Coaching!

I realize that I skipped last month blog update. Last month Vince and I celebrated our two year anniversary with a weekend trip to Charleston, South Carolina. It was a great little get-a-away. Charleston is awesome! I think it's Vince's new favorite place.

This is Rainbow Road

I started coaching volleyball a few weeks ago at Forestview, even though I never played. It has been great getting to know the girls. We had an all day varsity scrimmage on Saturday and I got to hang out with the girls the whole time, it was great. I'm excited to see what will happen through out the season with relationship with the girls.

Danielle and Katie are coming to visit this weekend and I couldn't be more excited to see them!

Monthly Update!

Hopefully I will get better at blogging. Most of you know Vince and I have a new roommate, Andrew. He has been here about a month. It's been interesting and fun. Thankfully we have two bathrooms!

I have been babysitting two days a week, the kids are so adorable! I also had a nanny interview on sunday, she is due next month so I will be watching a new born! Not sure if I'm doing it yet I have so negotiations I need to make first. The husband is from Scotland and has an awesome accent.

Vince really likes his job, what a blessing. His company also has high hopes for him and moving up in the company relatively early. His manager keeps saying I'm going to take good care of you because one day your going to be my boss. What an encouragement for him. Vince is a really hard worker and he has to wear a shirt and tie everyday and looks so good!!

Summer camp is next week, crazy how time flies! Vince and I have been here six months!!! WOW! Anyway, I'm not sure if I will be going to camp cause no girls are going. We still have a few days so maybe a girl might hop on who knows. All the girls I hang out with are gone that week. Patty the girl I had going didn't know the mission trip fell on the same week until monday so that was disappointing. But we have guys going so thats good. Andrew has two guys and Vince has a guy from track that might bail if his friend doesn't come. It will be awesome to be able to go to camp with Boone and Walton. Keep praying! Also, I keep looking to Cooper for encouragement because Steph took one girl last year and Nick didn't even go but their faithfulness to Cooper is paying off. They were able to run club in the spring with tons of students and had a successful camp trip. Their perseverance is evident!!

Thanks Cooper leaders!!

Answered Prayers!

Sorry for updating once a month. Hopefully I will get better at this. This past month has been a challenging one. I have been spiritually exhausted praying and leaning on God's faithfulness. I know that in hard times we can get weak which makes it harder to speak truth to ourselves, but God wants us to hold on just a little bit longer and trust him. This is what Vince and I did. If it wasn't for 1 Corinthians 1:9 stuck in my head I don't know how far I might have fallen. "God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful" Reminding myself that even though I might not feel God there, he is. And what a sight it is when He reveals himself in the most time of need. What a joy it is to experience God this way. Don't get me wrong it has been extremely hard, we have struggled and sacrificed so much. If you want to see God's love for you, then Go sell everything you have and buy the field!

The Answered Prayers:

Vince got a full time job with benefits!! Can't wait to go to the doctor's just because I can! For some of you that don't know I am a nanny. We have one camp deposit and should be expecting more!! Vince coaching track has been a blessing, we have a lot of interest from the team. I have a girl that wants to go but she was going on a mission trip and decided not to go but they are making her pay for the whole thing even though she's not going anymore, so her mom can't pay for both:( Her name is Patty.

I want to thank everyone who has been praying for us. What an encouragement it is to know people are praying when I feel to weak and defeated. And you are a part of these answered prayers.

What's Going On!

It has been a month since I lasted updated about our life, probably because nothing was really happening. Since we took our trip home for the Kruskamp wedding a few exciting things have happened. First of all, our trip home was refreshing and much needed. Mom and dad picked me up from the airport and we went straight to Larosa's! I spent just about every morning with Andrea and Braylen, he is so big and talking more. It was great to spend time with my family, I miss them so much. It was fun playing games with the family, outburst(the ladies won!), and scattergories ( Andrea's favorite plus Guy wasn't there he hates that game), and Just Dance, dad and mom both played it was awesome! Dad bet Andrea a couple of times.

I got to surprise Jen for her bachelorette party we both cried. It was a joy to see her and spend the day with her and the bridesmaids. Vince and I were very busy trying to see everyone. Hanging out with Lloyd students, to friends, bachelor parties, going to the reds game which they won!

Jen and Keenan's wedding was so much fun! I enjoyed how we all got to be together and ride on the party bus(haha). Jen looked beautiful and her dress was awesome! The food was delicious! On their way home from their honeymoon Jen and keenan had a four hour layover in Charlotte so Vince, Andrew, and I got to have dinner with them and walk around the city. God had that planned from the beginning!

It was sad to leave home again but our life is in Gastonia right now and God kept affirming that even when we were gone. I got a phone call from someone (Megan) who wants me to babysit and then the next day got an email from someone (Heather) who wants me to be their nanny. Megan is a stay at home mom with three children who wants help and Heather is a part-time nurse. It turns out that I will be able to do both! I am putting my two weeks in at Pier One! Vince got a call from the Census in Gastonia and got the job. Its for 8 weeks and is good money. He also has two interviews, one today and one tomorrow! (he really wants the one from today, a bank job). It has been a crazy ride so far and I know its going to stay that way for awhile but what an exciting, scary ride it has been. We have been seeing God in ways we would never have if we didn't move.

Sleepover!

Sorry it has been ten days since I last wrote. Friday night I had a sleep over with the high school girls I lead the bible study for. There were 3 Forestview girls there and 2 girls that go to a Christian school. We had fun, played Just Dance thanks to Casey for getting it for us. I made them watch How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days because only one of those girls has seen the movie, I was shocked. They are a great group of girls and I enjoy being around them. It was different than home because parents dropped them off and picked them up and I was thanked over and over by the parents for having them over. To me this is normal, this is what we do with high school students. I feel encouraged about Young Life and getting in started. I know five girls that are all friends that could go to summer camp! That would be awesome. Vince is coaching track and meeting new people and trying to build a friendship with them.

Vince, Andrew and I joined Gaston Community Church this morning. Being a part of this church has been great. Everyone has been supportive of Young Life. The hardest thing is there is no people are age that attend the church.

Pier One is good. I work about 3 days a week. I wish I could decorate my home with just about everything in the store! Vince isn't to thrilled about that!

On tuesday we went to the Charlotte Bobcats game. Paul and Casey came to visit so it was a fun thing for us to do and the tickets are $10 on tuesdays. I have never been to a NBA game and they sure are fun. Vince was even getting into the game.

Go Cats!!!!!!!

Answered Prayers!

God has been working even if we don't see it. I finally got a job. I will be working at Pier One, it's not full time but I have to take what is given because we need to have some source of income. Vince is so close to a sale, we are just waiting for the lady to say yes. Thank you for all the prayers about a job for me because it's answered!

Vince, Andrew, Andrew S.(a guy we are trying to get to lead), and I went to Windy Gap in Saturday to give Andrew S. a little taste of Young Life because he has never been a part of it. It was Wyld Life weekend camp. It was so different not just because it was Wyld Life. I'm not sure how to describe it. It sure was great to be at a Young Life camp reminding me of the purpose, to reach high school students for Christ. God has been teaching me a lot about stepping out in faith. I have been reading The Cross and the Switch-blade and it is awesome! The way David listens to God and goes without questioning is amazing. The things that could happen in Gaston Co. if all three of us obeyed like that is unimaginable! Our God is big!

It is still hard being away from everyone and feeling like I'm missing out like on Cory's baby shower, and Jen's wedding shower, and seeing a picture of Steph's baby boy, dinner with my family, putting Braylen to sleep on Tuesday nights when they are at bible study. Those are the things I miss. As hard as that is I know in God's big plan there is purpose in us being here.

The Weekend

Had a great weekend with the family. I'm so thankful that mom, dad, Andrea, Guy, and Braylen were able to come visit us for a few days! Yes that means there was seven of us in our two bedroom apartment but I loved it! Braylen is getting so big! Here is a list of what we did:

Friday:Hung out at our home and took naps, roast for dinner, then went to the camper show (ironic there's a camper show the same weekend my parents visit)

Saturday:Went to World Market which is a really cool store!, Dad, Andrea, Vince, and I took a walk while Guy did homework and mom took like a two hour nap! We had dinner with Andrew and his parents who came for his birthday. Watched the UK game during dinner, C-A-T-S CATS CATS CATS!

Sunday:They left:( It was a great time and I loved every second of it.

Had an interview yesterday with Pier One so pray that I get it.

God has been providing money for us through other people. What a way to experience Him. There are so many ways we are experiencing Christ that we wouldn't experience if we didn't move. It's not easy, this is the hardest thing I have ever gone through but this is where God wants me to be.

It's Been Awhile!

Sorry I let two weeks go by without updating my blog. Not much has changed, I still haven't found a job but I'm still applying. I am meeting with someone tomorrow that Steve Gardner has set me up with that might have a position for me. I also have an interview with Pier One on monday, at this point anything will do. Vince hasn't made a sale but he has a meeting tomorrow that looks promising! He is also applying (right now) for the Census Bureau which will start in April if he gets it, lets hope so!

Vince and I celebrated Valentines Day with dinner at home. We made chicken squares our favorite! We got dressed up and that was fun. We also went out to Hickory Tavern with Andrew because the UK game was on and we didn't want to miss them beating Tennessee!

This weekend my family is coming to visit and we can't wait. We miss them so much. Can't wait to see how big Braylen has gotten.

This time that I have shared with Vince has been great. Learning new things about each other and helping each other with the move. Its been a challenge that is only bringing us together in Christ. We wouldn't be able to this at home. God is good!

Snowy Weekend

Vince and I had a great weekend hanging out with Danielle and Tyler. She almost didn't come but thanks to Tyler hopping on last minute she did! We didn't get to go out and do much because it snowed like crazy friday night and no one knows how to clear the roads. School was closed monday and tuesday but it only snowed on friday. It's hilarious how everyone freaks out, everything was closed saturday night except for McDonalds, Walmart. Because of the snow Danielle stayed an extra day!

Vince has his first potential sale! Something we need cause I still can't find a job. I signed up for two babysitter/nanny services so hopefully something will come from that. I found out the unemployment rate is 13%, 3% more than the nation. Still trying to trust God with money and being smart with what He gives us.

We miss and love everyone! Adjusting a little bit every day.

I'm excited!

Right now Danielle is on her way to visit Vince and I. I can't wait to see her! Yesterday Vince, Andrew and I went to the Forestview when school let out. Let me tell you how much I don't fit in down in the south. I don't think I saw more than one girl with tennis shoes on, it's either boots, sperrys, heels, indian looking shoes, and chucks (thankfully I have a pair of those). They are all dressed up with their hair fixed with make-up on and earrings. I need to start wearing my hair down. Its crazy just 8 hours from home is a different culture. Anyway, all we did was walk around the halls to make ourselves seen . I knew one girl from church and she said hi to us!

We are having our first leadership tonight, I know weird that it's on a thursday. I'm excited to have fellowship. Things have been hard. Its hard constantly reminding myself of truth because I would rather be home in KY. Trusting God that this is His plan for Vince and me is hard and I'm learning to find joy in that. Thanks for all the prayers!

Carolina Region Leader Weekend (sounds weird)

It's ironic that Charlotte region had leader weekend the same weekend as Northern KY and at Great Wolf Lodge the same as NKY!! I missed everyone! It was really hard for me to want to go because I was the only girl and would have to stay in a room with people I didn't know. But, Vince and Andrew had a room to themselves so I was able to stay with them and I was very thankful. The three of us hung out all weekend, it was great! Another great thing is for the first time in 6 years I didn't have to go to all those meetings. Haha someone make sure you tell Rick I said that. Steve Gardner was the speaker and did a great job. He talked about joy all weekend, joy in the Lord, joy in ministry and joy in community. It was really encouraging, something I needed to hear and be reminded why I moved away and that God has a plan for us in Gastonia.
Our worship was amazing because it was lead by Ed and Scott Cash! They sure know how to worship. I've never heard Ed before, he sure can sing! Ed sang a new song called "I Have a Hope" the words are awesome. I encourage you to google it, it is sung by some guy named Tommy Walker (Ed does a better job though). I took a picture with Scott to rub it in Danielle's face!

Job interview!

Last Thursday I faxed my resume to a company looking for a part-time book keeper. Today I got a call from them wanting to set up an interview tomorrow at two. This would be a good job because of the hours and that I will be able to coach soccer. Please pray for this opportunity.

On sunday night I went to a bible study for high school girls. It was fun! They have been reading Crazy Love and I just finished it. Great book highly recommend it. Three of the girls go to Forestview and two of the three play soccer.

Things are coming together and thats encouraging. Can't wait to come home this weekend and celebrate Braylen's birthday! Little mans growing up so fast.

A New Beginning!

I have finally sat down and made a blog for those who asked for it and for family and friends to keep them up-to-date with our new life in Gastonia, North Carolina. It has been a little over a week now since we left home. We miss everyone back home! We went to our first Forestview (the high school we are starting Young Life at) boys basketball game last night, what an experience! I met two girls! I found out that the soccer coaches are excited about me wanting to help out, it might even be a paying position. Yay!

Cory has been encouraging me to make a blog but said the hardest part is what to name it. It took some time for me to come up with this title. I was reading Be Complete a commentary on Colossians and the author said "when we trust Him, we experience life" and it hit me, this is what Vince and I are doing right now. This is a good reminder that God is in control of our life. By being obedient to his call to Gastonia we will experience Him in so many ways I never thought I could, and I already am! Thanks Grandpa for letting me borrow the book. I have had it close to a year now but God's timing is perfect.

The apartment is has come together nicely. We have been hanging pictures and curtains up, well I guess Vince does the hanging I just tell him where they go! I will get pictures up soon. It's starting to look like a home. Can't wait for people to come visit us!!

We miss you all and love you very much. Thanks for the support!