Engagement Pictures!

So... we are 4 weeks away from our big day!!

It has been so fun to buy and plan and soon we will start putting all of this together for decorations and such!

It is all coming together... :)


My only wish is that the weather will be nice since we are having an outdoor wedding. It is a beautiful place and I am so hoping the weather cooperates. We do have a back up plan but of course I want my first choice!! :) haha

A few weeks ago, we drug Clint to Obion and Trimble while Callye snapped a few pics of us. He hates pictures but he did cooperate and they turned out good! The weather wasn't great and some of the qualities aren't great but my photographer is awesome! Even if she is my sister! :) We had a 5 and 10 year old with us too so the distractions were there as well. :)

Here a some of our pictures!

Most of these pictures were taken on the old condemned bridge that goes between Obion and Trimble. We used to walk this bridge a lot when I was a little girl and it made for some great pictures! A great spot!! :)

Thanks Callye! 

The things on my heart.

This time of my life is very exciting... I am getting married in 36 days!!!!! Oh man. :) This time is filled with invitations, showers, decorations, picking music, etc. It's exciting!!! It is also a little bit stressful. But mostly exciting.

But in this time of my life, I am also struggling a bit. I'm struggling with knowing what the Lord wants me to be doing. I loved El Salvador and I loved working with the orphans! I honestly thought that that is where I would be this time last year.  But the Lord had other plans. I am so excited to be getting married and eventually starting a family. But right now I don't feel like I'm doing all that I can so therefore I am not feeling fulfilled.

Does that make sense?

Don't get me wrong... I'm happy. I'm 110% sure that I am supposed to marry Clint and that I'm supposed to be here. I don't doubt that one bit. But it is so easy to focus on me me me and forget that there is SO much more that the Lord wants from me.

I'm currently working in a school again. I love working with the kids. I am enjoying getting to know the teachers. But I don't feel like I'll be doing this for a long time.

Just recently, as I was struggling with these feelings, through Sunday School, church, and a new Bible Study, the Lord reminded me that He will work on me until He calls me HOME. He is never finished with me. He has not forgotten about me.

That gave me such peace. Even in this time of waiting for Him, getting married, moving, starting new jobs, He is working within me! He has a plan for my life!! He will not give up on me.

But there I am again, wondering.... what should I be doing?? This morning as I was reading through some blogs... Lorraine at All Are Precious In His Sight, wrote about hoarding. When I first read the title I thought she meant STUFF. Ya know, like the TV show.

But she talked about hoarding our time, talents, money, and stuff. Time that we could be spending with others. Time that we could be volunteering, ministering to, and loving on other people. Talents that we could be using to glorify the Lord. Money that we could use on someone other than OURSELVES. That is a tough one. :) And stuff that we do NOT need but could bless someone else with that is in need.

This really "woke me up". It showed me that I do NOT have to be overseas to serve. I don't have to be doing certain things to do for others and to love my neighbor as myself.

Weddings and babies and life!

I'd say it's been a while since I've posted!!

Although, life sure hasn't slowed down!

Since I last posted many exciting things have happened. 

My most favorite thing is... 

I GOT ENGAGED! 

My sweet Clint asked me to marry him and of course I said YES! 

We are planning to get married on October the 20th. :) So let the wedding planning begin! 

Speaking of weddings... My best friend, Hannah, got married this past weekend! 

I spent the week with her in Arkansas and helped her prepare for her big day! Everything went smoothly and we had a blast!

The bridesmaids and ring bearer! :)

Since Hannah is a Souled Out friend, we also got to have a mini Souled Out Reunion! 

Got to hang out with Chris Trammell who is actually the match maker of Josh and Hannah!

Since Doug did part of Hannah's ceremony, I got to see him, Amy, and their wild crazy boys!

It was good to see Brian Cohen, too!

And it is ALWAYS awesome to see sweet Hailey!

It was so good to see everyone but it was also good to get home! And it was awesome that Sarah and Hailey came to visit for a few days and were able to meet my family and Clint. :) 

And I can't forget to tell you that I have a new nephew!!

The day I left for Arkansas, my step-sister, Shelly, had her sweet baby boy, Levi! 

And now the daunting task of finding a job shall resume.... 

My least favorite thing!!

But in the midst of that I still am trying to love and live every moment to the fullest... 

Watching babies growing up...

And loving the life that I have been blessed with! :)

Sweet Loves.

 I really don't have much to write tonight other than I've really enjoyed spending time with the kids....

The centers are more picky now about taking pictures so I don't take as many but...as  you can see... I do sneak a few. 

Maybe that's why we spend so much time on the trampoline away from eyes that could see us taking pictures!

These pictures are all out of order but it was too much trouble to fix them! 

These are all from the last couple times we have been at CIPI.

Trampoline time usually turns into cuddle time... and I'm perfectly ok with that! :)

 I brought a new outfit or shirt for each kid in the special needs area. This is Maybeline in her new outfit :)

 Jose-Luis in his new shirt. :)

 

I had bought Lyonel a 24 month sized outfit! He has grown SOOOO much since December. This shirt is a 5T!! :) 

 

Nelson didn't really want his picture made... He wanted me to hold him!

 More trampoline time... :)

 Sweet Anderson. He is a baby of a teenage mom. 

 Mom and son :) They all have boys except for one.

 We were there on Saturday and it was this sweet baby's 1st birthday! We took him a crown, cookies, and a new outfit! (Actually it was the outfit that was WAY TOO small for Lyonel!)

 I told you we spend a lot of time on the trampoline!

 

Sweet Maybeline. :)

 

 

Little Marvin had been in the hospital for over a week... He just came home today!

 And he was happy to be back!

 Luis-Antonio in his new shirt :)

 Maybeline and Hailey!  

 

Machado in his new shirt! He didn't want to look at the camera!

 

This picture does NOTHING to show how really excited Fernando was to get his SpiderMan tshirt! He jumped up and down and was SO happy. That's the best 4 bucks I've ever spent!

 Sweet baby Josue on his birthday!

We ALL love trampoline/cuddle time!

I only have a few more days here to love on the kids. And I am determined to hold nothing back. The devil has tried hard to keep me frustrated or to keep me from enjoying my time here but I will NOT let him rob me of my last few days here. Please pray for me to love with no abandon these next few days. 

After I leave there is one week off for Kurt and then 11 weeks straight of teams! So these kids will be getting plenty of love over the summer! :)