Happy Thanksgiving!

Nice little cabin we stayed at.

Jonathan loved how the trees were so straight. :)

A lake we visited at the state park.

Lookout tower we went to. Jonathan made it to the top, but I only made it up 6 levels because it was so windy.

Looking down from the tower.

This past weekend Jonathan & I went on our first vacation together!! Our first anniversary is on the 27th of this month, so we decided to get away from everything for a few days and ahead south.

Growing up I had been to southern Indiana several times vacationing with my family, but it was nice this time to go back with my husband. We went shopping, visited the local state park and just caught up on some much needed rest and relaxation.

Hope each of you have a very Happy Thanksgiving! We have family here that we are going to celebrate Thanksgiving with. Let us not take for granted this day and make sure to give thanks for all of our many blessings!

Happy Fall!

Fall is finally here!! I'm so thankful for the cooler weather, but I have to admit that I am somewhat sad about summer's end.

This past week we got the chance to go up to Michigan to help my great-uncle pick pumpkins, gourds and squash. It was a good experience which I didn't know much about to begin with. We now have a bigger appreciation for pumpkins and pumpkin pickers. :) It was nice though to be able to get away for a little while and be with family once again and to be able to see my cousin's new baby. We picked several kinds of pumpkin (all different sizes). We also picked some really neat looking squash that I'd never even seen or heard of before. I was surprised at how big some of them were too. Some of the squash I'm sure would be able to last quite a few meals. Wonder what people in Haiti would think of those big things. :)

While we were up there, we found out that Jonathan's paperwork has been approved and he goes in for an appointment on Oct 13!! We are SO excited about this! It seems like we've been waiting forever for this to happen and now it finally is happening!!

We would appreciate continued prayers that God will continue to provide, lead & direct us in this paperwork process as well as other areas!

More Favorite Cakes

Here are some kids cakes that I thought are really cute. I've found alot of good ideas & recipes at this website. They have all kinds of really neat ideas, crafts, recipes, etc.

One of my hobbies is cake decorating. I am still learning and hope to take a cake decorating class soon, but I enjoy making different designs, etc. I did some browsing via Google and found some cake designs that I really like. So, I thought I'd share! :)

SuMmEr 2011~

A recent picture my sister, Brooke, took of Jonathan & I.

Trying to cool off and float. :)

Jonathan & I at my cousin's wedding.

Colorado (2 other pictures by Brooke)

This summer has flown by us & it is hard to believe it is already August! It seems we have done a fair share of traveling this summer. The beginning of July my cousin got married in Colorado. On our way to her wedding we stopped by Tulsa for a short visit. Upon returning we quickly got back into our regular routines & work schedules.

By the way, finally have a job! I've been working at a local Long Term Care place nearby. It is smaller than some facilities, but I enjoy working 3rd shift. I'm hoping that a full time position opens up soon, but God knows. :)

We've really been enjoying living closer to family! I've reconnected with friends this summer too, but hoping to reconnected with more soon! It has also been nice having a family member with a pool nearby with the heat we've been having this summer!

Our upcoming ministry in Haiti is coming along! Dad has made a couple trips & is beginning the first stages of the building and other projects that will be happening. We're anxious about this next phase of our lives. We are hoping & praying that it will not be too much longer before Jonathan & I are able to move back to Haiti to live & work! However, we have some things we have to work on before then.

It is hard to believe almost 8 months has passed since we got married last year! We are hoping & planning on taking a nice vacation somewhere nearby for our first anniversary, but we will see what happens.

That is pretty much what has been going on lately.

Happy 46th!

This past week we had a little surprise party with family for my dad for his birthday. Hope you had a great birthday dad! Happy Birthday!

House Work

These are just a few pictures that show a little of the work we all did with the help of family!

Mom & Mindy taking down kitchen wallpaper. After the wallpaper was removed & before the walls were painted.

Laundry room...this picture shows the insane patterns that whoever put together. There was also a border which had already been taken down. In some places there was wallpaper overlapping wallpaper.

Trying to decide which color to paint our room. Which one do you think we chose?

Our bathroom...wallpaper is finally down! Now...primer, paint, tile, fixtures, toilet down...

Our House Before Pictures

I meant to post these pictures for family earlier, but have not had the chance until now. These are the before pictures of the house. More recent pictures to come later. :) Notice all the wallpaper. :) Some of us working on the house made a pact not to ever use wallpaper again. :)

Master Bath
Master Bedroom

Jonathan & my room

Hallway

Living Room

Future Library/Study area

Kitchen

Dining room

Happy Mother's Day!!

This Mother's Day we went to Michigan & surprised my grandma. It was good seeing them again & spending time with them! I am thankful for my mom & for everything she does & means to me! I'm also blessed with Christian grandmothers which I am also thankful for! I know this is late, but I hope each of you had a blessed Mother's Day filled with love, happiness & some pampering! ;)

We've Moved~

We've finally made the final move this past week to Indy! We haven't been able to get into our house yet because we are still working on getting things done. Not too much to go though! We only have a little painting, flooring to put down & some other minor things. A couple more long days & it should be basically done & ready to move into! All of us are getting really anxious to have this project done & to be able to move in! I think we're going to be ready for another vacation too, but that will have to wait for the time being. Maybe a few days to just rest up at the house will do. ;) I will try & post before and after pictures as soon as I can, but it may be awhile.

Decisions~

One of my favorite poems has been going through my mind lately. It's the poem by Robert Frost that talks about two different paths and taking the path which is less traveled. This poem has made me think alot about the past and also about what is yet to come. I have had to learn the hard way many times about the effects that decisions can have on our lives. I am realizing more and more that the decisions made today do not just effect us, but they also effect generations to come.
My husband and I have already started praying that if God lets us become parents, that He will help us make right decisions as an example for our children, but also that our children will make right decisions and follow God no matter what.
I hope that when I die my family can look at my life & see the difference it is to take the "path" that is not always popular or that maybe not everyone is taking, but the "path" where God leads. My hope is that I am and will be an example to those around me!

Vacation~

Since we will be moving to Indiana soon & since we really have not been on a vacation for quite some time, we decided to take a few days & go to Branson. Jonathan & I had wanted to go to Branson for our honeymoon, but it ended up that we were not able to go anywhere, so we decided to go now while we have the chance. :) It was really neat being able to show Jonathan places that I had been to many times since I was a little girl.
Jonathan was also able to go on his first rollercoaster ride ever! :) It was SO funny seeing his expression the first time! He ended up going on just about every ride at Silver Dollar City, even the ones that I am too chicken to go on.

Marvel Cave

Waterfall near where we ate lunch on the first day.

Watching the glass blowers make a vase or something like that.

One of the rides Jonathan went on.

The Swing ride that Jonathan went on. I wouldn't dare get on this thing. :)

Another of the rollercoasters.

This is a little out of order, but this is the Swing ride they went on. Basically it does what it sounds like it does...swings back and forth & it goes fairly high in the air.

Most of the pictures here are from my sister Brooke.