Wonderful Wedding Weekend and Bump Pics

Justin and me at the Cherka/McPherson Wedding
10 Weeks-nothing yet

15 Weeks, 3 days, definitley a bump. I've had to begin using the rubber band trick on some of my pants!

We spent a wonderful weekend in Shelby, NC visiting family and celebrating with our sweet friends, Matt and Amy, in their wedding. I took the day off on Friday to go to our appointment aforementioned on the blog then we hit the road by lunch to spend some good, QT with family. We enjoyed dinner with Justin's parents, as well as my whole clan in Charlotte and it was soooo good seeing everyone. This was the first time we've seen our families since we've found out about our addition and it was so good to actually just "be with them".

On Saturday, we drove to Denver (NC that is) and spent a few hours with each set of Justin's grandparents. I really enjoyed our time together and loved seeing them. We got to bring home some of Mamaw Joyce's apple butter and Mamaw Ann's strawberry fig preserves, so that was a treat!

On Saturday evening, we enjoyed the wedding, which was beautiful! Matt's mother is an amazing cook and she actually catered the whole thing herself. Needless to say, Justin was happy. Good food=happy Justin. :) We did have to get home in time to watch the 2nd half of the Auburn game with Justin's family, but I fell asleep, oh well. :)

Sunday we were able to see many of our Shelby friends again in Sunday School and we enjoyed a yummy lunch with Justin's Mom and Dad and Cody. After lunch, the boys all took a nap while Gina and I went to the mall for a little while, then Justin and headed back south. Though it was a short trip, it was so good to be "home".

God has so graciously blessed us with a "home away from home" in Auburn and amazing friends who feel like family. However, nothing beats grandma's cooking or hugs from your own Momma and Daddy.

Tater Update...

We went to the doctor on Friday and everything looks perfect! I'm measuring right on target and Tater's heart beat was 155 beats per minute. We will find out the gender on Wednesday, October 13th, the day before my birthday! Please be praying that everything looks great on the ultrasound....an update about this weekend with family will come shortly!

Breathe

Lord, I don't want to be in control. I want to trust You. I want to relinquish control of every detail of my life and let you shine through me. I want to be LOYAL! No matter what happens on this earth, I will serve You. Please, help me to stay strong. I love You and want to trust You. When I am so unsure of what is going to happen, help me to believe that You have already paved the way for us. You will direct our steps. May Your will be done through me.

If Only We Would Ask...

"The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." James 5:16b

The Lord has really been teaching me how and why to pray. As Justin and I enter into some exciting months ahead, with major decisions that will effect our family, we have realized the importance of taking every detail to the Lord. While learning this, I wanted to share with you some thoughts, as well as a personal example of what God is doing through prayer.

We had the priviledge of hearing from a couple, the Jane's, in Sunday School last week. They gave their testimony and talked about the importance of prayer in marriage. They emphasized WHY it works and HOW we should do it. It could not have been a more perfect lesson for Justin and I. We have been really convicted about having more prayer time together as a family and seeing the fruition of it in others' lives really hit home.

As I look back in my life and see the things that I have really sought God after, it truly is amazing how powerful and effective our prayers can be, if only we ask. I've seen healing, restoration, salvation and so much more. Honestly, however, some of my favorite things is to see the details. There was 1 time in college that I needed exactly $100 to cover the rest of my monthly bills, so that's what I prayed for. No kidding, the next day, a family I babysat for gave me $100 for a "summer bonus"! Talk about being faithful. He will always provide what we need.

Recently, I have been burdened about how we would buy Christmas presents. God has richly blessed us with my job and Justin's graduate school, however, we are on a budget, especially now with our Tater on the way. Our first year of marriage, we were blessed enough to have a ton of gifts cards left over from our wedding to buy gifts. Last year, Justin sold his student season tickets for a large sum that more than covered the cost. However, that money this year is going to pay for a trip out west for Justin to look at Ph.D positions. So, here we were, thinking, how much do we need to save for the next 4 months to buy Christmas presents?

Some would say, "Don't worry, it's not a big deal. Families understand with a baby coming." However, those people obviously don't know me. The way I show love and appreciation towards others is giving. I love to make things, bake things, and surprise people, even with little things. So, to think of a Christmas that I didn't go out seeking the perfect gift for each person I love the most would honestly be torturous to me. I also love a deal, so I actually enjoy working with a budget. So, Justin and I discussed exactly how many people we would buy for and how much we would spend on each. With that said, I gave it to the Lord and asked that He would provide. Provide He did!

Last weekend, a dear, sweet friend of mine, Mindy, got married. I was given the opportunity to do her hair, as well as her bridesmaids. I was able to make just enough to cover our Christmas present budget!!! I could not be more excited or thankful! Again, if only we would ask, He always provides!

Thank you Lord, for your faithfulness.

My Students' Take on the Oil Spill

After teaching a science lesson on the oil spill in the Gulf, here are some of my students' responses:

Question: Describe ways people use oil.
Answer 1: They use oil for cooking, cars, and cutting grass.
Answer 2: They use oil for fried food and to make food not stick also.

Question: How would you raise money to help people in the Gulf?
Answer 1: I raise money like having a concert like Jimmy Buffet did.
Answer 2: I would raise money by getting tithes and offerings.

Some things never cease to amaze me. :)