Date Night: The free, the frenzy, the fun

Tonight we decided to go on a date night. The conversation was basically this:

Me: "Patrick, let's go get free slurpees from 7-eleven."
Patrick: "When?"
Me: "Now."
Patrick: "Okay."

Yeah, it started as me dragging him to another one of my "free things" expedition. I like free stuff, you can't blame me. So Patrick looked up the nearest 7-eleven and we got free slurpees. The creativity snowballed from there. We decided to go to seven 7-elevens and document our trip.

We made it all the way to ....

7!

(No more slurpees for a good long time).

Stop, Look, and Listen

Today has been a nice change of pace, brought on from a fresh perspective.

This morning I woke up and right away begin writing my mental to-do list. Go to the gym, clean the house, water the grass in the front yard, watch the movie that's due, return it on time, go to the bank, get a head start on homework, hit the ground running with my research paper, make lunch for Patrick, figure out dinner-wait! one thing is already done, figure out what's wrong with the vacuum and get it working again, add in grocery expenses to this week's budget, and I should probably get some God time in since I didn't yesterday...

Well, I went to the gym and had a great time of release. During the week I usually go with a textbook so I can do cardio and required reading at the same time. Today, no textbook. Just my ipod and the elliptical. Ahh.

I came home and watered the grass since I was already sweaty. My neighbor from across the street came over to introduce herself. Ahh, I love this place.

I mentally checked off my list. Gym, grass, done. Took a quick shower, then sat down to Dr. Oz with my new favorite lunch: triscuits, lunch meat, lunch cheese and fruit, all separated on a different part of the plate. A guest on Dr. Oz said gouda and other hard cheeses decrease your risk of cancer-SWEET! I was eating smoked gouda. Now what should I cross off my list?

I don't know if it was guilt or a swift kick in the pants from the Holy Spirit, but I decided it was God time.

After opening my Bible I always come across the question, "Alright God, what do you want me to hear today?" which is actually the nice way of saying, "I don't know where to start." I searched online for a devotional to give me a direction and came across one that spoke on how the Father sees you as his child. I looked for the reference...YES! I love Song of Solomon! I ditched the devotional altogether and just started reading. I was struck by one of the most amazing verses in all of the Bible:

"Behold, you are beautiful, my love, behold, you are beautiful!" ~Song of Sol. 4:1 (ESV)

I just stared at that verse. Then I read it over and over in my mind, and could almost hear the Lord himself saying those very words to me, "You are beautiful." For a moment my mental checklist was gone. School was the furthest thing from my mind, and even the snoring dogs under my feet were not a part of my awareness. It was me and God, and he was telling me I'm beautiful. Wow. Desiring more, I read chapter 3.

"On my bed by night I sought him whom my soul loves; I sought him, but found him not. I will rise now and go about the city, in the streets and in the squares; I will seek him whom my soul loves. I sought him, but found him not...'Have you seen him whom my soul loves?' Scarcely had I passed them when I found him whom my soul loves..."

Although the context is different than the message I was hearing, I understood it loud and clear. How many times have I run after things in mad pursuit, only to find temporary happiness at best? How many times do I put God at the end of my day, instead of the beginning? How much do I frantically look for God, "Lord! Where are you?!" and never open up his love letter to me-the Bible? Too many times.

Instead of feeling bad though, I choose to see the positive. My Creator is pursuing my heart. He has not made any mistakes, and his creation, me, is beautiful in his sight. So while I frantically try to get things done and stress out, God is saying, "Come be with me. I desire you."

Thank you Lord for never giving up on me. Please forgive me for trying to do things of my own power, and for denying my heart it's deepest desire-You. Thank you for loving me, and for seeing me as beautiful.

Amen.

New House

Husband is asleep...in-laws are asleep...but I'm not tired! So I'll write a quick post :o)

Patrick and I have moved into our new house, FINALLY! It only took 4 months of looking, 5 rejected offers, 1 failed inspection, living with my parents for two weeks and finally we're in. It's only been a week, and already we've been hard at work with home improvement projects. South Scottsdale is considered "Old Town" for a reason :o) Our house was built in the 50's but has had some remodeling since then. Still more to be done while we live in it. Many of the boxes are unpacked, and drawers and shelves are being filled. Now that I can step back for a moment, I'm incredibly grateful for all God has blessed us with. I'm so undeserving, and yet so blessed.

The dogs absolutely LOVE the pool. I don't LOVE fishing the dog hair out of it, but I guess its a small price to pay for happy children :o) And I can't say that I blame them-the weather is really starting to warm up, so having a pool makes me feel better about leaving them outside when I have to go somewhere.

We already love Scottsdale. We're closer to a lot of friends, closer to a lot of shopping, events, culture, work, things to do!! And I know everyone says, "Oh...SNOBstale or SNOTsdale" but honestly, our neighbors here are 100x more friendly than our neighbors ever were in Mesa. They have gone out of their way to make us feel welcome. It's what I'd always hoped in a neighborhood. And good thing too because our backyard block fence is only 5' tall!! No skinnydipping for me I suppose :o)

We're so grateful to my parents for letting us stay with them for a couple of weeks while we were trying to close on our house. It was stressful, as the house buying process can be, but definitely made me realize what an incredible family I have. We could not have done this without them.

Patrick's parents have been helping us unpack and it has been so great, especially since I've been busy with grad school-which is fabulous by the way. I know they're in shock by the heat, and can't believe it when I say, "It's not even 100, it's actually kind of nice." They look at me like I'm a green alien or something. But if you live in 70 degree weather year-round, I can see how the level of comfort in AZ would be slightly different :o)

I haven't taken any pictures (mostly because I'm holding out for the "after" pictures, since I'm currently looking at the "before") but will in the next couple of weeks as we continue to get settled.

It has been a long process, but was worth the wait. I bid you farewell from the new place I call home. Good night!

Time to brag

I just need to brag on my husband for a little bit. He is moving up in his new company so fast he's back in training for a new position. Wasn't he just hired a couple of months ago? you ask. Yes. I'm just as amazed as you are. And yet, it doesn't surprise me. Patrick is one of the most driven people I know. He has a natural gift to make the system better, learn the necessary skills and rise to the top faster than...um...anyone. (I know I'm biased, but I don't think that's too much of an exaggeration). If you've talked to him at all recently you can tell how passionate he is about his work too. I've had people say to me, "How can anyone be so excited about something like finance?" The answer? I don't know. I personally, was not designed for that work. But My Love, he was. Now he's in the process of refining his ideas for his new business. He told me it will come to completion in one year. Yeah, I don't doubt that.

But more than incredible work promotions, Patrick is the most amazing husband I know. He knows when I'm stressed, when I'm tired, when to encourage and support me, when to ask me if I'm ok and when to leave me alone. He knows how to diffuse my anger, how to point out my wrongs gently, and how to love me the way I will feel loved. His demeanor is endearing to all, and remarkable to me. And most importantly, he knows how to be the man God designed him to be. Of course he's human and makes mistakes, we all do. But never have I met a more incredible person than the one I married that beautiful January day when the rain clouds parted and the sun shone down with it's beautiful rays beaming (that actually did happen).

To the perfect man for me, the one I could not be more proud of. I love you.

::pant:::pant:::WHEW!!

I'm really impressed by the Virtual Academic Center USC has for the MSW (Master's in Social Work). Honestly, the first thing that pulled me in was the flexibility of having an all-online forum. That, coupled with my long-standing desire to be a Trojan and USC's rank of one of the top THREE schools for Social Work. It seemed like an all around good situation. So I wrote my entrance essay, and submitted my application...and was accepted!

I ordered my books online (sorry budget), and started browsing the Virtual Classroom. It is the craziest, most innovative education platform I've ever seen! This program has "live" classroom time (webcam and phone needed), study groups online, a library system that is ridiculous (if you can't find something within the USC library system they will purchase it for you for free!), mobile apps, 24-hour student support just for the online students, online office hours, technical support, student caucuses (cauci? :) and is RELEVANT to the job market now and society now. I am totally blown away. I sat in front of my computer last night watching all of the orientation videos and I probably said 4-5 times to Patrick, "Wow. This is no NAU." Don't misunderstand-my undergrad at NAU in Music Education was perfect for me then, and was exactly what I needed in my education including the necessary experience that most undergrads don't get. BUT! USC has got it going on. I will say though, all those things come with a very large price tag. But to have the networking that USC offers, the field-experience right here where I live, and this kind of education...long term it will be worth it. Did I mention I will be finished one year from September?! Yeah, pretty amazing.

Now it's crunch time. We're closing on our new house on Friday, moving in Saturday. I start classes the following Tuesday. Phoenix Christian finals and graduation that same week, while I'm unpacking, remodeling and purchasing new kitchen appliances. Oh yeah, and we're singing at church Saturday and Sunday :o) That's how I roll. I like to cram tons of stuff into as small a space of time as possible, lol. Please pray for us in this busy but necessary time. I'm excited for the new things coming up!

Some Big News!

Well, I have some big news to share! I found out (finally! after waiting several weeks) that I was accepted into the Master's program for Social Work at USC! Patrick and I were trying to figure out how this was going to fit in to our "plan" and finally we left it up to God. I mean, He does know best after all ;) The thing we're praying for now is 100% tuition and books covered by scholarships. YES, I do believe God will provide all of that if not more! What's even cooler: I found out this morning that I will be finished one year from September if I take the 2 summer semesters. Done and done.

As I briefly reflect what I had planned for my life, and the new direction (new only to me of course not God) I'm headed, I hear a very clear answer to prayer. I was taken out of what I had planned for myself, and into a place where it was time to get more of God in my life. For this past year I've felt unsuccessful, unaccomplished, with no purpose or direction. Finally I think God got fed up with me and gave his words to my mentor Keri. She said, "I think you just need to get your priorities straight." Ouch. She was totally right though. You see, its not about me! It's not about how I feel, or what I accomplish, or how many degrees I have to my name, or even-get this!-my desire to work for God's glory! It's not about any of that. It's about God first. That's what I was missing. As huge, as awesome and powerful, as mighty as God is, he's also personal enough to desire more of me and I finally got a clue. So I've spent some real God time with my Creator and a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders! We have renters moving in the 28th, but no house of our own yet. Am I worried-nope, not even a little bit. In 3 weeks I'm taking on a full time (school) and a half (teaching) schedule. Doesn't phase me. How am I going to pay for school? God is in control!! We've put off having kids for another year as I finish my master's...ok, this probably worries some-but not me :oD Instead of worrying about all these little things, I'm focusing on one thing: Am I doing what God asks of me? Not because I'm afraid of him. Not because I'm told I have to. Not because I'm "brainwashed." But because I desire to please the very One that gives me breath to do all these things. And that my friends, is a dense person who got a clue.

As you go into this weekend, remember that Easter is not about the peeps (although I love them so!) or the bunnies. It was Jesus Christ who died to give you the choice to know God in a very personal way. It's always a choice-otherwise it wouldn't be love. I'm proud to call him my daddy, and worship Him in remembrance of the day the world was changed once for all.

Drumroll please.....

Hey guess what? We're scheduled to close on our new house on April 8! Once it's a done deal, I'll make sure to post some pics :o)