HOME

About a month ago Jason and I had the privilege of moving in to our beautiful brand new home!!! It's our very first house and we were so blessed to be able to build brand new! We picked everything out and really made it our own! We love it and are so excited to fill it with memories!! Here's a few photos of the building process:

Being able to watch our house be built from the ground up was so amazing. We were able to bury a Bible in the foundation of our home before the cement was poured and we were able to write Bible verses on the studs of the walls before the drywall went in. It was such a blessing to be able to really dedicate our new home to God.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.... I Think

Christmas came and went so fast that I'm not even sure it really happened. Almost like a dream. I fell asleep and before I knew it I was awake again with this vague memory of what had been dancing through my brain just moments before.


This Christmas in particular was very different for me and a little difficult. We normally go to see my family in Colorado over the holidays. Being that I don't get to see them very often throughout the year and Jason's family emphasizes Thanksgiving more, we have always made it a priority to be there for Christmas. Well, with our new home-ownership and new-found adult-hood {that's a lot of hyphens in one sentence} we decided we wouldn't be able to afford to go home for Christmas. I was okay with it in theory until Christmas Eve came around and it hit me like a ton of bricks that I would be missing out on all of our family traditions and that I wouldn't be able to spend this time with some of the people I love most in life. I struggled to say the least through our Christmas eve service at church. I tried not to draw attention to the tears that streamed down my face.


Christmas morning came quickly and with the busyness of getting ready for service I didn't really notice the ache in my heart. We had so many plans for the day and I had so much to get done. Having Christmas dinner at our house meant a lot of preparation to keep me busy. I did get to spend some time talking with my family via video chat which meant so much to me. Being able to see my nephews and nieces all so excited to show off their presents and sing me a song or do a little dance. It was wonderful to feel that for just an hour I was with them and everything was as it should be.


I'm not complaining, I know it sounds really depressing to say the least. I missed my family very much, but looking back at the day I can see really how wonderful it was. Jason and I made some new traditions, we shared Christmas with his family {which we've never been able to do}, and we hosted everyone in our brand new home. It was exciting and fun and we made some really good memories:

Jason and I cooked a turkey! A turkey! And it was awesome and soo good! It was so fun to spend time with him in our brand new kitchen, asking each other what the heck we were doing and wondering what in the world that part of the turkey was? And if we were supposed to remove it or not?:) 

Wrapping presents just to open them a few hours later on the random Wednesday night before Christmas... just because we could:) 

Jason getting up early Christmas morning to make me sausage bread so that I felt more at home.

Singing carols at church and having no clue what the words were or how to play the song at all:)

Watching the kids do a Bible scavenger hunt.

Watching the best Christmas movie ever.... A Christmas Story! {You'll shoot your eye out!}

It was a really hard Christmas to be away from my family but looking at it now I am glad that we had the chance to make some memories in our own home, memories that will last forever and maybe some new traditions that will too. 

Thankful

I know it's a little late and most people aren't even thinking about Thanksgiving anymore because Christmas is quickly approaching but I wanted to write a little bit before it's way too late because there are so many things that I am thankful for this year.


I am especially thankful for my devoted husband, Jason. For all that he does for me, for all that he puts up with. He is such a rock in my life, he keeps me steady and at times is all that keeps me standing. He is so loving and affectionate and just plain funny. I don't know what I would do if I had to go one day without him being able to make me laugh. I am truly blessed by him.


I am thankful for my church family. It's been a very hard couple of years for me living in Tucson but I truly believe that God has us here for a reason. Or reasons I should say and one of those is definitely our church, Cornerstone. We have made so many friendships through Cornerstone and are still discovering more today. I love the spirit of our church, the excitement that surrounds every Sunday and the pure joy that our congregation has to be a part of what God is doing. I am especially thankful to our Pastors who have become very dear mentors and friends, almost parents to us lately. 


I am thankful for my job. Not everyone has the privilege to work in a ministry that serves close to 100 abused and neglected kids. Not everyone has the privilege to work with in-laws as amazing as mine are. I've taken my ups and downs in this ministry, tried something that didn't work out but I will never be the same because of the experience. I'm thankful that even though my experience was failure I've fit comfortably into in my new position. I'm so blessed to come to work every day with my family and to be a part of such an encouraging environment.


I am thankful for my family, near and far. For my parents who have always been supportive of my dreams and goals even though they might not have agreed. For my siblings who I can laugh and confide in. My sister especially for her encouragement. I am also so thankful for the family I have married in to. I am so blessed to be considered the favorite.


God has blessed Jason and I so much this past year. We have so much that so many others don't and it feels that God is just pouring out his favor on us and it's never-ending. We can even call ourselves home-owners now! I can't wait to see what God has in store for us this next year as I know His promises are in the works even now. 


So just a reminder to count your blessings, tell someone how thankful you are for them, and thank God too for the favor He has over you.