For real? Fourty-Nine

Last night Desmond came back from Tres Dias, and he had an AMAZING experience! I am so grateful to our beautiful Lord for teaching him new things and softening his heart in new ways...I know that this experience will serve to help him grow in the Lord, as a husband and eventually as a father :)

So, after he got back we decided to do a late night Waffle house dinner since we were both hungry and we ended up getting locked out of our house and having to sleep in our car!! It was a shock to the system and immediately brought us off the high we had been on. In this we both realized that life will always slap you in the face with something but that it is our choice whether or not we lose our joy....

Food for today's thought:

“Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. Even if I am to be poured out like a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.” – Philippians 2.14-18

For Forty-Eight...

Coffee

The sun like gold shines through trees of wisdom.

Cool wind whips and twists along the edge of day.

Sitting still, enjoying the embrace,

Facing the truth and shadow,

What a wonder.

Squinting to see the reality of abstraction.

Warmth that cools and cool that warms,

Light that darkens and darkness that lights.

O the mystery.

Sensing a shift and solidarity of the day to day.

Stare out at the shapes that pass,

The outer shells of integrity.

The knowledge learned fades at end,

The next day learned all over.

-JHB-

3.25.2008

Frightened Fourty-Seventh

Saturday night, Des is in Cleveland, Josiah is at a friends, Mom and Derryck are out of town. Boots and I are alone in the house and so I'm a little freaked so mom tells me to turn on the alarm. I do and feel a bit better. 12:30ish I am searching for a gift card in the basement when I hear the alarm go off blazing through the house! I hear footsteps above me...I run, grab my phone, dash in my room, turn off the light and hide in the closet. I call 911...the woman starts asking 20 billion questions, and I try to answer them as best I can while trying not to breath!

I hear the footsteps moving around, the alarm goes off, I think maybe they cut the wire to it??

I hear the footsteps come down the basement steps, I hear the door to my room, the light comes on...I know I am about to die... then the light goes off and the door shuts, the person has left...

All of the sudden, I realize that it must be DESMOND! He would be the only one that would come straight to our room, look for me and then leave...I peak out and look and he's gone, I whisper "Hello...hello??" And suddenly there he is! The 911 operator is still on the phone waiting for me and I tell her, "It's just my husband, he drove into town and surprised me!!" I hang up and burst into tears as I was SO incredibly frightened I couldn't contain it... He hugs me and tells me HI! Haha! We go up to await the arrival of the sheriff who still had to come and check things out. We tell him what happened and he laughs and bids us good night!

Craziest night of my life, and I thought I was just gonna have a quiet girls night with masks and a foot spa...

Me with my face mask on, prior to the surprise from hell haha!

Food for today's thought:
"Life is a series of surprises, and would not be worth taking or keeping if it were not." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Favorite Fourty-SIxth :)

I am married.
WOW!!
I can't believe it and it has already been 20 days!

Our wedding was priceless from start to finish.
My Desmond is so amazing, he started writing me letters from Thursday night before the Bachelorette Party until Saturday 30 minutes before our wedding. He drove all over to the places I would be like the bridal luncheon local, the nail salon etc... and I had a PS I love you letter experience at every location, it was incredible and I have never felt so loved and special in my life.

We had such an amazing experience at every step of the way. Our rehearsal dinner was priceless; after everyone ate, we gave friends the opportunity to say a few words and our family and friends poured blessings and funny stories over us.

We had such a blessed ceremony also, with a conclusion of our grandparents and parents coming on stage to pray over us as we start our lives together.

The reception was crazy and fun, dancing with all our friends and family was a treasure.

It all went by too quickly but even so, I don't mind because at the end of the night I laid next to my new husband and felt such peace.

I have been so blessed by God to be chosen to marry this man I have and I cannot wait to see where we will go and the things we will do.

Food for today's thought:
"Success in marriage does not come merely through finding the right mate, but through being the right mate." -Barnett R. Brickner

Check out some of the pictures from our special day!

Flipping Fantastic Fourty-Fifth!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am the WORST blogger in the world. I know it, you know it haha!

So, here's the latest in my life...On November 7th, 2009

Desmond asked me to be his wife!!!

Desmond proposing to me!

With THIS!!! My GORGEOUS engagement ring!

So, needless to say, the past few months have been extremely busy and filled with lots of fun! My brother got married in December and he is now in MD finishing up his training for the army and should be back home withing the next month before being stationed somewhere.

I am still working on my MA in Counseling and I am working really hard. I have considered transferring and I am still considering that route as the program I am currently a part of is just too much Theology and not enough Counseling which will make me have to go an extra year. SO, I am planning a wedding, going to school, working part-time and also really jump starting my career as a Wedding and Lifestyles Photographer. My website www.flashesbyjill.com is currently in the works and should be up and fully functional by March or early April! I am soo blessed and excited about all the AWESOME things God has been doing in my life and I can't wait to see how the rest of 2010 will go!

Food for today's thought:

"The real act of marriage takes place in the heart, not in the ballroom or church or synagogue. It's a choice you make - not just on your wedding day, but over and over again -- and that choice is reflected in the way you treat your husband or wife." -Barbara De Angelis

Fantastic Forty-Fourth!

Hi everyone!!! Just wanted to give a brief update of my summer thus far in pictures!

This past month Des and I took a week long vacation to Wyoming to see his family, it was a REALLY long drive but so much fun! We stopped at the St. Lois Arch, went to a rodeo

Went to the Frontier Days in Cheyenne, where his family lives

Went to see Rodney Atkins, Kelli Pickler and Taylor Swift, and did and went so many things and places! It was a great time getting to know his family better and seeing who he is and where he comes from :) I was so blessed to be with all of them and look forward to many more times!

In June (28th) I turned 24! My sweet love took me on a shopping trip for my birthday and bought me clothes! It was so much fun and I felt like a princess! He is so amazing, it just amazes me more and more every single day, he is truly the love of my life...

My family threw a little cookout at my parents house to celebrate and we had such a great time! Here I am with Mom, Zo and mammy :)

So, that's about all that's been happening other than working at boring ol' Whirlpool every day m-f 8-5 :( BUT I am grateful for the money!

I hope everyone out there is blessed and enjoying every moment of summer they can get!

Food for today's thought:

Summer is the time when one sheds one's tensions with one's clothes, and the right kind of day is jeweled balm for the battered spirit. A few of those days and you can become drunk with the belief that all's right with the world. -Ada Louise Huxtable

Failed Fourty-Third.

Hello out there????

I am a TOTAL blog failure!
Things have just gotten busier and busier and now things are slowwww so here I am.

First things first...hmm...

Well one of my best friends, Andrea was married May 16th in Virginia and I was blessed to be a bridesmaid! Desmond drove up with me and it was just an awesome time with people I love!

The three of us were college roommates and it was SUCH a blessing being able to share the experience together.

My sweet boyfriend was a wonderful date and help during the week of the wedding.

The bad news was that on my way home I was let go from my job. The family I was nannying for the past 8 months felt that they needed to find someone else because I was LOOKING for a job that would pay for my masters, even though I DON'T HAVE ANOTHER JOB!!! It has been a serious letdown and financially difficult time. Des has been such a life saver during this time and he is just such a rock for me. I am so blessed to have him!

I was hired at Whirlpool where I will be doing tech support etc... but I don't start until June 22nd which means I wont get paid til a week after that so I am currently at my grandparent's house where I have been re-doing their guest bathroom. SO I have been stripping wallpaper, sanding, putting up putty, re-sanding, priming and painting so it has been a long few days but they are going to pay me so that I can pay my rent this month.

That's what's been going on with me the past few weeks. I will be updating soon I promise haha!

Food for today's thought:

"As we drive along this road called life, occasionally a gal will find herself a little lost. And when that happens, I guess she has to let go of the coulda, shoulda, woulda, buckle up and just keep going."
~ Carrie Bradshaw

Fulfilled Forty-Second

Hellllooo everyone!

I am trying to once again get in the habit of updating more frequently so here I am!

So a few weeks ago the basketball team played at Shorter College in our Conference championship and We WON!!! Des' dad came from Wyoming to support Des and the team and it was really nice to spend some more time getting to know him, he is such a precious man.

WE WHOOPED THEM!!!

Des cutting down his part of the net!

Des and his dad! He looks more like his brother though haha!

Me and me handsome man!

This past week Des cooked dinner for me during the week of our Six month anniversary! He made homemade mashed potatoes, green beans, and meatloaf. It was delicious!!!

SO yum!

He is SOOO amazing!!!

Us on our six month anniversary!

This Thursday I am leaving to go to Kansas City MO to go to the National Tournament! The guys left today and I can't wait to see Des already! 

Hope you all are having a great St. Patrick's day!!! 

Food for today's thought: 

Oh, the music in the air! An' the joy that's ivrywhere - Shure, the whole blue vault of heaven is wan grand triumphal arch, An' the earth below is gay wid its tender green th'-day, fur the whole world is Irish on the Seventeenth o' March!

~Thomas Augustin Daly

Frenzied Forty-First

I have been a total and utter slacker when it comes to this blog.

Ok, so there.

I'm back.

The past month and a half have been crazy busy...I was the Youth Director for Vida Nueva (Young women's retreat) last weekend, which was the culmination of about 5 months of planning and creating etc...So, the past 5 weekends in a row I have had to drive down to GA for meetings and to the weekend itself which has kept me busy in itself.

Also, weekend before last, Desmond and I celebrated our first Valentine's day and our 5 month anniversary! It was AMAZING! 

My gifts to him: NBA socks, earrings, a scrapbook I made him and a strawberry cake I made him with homemade icing! 

His gift to me....

This beautiful bag from COACH! I was completely surprised!!!

We went to the Hunter Museum of Art in Chattanooga and then to coffee, and dinner, a movie-He's Just Not That Into You- and walking around the city...

It was cold while we were walking but it was soo worth it! 

It was the most precious day ever! He truly knows me, and he does because he really took the time to learn about me, to find out what I love and what makes me tick. It was so awesome!

As I said above, I just finished working on a young women's retreat called Vida Nueva which is Spanish for "new life." It is a faaaantastic way to connect with other christian's and to grow with God. To find out more info visit www.ngvn.org. I was blessed to be the Youth Director, which is like second in command under the Director. It was a hectic job but so fun and so fulfilling. It is amazing to see how God changes the hearts of the girls and to see him becoming real to them for the first time.

I also just moved, AGAIN. Actually, my AMAZING boyfriend moved me. He surprised me three times, once with all my things put into boxes, next with all the boxes being moved to the new place, and while I was at Vida Nueva, all my furniture being moved! It was Unbelievable! I had no idea he was going to do all of it and it was such a blessing! Since I work all day he knew I would have little to no time and so he just did it when he was not at practice or school...such a keeper :) Hopefully this is my last move until next year, I LOVE my new place, I have stuff in boxes right now but as soon as its all unpacked I will post some pics!

Much love and happy thoughts!

Jill

Double Food for today's thought:

"Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves and knows the One who is leading."
-Oswald Chambers

"If your heart takes more pleasure in reading novels, or watching TV, or going to the movies, or talking to friends, rather than just sitting alone with God and embracing Him, sharing His cares and His burdens, weeping and rejoicing with Him, then how are you going to handle forever and ever in His presence...? You'd be bored to tears in heaven, if you're not ecstatic about God now!" -Keith Green

Festive Fortieth

OK OK OK! I know it has been a LONG time since I last posted...BUT things have been busy! First there was Thanksgiving, then my graduation, then Christmas and New Years!

The Fam on Christmas Day

Hangin out with friends and fam on New Year's Eve

I spent New Year's day taking engagement pictures for my sister and her fiance. Here are a few from the shoot:

Last week my best friend, Emily who has been living in British Colombia, Canada for the past 2 1/2 years finally came home for a visit! She came up to Cleveland on Monday and we got to hang out all day! It was soo great to see her and catch up!

SO, I don't know what all to expect for 2009 but I am really excited! I know that the Lord has a specific plan for me and I just want to do what he wants for my life and I am seeking him for exactly that.

I hope everyone is doing well in your own corners of the world...much love from mine!

Jill

Food for today's thought:

"Beginning is easy-continuing is hard." -Japanese Proverb