Goodbye Flatscreen!

Josh sticks Lady in the Tramp in the DVD player.

DVD player sucks it in.

TV shuts off.

& doesn't come back on.

We disect the TV to get Lady and the Tramp out.

Goodbye Flatscreen!

Hello Lady and the Tramp on the big box TV!

:)

a Father to the Fatherless

adopt (vb.) - to bring into a specific relationship; to take over as if it were one's own
adoption (n.) - act of leaving one's natural family and entering into the privileges and responsibilities of another

Josh and I were talking about adoption this morning, as we usually talk about it: with thankfulness for having been adopted into God's family as His children, and with excitement to one day go and get our children from wherever God has them.  Josh discovered this morning that a guy that he was close to on his first SBP has opened an adoption law firm in Alabama.  That was pretty exciting, because we have wondered where to even begin in choosing an adoption agency.  He is calling this week to get some more information, and to catch up with his old friend.  I'll keep you posted on that!

Majority of people that I talk to about adoption seem distant from the subject, with the exception of those who have actually been adopted.  But the truth of the matter is that as Christians, we ALL have been adopted - this should be a very real thing for us as it COMPLETELY changed our lives!  We come into this world as an orphan, and by God's grace can be saved and adopted as His child.  This is very real in my and Josh's life.  We went majority of our lives as orphans (19 years for me, and 18 for Josh), and then were finally rescued and brought into the family of God!  What a sweet, sweet thing!  There is nothing special about us, and there is nothing that we did to earn that spot as a child of God, but it was because of His love for us.  He came to us! 

We love because he first loved us. -1 John 4:19

I love that God has given us a worldly example of this in adoption as we know it.  Not only does He call us to adoption, but He shows us so much of His character and His plan of redemption through it.  Josh and I are so excited about starting the adoption process - in God's timing, of course.  For now, we will continue to pray and educate ourselves on the process.

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. -James 1:27

I've just begun reading this book, and I already want to recommend it to you.  Here's the last paragraph of the first chapter.  I think this pretty much sums up the purpose of the book for you.

"This book isn't, first of all, a theological treatise on adoption in the abstract, although I hope it helps some of us to see how adoption pictures something true about our God and His ways.  This book isn't primarily a book about the practical joys and challenges of adopting children, although I hope it helps many more moms and dads to know firsthand something of why I am wiping away tears as I type this right now.  Ultimately, this book isn't really about adoption at all.  It's just what my son Timothy probably would tell you it is about, if you asked him.  It's about Jesus." 

I'm excited about this read, and about Jesus and what He's doing right now, and about adoption.  Praying for God to reveal more of Himself to us during this time.

Hope you are having a great day! :)

SLU Graduation

It's true, college has come to an end.  I can't help but think back on the past 4 years... and when I do, I get chill bumps and tears in my eyes.  What an amazing season of life.  That first year, God called me into a relationship with Him - I will never be the same! He has redeemed my life and is continuing to transform me each day.  I'm so thankful for His perfect plan and timing.  I serve an awesome God!  I met my very best friends in college, and many other people who have impacted my life in such a huge way.  It was truly a blessing to have so many girls/women in my life to speak truth and to challenge me.  Campus Outreach brought so much to my life through Summer Beach Project, New Years Conference, and CCP to Thailand.  I know that the Biblical training that I got through CO was priceless and I'm so thankful for that.  Then, that third year, I met that stud that you see in the picture below.  Josh pursued me at a time that I thought I was called to singleness. :) I never saw it coming!  He loves the Lord and he loves me.  It doesn't get any better than that.  I've spent the last year of college married to this amazing man and loved every second of it.  I'd have to say that these past 4 years were the best of my life.  It was a fun day to celebrate those memories!

The Joy of Cooking!

Cooking is something that I have never been interested in.. ever. Whenever Josh and I got engaged, it hit me - maybe I should learn to cook ( Josh does LOVEE to eat!) So here and there I would find a recipe and cook. Yeah it was fun, I could live with or without it.

But since we've been married, I see cooking in a whole new light! It is a great opportunity for me to serve Josh and to show him love and value. Anddd, it's so much fun! I love thinking of things that we would like, and then learning how to make them. Josh gets really excited about yummy food, which makes it that much more fun :)

For the past two day I've made dinner in my Crock Pot. ohhhh the Crock Pot. How have you been hidden from me? I never realized how amazing it really is. Throw a few ingredients in the pot, go to work, and come home to dinner. It doesn't get any better than that! Tonight I made meatloaf. Everyone that I told that I was making meatloaf in a crock pot, had never heard of it! So, I just want to let you know that it turned out great! We loved it :) Josh said he could eat it a couple times a week (which is what he says about everything that he really likes... so that statement always makes me happy!)

Today I was just so pumped about my crock pot discovery that I was looking up tons of different recipes. I'm hooked!