spring!

spring has arrived in Michigan!! I've been celebrating its arrival (during my spring break this week) spring cleaning my house. This is includes literally washing walls--which definitely needs to be done when you have a big, slobbery puppy living in your home. :)

He, too, took time to sun himself in the warm sunshine on the back deck...

all the time...

God is good all the time and all the time, God is good!

This phrase keeps going through my head the past couple of days as storms of life seem to be blowing around many friends and loved ones. Yet, in the midst of all this, Jason and I have reason to celebrate. I won’t go into great detail because mostly it’s a lot of detail… ;) but, we’ve been dealing with some financial stuff lately without any kind of roadmap to guide us. It’s been a lot of praying and leaps of faith, all the while hanging on to each other and our Heavenly Father, knowing that it would work out in the end.

Well, yesterday we were given a gift; a blessing, really. God literally allowed us to experience his amazing presence as a result of what we thought was a pretty tenuous faith! What amazes me most is how often in my life I forget the miracles that God bestows on us, most often in the times that we are least expecting them! He knows all, sees all, and continues to provide us with peace in the midst of any storm in our lives no matter how shaky our faith may become.

So, I’ll say it again: God is good all the time and all the time, GOD IS GOOD!!

March!

okay, so we made it to March...yipee! The weather has shown some warming improvements. Snow is gone, birds are singing, the air has a fresher smell to it. It's great!

Not to mention, my birthday is in March. :) Not bad to celebrate 32 years of life on earth. And celebrations as you get older I have found tend to be much more low-key. Dinner out with friends, a pedicure with girlfriends, and the setting up of my present. Yup--some assembly required...but the results are exciting!


Jason & I are excited to try out our new "home." Yes, it is huge looking, but it will definitely give our camping experiences a little added comfort. Now I am much more looking forward to the warming weather!!

February days

So, I haven't updated in awhile...life has just been moving along at a normal pace. Work, church, grad school...all the same ol' same ol'. :) Which actually has been just fine by me. No news is good news, right?

One positive thing to note: currently it's sunny and 50 degrees!! whoo hoo! I knew there was a reason I lived in Michigan... ;)

funny story

this was sent to me by a friend--it made me laugh out loud! hope it brings a smile to your face as well! --rjv

The following was found posted very low on a refrigerator door.

Dear Dogs:
The dishes with the paw prints are yours and contain your food. The other dishes are mine and contain my food. Placing a paw print in the middle of my plate and food does not stake a claim for it becoming your food and dish, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing in the slightest.

The stairway was not designed by NASCAR and is not a racetrack. Racing me to the bottom is not the object. Tripping me doesn't help because I fall faster than you can run.

I cannot buy anything bigger than a king sized bed. I am very sorry about this. Do not think I will continue sleeping on the couch to ensure your comfort, however. Dogs can actually curl up in a ball when they sleep. It is not necessary to sleep perpendicular, stretched out to the fullest extent possible. I also know that sticking tails straight out and having tongues hanging out on the other end to maximize space is nothing but sarcasm.

For the last time, there is no secret exit from the bathroom! If, by some miracle, I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary to claw, whine, bark, try to turn the knob or get your paw under the edge in an attempt to open the door. I must exit through the same door I entered. Also, I have been using the bathroom for years -canine attendance is not required.

The proper order for kissing is: Kiss me first, then go smell the other dog's butt. I cannot stress this enough.


Finally, in fairness, dear pets, I have posted the following message on the front door:

TO ALL NON-PET OWNERS WHO VISIT AND LIKE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT OUR PETS:

(1) They live here. You don't.
(2) If you don't want their hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture. That's why they call it 'fur'-niture.
(3) I like my pets a lot better than I like most people.
(4) To you, they are animals. To me, they are adopted sons/daughters who are short, hairy, walk on all fours and don't speak clearly.

Remember, dogs are better than kids because they:
(1) eat less,
(2) don't ask for money all the time,
(3) are easier to train,
(4) normally come when called,
(5) never ask to drive the car,
(6) don't smoke or drink,
(7) don't want to wear your clothes,
(8) don't have to buy the latest fashions,
(9) don't need a gazillion dollars for college and
(10) if they get pregnant, you can sell their children ...

home sweet home

Today is the first day I'm finally feeling like I've settled back into home. I arrived home last Saturday night--without my luggage--but glad to be back with Jason and in my own bed. :) Then, after one day's rest, I jumped back into work, grad school, and church with both feet. My past experience with jet lag upon returning home after a 11 hour time difference was not bad, so I was expecting this time to be the same. Boy, was I wrong! Each day has felt rather like being in a fog like state--as though I should be functioning normally, but not with quite all my bodily functions in tact yet...

Needless to say, it's been a bumpy adjustment back. Thank God for a fully supportive husband! :) So, today I'm "home." I put Christmas decor away, doing laundry, got groceries--all things that feel normal...yet, somehow a piece of my heart is still in Bangladesh. One word description of my experience is AMAZING. One sentence description of what lesson most touched my heart: how ministry is about truly just being Christ to someone and how God can speak through people just by showing love.

Below are a few pictures from my trip...I dare say that I hope these will not be the last I can take home from this amazing land...

the new year

So, I'm sitting in the guest house in Dhaka, Bangladesh. One of the most populated, expensive cities in the world. It was here that I was able to welcome in 2009. what an experience...almost more than words can really describe! The honking horns, the rickshaws, the smells, the colors, the language, the Muslim call to prayer heard over a loudspeaker five times a day--just in case you were starting to forget where you were...

In the midst of this, I'm taking a moment on New Year's day to sip a diet Coke--Bangla style. Otherwise known as Coca-Cola light. Another stark reminder of my being very far from home...yet, somehow a little comforting...

2008 was a great year...a full year of being married, being a graduate student, and really not much more time for anything other than that! I don't recall making any resolutions or goals, but I really do feel I accomplished a lot. Lately, I've really been having a feeling of peace with the timeline of my life. God has been so good to me, allowing me to experience so many different things: nursing profession, education opportunities, best friends, home ownership, singleness, traveling the country and the world, pets, marriage...ah, my heart aches with so much gratitude for all the pieces and parts of my life that have shaped and molded me to be who I am and who I will continue to be.

I look forward to the experiences God has in store for me for 2009. Happy, sad, fearful, thrilling...whatever they may be they will continue to mold me and I look forward to every opportunity!