Full of Joy

1.  It's been one year since my Dad's 3rd open heart surgery!  God has made his heart healthy! 2.  God gave me a job for a day so now I am able to buy Chuck his own Christmas presents, not using his money! 3.  Chail.  He brings me such joy!  I love him like I've never loved any baby in my whole life! 4.  God has given us an awesome Shepherd Group to be apart of. 5.  God has given me an incredible study on the book of Esther (by Beth Moore) and a great group of ladies to study with. 6.  I am working with a sweet group of teen girls, leading their Shepherd Group. 7.  I am a stay-at-home-wife, it is the best job on the planet.  8.  I no longer have to work on Thanksgiving Day. 9.  There is a new member arriving in our family in the next several months! 10.  My apartment.  It's so homey and is my most favorite place to be, especially when Chuck is home. 11.  I married my dream-come-true....

Thank you God! My Dad received a clean bill of health from his heart surgeon today! We are all incredibly relieved! What an awesome early Christmas present! Thank you to everyone who was praying. Thank you so much.

Exactly one year ago today, my Dad underwent his 3rd open-heart surgery at The University of Penn hospital.  At this time last year, my family was waiting as my Dad's heart lie on an operating table...again.  That was certainly no game of  "Operation."  In this operation, there is no buzzer that sounds when you hit the wall.  It is a reality that we lived through and will forever praise God for.  It's a terrifying memory, but sweet at the same time.  Sweet because of God's overwhelming peace.  We felt God's presence so tangibly, it was as if He was literally hugging us all day.  And what a loooooong day it was.  Oh how the hours dragged by! But praise God from whom ALL blessings flow, He brought my Dad through.  Just a few weeks ago my mom threw a semi-surprise party for my dad to celebrate all that God has done this year.  She took the people who were at the hospital the day of my dad's surgery out to an incredible steak d...

I'm not a morning girl by any stretch of the imagination.  This is in complete contrast to my husband who actually enjoys setting his alarm for 7:30am on the weekends.  On Sunday I told him to wake me up at 9am so I'd have time to get ready for church.  Promptly at 9, Chuck came in and began the routine of getting me up.  I typically just lie there, unmoving for several minutes.  Sometimes I make a noise or two to communicate something or rather.   At some point in the haze of the morning routine, Chuck whispered in a sing song voice, "I have a surprise for you!"  Breakfast (food, of course!) was my first thought.  But then I heard him get up, pick up his laptop, and bring it back into bed.  After getting my glasses I rolled over and found THIS! Chuck and I had scouted out many blog ideas on Saturday.  Since web design is his profession, he gets really excited to do any project of that nature.  We finally narrowed it down t...

Chuck and I met exactly one year ago TODAY! Since I already wrote about that night 2 posts ago, I'll just say: PRAISE GOD FROM WHO ALL BLESSINGS FLOW! If you asked me one year ago today if I'd be married, I'd say "YAY RIGHT." Now here I am, 4 1/2 months into marriage with the man that has already surpassed all my wildest dreams! God. Is. MIND-BOGGLING. Thank you God!!! I love you, Babe. Happy One-Year-Since-We-Met-Anniversary! (and thank you, as always, KT!)

Notice anything new about my blog? (Thanks to my talented, computer savvy man!) Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! =)

I have made some new, sweet friends recently while leading a teen girl's Shepherd Group through our church. Inquiring minds wanted to know how Chuck and I met so I shared our story. There has been a request for me to WRITE out the story, and as promised, here I will tell it again. Happily! =) A little over a year ago I moved to VA from MN. I began attending a church in the area comprised mostly of single, twenty to thirty-something adults called Frontline . The very first night I attended Frontline was the very last night anyone was able to sign up for a Fall Retreat they were having. I immediately went home and signed up! I was dying to get connected, and be involved in that church community. I already had 2 friends that were going, so they made sure we would be staying in the same room. When I got to the retreat, my 2 friends introduced me to their friends! Low and behold, I met my friend, Katie for the first time. We clicked right away and became "Retreat Best F...