Deck the halls.....

So, we took the whole holiday saying "deck the halls" to a whole new literal level. While everyone was decorating their houses this past weekend for Christmas... we were decking our deck.

Whew was it hard work. We woke up the next day sore, covered in paint, and with bandaids all over our fingers. Boy was it worth it. We didn't realize how much it weighed us down and made us think differently about our house when we had a junky deck. We never wanted to go out there and we most definitely didn't want anyone else to either.

Just some paint and a couple new boards of wood made our house look like a breath of fresh air.

Just $50 later, we have a brand new deck!

Now this week is a new project. Hardwood floors!!

THE BEFORE PICS......

THE AFTER PICS......

Praisin God!

I know everyone and their brother will be talking about what they're thankful for this week. And, I wanted to jump on the bandwagon. I have SO much to be thankful for!!

- Family. God has given me more family than I ever thought possible... and will be giving me more throughout the years!! My family is great, along with an awesome family on Will's side.

- Health. Even though I've dealt with a lot of health issues this year that have been thrown at me by the enemy, I'm still thankful for my health. It actually makes me think more about how happy I am that the Lord chooses me to be on this earth during this time to be in His will. Along those lines, I got a call back from the doctor today after going last week for more blood tests. My thyroid stimulating hormone levels have gone WAY down from 58 to 4 (normal is between 1 and 2). AND my T3 and T4 levels are completely normal. God is SO good!! I'm changing medications this week from the synthetic to the natural just because I think I will feel better... but, I'm just thankful for finally a good report after many negative ones!

- Growth. This year as been the biggest challenge yet the biggest blessing I've ever had! God has brought us through the fire in order to grow us. It wouldn't have been done either way. I'm thankful that God even cares to help us grow into people that love Him more. I've never loved God more than I have this year, and I hope I can say that every year!!

- Provision. Ok, what the HECK? I am SOOO blessed!!! This year, God has provided me a husband, a house, 2 cars upgraded from the last, all of our furniture and appliances (most of it given to us), I'm never left hungry, I always have clean water to drink, my Arbonne business is growing, my photography business is growing. The list goes on and on. Have you ever taken a minute to really think about how you father in heaven has provided for you? Go through the list and you will smile afterwards... I promise!

- New endeavors. We were prophesied over when we were engaged that we would be on a roller coaster of things throughout life, but we would always know it was God's will. Well, that's kinda how we feel right now. God has got huge new things in our path within the next few months... we are just ready to take them on!

- My husband. He deserves his own category :) God provided for me the most perfect man for me (like he was created exactly to fit me in every way). It's crazy how that works. We always talk about how we are literally made for each other. God had me in mind when He made Will (6 years before He made me) ha ha. It's so cool to think about. Will Stern has blown me away with His love for me, his talents, his selflessness, his soft heart, his love for GOD!, his patience, etc etc. I could obviously keep going. Even our exact same taste in fashion or how neither of us like to hang out in big groups.... the little stuff even fits :)


God is SO good!
Lately, He has been reminding me of Matthew 7. You know those verses that you read and kind of skip over but God tells you to look at it more? He's taught me so much over this passage in the past few weeks, I'm amazed. Especially when I was getting discouraged with health problems it's really gotten me encouraged to see God's will over me. He won't leave us high and dry. He is our FATHER. Our heavenly father who only ever wants the best for us.
What are you thankful for this year?

Time Flies...

...when you're having fun.

This was us exactly 1 year ago.

November 9, 2008

I can't believe time has flown by so fast. It's been the greatest year of my entire life spending it with this amazing man. How blessed am I to have him in my life and to share every waking moment with him! God truly has blessed us and our marriage and I will always be grateful for what we share together.

Will Stern, I love you. It's amazing how much I love you.

I'm ready for many more years with this marriage thing. Bring it on! :) 80 more!

Picture Updates

- We got a new car. Well, new for us. It's a 2003 Honda Element... and we adore it!! This whole selling both of our cars deal and then looking for new cars has been somewhat of a headache, so we were glad to find this one! This is the car we wanted all along but didn't think it was in our price range. Lo and behold, God works wonders! We were talking on the way home from church how God would provide a car in the right timing for us. Not a car that we have to settle for, but a car we actually want. God wants to bless His children, right?! We go home and check on Craigslist and this ad had only been up for an hour. We called the guy and bought it the next day for an awesome deal. God, you're faithful!

- Poor little pup still has his stupid cone on his head. He's been moping around. Almost like he's depressed or something. Will and I laugh at him all the time because he is so not himself. This morning we took him outside and all he wanted to do was lay down in the grass. Then this morning, he continued to fall in between the sofa and cushion and didn't care. Just stayed right where he was. Poor little guy doesn't know what happened to him
- However, while practicing piano today I walked out to find this surprise waiting for me in the living room. Not 2 chewed up tissues, but the entire box of tissues scattered around the house. Somehow he jumped up on the table and grabbed the tissue box. I think this is pay back for having him neutered.

- Here's me practicing piano. I took it for Will as proof that I was, in fact, practicing today. God put it on my heart about 2 years ago that I needed to learn, and I've been learning slowly but surely. However, I really feel like He is wanting me to really know how to do it by the 1st of the year. I'm really going to try to kick my butt into gear and do this. Along with it, I'm practicing my vocal range as well. We will see.
- As for the chickens, our friend Julie is a lawyer and she is calling the Town and Country board and lawyer to talk to them about how we are covered by the Grandfather Clause. Basically meaning that since we were abiding by the law before they made the law, they can't tell us that we need to get rid of them. Hopefully we figure this whole thing out before the end of December when they have threatened to take them away. Maybe I should just send these folks some eggs... do you think that would change their minds? Ha ha.

- As for Arbonne, it looks like I qualified for District Manager. In order to finish District, I'll need to keep going, but it's exciting to be on the road to my new Mercedes Benz :) haha. And financial freedom. God continually encourages us and shows His hand in this business. I'm completely confident that God is working good things out for us!

That's all for now, folks!