my baby's the best!

After a crazy week of sickness and midterms what does Steve do? My love took me on an overnight getaway to DC!! Have I mentioned that I have the sweetest, most loving, thoughtful guy EVER! You're the best baby!

We went up early Saturday morning, went to the zoo, the Holocost museum, and hung out on the mall. The weather was sooo nice - perfect for walking around and enjoying the sites. Then we stayed at a hotel in Gaithersburg and went to Covenant Life on Sunday morning. Neither of us had been before, so it was sweet to check it out. It was a much needed break from school and work. We had so much fun together.

As if that weren't enough, he bought me a new digital camera too! My old one wasn't working, so he was hoping it would get here in time for our little trip, but alas, it didn't come til Saturday after we had left. But the new camera was here when we got home, and it's sweet! I've had fun messing around with it tonight. So since my other one was broken, we took his old one. It's not super great quality and it ran out of batteries half way through, so I only got a couple shots.

Here they are.

going crazy!

Ok, so today is Wednesday and my last day to study for the 3 midterm exams I have tomorrow. Yes, that's right...all 3 of my midterms land on the same day. GREAT. I have an exam for my Cold War history class, my American history class and my Editing and Document design class. 3 vastly differnent subjects each with hundreds of terms, names, dates, policies, editing symbols, grammar and usage rules, design guidelines, AP style rules, etc...you get the point. I also have a bad cold/cough so I'm not feeling that great to top things off.

Anyway, I just stopped to take a minute to pray and quiet myself before the Lord and ask for his grace which is sufficient in my time of need. I realized that I've been trapped in my own self-sufficiency for the past few days and have been very overwhelmed. Why is it that I forget so quickly that my loving Savior is always ready and waiting to supply me with the strength and grace I need to accomplish all that he has called me to if I just simply ask? He is so kind to stop me in my tracks and remind me of my need for him.

I'm asking for your prayers as well. If you think of it, pray for me today and tomorrow!

oh to be a kid...

I stopped by my mom's the other day when she was keeping Duncan. She had him outside in this little pool, and he LOVED it. He was so adorable splashing around and playing with the bowls and measuring cups. The things that keep kids entertained...

Anyway, I had to post these cuz they're too funny. Enjoy :)

good times with family <3

Here are some pictures from when our fam got together for Steve's birthday. It was a couple weeks ago, but I wanted to post them cuz there are some cute ones...

relaxing weekend

This past weekend was extremely enjoyable and relaxing. We didn't really do a whole lot, but we did get much needed rest and enjoyed the fellowship of family and friends. Sorry I don't have pictures to document it :(

Friday night is our hott date night. SO, after a long day of school and work, we cleaned ourselves up and hit the town...downtown Portsmouth actually. When we went scouting for restaurants previously, we found several that looked pretty promising, one Italian, one German, one Mediterranean...but Friday we decided we were in the mood for good ole American food. So we went to the Roger Brown pub. It was so fun! I had no idea that place was so big inside. We got a big, comfy half-circle booth, so we got to snuggle up to each other and chat. We had such a good time talking and laughing and just being goofy together. It's so awesome having your husband as your best friend (I know all you married gals would agree!) SO then, we left the restaurant and went down to that cute little coffee shop, the Daily Grind. We got our coffee and walked down by the water, found a spot looking out towards Waterside all lit up and sat down to enjoy the lovely night. It was such a great way to wrap up a busy week and begin the weekend.

Saturday morning Steve had a bible study at the church. So as he headed off to that, I headed to the grocery store to get stuff for a cookout we were having with my family at the park that evening. I got home, had devotions, and made cookies :) Good Saturday morning so far, I'd say. When Steve got home, we bummed around the house for a while, reading and doing other random things. We went shopping for a while that afternoon (I got 3 shirts for fall that I love!), and then we went to the park with my family at around 5. Despite cloudy skies all afternoon, we decided to go, and I'm so glad we did! It cleared up as soon as we got there, and it cooled down considerably. We had a great time grilling burgers (on our new grill :) and hanging out by the lake. Then everyone came over to our apartment and we made coffee and watched the Office (it was a re-run of the season premiere). It was such a fun night! I always enjoy hangin out with my fam :)

Sunday we had church, had lunch with a friend whom we had not seen for a while, and then just spent the afternoon lounging around the apartment. We took a nap, updated the budget (always fun!) and read and watched football. Rachael (my sis), Brian Crabb and Ashley Barret came by with ice cream later on and we all watched Extreme Makeover Home Edition. Rachael also gave me a facial massage that she is learning! Score!

So there's a little update for those of you that care :) Sorry there are no pictures...I meant to bring my camera to the park, but just plain forgot. Hope everyone else had a great weekend! Enjoy your week...

an addition to our little family

We have a grill! We're so excited! My parents gave it to Steve as a birthday present...it's just a little charcoal grill, but we think he's very special. It is our first grill together after all :). We used it for the first time the other night and did burgers and veggies (onions, peppers and mushrooms). They were delicious! We don't have a balcony or porch to grill on at our apartment, so we just set it up on the sidewalk in front of our building. That seemed to work just fine and we made all our neighbors jealous! We look forward to many more yummy grilled creations in the future. Thanks Mom and Dad!

my hottie grill master husband :) yeah baby!

distracted in class...

I'm sitting in my Writing in an Electronic Environment class right now and we're learning Photoshop. It's sweet! Basically my prof took the whole class to teach us stuff on photoshop and let us mess around. Here is a sampling of my work. HeHe. It's amateur, I know...I just basically ran a picture of some ruins through a couple different filters and messed around with the hues/saturation. I think it looks kinda cool.

Alrighty, gotta get back to paying attention now :)

James 1:13-18

Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

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I read this passage in James this morning and thought I would share with you all. It is a sober warning and a great encouragement! He describes sin in such a vivid way - "lured and enticed by our desires." How we all know that feeling! It is easy to fall into the trap of believing that when something difficult happens, when a trial or temptation comes, that God is somehow trying to make us fall. But let us not be deceived, says James. How encouraging that it is never our loving and unchanging Father that tempts us. He gives only good and perfects gifts. He sends us trials only for our good and our sanctification! He wants to purge away the sin that entices us and makes us fall, and his grace is sufficient for any trial he may send.

I pray the Lord gives me grace for the trials that will come and that I may rejoice in them knowing that my God is conforming me more and more into the likeness of his son Jesus Christ!