It's been a while...

Well, I never realized how busy this semester would be! I'm constantly studying, reading, working on projects, etc... I'm so very ready for Thanksgiving!! It's hard to believe the semester is almost over. As I look back over this past year, it amazes me how much has changed. I'm so thankful that God works in mysterious ways. I love looking back and being able to see God's hand in everything. He takes those things that you thought would hurt more than anything and makes a beautiful ending. I'm so thankful that He guides our steps and holds our hearts. I know some may be getting a little sick of how I go on about my sweet Mike, but I just can't help it! :) I am blessed beyond measure to have such a wonderful boyfriend and best friend. His love and support has been such a blessing to me. I never knew I could love someone this much and I can't wait to see how much more love I will have for him 50 years from now. I'm so thankful that out of all the girls in the world, he picked me! I'm still not sure why, but I'm thankful he did! Just 10 more days until he is here!

Learning to speak and learning to listen...

Isaiah 50:4 "The Lord God has given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary. He awakens me morning by morning, He awakens my ear to hear as the learned."

God has been teaching me alot about the way I speak to people and today's message was on the topic of the way husbands and wives speak to each other. Pastor Hubbard used the verse above as a way to teach us what it means to learn how to speak and listen. Obviously, learning was the key word. "A trained tongue is not natural." I began thinking about different situations and how I usually react to them. I thought about all of the times I don't stop and think about the way my words effect those I'm speaking to. It was a very convicting thought! Pastor Hubbard went on to say that because this is so unnatural for us, we need to seek God daily for His help. If our hearts are teachable and sensitive to the Lord, He will help us speak words of love, encouragement, and support.

As he related this to husbands and wives, my eyes were opened to many things. I began to think about my relationship with Mike and wondered how many times my words were empty and thoughtless. I think something I struggle with is the way that I listen. "The reason the servant's tongue operated so productively was that his ears opened so consistently." What a powerful statement! Communication is so important in any relationship and your communication will only grow if you are both listening as well as speaking. Proverbs 21:9, 19 "Better to dwell in a corner of a house top, than in a house shared with a contentious woman.
Better to dwell in the wilderness than with a contentious and angry woman."
After Pastor read these verses he told us that women have powerful words that can either bring down or lift up their husbands. God is actually saying in these verses that men would be much better off in a corner of the house top or in a desert than with a nagging, angry woman! Then he drew us to Proverbs 31:26 "She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is law of kindness." This woman understood that if her heart is centered on Christ and she desires to speak with His words, than her husband will be blessed by her words, not discouraged by them.

I want to be like that kind of woman! A woman whose words are full of grace and love, and a woman who is willing to listen with her ears and her heart. I have a long way to go with the whole communication thing (just ask Mike!) but I pray that as I listen and speak to him he will see a heart that's willing to learn how to listen to him and speak to him in a way that encourages and loves him.

They're Everywhere!

One of the entertaining things about my school is the fact that there are so many odd couples....everywhere! They walk as close as they can to each other without actually touching, they sit on the same side of the table, they stare into each others eyes...ok I'm done ranting. I can't even walk down the sidewalk because they're just standing there staring at each other. But there have been a few times this semester that I've seen the normal couples. The ones who are friends. They laugh and talk and have fun together. I've seen guys jump out from behind doors with sunflowers and it's so sweet and funny. When I see these couples it makes me miss Mike more than I ever thought I could. I miss talking to him and laughing with him. I miss spending time with him. I love the fact that he knows my favorite flower and the way I like my coffee (VERY important!) He's great and I miss him. But Thanksgiving is only a few weeks away..... trying to stay positive!:)

The portrait should point beyond itself...

I have been going to a great church in Greenville. The pastor has been doing a series on marriage and even though I'm not married, I have learned alot! Today we discussed why marriages fail and the purpose of marriage. God created marriage and it is gift. "Marriage is designed by God to magnify His loyal love." I've heard it put that marriage is like a triangle. Two people focusing on loving God and He in turn brings them together. The more these two people love God, the more they will learn to love each other the right way. Marriage is a picture of God's love for us. When people only focus on the portrait, their marriages become strained, but when they look beyond the portrait they understand what they represent- God's love for the Church. "Marriage is a beautiful pleasure that is satisfying, but again it points beyond itself to the ULTIMATE love." This phrase was so powerful to me. God designed marriage to be beautiful and satisfying, but only that it should reflect Him. I have seen so many couples who are consumed with the perfect picture.... the beautiful house, good jobs, cute kids... and yes, the picture is pretty, but it represents nothing. I heard the testimony of a young couple who chose to live in low income housing for the purpose of reaching their neighbors with the Gospel. They just graduated from college and had really great jobs. Instead of focusing on the "American Dream" they decided to follow God's leading and show His love to those around them. They may not have much, but they have each other, their love and desire for God, and a desire to point others to Christ.

I know I have so much more to learn about marriage. But I pray that my marriage will be consumed in God and that our portrait will point to something beyond itself- our Savior.

"Marriage is not to replace heaven, but to prepare for it."

New blog!

Michael Cohenour is not only my boyfriend and best friend, but he is also one of the most gifted people I have ever known. I say gifted because I believe that God has given him the gift of helping people. He has such a tender heart and compassion for people. He listens, tries to understand, and gives godly advice. Mike will do great things for God and I can't wait to see how God is going to use Him.

He just started his own counseling blog and I think everyone should read it! His words point you to Christ and remind you of the hope and love of our Savior. I'm so proud of him and I'm thankful that he is so willing to reach out to others and point them to Christ. Here's the website...check it out! www.hopecounselinggroup.blogspot.com

Books, Books, and more Books.....

I am a SENIOR in college...wow!!!!!!! I never thought this year would come..haha:) Now that I'm back and getting into my classes, I've realized that my days will be filled with reading, papers, projects, and presentations. It's going to be a very busy semester!! But it's so exciting to be back in the classroom learning and growing. I love these classes that really make you think. It's not just memorizing facts, but it's really thinking about life experiences and applying biblical truths in different situations.

So, for the next few months my life will be consumed with books......... but then it will be time to GRADUATE!!!!

Hubba Hubba!!

Well, a couple of weeks ago I went to PA to visit the Cutes and his family...so fun! The trip started out with me spending 5 hrs in the Atlanta airport. My flight got delayed three times...I was not a happy person! Around 9:15pm I decided I should probably get some coffee since I knew it would probably be 2 hrs until I boarded. There was only one place that served coffee near my gate and when I got up to the counter to order my large cup she told me they stopped serving coffee at 9...what?!?! By that point I needed any sort of caffine! I was willing to snort it, drink it, shoot it ...I needed it! But I had to settle for mountain dew. Once I finally made it to PA it was another 2 hrs to Mike's house. Yes, the beginning was rough, but the rest of the trip was great!

We drove back down to my house because Mike was in a wedding. We spent a few days just spending time with my family and then friday we went to the wedding. And I must say that the Cutes was lookin good in that tux!!! The first two words that came to my mind were HUBBA HUBBA!!!...and No, I didn't say that out loud:) The wedding was nice, but I was a little distracted during the ceremony..He looked really good! I'm so glad we had a couple of weeks together and I'm excited about seeing him again in 6 days!

A few things I miss....

I had a wonderful childhood. My parents sacrificed so much (and still do!) to give my sister and I a happy home. They spent hours playing with us, making special projects, and just spending time with us. As I look back on those times it reminds me of a few things I definitely miss....

*homemade playdough
*making jello dinosaurs
*"helping" my dad build something
*chicklets
*hide and seek
*mom's daily video (she had the video camera out everyday!)
*learning how to cook
*playing dress up
*AYSO soccer
*finger paitning
*red gummy bears
*my dad reading us a fairy tale every night
*catching lightning bugs
*playing at the park with my mom
*making a tent out of sheets and chairs and camping out in the living room
*watching Anne of Green Gables every time it snowed
*making christmas cookies
*playing outside from morning until dinner time

Those are just a few of the things I loved about my childhood. I'm so thankful for parents who took the time to play with me and love me and teach me. They made my life so full and happy:)

Hello Pennsylvania!

Well, in just 3 days I will be on a plane heading to Pennsylvania to see my sweet Michael! He is flying out tonight and will be home on saturday night. I can't believe that in just a few days I will finally be with him after 12 weeks of waiting! I'll be up there for a week and then we'll be driving down to my house for a week. While he's here I'll be taking to TN to meet some of the family:) I can't wait!!!!!!

Love

I've met several people in my life who believe that Love is a decision that should be expressed without emotion. I've also met people who believe that the definition of love is butterflies in your stomach and sweet words. For a long time I never really, truly understood what love really is. I had different ideas that I picked up along the way, but it wasn't until last summer that I completely understood the concept.
During a difficult time in my life, I began to question whether "human love" was something that was real. The Lord taught me so much during that time and I believe the most important lesson I learned was that He created love and gave me the best example of that. I began to fully grasp the love my God had for me and I was overwhelmed. I experienced His pure, complete love in a way that I never had before. He not only opened my eyes to the sacrifice He made for me, but He opened my eyes to why He created me- to LOVE Him and serve Him. Through these lessons, I learned that this perfect love can be reflected in human relationships as well. Of course, no human relationship is perfect, but the love between two people can be reflection of God's love for us....that's what He intended marriage to be!
My parents have always set such a wonderful example for me. Their marriage isn't perfect, but throughout all of their years together I have never doubted their love for each other. My dad still looks at my mom like she's the most beautiful woman in the world. And my mom still talks about my dad like their dating. They go on dates and write love letters to each other. It's always been a very precious relationship. Call me a hopeless romantic, but I always wanted that deep love with someone. For a long time I was told that emotions had no part in love. While I do belive that love is a choice, I also believe that God created emotions as well. Those emotions can be expressed in many ways. When God brought Mike into my life He gave me more than I could ever ask for. He not only chooses to love me, but he "woos" me too. He makes me feel special and is very romantic. His words and actions reflect so much love and I not only completely love him, but I am in love with him.
I'm so thankful that God gives us the opportunity to express love in so many ways. He created it and it should be treated as a special gift from Him.

Panic!

So today I woke up and I was so warm and cozy in my bed. I heard the birds singing and saw the sun light streaming in through my window......... that's when I started to panic! I get up at 5:30 every morning and the sun is definitely not up at that time! I rolled over and looked at the clock and it was 6:50. I have to leave my house at 6:40 every morning in order to get to work by 7:30. So needless to say, I felt like I was running a marathon this morning. I threw on some clothes, put a hat on and ran out the door...literally! After speeding a few times, I finally clocked in at 7:32 this morning. That's a miracle considering I left 20 minutes late! Hopefully from now on I will just hit the snooze and not turn the alarm completely off!

And so it begins....

Have you ever had one of those dresses that you just love and feel like a million bucks in? Well, I found that dress in the back of my closet the other day and when I pulled it out and put it halfway on I realized it is alot smaller....or my back side has just gotten alot bigger. So now begins the slimfast/workout days. I will be flying to PA to see my sweet Mike in 10 weeks so it's time to get this thing started! In 10 weeks I need to get back in that dress and get into a cute bikini...let's see if this works!!!

The Latest Happenings....

So, it has been a while since my last post and since then alot has happend!!!

Preschool: The girl that has been helping me in my class quit last week and I'm slowly losing my mind!!..haha Just Kidding!! Ok, so it has been rather difficult trying to manage 12 two yr olds by myself, but hopefully I will have help soon. The kids had their evaluations last week and are progressing nicely! I'm so proud of how far they've come. Now if only they could master potty training! :)

Family: My parents celebrated their 29th wedding anniversary today!! Yay Marmie and Pop!! They are amazing parents and their for each other is so wonderful. I'm so thankful for the example that they've set for me. Mike and I can learn alot from them!:) Alicia and Aaron came to visit over easter and it was so great to see them! I have missed my sissy alot! I'm still trying to convince her that I NEED to become an aunt very soon....she disagrees! My cousin, Kassie had a beautiful baby girl at the end of March and I cant wait to see her!!

Mike: My sweet man came to visit me in March and it was such a wonderful week! It was so nice to spend time together and go on dates. It was the first time Mom and Pop met him and they love him! He fits perfectly in our family and it was so great to see him with my parents. Mike spoils me way too much!!...for example...He took me to a ballet and to a very fancy dinner and it was amazing!!!! The whole night was so romantic and perfect! The week went by way too fast, but I'm so thankful for the time that we had. He is perfect for me and I'm so thankful God brought us together. He is more than I deserve and the most wonderful man I have ever known. I'm head over heals for that man! :) And I'm looking forward to spending my life with him. Here are a few pictures from Mike's visit and from Easter!

Happy Birthday,Mike!!!

Today my sweet, wonderful boyfriend is 26 yrs old! I wish I could be with him today, but we will celebrate it TOGETHER in just 5 short days!! I can't wait to see him and spend a whole week with him. I'm so thankful for him and thankful that God answered my prayers. Mike is more than I deserve and he is the most wonderful man I have ever known. It amazes me to think that while we were both growing up, God was preparing us for each other.

Happy Birthday, my sweet Mike! I love you with my whole heart!

My Father

My father is the most wonderful man I have ever known. He is probably the most loving, selfless man that I know. My dad has always treated me like a princess and he has always treated my mom the same way. My parents have given me such a wonderful example of what marriage should be and what marriage should reflect. Their unconditional love for each other is so amazing to me and I never understood that kind of love until I met Mike. He has always been there to love, protect, provide, and care for me. I think my dad is a silent servant. He's the man that would rather do things behind the scenes then be the one getting recognized for it. He is always willing to help people in any way that he can whether they are family or not. Yes, I am a daddy's girl and yes, he does spoil me :) But he has taught the value of hard work and determination. He taught me that anything worth having is worth working for...whether it's a material possession or a relationship. I have so much love and respect for my father and I pray that I can him proud. I'm so thankful that I'm his daughter and I'm so thankful that I have a man in my life that reminds me so much of my father.

Life as a Preschool teacher

I have been teaching preschool for a few months now and I have to say that it's definitely not a boring job at all! I have 12 two year olds that have alot of energy and big imaginations. It's so important to me that these kids learn as much as they can. This is such an important age and this is the time that they could develop a love for learning. I'm really proud of the progress that they've made in the last few months. Even though they're only 2, they know alot! They know all of the ABC's, all of the colors and shapes, they can count to 20, and they say the Pledge every morning. They're all so great and it's hard not to love them.

Yes, they're sweet and cute, but they also know how to push my buttons sometimes. Take potty time for example. I have several little boys who think that hitting the wall instead of the potty is hilarious......it's not! I've learned that if you put fruit loops in the potty the boys are more prone to get it in the potty and not on the wall. They love to show the entire class their "big boy underwear" so of course they come out of the bathroom with their pants around their ankles shouting "Look at the cars on my underwear!" I have one little boy in particular that hates to wear clothes. Everyday when he goes to the potty he comes out completely naked....not really sure why he does this but it needs to stop! The other day I was busy putting three kids in time out and changing a diaper when I glanced over my shoulder and saw a naked little boy running out of my classroom. As I'm running down the hallway he shouts back "You can't catch me. I'm batman!" Well, "Batman" spent the rest of the morning in time out. One of my little girls just became a big sister a few weeks ago and she's not too thrilled about it. She reminds me daily that I can have her new baby sissy because she doesnt think her mommy needs her. I'm still trying to convince her that she can't give her back. Camryn is probably the most hilarious child I have ever met. She is adorable and I never know what's going to come out of her mouth. The other day she was eating a snack and we were talking about the circus. She then informed me that the "Neldaphants" were her favorite animals. She still doesn't believe me that they're called elephants....oh well, one thing at a time. It also amazes me how much these kids share about their parents. Needless to say, I know way too much about them!

Yes, there's never a dull moment in my class. It's hectic, loud, crazy, and so much fun! But I think I've decided that I won't be having children for a very long time!

He makes me new

I left my God to play the whore
Forgetting calvary and the sins He bore
I left Him there with outstretched hands
Turning my back and following my plans
I became consumed with lusts and pleasures
And gave of myself without thought or measure
But at the end of the road I could clearly see
My heart was vile; there was nothing in me
Turn away Your eyes, Lord, there's too much to forgive
I've played the harlot far too long and don't deserve to live
He took me in those nail scarred hands and held me to His heart
He said He made me whole again and never would depart

Study the life of Gomer....it will open your eyes to see the unconditional love of our God.

Lots of snow and Lots of love!

Last monday my sweet boyfriend drove 10 hours to come pick me up. I was supposed to fly to PA on tuesday, but he thought that if he just drove down here we would have more time together.....yes, I do realize how sweet he is! Anyway, we had an amazing trip! I loved spending time with him and with his family. They were all so welcoming and I enjoyed getting to know them. Mike had a special date planned for us on wednesday and I had no idea where he was taking me. Well, the date was wonderful!!!! He took me on a carriage ride through an amish town. It was so beautiful!!..and cold, but he kept me warm:) I definitely realized during this trip that I am so blessed to have him in my life. As I look back over the past few months I can see God's hand in everything and I'm so thankful that His ways are so much better than mine. I don't deserve to have such a wonderful man in my life, but I'm so thankful for him!