Break From Reality

Last Friday, I got the blessing of saying hello to some of my very best friends.
Then Sunday afternoon, I had to say goodbye, once again, to those sweet friends.

Matthias and I are completely blessed; we have incredible friends and family who take the time to drive down and visit us. About once a month, we get to see a group of people who we love. Pretty sweet deal, I must say.

This weekend, my best friend Leneigh and old roommate Kirsten came down. With them were two of Matthias' best friends: Anthony (also Leneigh's boyfriend) and Keith.

My heart hasn't been so overwhelmed and full in a very long time.

There are a handful of moments from this past weekend that I've tucked away in my heart...

-Driving home from work, giddy and filled with anticipation to see their sweet faces.

-The first hug, tears and smiles.

-Staying up until 2 in the morning, listening to the boys play guitar in the dark.... Singing and worshiping our sweet God all night, just like we used to.

-The way my living room looks when I walk out early in the morning.... The boys sleeping anywhere they could find.... Couch, chair, next to the TV, under the table... I really do love that sight.

-Morning whispers with my best friend.

-Exploring. Mmmm, exploring.

-The helping hands of people who truly care.... Have I mentioned that I'm blessed?

-Driving down the country roads, singing along to our favorite Lady Antebellum songs. Smiling into the rear view mirror.

-Going on a quick hike, trying to beat the rain. Jumping for "Tarzan Vines" and running up the "You Can Do It" hill. Then running down the mountain, laughing with Keith, not able to get our legs to slow down.

-Laying, spread legged, on the bathroom floor while my husband and best friend dig a tick out of my inner thigh. So great.

-Going to church, singing with my sweet friends "...on Christ, the solid Rock, I stand. All other ground is sinking sand... Til He returns or calls me home, here in the power of Christ I'll stand..."

-Sitting in the back of Matthias' truck, riding with him, Anthony and Leneigh... Thinking, "So perfect, so perfect, so perfect."

-Hugs and sobbing into each others shoulders. Saying goodbye.

-Watching the car drive away, arms out the window and hearing "bye!" and "I love you!" The greatest and saddest sound.

Okay, that was more than a handful I guess.

To Anthony, Leneigh, Kirsten and Keith: Thank you for coming to stay with us. Never once did we feel like "hosts". We wish it could've lasted longer, but we are so very glad for our super fun weekend! I'm pretty upset that we didn't really get many pictures of our weekend.
You guys rock, and we love you.

Before they all drove away, we stood in a circle and said one last prayer. Matthias thanked God for the wonderful weekend and asked for their protection on the drive home. He used the phrase, "Thank you for this break from reality" and it has stuck with me since.

What used to be our every day reality is now just a 'break from reality'. It's amazing to me how life is changing. And also amazing is God's faithfulness through it all. Maybe, Lord willing, our every day reality will one day be similar to this weekend. Oh, how sweet that would be.

Special Delivery from The Sis

A package came for me!!! Hip! Hip! Horray!

Have I mentioned before how sweet my sister is?

It's my late birthday present, and it's great.

1. A precious love letter.

2. The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks.

3. Cute new sun glasses.

Thank you, Leah! I cannot wait until the next time I get to kiss your sweet cheeks.

Dog Owners

The rumors are true.

Keilah, the one who dislikes dogs of most shapes, sizes and smells... now has a dog.

A canine, if you will.

The begging started about 2 months ago. All the husband ever wanted all the time was a baby dog. Something for him to take care of and train and to love and to play with and protect us and all sorts of mushy stuff that would make one want to puke.

I can't tell you how many times I said "No" and broke that sweet man's heart.

You see, I look at dogs as what they simply are: dogs. I think they're great if they are outdoor/garage/barn dogs. I think they're helpful around the farm and can bring protection to the family. I like obedient and calm dogs. All is good and well there.

But my problem lies in the whole stinky/shedding/annoying/licking/smelly/spastic/needy/pooping/scratching side of dogs. These are all characteristics of dogs. Some dogs are unfortunate enough to posses all of these qualities, whereas others only hold a few of them.

The latter is preferred in my book, obviously.
Anyone with me?!

Anyways.

All that to say:

World, meet Hudson.

The results of our most recent Sunday Drive are as follows:
1. An incredibly happy husband. Seriously people, I could actually see light in his eyes.
2. A silly little dog who licks me non-stop, sheds, doesn't quite understand

the command "Stay", likes to sleep in the sunlight and is addicted to affection.

I'm no dog lover, but I think the first makes the second fully and completely worth it.

 Plus, I got to pick his name.

Dreams

Night and day.
That's all I can say to explain the comparison between our first apartment and our new apartment.

It's absolutely perfect.
Perfect for us.
Perfect for family and friends who visit.
Perfect for God's plans for us in the next year.
Perfect for our future as a little family.

Forget about the fact that there are boxes still unopened and rooms not decorated. Forget that my commute to work has gotten longer. Forget that I am still 3 states away from my family.
It's perfect.

My favorite so far has got to be the time spent with my husband on the balcony each night. The air is warm and we are surrounded by the quiet. The night sky shows off its stars and I simply lay in those sweet arms. I listen about his day, soak in his dreams, and we thank God for this home He's given us. I say a prayer that we will use this home to glorify God in every way that we can... That Love and Joy will be ever present here... That our hearts be filled with God's peace as we are starting a new life and a huge journey. And I fall asleep with my head and heart full of our dreams for this sweet life.

I Could Tell You

I've tried about 4 times this week to write a blog post worth reading.
But honestly, I can't do it.
It's not that I have nothing going on in my life, or that I'm upset about something in particular.

I just haven't had words in my heart to write this week.

I could tell you that packing is going fine. That I'm currently avoiding it.
I could tell you that Matthias has a very stressful day ahead of him today, at work.
I could tell you that I found another spider in the shower on Wednesday morning.
I could tell you that there are only 2 1/2 more days that the phrase "I found another spider..." will be a part of my regular vocabulary.
I could tell you that I've been listening only to country music the past 2 days, and it's been lovely. It's honestly the only genre of music I listened to from age 4-18. Widening my musical horizons for the past 3 years has been one of the coolest things I've ever done.
But I totally just made a kick-butt country playlist.
I could tell you that last night, Matthias and I laid in bed with Pizza Hut pizza, watching The Winnie The Pooh Movie. We were cracking up. Pooh is the absolute sweetest thing ever.
I could tell you that the new neighbors behind us smoke cigarettes. And the smell has somehow found its way into our apartment, making our kitchen smell like cigarette smoke. Yuck.
I could tell you that, currently, I'm sitting cross-legged in my pajamas, facing the headboard of my bed, sipping grape juice.
I could tell you I made Cinnamon-Sugar Toast for myself this morning. But my mom makes it better.
I could tell you that this week went by crazy-fast. Unbelievably fast. Which is great.
But I could also tell you that it was a rough week. Another. I've had 3 in a row.

And I could tell you that it's probably mostly all my own fault.
Because I am a control freak.
And it is killing me.
It's killing my relationships, my joy, my heart, and my trust in God.
Satan knows my weakness and he uses it against me every single chance he gets.

I. have. got. to. chill.

I could tell you that this post makes my heart very vulnerable. Pray for me, please, friends.


"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways" declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9

Why I'm Happy Today

Aside from being a complete-over-the-top-more-than-usual-emotional-wreck the past couple weeks, I am taking a few moments to write about the things that are making me happy today.

Happy+Blessed+Overwhelmed+Excited+Stressed+Thankful = More Emotional... More Lumps in my throat and stinging in my nose, threatening to make me burst into tears at any possible moment.

Oh, it is so fun. Let me tell ya. Just ask Matthias.

Here's why I'm happy today.

1. Randomly waking up at 5:30ish THREE times this week with my husband. For no reason at all, our bodies just woke us up. Normally, this is an awful thing because I hate loathe waking up before my alarm goes off... but those sweet mornings cuddled up in the quiet have been very nice for us. Mmmm  (:  It's good for my heart to dwell on these simple moments with him.

2. Texting my not so little anymore  cousin, Jenna. She went to her Senior Prom last night. (Man, I'm getting old.) And she looked absolutely gorgeous. I honestly just teared up typing that last sentence about her being gorgeous... see, I'm a wreck. I can't express how proud of her I am and how much I hate that I have to be so far, watching these fun times through facebook and texting.

Sweet, sweet Jenna. Here's us when we were Little Bitties.

I just LOVE her face! And, I know you're jealous of my bangs.

3. Packing. We are moving in 9 days. It is a bittersweet thing. I love having something to do on Saturdays when Matthias is at work... and we are more than absolutely ready to be out of this apartment... but. It will always be 'Our First Apartment'. No matter how much we like it here or not, it's the first place we've ever lived together... The first place I've ever lived other than my parents house and a dorm room... Where we spent our first Married Holidays, Birthdays, etc. We talked (and I cried, of coarse) a little bit about this last night. We'll kind of miss this small little smelly crummy place. (We have too much stuff!)

 

4. Talking on the phone with my best friend in the world, Leneigh, for A WHOLE HOUR this morning. Yes, folks, it was marvelous. It's always great to hear her voice and talk each others ears off when we have a free second. And she doesn't get many of those; she's SO busy. The kind of busy where she's moving to THAILAND in less than 4 months. Holy cow. But that's all for another post.  God is amazing. So proud of her.

5. Last night we signed the Lease for the new apartment! Hip, Hip, HORRAY!

6. Also last night, Matthias and I watched the very last episode ever of Friends. (Greatest show ever to be on TV. Ever.) It took us 2 years, but we finished them all. No words to describe how empty we feel now. We are probably going to start back from Season 1 again pretty soon. Once we find and unpack the Movie Box.

7. Our wedding rings are currently at Kay Jeweler's getting their bi-yearly cleaning/inspection/rhodium-dipping! I am so excited to see my sparkly ring again! My finger is quite lost and confused without it.

8. Playing "Draw Something" with my wonderful Sis-In-Law, A'Lisa. So funny and entertaining.

9. Having a 'First Conversation Ever' with someone who I used to not like very much. I'm so thankful for her forgiveness, and the fact that God can take away the grudges I hold.

10. Big huge reason why I'm happy right here: God got rid of the spiders. I'm not kidding. The last one I saw/killed was a whole week ago. I've been praying hard that He would make them leave and not follow us to the next apartment. I believed He would, and He has. Incredible, He is.

I'm unbelievably thankful.

11. I was reading Leneigh's latest blog post this morning. (Go follow her story, please: http://leneighjanette.wordpress.com/ just click that website!) And it was there that she broke out the most exciting news! She and Kirsten (another one of my best friends) are going to be driving down to visit us in just 27 days. I don't think I'll be able to contain my excitement for that long. I haven't seen Leneigh since our Tim Horton's date while Matthias and I were in Michigan for Christmas, and I'm pretty sure the last time I saw Kirsten was Thanksgiving-time, for breakfast at Bob Evans. Is that right?! WOW. Seriously, I cannot wait. Mark it on your calendars, people, and title it:  

"May 18-20th: Coolest Weekend Ever, Since The Last Coolest Weekend, Of Coarse."

 Love love LOVE them!

And last but not least, number 12. The delicious bean dip I'm going to make tonight. YUM.

Sing to the Lord a new song, for He has done marvelous things! Psalms 98:1

Congratulations to you if you made it the whole way through this post.

To my man

To you, oh hubby of mine.

 

You have been working so hard for us lately, and I never want you to feel that it is unnoticed. I don't think I've ever been so proud of you as I am now, seeing you in this role as a husband. You truly are selfless in our marriage, doing literately everything for me that you can. You have put up with countless nights of my bad mood and selfish whining... We have always said that no one else loves me as much as you do, and that no one else but you can handle me.

The past 8 months have proved both of these things true. Thank you, thank you.

Being able to witness your sweet excitement for the things that God is starting to unfold with your music is so incredible. Not just that, but you are at a job that you absolutely love. After being down here almost 9 months, I can finally feel peace here. Peace in you, peace in me. We are blessed, baby. I'm blessed to get to be your wife. I would follow you around the world, if He asked. Okay, well, I'd be kind of afraid. But I'd do it.

I know how much you worry. In fact, I may be one of the only ones who know how much you worry. But trust me, everything is going to be okay. We've been saying it since we were teenagers and we will say it until the day we die: Everything is going to be okay.
God knows your heart and He sees your worry. He knows your thoughts that are left un-shared when we lay in bed in the dark. He covers you with His hand every morning and takes care of you like only He can. He is good, and He provides. Remember that.

For you, my love. I know you don't really read my blog... I know you think it's a little lame. But I'm hoping that one day you'll decide to wander on over and find this love letter.

Because you are awesome, sweet boy.

My heart is full.