LeT My LiFe LiGhT uP LiKe ThE cItY LiGhTs

1st off...If you (i'm not sure who YOU is... but whoever may be reading this) have not heard the song " Life Light Up" by Christy Nockles, you should!

I'm not even sure when the last time I wrote was. Maybe a month or more ago. My heart has been so heavy I've been scared to write in fear of what might come out. One of the downfalls to being home all day, in a new city is having time to think... about everything. Some might call this a positive, but after spending numerous summers on the guard stand not talking to anyone and doing some deep thinking, I've realized, that specific kind of thinking should only be done a few times a year with me... if that. I tend to analyze things that should not be analogized and basically I become an emotional mess. I realize that moving to a new city 1,000 miles away from my closet friends and family could and probably do add to some of that emotional mess... but having time to "think" really does me in. Where am I even getting with this???

I have alot to say...

CRAZY STORY:
So, Last night nick and I were tucked in Bed... nick trying to fall asleep and me tossing and turning while trying to get nick to have a conversation with me. I said my final goodnight, rolled over and say "Ok, one more thing, I promise and then i'll go to sleep." He mutters a "whats that?" and I begin to tell him I think that you should be able to send pictures from facebook to a place like walgreens to have them printed out. Kinda like what Snapfish does. I was so excited about this brillant idea I had....
NO KIDDING... I wake up this morning and this is in my inbox....

	Announcing an exciting new feature now available through Snapfish! We've teamed up with Facebook so you can print your Facebook photos with just a few clicks!

Strange huh??????

KITCHEN TABLE:
So yesterday Nick and I bought our very own Ktichen Table... I'm so excited!! We get to pick it up on Monday! WAHOOOOO, Hopefully I can post a picture or two... OR you can come visit to check it out.

I still have alot to say... maybe later?

You know your lonely when...

You know your lonely when you get disappointed that the cop that is staring at your car does not pull you over. haha! In Texas you are required to have both a front license plate as well as a back. Along with these two things, you must have 2 stickers on the front windshield of your car. Well the cop was on a motorcycle looking at the front of my car, with no front license plate, and only 1 of the two stickers on my windshield. I knew I couldn't get in trouble if he pulled me over, because I do have valid IN plates, and I have no record saying how long i've been in Texas for. After I drove by I was kind of disappointed because I would have had a conversation with someone other than myself for the day... That's pathetic isn't it?

Anyway, Texas doesn't have a BMV instead they have you get an inspection for your car (one of the two stickers) then go to the courthouse to register your car and get plates (the other sticker) and then go to a Health and Safety office to get your licence... in which they MAIL to you??? Sometimes I wonder about this place I am now calling home... The point of me telling you this is Nick and I tried to get this done last week, but we got to the court house to late (but did get to witness about 20 weddings!!! haha!!) and so now our goal for Thursday is to get our cars the proper info.

On another note: I had a rough rough day yesterday. I'm excited for the month that goes by where I don't have a "rough day." Hopefully that month will come sooner than later. During my breakdown last night, I realized I don't know how to live in a city, thats just what it comes down to! Since I can remember I've always dreamed of having a house with some type of body of water near by and lots of land. A small town feeling where everyone knew everyones business and you actually ran into people you knew at the grocery store! That's not really anything like where I have ended up. I think i'm ok with that?? But i'm just having a hard adjustment which is expected since i wasn't super keen on the move to begin with. I'm just so out of my element, and really need to find my purpose in this big big city.

Ok enough complaining.

I'm still working on Pictures of the apartment... I need to find my camera batteries before that happens.

Our Weekend

Many stories from this weekend!! Where to start???

SHAWN/JULIE AND BOOK CLUB
The first few days Nick and I were in Houston, Shawn, a friend Nick works with invited us over to his house for dinner. Shawn has a wife named Julie and a 2 year old son named Cash(I introduce them here because I will probably speak of them frequently). During our 1st visit with Shawn and Julie, Julie tells me she is starting a "book club" in the middle of June, and I MUST JOIN! I do what I am told (plus I thought it would be a good way to meet some people) so 2 weeks ago, I read the 1st two chapters of "Work in Progress: An Unfinished Woman's Guide to Grace" by Kristin Armstrong and set on my way to book club. I quickly gained the interest of the 10 other women in book club, not only because I had JUST moved from Indiana, but because I am only 23 years old(obviously the youngest one there because of my lack of establishment in life), and because I don't have a job(so i offered up any service to them they needed, mainly dealing with Dogs and Children... ) These women have been such a blessing!!!

BLESSINGS
Moving forward to last Thursday: As I walked into Julie's house a women, a bit younger than my mom rushes up to me and goes "I have a surprise for you!" She pulls out a laminated Rand McNally map of Houston and says to me "This has been in my car since I moved here. It saved my life when I got down here, but I haven't used it for a few years, so I figured you could get some use out of it." After about a month of being in Houston, this was BY FAR the greatest thing anyone has done for me. A women I barely knew looking out for me... I will never forget that moment! And yes I've used the map at least 5 times already!

DOG SITTING
Back to my offer of service to these ladies: one of the ladies the 1st night of book club asked me to watch her house/dogs. So last thursday after our meeting I went over and met the dogs and friday, saturday and today Nick and I got to hang out with two of the coolest dogs ever! Here's some proof.
Flash is the dog on Nick, and Roxy is the black and white dog. There was another dog named Dallas, but she is an old dog that keeps to herself! (I love this picture!)

GOD AT WORK
So, my main reason for wanting to write tonight was to tell you about one of the many ways God has been working in Nick and I. As most of you know we have been on a search for a church. Two years ago when Nick 1st came down to Houston, on my visit here we visited a church called "2nd Baptist Church." We both liked it, Nick went to a bible study a few times but did not go back the following summer. Fast forward to our move down here, we visited a few churches. I would describe it as the Goldie Lock's story... this ones too big, this ones to small and THIS ONE IS JUUUUUUUUUST RIGHT! 2 weeks ago, Nick and I attend 2nd Baptist since our last visit 2 years ago. When we left we both kind of looked at each and said "this feels right." We talked about it some more and even though it's alot bigger than we were looking for, it feels right. So everyweek second has a "guest reception" following their 11:11 service. Last week it caught my interest because I had some questions but didn't feel right. So this sunday after service ended I looked at Nick and said "wanna go to the guest reception? If you don't thats ok, but I want you to feel comfortable so I will feel comfortable." He said he did, so we walked over there. (Side story: this guy had caught my attention during service, he was up in front, he greeted everyone with a smile and just caught my attention for his genuineness.) So here Nick and I are standing waiting to talk to the two greeters at the reception because there was a pretty big family in front of us. The guy that had caught my attention during service comes walking up and goes "HI! I'm Brian. Are you two visiting?" We explained we had just moved here from Indiana and he looks at us in the way a dog tilts his head in curiosity and says "You two moved together? Are you married? How long?" We answered his questions and he goes PERFECT!!!!! He was the director of the Newlywed Class. He quickly gives us a packet of info a free book that our Pastor wrote and then says "You guys just moved here... so i'm guesing you have nothing going on right? He goes we just happen to be having a Newlywed Lunchon upstairs, Come it's my treat!!! So Nick and I follow this guy up to the 4th floor of the church (there are 6 floors just in case you were wondering!) We meet a bunch of almost married/newly married couples heard a guy talk about finances, and basically we couldn't have asked for a better day. We will be attending this bible study that meets on Sunday Morning then attending the 11:11 service. For those interested www.second.org is the website, check it out! God is good!
Here's a picture of the sanctuary, but unfortunately it is undergoing a huge transformation and we are having services in their gyms.

This week
Nick works what is called an 9/80. That means he works 80 hours in 9 days, and gets every other Friday off, which is wonderful! Anyway, this next week he was suppose to be off on Friday but since it is a "holiday" (i'm not sure when the day before the 4th is considered a holiday, but whatever) his day off gets pushed to thursday. SOOO he is only working a 3 day week! WAHOOO!.

WEDDINGS
Just wanted to say congrats to my cousins Nic and Nicole Ayres who got married yesterday, and to Steve and Rachel Zimmerly who tied the knot June 13th. :) Best Wishes to both of you :)


Tomorrow: My plan is to post some picture of our aparment... it's about time huh?

1st Blog

So here we are in Texas! I anticipated this move so much, and we are finally here. Yesterday marked our "one month" in Houston. I seriously can not believe we have been here for a month already!! I feel like I have done nothing, but looking back maybe i've acomplished a thing or two.

It's about 11pm now, and instead of staying up into the wee hours of the morning, I will save my monthly update for another time.

Tonight my goal was to get this blog up and running, and make a promise to all of you that read this, I will update and I will post pictures :)

Know that Nick and I both miss you and Indiana...ok well i'm the one that misses Indiana but we are excited to start this chapter in our life, and are excited we have the technology of the internet to keep you update!


Here is a picture of our moving truck trying to back into our parking lot...Needless to say he had to change his plan, but I won't tell you who gave him the idea ;) (o MEN!), and yes we have assigned parking.



And here you have the joys of unpacking. Of course this is all cleaned up now, but I thought I would give you a "before" and post a "after" later. (I LOVE our Kitchen!!!)


And last for the night, and not really in order a picture of Nick and I from graduation.