So proud of BKB

This is my handsome stud of a man.  He is two weeks into what is/will be the hardest semester of his law school career, taking six classes including Moot Court (if you don't know what this is, just be impressed).  He is handling it like a total champ.

He gets up at 5-6am each day to do an insanely hard workout (P90X).  Then he spends time reading his Bible, packing a lunch, and getting ready for the day.  He loads up his bag with 35lbs worth of law books and heads off to class.  Some days he is on campus from 9am-8pm, other days he drives up to Alton, IL to go to work when classes are done.  Most nights he gets home around 6-7, eats dinner, talks to me, and plays with Watson.  Usually around 8pm, he heads back to the office and hits the books until around midnight.  He gets up the next morning and does it all over again.  He spends his weekends getting ahead on more classwork, loving on his wife and puppy, and worshiping Jesus in our gospel community and with our church.

I am insanely proud of him, unspeakably grateful for him, and unbelievably in love with him.  I just want the world to know the kind of hard-working, Jesus-loving man he is.  It is so sweet to be loved by such a man.

T.H.I.N.K.

Today was my first day of my internship at a primary school.  I had a great first day, and was intrigued by something on the wall of the speech therapy room.  It read,

THINK before you speak.... 

T: Is it true?

H: Is it helpful?

I: Is it inspiring?

N: Is it necessary?

K: Is it kind?

I absolutely loved this poster and could learn a great deal from it.  Gossip is a particular struggle I have at times, and working in an environment where most of my peers are beautiful, brilliant (and often child-bearing) women means that there's also jealousy, which means that snarky things fly out of my mouth, followed by pangs of guilt.

This weekend, one of our pastor's preached a message on godly womanhood.  I was so challenged, and today's little poster drove it home.  I am so sorry for some of the things I've said and thoughts I've had that were either untrue, unhelpful, uninspiring, unnecessary, or unkind.  I am sorry to those who've heard me say such things, because that was the opposite of showing the love of Christ, and does not make him look glorious, but he is.  He is infinitely worthy of glory and honor, and able to give me the power to tame my tongue and remove bitterness and jealousy from my heart.

I'm sure we all struggle with gossip, bitterness, and jealousy at different points in our lives.  The season I am in seems to be filled with loads of all three. I am so thankful for God's grace to me now, and I am thankful to be surrounded by men and women who challenge me to be more like Jesus.

Scenes from a Christmas House

I wish all our family could come to our house over Christmas, but the busyness of this time of year always seems to catch up with us.  I wish they could all see how we've incorporated decorations and ornaments that have been handed down to us on both sides from our grandmothers and great grandmothers.  I wish they could feel "the glow" we feel in our home this time of year.  Instead I decided to take some pictures so I could show them our cozy flat from afar.  Hope you enjoy the tour!

Oh, hi there.

What a crazy couple months this has been for us! Kyle and I just wrapped up yet another semester of classes. He is now half way through law school, and I am done with my graduate couse work! All I have left is a couple big exams (one in January, one in March), completing my internships next semester (one at an elementary school and one at St. Louis Children's hospital) and I am DONE.   I am amazed at God's grace sustaining us through the last (almost) two years. There were many unknown factors and risks when we followed the Lord's guidance to come here, but he has made our paths straight.


(SLU Speech-Language Pathology, Class of 2012)

I wish we had any other big news to report other than the busy-ness of life. For those who have been inquiring/praying for my stepmom, we still thank you! As of this morning, dad said she's hanging in there, working through the pain. She is done with chemo, done with everything, trying to make the best of whatever is left. She has had to cut back to working part-time, which has been very hard. Diane loves her job and takes so much pride in her work. She's always had a deep commitment to the bank where she is a Senior Vice President. They have shown her incredible kindness and made it clear that her years of hard work would not go unnoticed. We are grateful for that. She will keep working as much and as often as she can.

There is an uncertainty about the whole situation, however, that makes the holidays a bit bleak. My dad and Diane LOVE Christmas and typically go all out. Dad told me this morning they haven't bought a single present because they've been trying to spend every moment together. What could anyone say to that? How do you face the holidays, knowing it's the last with someone you love so dearly? Shrug.


(Thanksgiving 2011)

A number of other health issues popped up over the last couple months in my family, including my stepdad getting an abscess colon which is incredibly dangerous and life-threatening. Our family has been in relatively good health for a long time with no major issues, so I suppose we were just "due."

In the midst of all this, Kyle and I are still trying for a baby, which is gut-wrenching. All the drugs, the books, the blogs, the talking to other couples with infertility - none of it can really predict how you will feel when you go through it and still see negative after negative. Some days I am able to trust in perfect peace, and be content that God's timing is perfect and some day we'll see all of this clearly, other days I am a haze of emotions from bitterness to jealousy to deep sorrow.

I can honestly say, however, that because of all of this (NOT in spite of all of this) I have gained a deeper love for Jesus, and a deeper love for my husband and family. I am continually amazed at God's kindness to me in these hard times, and the way it continues to shape my soul.

I am so often reminded of my sin, how prone I am to jealousy and gossip, to resentment and hopelessness, but he continues to remind me that my hope is not in the things of this world, my hope is in Christ alone.  He surrounds me with people who remind me of this.  He shows me that lasting joy is not found in anything here.  At some point all the people we love will pass away, all the dreams we have about our lives will mean nothing, "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
(Psalm 73:26 ESV)


(August Gate's new location)

The next few weeks will be spent relaxing as much as possible, reading books, being crafty, and spending time with friends and family.  Kyle and I have are so happy and so deeply in love with each other.  I say that only out of gratefulness.  So many are torn apart by hard times, but Jesus has pushed our hearts closer together.  We are so excited to be home together (when not working) over the holidays.  We are truly trying to count our blessings instead of sheep.  I hope you all have a very merry Christmas filled with love and peace.

Happy Halloween!

It wasn't until about three days ago that I finally got into the Halloween spirit. I've been overwhelmed by midterms and the flu, and haven't felt like myself at all.  Finally on Thursday (just two days before our party) it finally kicked in and I started going crazy cleaning and decorating.

Kyle and I still didn't know what we were going to be (usually we know by August!) so we threw out some last-minute ideas and decided to be Jack Donaghy and Liz Lemon (played by Alec Baldwin and Tina Fey) from the TV show 30 Rock.

There were tons of great, witty costumes, but I must say that my personal favorite was our friends Jacob and Aileen, who dressed up as us! They were great identity thieves.

Aileen cut her bangs, and Jacob put white in his eyebrow. So funny!

Tomorrow night we will welcome trick-or-treaters dressed as zombies. Should be a great Halloween!