Faith

It's easy to say that in the last year and half, Nathan and I have walked down some hard roads. We have walked down roads like: unemployment, struggles with conceiving, living in different states, moving across states,death,etc.
Some of these were roads Nathan and I never planned on walking down. When we were married we clearly had our plans written out, even on a small timeline.  But, God had different plans for us. At first we found some of these changes hard because they lead us down so hard or bumpy roads. But, down each road we found that God was with us, and there was light at the end of the road. Looking back on some of the roads we went down  we can clearly see why God had us go down that road, and those roads blessed us in ways we never saw coming. Other roads are not clear now, but I have FAITH that God is working on those roads as we walk them.

Faith is not a simple word nor is it easy to understand in times of struggle.

When walking down roads of life that are diffcult we found people saying "just have faith", that in itself seems impossible at times to have faith in God who we felt wasn't listening to our prayers.
It's moments like that we remember and held to the verse:

Matthew 17:20

He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. "

In those moments that we felt like God wasn't listening, he was listening. Prayer is not always answer in the way we would like or in the timeline we would like.
Simple way to define faith would be:

Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.


There were some choices we made after a lot of prayer, that others didn't agree with. Some of our choices weren't the popluar by our fellow friends. But, we knew that our faith was in God and his power. God has the power to work things together that man's wisdom wouldn't even think of. There are times in life were you set aside the wisdom of man, and trust in the power of God.

1 Corinthians 2:5

so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.

 

When God started answering some of our prayers or better yet blessing us for walking down the road we were walking. I have looked back and wonder why did I doubt God? I think my doubt may have came from uncertainly

Matthew 14:31

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"

I now know that can is always there, and working things for his good. Nathan and I were talking the other night and he said "How you be so calm during this, how can you not be stressed or worried?" I told him "I am worried and stressed, it's just that I know God is going to work everything for his good and glory." "The outcome might not be what I want, but if that's the case then I know he will give me strength". I don't need to have doubt, because even in those moments, I know God is faithful.

 

Two little puppies

Juno with her ball.

Nathan & Juno in our backyard.

Zoey & I after her 1st bath @ home. Zoey on our bed looking cute.

These are some pictures of our puppies. Zoey is a sheltie and is about 13 or 14 weeks old. She has yet to learn where to go potty. This is a huge problem. I have tried so many different things, and just when I think she has it down, we take three steps backwards. Besides the potty issues, Zoey is a great dog and has taken more to me then Nathan. Which is kinda funny, because we bought Zoey for Nathan and Juno for me.

As you can guess Juno (our other dog) has taken to Nathan. Juno loves Nathan so much that if he is outside and the window in open and she hears him, she runs to window to see him. Juno also likes to cuddle with Nathan. This is funny to watch because Juno is not small like Zoey. Juno is a mix of lab and blue heeler and she is full grown. However she seems to think she fits on Nathan's lap.

It's safe to say having two puppies- we will not be having babies anytime soon. The puppies are a lot of work, and a handful. Although we love both of them and enjoy spending time with the puppies and watching them play together.

We are settling into the house, and have started working on it. Both of our parents have been over to help us work on the house this summer, which was really nice. Nathan is doing good and preparing for tax season which is slowly coming up. I'm doing great and I just got hired on at Spokane Public Schools # 81. It's not teaching, but it allows me to get my foot in the door. I will be taking care of / helping a sped boy who is in a wheelchair but using a walker (from what I'm told so far).

the hunt is over....

Nathan and I have just bought our first house! We are moving from the downtown to the South Hill. This is our second night in the house and we are sleeping in sleeping bags, and cleaning during the day. However, we did take a break today and Nathan went shooting with a friend and I went yard saling with a friend!
The last two days have been nothing but a complete overload in every sense for the both of us.
The house was so dirty...Luckily at this point the only thing left to clean is the kitchen. Sunday we will be moving everything in.
One lesson I learned already was what a amazing cleaning tool an old tooth brush is!!! I cleaned the downstairs bathroom tonight and I was so thankful I had my handy tooth brush to help me!

Sleeping has been hard the last few nights...that's why I'm writing on my blog this late. I'm not sure why I can't sleep. Maybe it's because I can't hear other people taking showers, or maybe its that the train doesn't shake my bedroom anymore. Yes, it's true in our old apartment every time the train came by our bedroom would shake, and I mean shake!

Nathan and I were in Puyallup the other weekend and since we have the house now, we were able to bring my cat Tucker James back to Spokane with us. He is living outside and I think he likes it. The first night was funny...the crows in our backyard didn't like the idea of a cat living there. So, a face off between Tucker and the crows started. Crows are ugly and LOUD. One of the crows dived bomb Tucker...which lead to tucker jumping up and trying to get the crow.
I believe at this point Tuck has won. He is walking around like he owns the place and I haven't heard the crows.

Buying this house was a God thing. It's a long story. But, we were just about giving up when this house went up on the market. Then, everything fell into place. I think they cut down about 1,000 trees to make all the paper for the paperwork that we had to sign...honestly when I saw the stack of paper, I wanted to be a kid again and not adult because I knew as an adult I was going to have to sit at that table while we went through all those papers!!

Happy 4Th of July.

Lets go on a house hunt!

What to pack when you go on a house hunt? Lots of prayers for patience and wisdom.
Nathan and I got the news this week that we are approved for our house loan. We were so excited to get this news! There has already been blessing with this house hunt. We couldn't find a real estate agent that we liked (i.e. not pushy and looking down on us for being young). Lucky, the lady who helped us with the loan was kind enough to give me a number to a great agent! That's how we found Kathy, and I can't say enough nice things about her, but I can say I thankful for how honest she is.
Today, I got an e-mail from my husband while he was at work and in the e-mail he said "he couldn't wait to look for a home with me" when I read that it just melted my heart.

In other news, I have took a full time job at a Christian Church working with One years old. I start on June 1st and I'm very excited. I have busy working on school and looks like I might just be able to finish my degree by January!

The weather has been so nice this week- I think it's safe to say summer is here! My family was able to come over this last weekend and we had so much fun! We did a lot of swimming and shopping!

Last few weeks...

Our Tent in the woods and Nathan and I by the fire.

The last few weeks have been very busy. Mother day weekend Nathan and I drove over to Puyallup for the weekend and we were able to spend time with both families and spend Mothers Day with our Moms. We had a great time, and the weather was nice!

Last Wednesday was the Awana Awards night, we had six Cubbies move up to Sparks and two Cubbies who got their first book award.

However, Wednesday was not a fun day. Thursday morning I was to go in for a Upper endoscopy and an Colonoscopy with Biopsy. I wanted so badly to go to the awards night for awana, but we weren't sure I was going to make it because there is medication you take the day before to prepare for these tests. So, I decided to take the medication and then go to the award night. I had not written anything down because I only had eight Cubbies and knew who was getting what. However, due to the medication and the clear diet I had to be on, it's easy to say I was not feeling that great and when I got up to pass out the awards I felt like my brain left my head. I was so embarrassed afterwards, but what do you say? Sorry, I taking medication for my colonoscopy in the morning. Lesson learned...next time no matter if it's only two kids, I'm writing everything down. I even said something like these sparks are moving to cubbies....o man..what can I say.

Anyways, I made it through the awards night, although next I will not leave the house while taking that medication!!

Thursday morning came slowly and the tests well I don't remember them because the sedation they gave me put me out. We are waiting for results, and looking forward to knowing what is causing me to have attacks.

This last weekend Nathan and I went camping, it was so much fun! The weather was perfect for camping and it was nice to get away after a busy week!

About time I post again...

This is a picture of Nathan and I ice skating downtown Spokane...it was a lot of fun and really cold!

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My sister is about to have a BABY! She is having a girl and the name is Ivy Leeann Hurt. So, I have been busy sewing stuff for Ivy. Here are a few things I have made:

Blankets! Since my sister lives on what I call a farm, I thought it would be best to make a horse blanket. So, my brother-in-law loves to hunt and isn't that big on Pink...notice the Pink camo ;)

These are the burp cloths that I'm making. They are cloth diapers that you add fabric too. Very easy and Very cute!



I hope you all are doing well and staying healthy!

Amazing Cubbies

This is my second year running the Cubbies program at the Church. All of my Cubbies this year are Second year Cubbies, which means two things 1) I had them all last year 2) This is their last year with me. Next, year they move up to Sparky's. I was talking to Nathan after Club last week and realize...I'm going to miss these Cubbies a lot. While I am very proud of them for moving up to sparks, I'm still very sad that they will not be in my class. These kids are amazing. They all have amazing parents and it shows. Our cubbie class is small this year because last year we had a lot of cubbies move up to sparks...I should add I miss them too. But, I always get a smile and wave from them.

Anyways, I know I will get new cubbies and they will be amazing. I just wanted to write about my amazing Cubbies I have now!

Lets make an Apron

Over New Years weekend, Patty and I made Aprons. They turned out alright, I have some things I'm going to change next time around. It was very simple, and easy. Just thought I would share them with everyone! Enjoy!

First Christmas Together

Nathan and I spent our 1st Christmas together married! This was also our 1st Christmas without our Families. Nathan and I are very close to our families so this was very hard. Luckily, we knew well in advance that we wouldn't be able to go home for Christmas, so this gave me a lot of time to prepare myself. My mother-in-law was a great help. I was able to talk to her about it because she lived in a different state then her family. She was able to ofter words of wisdom from someone who had walked in my shoes. My mom was also a huge help, nothing beats a mother love, and my mom is always so strong and wise. Christmas came and I think Nathan and I realize that it was going to be harder then we thought. We both had to work on Christmas Eve, so that help pass the time. We were planning and looking forward to Christmas Eve service but the snow didn't allow it. Nathan and I found it easier by trying to think of fun things we could start as a family. Like, watching a Christmas movie on Christmas Eve, and making Breakfast, and a nice dinner on Christmas, etc. On Christmas morning I decided to get up a make a nice breakfast for Nathan and his brother Philip (who spent Christmas with us). I ended up having to wake Nathan up...I wrecked the hash browns so bad the boys said they were going to eat them anyway but each after one bite made a face and I said they didn't have to. Spending Christmas with my husband was amazing. Waking up in our home, and spending it together was so nice. I look forward to the Christmases when we have kids (someday) and watching them on Christmas!

I was also able to see all of my family on Christmas Eve, thanks to a Web Cam! I enjoyed getting to see all the kids and family and talking to them while seeing them! We do need to find a better web cam system for the future.

Wedding pictures!!!

All of my wedding pictures have now been posted!!! Keep in mind, they are NOT in order. Some are posted more then once. I'm looking forward to getting the proofs, printing and hanging up in frames around our home. Enjoy!!



http://www.shutterfly.com/progal/album.jsp?aid=768a5498cf3cb52bca8d

Seven Random Things:

1. I just changed Colleges, and degree path. I start school on Monday and I'm ready to get it done and over with...So, I can have babies!
2. As, of now...I'm a stay at home WIFE, which can be really boring (I know some day I will look back and eat those words).
3. I'm becoming a good cook- for which my husband is very thankful for.
4. I'm very COMPETITIVE....so is my husband
5. I'm a poor sport- but working on it.
6. My favorite movie is now: Seven brides for seven brothers... (I love the June Bride Song)
7. I love to read...read....read...

New Path...

So after a long few weeks...and the last week I have spent mostly in tears. I have decided that I need to write it out, in hopes that I will feel a little better. Although, I find myself writing it out on my blog which I don't do alot. I always post things on myspace, I think if I posted here less would read, and not as many people would know my weakness.
I have been in school the last years...and I am so close to being done. But, there is one thing that stands in my way...four letters..math. Now, this may sound crazy. I understand math and can do it just find, but it's the test that get me everytime. And at eastern you can pass the homework, quizzies, etc...but it you don't do good on the exams...then your done.
In hopes to over come this, I talked to eastern and was info that I could take an online course and then transfer it to eastern, which would allow me to take the one class I need. So, Nathan and I paid $850 dollars for this class. I then, went to transfer the class and the chair decided he didn't like the class because the way the test(s) was given...online and not a on paper in person.
Needless, to say it took forever to get this information from him, which I got this week.
I'm not a person to "fight" with people.....but I did inform him that there was more then one way to test someone's knowledge then just a paper exam....the math nerd didn't like this comment needless to say. But maybe since I work with children so much and love kids with special needs, that I know for a fact all kids don't learn the same, and you can't test them all the same.
So...first: I will not being attending Eastern...this was like a dream blowing up in my face...I was planning on walking this year...but with out the math that I need to get in to student teaching...it's hopeless. I have not handled this well....I have spent a lot time crying, laying on the bed, not eating, and cuddling with Nathan. I have really beat myself up about this.
Second: I'm looking at finishing my degree online through WGU, but I'm waiting for everything to go through and things to be transfer....praying everything transfers.
Third: I will be working....I'm looking for a job now. This is not fun, and I would like maybe something other then daycare.
---It's easy to say that I feel like a complete loser, and failure. These are not easy feelings to over come. Nathan as been watching me with the online math class I'm now finishing and he gets upset because I KNOW the math, it's just something about the testing. I did talk to eastern about this and they gave me some books to read. Which didn't help a lot. My test scores went up in other classes, but not math.
The most upsetting part is that most people don't know I WAS ON THE DEANS LIST, I'm wasn't a bad student.
But God has blessed me with an amazing husband who has been full of hugs, kisses and cuddling and up lifting words. He even had my favorite dinner the other night in hopes of getting me to eat. I did eat a little, but I don't feel like much of anything.
So, my life is going down another path....one I didn't plan on and didn't want to take. But I keep graping onto that little bit of trust, hope, faith or whatever it is that God is doing something...and has something in PLAN....what the plan is I don't know...and the waiting is killing me. I want to have it all planned out in my planner for the year. So, There's my heart.

Prayer

So, last week I went to puyallup for a wedding, and it was so much fun. I saw a lot of people from highschool, and it was so fun to see how people have changed.

Then, on Sunday we got a call that my aunt was taken to the Hospital, we picked her husband up and rushed up there. (I need to add, that my family is very close to their family and my aunt did A LOT of stuff for our wedding- so I'm really close to my aunt). She had a stroke, and she has a blood clot. I spent most of monday at the hospital, and then monday night I stayed the whole night with her. I didn't sleep because her nurses weren't that great, and I was worried. But on Tuesday morning when her PT came in, she was able to walk to the door and back with help. But this was an amzing moment, and a huge Blessing. She is able to talk a little, but it's really hard and She has problems with it. On monday they gave her choclate pudding, and she LOVED it. She would take a bite and then sit there and say "mmm", so on tuesday morning she looked at me and said "I...I..I....I want...mmmm" I said "o you want choclate pudding?" the look on her face so funny, she started shaking her head yes and looked like she had just won something. I told her we would ask her nurse, and that I was sure she could have some. So, later when the nurse came, she looked at the nurse and said "I..I....I....I want..." and then she looked at me with this priceless look, and I had to laugh and then I told the nurse that she wanted choclate pudding, and then she started smiling. On tuesday her husband brought her a radio and she was so happy to listen to country music.

I left the hospital tuesday, went to my parents and showered, and left for the airport. When I first saw nathan at the airport I just broke down. Because I knew I didn't have to be strong for him. I got a call last night and they moved her room, next to the ICU, but she isn't in the ICU. They put her there so the nurses will check her every hour. They are also running a test today, because her strong side (left) was tinglying. ( So, I will update on that).

But please keep her in prayer and the family.

Last Week in Review

On Saturday my parents came to town, and we had a ton of fun hanging out. My dad put up a clothes line for me on the deck, and my mom steamed my curtains for me. We went out to dinner, and swimming at their hotel. I will post pictures of my cool clothes line, and stuff later.


Life is going crazy. I was having a few health problems, so I went to the Doctor, and the first thing they rushed into was that I might be pregnant, and they ran and test and then made me sit there and wait. As I sat there I thought about what would happen if the test came back positive, and then what if the test was negative, Truth is I really couldn't think either way- All I could think about is how much I wanted Nathan there holding my hand.

Well, after the doctor talking for what seemed like forever, she finally told me the test was negative. And then she moved on to what else might be causing the problem and treated it.

Little Brother

These last two weeks my little brother craig has been staying with us. I have to say i have enjoyed it a lot! He went to VBS the first week, while I worked VBS. This last week we both went to silverwood for the first time ever!!! we had sooo much fun!! we stayed in the water park side the whole day and was shocked when they said it was closing time! He ran into a little trouble in the wave pool, and i had to save him. (i guess the lifeguard training from the YMCA payed off). Although my mom wasn't happy to hear about it. He also had to work up the guts to go down the slides because he is between kid and teen...but we went down the slides in the double tube and after the first one he was hooked. i had so much fun!! He also went to my work with me (nanny). He told me i needed to grow up. because the kids i watch are 4 years old (on Saturday) and little over 1 year old. i play with them, I'm not one of those nannies who just sits there. So, he thought i was acting like a little kid, well i guess i was. i mean playing my little ponies, and all. I also taught him about the laundry mat, that was fun! We also cooked dinner, clean the car, and went shopping, went out to lunch and to a movie. The garland is so nice! We went to a $3.50 movie! anyways, my parents are coming over on saturday to pick him up. And we have some projects to do. my dad is going to build me a clothes line for my deck that i can put up and take down when i need to. he is also going to help put legs on our couch, and hang our new mirror. so i will put up pictures and add more later!

First Blog

I just got married to Nathan in June. Our wedding went great, and the honeymoon was amazing. We just finished unpacking our boxes into our new apartment about a week ago. Married life is great! The hardest problem i have is thinking of ideas for dinner. Cleaning and keeping up with all those details really comes down to having a plan. Needless to say, I need a plan or schedule of some type. Here are some photo's from family and friends that were at the wedding. Enjoy!