December 2010

The past month has been filled up with friends, family and food, and Dillon and I are thus filled up to the brim with thankfullness!

One of my favorite parts of this season was seeing all of my Texas Tech nursing friends at our progressive dinner. We started out at Catherines house for appetizers, ate soup (Taco and Tortilla) at our place, then finished off with dessert and presents at Jaime and Dustins. We pretty much ate for 6 hours straight!

We spent the week before Christmas with my family in Midland. In addition to our usual which is eating out and going to the movies, we visited my dads drilling property, completed a puzzle, had a big meal with extended family and continued our annual tradition of ornament shopping.

We drove to Dallas on Christmas Eve day, which was bittersweet! That night we had dinner at Justin and Tasha's and opened presents and ate Panini's. It's so fun watching my nieces and nephew at this age around Christmas! On Christmas Day we all went over to Tom's for the day and enjoyed each others company.

Tonight Dillon and I are finished packing for a trip we have long anticipated. We leave tommorow for Israel!

We will stay 1 night in NYC then head out for the 2 week trip to the Middle East (where we will get to see Katie!). We are keeping a close eye on the weather, but are otherwise ready and excited!!!!

Where I Work...

I get to see everyone right when they walk in the door, and they get to see the Texas Tech flag

I get to sing with a winning ensemble ...

And I get homemade birthday cake!

Rewind

Before the month of November flies by, here is what we've been up to!

-Dillon has been playing indoor soccer down the road from our place, and out of all of the leagues, his team has been scored on the least (and Dillon is the goalie!) Every week he comes home with a new injury, but he loves it!

-I've been joining Dillon for a marriage counseling class at his seminary, and its been so interesting. The main point the professor has been making is the War between the Kingdom of Self and the Kingdom of God, and how this is the cause of tension in marriage.

-Dillon has been teaching through Luke in Sunday School ( interesting because both my parents are also reading this book in their bible study groups). He has done a great job, according to everyone, not just me! He really enjoys and is gifted at drawing parallels in scripture.

-We had a fun day with our niece and nephew a couple of weekends ago, we went on a scavenger hunt behind our house and then made art our of their treasures.

-We escaped town for a week for Thanksgiving. We saw family in Lubbock on Tuesday then relaxed in a cabin in the hill country for several days. One of the funniest things that happened was at the fireworks display at the Johnson City courthouse lighting- we had our 2 dogs and Harriet, my parents lab. During the fireworks all of the dogs were shaking and so scared! Polly was hiding her face in a blanket, it was pitiful.

Happy Thanksgiving Friends!

Good Music

This last weekend my parents and sister came in town. It was their first time to see our new place- my sister Mollie made the comment that every time they visit Dallas it feels like a different town, since between my other sister Katie and me, we have lived in 5 different areas of DFW. This time around we took them to our favorite restraunts off Beltline, and shopped the Galleria and Northpark Mall.

The main reason for their visit was because Mollie wanted to see Mumford and Sons, who were playing at House of Blues last Thursday. When she first called me to tell me they were going to be in Dallas I had never heard of them but I knew her taste in music could be trusted... and now, they are one of my favorite bands! Their music is just so good! Even better live! Here is us before the big show:

Mollie is soooo beautiful!!! So the concert started with this really interesting looking fellow named King Charles, but his music was also seriously so good! Then Mumford and Sons came out and the show became unforgettable... Mollie was SO giddy the whole time. I have to confess, that by the time they came out it was after 11, and about halfway through I might have dozed off for a minute or two... We finally got home at about 2 in the morning, I don't think I've stayed out that late since college.

Friday we did some shopping and eating. My dad and Dillon got dragged into the excitement but found the Apple Store and were fairly content while we went to Nordstroms, Anthropologie and the Loft. For dinner we went to Patrizio's where Mollie convinced us to try mussels... not awful but not good. Here is Penny resting on a soft cushion.

Saturday we got up early and drove to Norman, OK where we toured OU. I will support Mollie wherever she decides to go, but would LOVE for her to continue the Raider tradition. She was happy with the tour but still in unsure where she wants to go ultimately. We got back by late afternoon and ended the night at the Galleria, so Mollie could get some cute boots, and my mom could eat at her favorite, La Madeline.

All in all- good times! Enjoy the music below~

Another Recap

We had a really nice weekend! Thankful for friends, each other, and good food!

Friday Dillon and I drove 3 hours to Vernon, TX where Dillon became a candidate for ministry! We ate dinner with the Presbytery then they called Dillon up to the mic to answer questions and I was very proud of him! Then they called me up and they prayed for us which was humbling and an encouragement - things are starting to feel more real now that Dillon is getting closer to becoming a pastor.

Saturday we ate at Eatzi's with our friends Ryan and Emily- God has been good to them and good to us through them! We then explored the Galleria mall and got cookies which is always fun.
That night we ate out again at Olive Garden with the Taylors, then did something a little out of the ordinary- we went to an outdoor Shakespeare play in Addison Circle!

Sunday after church we headed out to the State Fair with Holly and Brien- between all of us we ate corn dogs, funnel cake, fried frito pie, fried peaches, and fried pralines! And thats about all we did and then we were ready to go home and pass out! Here is us before we left.

God's Hand

I often think back to a time in my life, in my marriage, that God prepared Dillon and me for His plan. Back in the winter and spring months of 2008 we were trying to decide where Dillon should go to seminary the next year after he finished Youth Ministry in Dumas. We traveled to Massachussets and Pennyslvania in the freezing cold of January to tour various schools. I remember the whole time we were in these foreign places, something did not feel right- and it wasn't just the lack of Mexican food. All I can describe about my emotions was that I was not at peace. Dillon and I never argued about the topic but it was tense when we would discuss it, simply because we both felt frustrated and confused as to WHERE God would take us since we felt we had hit a dead-end. Looking back, it's so easy to see that my worries were not only unnecessary, but silly and unhealthy at times.

"Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"

 We both had our set of prerequisites; "Must teach this kind of theology," or "Must offer this amount of money" or "Not in this city"... We had an agenda and thought we could pave our way just like we wanted. I was ready to take things into my own hands and control the situation, even though I had no idea what I was doing!

 In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.


We finally gave up. For a good few weeks we stopped talking about it and tried to pretend like all was well. We weren't necessarily handing the issue over the the Lord, we were just tired of stressing over it. Towards the end of April we were planning to visit family in Dallas. Right before we left we briefly decided to stop by Westminster Seminary since it was in Dallas and we had heard a little about it. There was really no way Dillon would go there, since it was a small school, and it was in a city I had said I would never live in- but we decided to humor ourselves just for fun.

We both remember the day well that we pulled into the parking lot of the seminary. We literally were just going to pop in, check another seminary off our list, and be on our way. What actually happened, is that we walked into the building and immediately met the Dean who made our first impression a good one. He was warm and bold as he showed us the campus and explained the training. I think we both had that feeling of "this feels right." Students were all around and the environment was exciting, and the setting was intimate. There was no doubt that Dillon would get a great education and financially it wasn't overwhelming. Things were making sense and we both felt peace.

LORD, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us

Something that Dillon and I will never forget is when the Dean looked us both in the eyes and told us that we should really consider coming to Dallas that Fall (our plan was to come a year later). He said "You never know what could happen between now and then, I really believe you should make plans to start now." We were caught off guard but took heed to his words and Dillon decided to take Greek classes long distance starting in August. He traveled to Dallas from Dumas that whole month and was able to stay with his Mom and Dad who lived in DFW. For September and October he continued his job in Dumas and took classes online

In mid October we found out his mom had cancer. We knew immediately God had orchestrated our lives to where it was time for us to move to Dallas. Things fell into place quickly and smoothly. We sold our home in December and were settled in Dallas by January 2nd. Dillon jumped right into seminary full time that semester, without any hassel since he had taken all of his Greek the previous semester, as his Dean had strongly suggested. We were able to spend priceless time with Cindy that winter and spring and will never have any regrets because God's hand guided us right where He intended for us to be.

Welcome to Our Retreat

This is our one bedroom- luckily the space isn't too small so we were able to fit all of our furniture in it. The walls were already painted when we moved in, and while I can picture several different colors looking great in there, we decided not to paint any rooms in our condo this time around. The soft yellow is pleasant enough and didn't clash with anything so we got lucky.


Room breakdown: Free down comforter from father-in-law; free plates from sister-in-law; extra pillows from the couch. I like the neutral bedding with the blue plates and blue curtains- it really makes the space cozy and romantic~

My top 3 cozy bedroom tips:

1. Keep it fluffy! Nothing is more inviting than a plush bed with lots of pillows and a soft comforter
2. Keep it clutter-free
3. Use lamps and candles in place of harsh overhead lighting


Dogpile! Even though they each have their own crate- they love to cuddle... or Polly does anyway


I guess she gets it from me =)

Week Recap

We had a whirlwind of a week- isn't Fall always this way?

Monday evening the Lions Club put on a banquet for all the school nurses in CFBISD- I got to bring Dillon and we ate a delicious meal cooked by highschool home-ec classes, and were presented with a cute little plaque. It was nice to be recognized!

We got to host our Tuesday night bible study which we love doing now that we have the room to do so in our new place, and our study of 'Crazy Love' is really interesting! This weeks challenge was how to experience God even in the mundane parts of our day, and not just in the rare, special "church camp" moments.

Wednesday Dillon had night class so I spent the evening shopping for a gift for a friend (and maybe a little something for myself too!), cleaning the house and catching up with a couple of friends on the phone. I used to dread Dillon's evening classes but now I see them as an opportunity to indulge in a night to myself to eat whatever I want, watch a chick flick and relax.

Thursday Dillon's friend Jason arrived in town for his bachelor weekend. Unfortunately the boys never took any pictures but I did get a recap- they were out until 3 a.m! They ate at Rosa's, then stayed out at Fox and Hound playing pool, shuffle board etc...

Friday was a busy night for both of us- Dillon hit the town again with the boys- they played at Top Golf, then ate at Humperdinks and ended the night at another pool hall. I had a good time with some girlfriends at the W Hotel- it was super swanky! We ate at Luna de Noche, then ate oreo balls, watched Jaime open gifts, and played fun bachelorette games.

Saturday all the guys left town, and Dillon and I enjoyed the morning at our neighborhood pool. After lunch I had a skype conversation with Katie! Then we headed to our niece and nephew's joint birthday parties with lots of cute kids and too much pizza and cake. We ended the night with Justin and Tasha (in-laws) watching the Tech vs UT game.... not the greatest way to end the day but I'm still rooting for the red raiders.

Today we had an interesting Sunday School. Our pastor preached from John about Jesus feeding the 5,000... he presented a new concept about the message being about community as opposed to the miracle that was performed. There was quite a debate in our class about his message, but we all respected each other even as we disagreed and I was really encouraged to base my faith off of scripture alone and not the ideas of men. Afterwards we watched the Cowboys game with our church friends Carrie and Matt then played 'Are you Smarter Than a 5th grader' on their Wii...I am happy to announce that I beat Dillon in this one =)

God is good in the busy times, and God is good in the quiet times~

P.K Recap

This past weekend I had a great time at Possum Kingdom with good friends! I have known Jaime since nursing school and was excited to celebrate her bachelorette weekend on the lake.

Ready to go!

Long time friends~

Happy after 6 hours on the water~

All spiffied up

We dined at the Cliffs resort restraunt- it was an interesting experience when we were serenaded by a tipsy man with his guitar- we just (awkwardly) laughed him away and had good conversation over delicious food~

Nooks, Pie, Rain!

I REALLY love cozy weather- you have to be a little weird if the thought of sitting in a comfortable nook watching the rain pour down while eating a sweet treat doesn't sound like the most wonderful thing.

I thought I would share some spaces that I've created in our home that I hope are inviting to all who live and visit here.




I found the wreath on clearance at Tuesday morning, and we recently bought the mum at Lowe's in preparation for Autumn.

















This is where I enjoy sitting in the mornings with a big cup of hot green tea (or black).









This is where I am typing as we speak. Dillon studies here, and while it's a little small, I hope its a comfortable and functional area.







Here is our patio where we have enjoyed listening to the creek, squirrels and frogs at night. We picked up the hibiscus and hanging plant at a bargain price.













This is the delicious Lemonade pie that I made the other night for our bible study (I made 2, being the smart girl that I am). SO easy and good! Search for it under allrecipes.







And here is the flowing river behind our fence.

Recap and Pics

(First Day Pic-still dark out!)

What a week!

I woke up every single day a few minutes before my alarm- very weird

My morning tea got me through each day- don't know how I did it before

I entered over 400 shot records into the computer...the end is near

Shopping is good stress therapy- especially at The Galleria

God is good- my school is a combination of awesome staff and the sweetest kids

Our new home finally feels like "home" now that we have Polly and Penny back

A suprise Dr.Pepper from Dillon at work made my week!

There is a small farmers market right down the road from us- today we got peaches and fresh lemonade

It's fun to clean when you have a swiffer sweeper

Everyone is saying it, but the soon coming of Fall makes me so happy!

Having trips to look forward to makes even the most busy times bearable

I will not take for granted the short driving commute I now have to school

While You Were Sleeping never gets old. Neither does Little Mermaid

Not having cable yet is the reason for the above statement

Dillon might be playing indoor soccer this semester and I can't wait to see him in action!















Dillon had to put mesh wire behind our fence because Penny squeezed through the pickets.

August Highlights

It has been a full month so far! After my last day of working summer school, Dillon and I signed on a new condo (just renting) and began the moving process. We loved living with Tom, Dillons dad and moving out was hard, but we felt it was the right time to settle closer to where we work, and get our dogs back. This move was a little easier since most of our things were already packed in storage, but there was still alot to do- since this new place is only a one bedroom, we had to get rid of clutter and unnecessary items. It's actually been nice having just the basics, our new place actually feels spacious and organized as a result. We love having a yard for the dogs, and we have a beautiful view of a small creek (crazy since the condo is in the heart of Dallas!)

The day after we moved in, Katie Dillon and I loaded up the car for one last summer mini-trip to Midland so we could enjoy the newly completed pool. It was a really nice 3 days of all being together before Katie left for the Middle East for another year...sad but exciting. She will be a blessing and light in a dark place so all I can be is proud of her!

Last week I started back at work, which I was very ready to do! I love my school and the kids I care for so it makes saying goodbye to summer a little easier. I'm mainly just looking forward to getting back in a routine.

This past Thursday my school had a team building activity scheduled to play broomball which is basically hockey except you play in your tennis shoes, and they rough up the ice so its not quite as slippery (supposedly ;)). Initially I was just going to watch from the stands as many opted to do, but decided to get in on the fun and join everyone on the rink. Well, about 30 minutes into the game I was shuffling a little too quickly towards the ball- my feet flew into the air, I landed hard on my bottom and ended up smacking my head hard onto the ice. It really hurt! My principal and the trainer raced to my side (while everyone else took a knee just like they do at sporting events! Sweet but embarrassing!) and after the dizziness passed I sat up and discovered my head was bleeding and I had a huge gooseegg. Finally I got up (and on cue everyone clapped and cheered) and got some ice. I have no doubt it was a concussion, I was in a daze that night with an awful throbbing. Dillon raced to come pick me up, and we had a very low key night- we ordered pizza and watched a movie...Dillon also set his alarm for 2 a.m and made sure I was still oriented- sweet guy~

All to say- its been a crazy past couple of weeks with family, moving to a new place, saying goodbye to Katie, starting back to work and suffering from brain trauma! Here are a few picture of Midland and our new place:

Room Rundown: Neautral paint was already on the walls, all we did was hang Ikea curtains, and fill the space with items we already had (notice the re-done white dresser and homeade blue pillows).

This is our new view out back- a little oasis in the big city~

Birthdays and Friends

Somebody turned one on July 25....
















Of course a party was in order to celebrate Sloane's beautiful past year! She arrived earlier than planned and is a strong little girl with a big smile!
















Here is the birthday beauty







































































































This past weekend we took a 3 night trip to the Texas panhandle to visit Dillons Nanny in Amarillo, and our old friends and church family in Dumas~

Nanny's pretty patio. We took her to one of our favorites, Red Robin on Friday night.

















Arriving to Dumas after leaving over 18 months ago

















We had dinner Saturday with friends and old youth kids at our favorite Dumas restraunt, Chica Blanca's

Sunday morning at church
















In the youth room that Dillon created a couple of years ago

















With Lily enjoying homeade cherry Dr Pepper. Dave and Lily have 2 precious boys and we had so much fun playing with them all weekend.

















We enjoyed Sunday dinner with the Brunsons, Corderos, Sikes and McGee's. I love the Brunsons red kitchen!