Memorial Day

We had a wonderful and super fun Memorial Day weekend. I had to work all day Saturday but Kyle and I both had Monday off! We are so thankful for the men and women "who more than self their country loved, and mercy more than life." We'll never forget why we have our freedom and are eternally grateful for the sacrifices our military personnel make every day.

Friday night we went grill shopping and after a little frustration, we finally found the one we wanted! Kyle assembled it Saturday and we christened it on Sunday night! We had a few friends over for a cookout and had a great time with lots of food! We also got to share with them something that we feel led to start this fall. But that's another post for another day! What's important is that I got to use a new chip and dip bowl that I had received as a wedding gift. I actually forgot I had it because it has been sitting at my parent's house for the last three years. I was so excited when I found it the other week and decided to use it for the first time! It is the coolest thing ever, and it spins!! How cute is this??

I know you're all jealous and want one now!! :-)

Yesterday I decided it was past time for a new swim suit so I drug Kyle with me shopping for a little while. I have to say though, I was not that impressed with the Memorial Day sales. They were kind of lame. So we didn't get that much. Bummer.

We did have a nice relaxing day after that though. After dinner, some friends came and picked us up in their 1966 Mustang convertible and we rode out to Coats, NC to get some ice cream. It was awesome and a super cool way to end a great weekend. Hope everyone else had a great weekend!

American Hunnies

OK, no more of the icky emotional stuff for a while. Here's a video that makes me very happy! Are these two the next Tim and Faith?? Maybe, just maybe!!

Mixed Emotions

Lately I've been dealing with lots of conflicting emotions. It's annoying. So to prove to you all that I'm not perfect and I do not always have it all together, here's me being real with y'all today:

Example #1: I've spent the entire week obsessing over my picks to win American Idol and Dancing with the Stars. Lame, I know. I've been so anxious to turn on the TV every night and see my shows and I've been so excited and joyful when my favorite wins. Then I flip one channel over and there it is. So much devastation, pain and sadness dealing with all the natural disasters that are happening lately, especially in our country. Do I really have a right to sit in my comfy house and watch reality TV when some people don't even have a house to go to, not to mention no food to eat or clothes to wear? Obviously there's not a whole lot I could do for them besides pray and give money to help. Where do you find that balance though? I can't halt my life just because someone else's life is stalled. But where are my priorities?

Example #2: Someone close to our family chose to do something that we consider (and this person does too) to be sinful. Yet, in return they are receiving something amazing. Make no mistake, they are going to receive consequences for their bad choices, but they also (by God's grace) received a gift. Where do you draw the line between rejoicing with them in their happiness yet not condoning their shameful behavior? It can be tough. So tough.

Example #3: Kyle and I have been praying for God to do something specific in our lives. I have had the privilege to celebrate with others when God has done this very thing for them. How do you respond when you have to watch others enjoy something that you have been praying for?? To make it worse, sometimes I feel like these people don't *deserve* this thing (not like I deserve it either, but that's just me being human). I know in my head that God's timing is perfect and His plan is better than mine. Living it can be challenging though.

I know the answers to my own questions, but it feels good to get them out. Confused yet? If not, what are your thoughts? How do you handle mixed emotions and find the right balance?

Life Update

Lots of fun things have been going on around here lately!

Kyle got a promotion at work. We were not exactly expecting it but we are so thankful for it! It was just one of those things that happens really fast. Someone quit and they never posted the job, they just offered it to Kyle if he wanted it. Seriously. So he started yesterday and he's moved from the desktop support team to the networking team. He'll have a lot more work so he'll stay busy! I believe his official title is IT System Engineer.

The softball season is wrapping up with just a few more games to go! Kyle got a standing triple last night, his first of the season! Sweet! He saved it for a game when I could actually be there to see it. YAY!

I spent all day last Friday working in downtown Raleigh with the NC Baptist Men to help clean up some of the mess the tornadoes caused. I have to say, the NCBM have got it going on. I was totally impressed with their operation and all of the volunteers. I was put on a debris removal team. I was hoping Kyle could join me but he was in training for his new job and couldn't get out of work. I got sent with a crew of about six men to work on three different houses. The men sawed the fallen trees into pieces and I drug the pieces to a pile and then another guy came with a bobcat and hauled all the debris to the street. After eight hours I was pure exhausted! I enjoyed every minute of it though. It brought back so many memories of when I did World Changers for four summers when I was in high school. I loved the construction part of those trips and I would always be the first one to volunteer to get up on a roof. I miss those days! Such good times!

they got the chainsaw pinched in this tree at least three times

repairing the roof

BIG tree

This past Sunday, Kyle and I participated in a Walk for Life for a pregnancy resource center right down the street from us. I have really come to love and appreciate this ministry and all that they do for so many women in our area. All of their services are free to the clients. They do free pregnancy tests, free ultrasounds, counseling, etc. It's really an amazing place and I was happy to do my part to help. You never know when someone you know and love might need that kind of help, love and encouragement to make the right decision.

ladies on our team!

me and Kyle resting after the walk

Wedding season is here again. We know about 10 people getting married over the next few months. One of those people would be my gorgeous cousin Holly. I am going to be a bridesmaid in her July 30th wedding so I'm so excited! I went and ordered the dress (in apple red) and shoes today!

cousin Holly, cousin Jenny (also a bridesmaid) and me

We are absolutely loving the weather here lately! We're also counting down the days until our summer vacation! 54 days til our beach trip!! Cannot wait!