Saturday, July 30, 2011

"Rachel's Cooking Dinner... In the Kitchen..."


The first take is always a little bit bumpy... right? Here's the birthday man... and the birthday man's... wife. ?

Friday, July 22, 2011

David's Birthday!

Tomorrow is David's 28th birthday. Unlike him, I am completely excited. I love his birthday. Haha! I have reminded him so many times all week about it. Every time I back into it laying down hints as subtle as an elephant knowing full well he'll refuse to pick them up.

Example:

"Lovie! Guess what happens this Saturday?!"

"What?!"

"Your birthday!!!!"

"Oh. I forgot."

We've been playing this game for two weeks now. I can't decide if it's the fact that he's in denial about being in his "upper 20's" or if he really cares so little that he keeps forgetting, but it makes it fun either way. I just love that guy. I hope, if you are single and you are reading this, that you wait until someone like my David comes along. Someone you would never live your life without because you've experienced something too good to let go of... that's what David is to me.

Don't be mistaken, he is not the thing that gets me fully or satisfies the deep wells of longing inside my soul. No... our relationship looks more like an awkward, stumbling, dancing attempt to understand and to love. This is not because we are failures at love, but rather because he is a man and I am a woman. Human... oh so human, we cannot "get" each other without trying very hard (sometimes with an effort that looks downright laughable, like a man straining, cheeks puffed out and red in the face to lift a heavy object). Needless to say, we are having fun in our wild attempts to understand one another. We keep the humor in things, and it helps to ease the frustration of countless failed attempts. I suppose what I am trying to say is that we are not "enough" for each other. Only One can be enough. When we remember this, our expectation shifts from expectation in each other to expectation in the One who can deliver and who does satisfy- that is the Lord. This is the way we live happily and in the depths of contentment. Through the power of the Lord Jesus Christ who is everything we need.

Anyway... I'm done rambling. It's time to head out for a day with my love!

Friday, July 15, 2011

The Residency

Today David and I became official residents of Fayetteville, Ar. We got our new licenses, registrations, car tags, and registered to vote. Needless to say, David is passed out on the couch sleeping after running all over town getting this done. He'll love me for this:



It's hard to believe we've almost been here for an entire month. That's 1/12 of a year. Holy cow... seriously I never thought the day would come when I would spread my wings and leave the great mother-land of Lynchburg, VA. Haha does anyone ever leave that place?!? But they do... and here we are, hundreds of miles away proving it actually happens. 

I took some pictures of the apartment the other night so you could get a little feel for where we live. I should have taken some of the outside. We live in a huge building that's four stories tall and has two wings that stretch out like arms. I've never lived in real apartments before. It's always been a townhouse or something like that. This is the real deal. Haha!
Anyway, here's the inside (we're still working on it, so no judging!)

I painted the living room light green this week.

I'm still working on this project, but I'm painting these bookshelves and stacking them for the guest bedroom. 

Our living room is getting more cozy. :) Still waiting on the drapes though!

The front door is to the left of this picture. This is right when you walk in looking into the house .

We still need something for above our bed. Any suggestions?

This is our room looking out into the living room. We have our wedding vows above our dresser in that frame.

Our bathroom. Simple, but it works. :)

Guest Bathroom

Looking into the kitchen from the living room.

Stole this idea from a friend! All my cleaning supplies tucked away and organized! I love it. 

So I guess this is a weird idea, but I wanted this to be the toothbrush holder for the guest bedroom. It's a sand bucket.

Yes, that's a duck, and its company is a little home-made cup with two chicks on it.

Thanks Julie and LeighAnna! We love this little cup!

Ever been homesick and someone sent you a package? My Grammy did that. :) I like the red ones the best. You can tell because there's only one left. Haha!
So there's a little peak into our world. We're making it happen. David's been doing an amazing job coming up with ideas for this fall when school starts for the University of Arkansas (the U of A). I am so privileged and honored to be able to partner with him and to join in on dreaming about the influence we are going to have in this city. Greater things are yet to come! By His grace and the power of His perfect will we will press on in the goal set before us!

Thursday, July 14, 2011

All to Him I Owe

Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe,
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow



This week my Grammy Lamy passed away. I think she was almost 95. The Bible says that this life is just a breath and that mankind is like a flower that quickly fades. The older I get, the more real that becomes.

This morning as I sit alone in our new apartment a rush of emotions wash over me. The strongest emotion of all is peace. It's amazing, the peace rushes over everything tumultuous that I feel. My family is all together right now 24 hours from my little apartment. They are driving to the funeral. I should be sad and lonely and depressed, but instead I feel refreshed and hopeful. I cannot be held captive in the strongholds of my physical world when all my focus is fixed on the One who never leaves me. Matthew 28:20 "And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

"Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever." -Psalm 73:25-26 (read the whole Psalm... it's amazing).

My portion... He sustains me.

John 6:52-59
52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”59 Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum.

He is my portion. He has given Himself to sustain me. He is all I want.

Psalm 23: 4
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Happenings in the Ozarks

Friends and Family!!! I miss you all. These past few weeks have been a blur (isn't all of life??), and David and I are finally getting settled into our cozy apartment. It's actually quite spacious compared to our tiny house that we left in VA!

Last week we went to The Rodeo of the Ozarks! This was the first rodeo I had ever been to, and it was so much fun! I really felt like I wanted to be a cowgirl after experiencing something like that. Watching these girls fly around the arena in their sparkly sequins on beautiful horses was a blast. Ok, so the sequins were a little much, but the horses... seriously y'all... they were awesome. I've never seen a horse all-out gallop like that before in person. It's a beautiful sight. So here are a few pictures for your enjoyment!


Landon and Morgan- New friends who come to our college Bible Study on Wed. Nights! We love them!

Trina and Jordan are a married couple with no kids that we are getting to know.  Married and no kids is a rare find around these parts. 

Will and Laura are another great couple we met! They don't have kids yet either!

Ok, so these are two extremely precious ladies who have made the move one million times easier for me by taking me under their wings. They are both amazing, godly women (Trudy on the left and Marita on the right) who I am so thankful to have in my life!

This is pretty cool... it's an actual stage that the bank "Wells Fargo" used to carry gold with. 

Ride 'em!


Before the Rodeo started they paraded all the horses and riders out into the arena. There were a LOT of horses out there at one time! There were only a few run-aways...







Look out for those hooves!!!

Just one example of the crazy amount of food that was being sold. A HUGE turkey leg is being devoured here by Will. I ordered a "Chicken Finger Basket" when I heard that only 2 chicken fingers came with it. I was sure I could handle that! Much to my dismay the chicken "fingers" were bigger than my face. 


This is the Smith family. Chris and Trudy are a great couple and I've become really good friends with their daughters Emily and Sadie. They really make us feel at home here.
Well, that's all the energy I have to post pictures for now, but I promise to post more later (especially as the apartment starts to look better).  David and I led worship this Sunday at one of the campuses for Cross Church. I just recently found out it's all posted online, so if any of y'all want to see that you can go here to watch! :) http://crosschurch.com/category/portfolio/springdale-worship-33/

To all of you who I love and are far away: I love you and I miss you more than you can know! Thank the Lord for technology that helps us all stay connected!