A Warm & Sunny Halloween

In the past few days I have felt constantly reminded about how blessed I am. Truly, truly blessed. This transition to Texas has been difficult because I miss my family, friends, and the familiarity of home but God is teaching me so many lessons during this journey.

My job is so great. I get to hang out with kids after school, who so badly want someone to hang out with. Today we offered about ten classes; Fashion Club, Basketball, Soccer, Cooking, Robotics, just to name a few. I love it that the kids get so excited to see me after school, and they are always excited to hear what classes we have for the day. Today I brought cookies for Halloween and I've never seen kids more excited. One of the many reasons why I love my job is because it's all about the kids. I don't have to stress if all my kids are passing or not passing my class. I simply get to build relationships with kids and love on them. And that is what I love to do. The kids I work with each day can be difficult, but I know that they are gaining something from this program and I feel happy and blessed that I was chosen to care for these kids.

My husband is great. He loves me so well, and he is so intentional about loving me. Today I came home to flowers, and giant hug. It is so wonderful to be valued and loved for who you are (the good, the bad, and the ugly.) I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful man leading our family. Marriage is hard, but definitely worth it!

God is so good. Even when I don't understand his plan. I am learning to trust, and my church community is helping me learn to trust God with everything. And for that I am grateful. Although I am homesick, I am so grateful for a God who is greater than all my fears and worries. He is so good.

20 Days Later

Wow, 20 days can go by quick! This year is truly flying by. In just a few months Bruce and I will celebrate our one year anniversary! How did a year go by so quickly?

Work is what held me captive the past few weeks. I love my job, I love hanging out with the kids, I love that I feel like I am making a difference (even if a small one). Because of my love and passion for my job I have a hard time stopping, or leaving work at work! I need to get better at this because I need more than just work!

Bruce and I are continuing to meet more people through DTS, and next weekend I am going to a wives retreat (I didn't really want to go, but Bruce thinks it'll be a good way to connect with other woman. I know he is right, but sometimes those things can be a little awkward.) I do hope to meet some women my age, I am in need of some community!

I am excited for November to begin. I miss home. A lot. I am so pumped to come home for Christmas. Seriously, so excited. I love my Indiana family and friends! Sorry for the short post..I have to get back into the swing of blogging.

A List of Thoughts

I want to write, but I have too many thoughts for words. But, I'll try. I'll make it a list today.

1. Yesterday was a hard day at work. I had to ask some of my favorite students to not come to my program Thursday because they were being disrespectful towards other teachers. Those students do have attitude and they are disrespectful at times, it is just so hard getting them to see themselves as disrespectful. I don't know what their home life is, but I know many of them don't even live with their parents, maybe an aunt or grandmother. I don't know how to relate to them. Luckily from what I've experienced middle schoolers don't stay mad long so hopefully by Monday they will be back with fresh perspectives. We'll see?

2. Bruce and I went to Elder-led prayer last night at church. It was our first time going and it was really cool to be a part of. There were probably 500 people there praying together. For an hour and a half we prayed. It was difficult for me to focus because I was thinking about the girls from my program that I mentioned above. Dallas is such a different environment than small town Indiana, I just want to find the best way to love these students. They desperately need someone to be there for them. But because I was thinking about my students, etc. it was hard for me to focus at church. Bruce did a lot of the praying, and I did a lot of the listening. But it was still good, and a very cool experience.

3. Bruce and I are having a visitor this weekend! Aaron. He was the best man in our wedding and he is Bruce's best friend. I am excited to have a visitor. I am so ready for something familiar from home. Aaron is such a good friend to Bruce, and I am excited to get to know him better. I think we are going to try to go to a Rodeo. Lots of Texas fun!

4. I need to make friends. I am getting pretty lonely. Bruce and I have lots of fun together, but I need some girl time. I'm hoping I find some girls to hang out with soon. Also, I am bad, really bad at calling my friends from Indiana. I want to/must get better at this. The thing about friendships after college is that you have to be so much more intentional about making time for them. The telephone and I don't get along well, but I thinks it's time for a change.

5. On the other hand cooking and I are getting along better. Most of the things I make turn out tasting pretty good. One of my new favorite websites is disneyfamily.com. It is a great place to find fun and easy recipes. Also, you can find fun crafts and recipes for kids. I'm going to enjoy the website even more when I'm a mom (someday far from now, but hopefully not too far). The only thing I have found about cooking is that it is pretty much impossible to make your food look like the recipe pictures. Mine always looks sloppy...but it still tastes good! Guess that's more important!

6. Seasons of change are hard. Growing up is hard. Sometimes I look at my students and I see myself back in middle school. I mean it really wasn't that long ago. I am closer in age to my students than I am to most of the teachers at my school. Transitioning from student to teacher has also been difficult. I miss college, the classes, the people, the atmosphere. I know I am exactly where God wants me, but it has still been a weird transition. I really love my job, the students I work with, and the teachers I work with. But at the same time I really miss everything familiar about Purdue, home, friends, family, classes and learning. So I am at this divide of letting go, and learning to be content and happy where I'm at.

7. Two Words. Work Out. I need to do this! I have not worked out in over a month and my body and brain miss it. It is so hard getting back on the band wagon when you've fallen (or jumped) off.

8. Bruce and I need to find a place to serve in Dallas. Whether that be at our church or somewhere else. It is so important to be an active servant of Christ, and I know that I can serve God through my job and through my relationship with Bruce, and co workers, but I would really like to find a place where Bruce and I can go and be intentional servants. I need to get on this, and find a place. I know there must be tons of city homes we could serve.

9. Lastly, think about sponsoring a Compassion Child. I went to Africa about 4 years ago now and I worked at a Compassion Center (and it was an awesome experience!!). Those kids are in need of love, financial support, and prayer. Bruce and I are supporting a lovely girl named Jolly. She's such a cutie! What I love about the Compassion Ministry is that you get to write letters, send pictures, and be in contact with your child throughout their entire lives. In some cases you can even arrange to meet your child. Think about it! Click here if you want to learn more!

Hope everyone has a wonderful Thursday and a great weekend!

Highs & Lows...but mostly Highs!

This post is probably going to be all over the place with my thoughts! I have so much on my mind and sometimes it's hard to organize it all into specific categories. I want to start blogging more, my goal was once a week, but I think I'm going to up that to twice a week and see how it goes.

This past week was a wonderful week. There were challenges and obstacles that needed to be addressed and overcome at work and I rose to the occasion and by the end of the week the after school program was running pretty smoothly (as smoothly as an after school program can). We had over 60 kids last week which is the most that have participated yet, so all in all it was a great week. Plus, I'm falling in love with my school. The staff at my school is awesome, they have been so encouraging, so willing to help, and so welcoming! I know that God planned for me to be here at RNJH and I feel so blessed. I keep praying that I'll do my best in my position and that he will use me to love on the students. Which my job is set up so perfectly to make solid relationships with the students, because I do not teach during the day, I simply get

to hang out with the kids at lunch, say hello to them in the hallways, and then plan fun activities for them after school. I hardly ever have to put on the 'serious/harsh' teacher face because my students have a choice. They don't have to stay after school, they want to stay after school. This makes a huge difference in the formation of my relationships at school, both the students and I are invested in the classes after school, which makes everything so much more fun! This has been such a unique experience for me and I love it! So glad God had this in His plan for me.

My weekend was fun. Not too much to do, so it was nice to relax and get things done around the apartment. We finally hung up our pictures around the apartment, and we also did a deep clean of the whole place, which felt good to get done because it needed it. So not the most exciting agenda for a Saturday but still good. Bruce and I had a bit more fu

n Saturday night. First, we went to the Cottenwood Art Festival. I LOVE festivals, craft shows, flee markets, etc. so I was really looking forward to going and catching a glimpse of the art but also taking part in the fun pastime of people watching. Most of the art was beautiful, and pricey! Some of the art was unique, and let's just say I didn't get it. Sometimes I think I could be an artist with some of the things these people are selling! One of my favorite parts of the art festival were the cinnamon roasted almonds...so good!

After the art festival Bruce and I headed towards SMU. We had tickets to a debate entitled, "Can we Trust the Text of the New Testament?" The debate was between Bart Ehrman and Daniel Wallace, both professors and experts of text criticism and of the New Testament. The debate was SO interesting, and very heated. It was only supposed to be from 7-9 but lasted until after 10 p.m. Although Dan Wallace is the side that I am in support of (yes, we can trust the text of the New Testament), I would have loved to get Bart Ehrman in a room and ask him all of my questions. Ehrman's the one I find so interesting, because he used to be a Believer. He did research for years as a Christian, but eventually turned his back on his beliefs because of the evidence, or should I say lack of evidence we have for the authenticity of the New Testament. From what I learned at the debate it seems that we have over 20,000 copies of the New Testament, which is more than any other comparable work of it's time. But the earliest copies we have are from the late 2nd Century and on. Ehrman is not satisfied with the 20,000 copies from the late 2nd Century and on, his argument is that what if scribes from the 1st and early 2nd Centuries changed the text of the New Testament? How can we be sure ,or in other words, trust that we are reading the actual accounts of Mark, Luke, or John? Because we cannot know 100% what happened to the text in the 1st Century Ehrman says we cannot trust the text of the New Testament. So interesting. I disagree with him, but the debate made me think about how much I do not know. The debate inspired me to continue learning and to continue to seek out Truth at all costs. Seeking Truth is hard because it requires hard work and discipline. It would be so much easier to turn my head and say I don't care about the earliest manuscripts of the New Testament, or about learning more, or about seeking Truth. But as a Christian I need to be informed of what is going on in the world and be prepared to answer questions about my faith and why I believe what I believe. If I am in continual pursuit of the Truth, then I will be more bold about my faith and have my answers ready for when the questions come. It was a great debate. I suggest going to a debate if you have never been to one. Seriously more entertaining than a movie!

My post keeps getting longer and longer, congratulations if you are still reading!

The last thing I want to write about, which I probably will continue to write about, is that I miss home. I miss Kokomo, West Lafayette, Purdue, COG church, being familiar with an area, friends, fall weather, mom & dad, twins, my grandparents, and Brooke being a drive away in Lexington. I keep reminding myself that I am here as a part of God's plan, and I am exactly where I am supposed to be. But being a flight away from home is much harder than I thought it would be. God is using this time to stretch me, but is also using this time to strengthen Bruce and I's marriage. We are so blessed. I am so thankful for my job, for the wonderful church we've found in Dallas (4 people were baptized last night, that's only 1 of the 4 services), and for the friendly people in Dallas. So, even though my heart aches with homesickness I will continue to praise God for bringing Bruce and I to Dallas and for this wonderful adventure!

This last photo is from Cattlemen's last weekend! Notice the big steak! It was awesome!