lessons on that front.

My vigilant little men.

Extremely handsome husband

What are you thankful for?

October Goals

1. Exercise 5x a week, at least 30 mins.
2. Bake 2 new kinds of treats (I am obsessed with decorating cookies right now).
3. Paint. Make one new creation.
4. Cook 3 new healthy meals.
5. Develop a signature October cocktail for home. 

Thankful Thursdays

1. I'm thankful for a strong family even in hard circumstances.

2. I'm thankful for a husband who is the greatest gift of spiritual encouragement, laughter, chore-sharing, dog-snuggling and warmth (literally).

3. I'm thankful for a busy couple of weeks at work, divided among Houston, Jakarta and Denver.

4. I'm thankful for stinky little furballs who are so squishy and silly.

5. I'm thankful for my ice cream maker. 

Pensive Puggie

Jakarta Red Bull to get me through

Super sexy alien husband

What are you thankful for this Thursday?

Major Milestones

Despite most aspects of our relationship/wedding being very non-traditional, there have still been some huge “Wow this is really happening” milestones along the way.

The first for me was deciding on our honeymoon. Second was securing our reception venue (so cool).

But this past week we knocked out one of the biggest: we found our home.

Our home!

The house we’ll both live in as husband and wife. Where we’ll cook dinners together, and drink wine together, watch movies and TV together, fight and makeup together, where we’ll talk for hours and hours and laugh even longer. We’ll build our lives together in this place. It’s got a huge yard for the little fuzzy boys, and an already established garden (be still my heart)! I am overjoyed.

Craigslist, overstock.com, Joss&Main and Lowe’s – beware!

The Honeymoon!

I've been wanting to start up a blog about the journey towards marriage with Noel, I just haven't known where to start. So, I'm starting at the end (of the wedding) and the beginning (of our adventures as an old married couple): THE HONEYMOON!

Couples Swept Away - Negril Jamaica. I can already hear the island music and feel my toes stepping on crabs!

We were completely clueless on where to honeymoon - neither of us wanting to spend a bunch of money and also not being able to decide what setting we wanted (though for me, it's always, always, always gonna be a beach). 

*Insert married-with-children friends!* 

We have multiple friends who have stayed at one of the Couples franchises, and the look in their eyes (and the way they looked at each other while talking) left no doubt in our minds that Jamaica was going to be our honeymoon.  We booked almost immediately. 

I literally cannot wait to get there with my HUSBAND! 

Noel and me laying around in our undies all day.

Noel and me trying to decide where the water stops and sky begins...in 2008.

Us scuba diving, duh.

I love it when he wears that swimsuit.

And of course us enjoying the island delicacies. Noel makes me laugh so hard when he eats mangoes!

 
(I can't wait to replace these pictures with actual pictures of Noel and me in JAMAICA!)