Brick Roads

Then mental health center that I work for has sent me to Little Rock, Ar. for a couple of days to attend a conference. This is my first time here and my what a big town it is! It boggles my mind at it massiveness. I have been to bigger cities with my parents before and them driving. Its a completely different experience on my own.


There are so many beautiful things here. I went to the Old Union Train station today. There were brick roads every once in a while, old buildings with beautiful architecture and a nice atmosphere.



I ate at a place called Mimi's Cafe. Oh man was that some good food!! They brought out 3 different types of bread before my dinner, which were amazing. Then when my order came (I ordered country fried steak) there were two country fried steaks and a mound of mash potatoes plus veggies. Reasonably priced and alot of food! I took literally half the food with me back to my hotel. But, not sure what Im going to do with it because it can't sit in my car for 8 hours during my meetings tomorrow or 3 more hours in the car with me on the way home. hmm...



Next trip to Little Rock, I am going to try and come a few days early and explore. There is not much to do when it is dark by the time the meetings are over. Except find a Target and get Christmas shopping done!

And finally, I would like to thank my TomTom, because without it, I would probably have ended up in Utah or on coming traffic.

Thank you TomTom, thank you.

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

I hope this makes you laugh as much as I did!

That is my handsome husband, our dog Butch and me :)

Merry Christmas!

Trains

I was driving home from work the yesterday and discovered one of my favorite scenes.

I looked out to my left and was racing a train next to me. I was going just a little bit faster which humored me.

Seeing a train and racing it while I am driving is one of my favorite things. Especially while the sun was setting behind the woods, that was beyond the train.

I would have taken a picture for you but it was hard enough to drive 70 mph while staring out the side of my window :)

and I can't find my camera :(

4 loads of laundry down, 5 to go

I know, I know, how could just my husband and me have that much laundry!?

We went on a four day camping/hunting trip with some new friends that we have made here in Arkansas. I had about 4 loads to do before we left but I figured I would wait till we got back to do them. Added on top with sleeping bags, blankets and everything else we took that smells like camp fire.

This was a much needed trip for the both of us. Since we moved here I was working many different hours during the week. We saw each other at various times throughout the week. (Sometimes only on his lunch break). My husband has been planning this 4 day get away for a few months and it finally arrived! Its great how God works. Instead of me going back to a job where our schedules are conflicting, tomorrow I start my new job where we will get to have evenings together now.

Our camping trip was great. We had four days out in the wilderness, getting up before the sun, hunting, coming back to some amazing grub and enjoying each others company. I also had many first time experiences this weekend.

Experience #1 I went hunting all by myself (I normally sit with MrB). I know it doesn't sound like much of a feat but, its quite scary walking into the woods alone, getting lost on the way to my stand, knowing there are wild hogs, alligators, king snakes, rattles snakes and coyotes roaming around, waiting to eat me. Then I finally found my stand!! After 30 min. What victory that was!!! While sitting in my stand 14 feet above the ground in a tree, I spent time with my Lord and what a calming peace He has created in the woods.

Experience #2 I maintained a fire yesterday after I got back hunting, around 10am, and for the rest of the day. Let me tell you, it was a blazin too! I didn't go hunting this morning but stayed back to help prepare breakfast for the others that went hunting. And yes, I started a fire all by myself. When it did start going out, God sent a breeze and it began to roar again.

Experience #3 We camped with a few older couples. The women were amazing cooks! Monday night I volunteered to make some homemade stroganoff which I haven't done before (camping also was another challenge, not all of the accommodations one is used to in a kitchen). The ladies were such a help. The stroganoff was a-mazing. One of the ladies is going to start giving me cooking lessons. Ill be able to make the good southern dishes in no time! I also got a couple of good desert recipes. They are super easy! I'll be sure to post them after I make them.

All in all, it was a magnificent weekend. My husband and I are going to try and plan a quick weekend camping trip every other month for our own sanity and romance. It was a great last, long getaway. When I start my new job tomorrow, Ill be on a six month probation with no annual leave. But I will get holidays off and weekends now :)

I was spoiled with yummy camp food every night these past 4 days, I want to make my handsome husband something yummy tonight again!

Happy cooking!

A blessing

My husband and I took a huge leap of faith in August. He took a job as an Associate Pastor and we made a 7 hour move away from our families. I had assumed with graduating with my B.A. in May that I would have had a job within a few days. Our reliance was completely on God to meet all of our needs, and he did. Within three weeks of moving here I still did not have a job. I needed something in the mean time because we could not live off what we had saved up for to long. I ended up getting a job at a restaurant which I have had alot of experience working in and do enjoy it. But, I was just so ready to take that next step in my life and use the education that I have work so hard for. Going to school full time, being married, working full time and being a youth pastors wife can get quite exhausting. Three months into us living here I am still working at the restaurant.

I worked at a school in our last location and loved it! But, I wanted to work in more of a psychology relm because that is what my degree is in. There was an opening at a mental health center in a town 25 minutes away. The job was working in one of the schools in the six countys that they serve. To make a long story short, three interviews later God blessed me with this job today. Not only that but the county that I will be working in is the county that I live in!

I was coming to terms with the fact that I might be working in a restaurant for a few more years. And, I was ok with that, the people were great and our bills were being paid. God had other plans.

He is sooo good.

"Delight yourself also in the Lord and he shall give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 34:4

What a great God we serve!

Cold Hot Tea

I tried out a new flavor of tea today. It was just regular green tea with some pineapple extract in it. The aroma was magnificent and the taste was quite soothing. Although, I have let my hot tea get cold. But, Im finding that it taste very good cold as well. Unfortunately, the aroma is gone along with the soothing effect. In my opinion Tea is always better hot, there is so much more to experience.

My husband is a youth pastor, and has been at this church for only a little over two months. I feel that it is important for me to become part of leading the group as well. It is quite hard getting established with young adults. Every new youth group we must start from the beginning forming relationships with them. It gets rather discouraging in the beginning because not many of them are ready to open up in front of the new leaders or their peers. We realize that it takes time to form special bonds with them in order for them to feel comfortable and share their stories and knowledge (especially the shy ones).

Last night I felt the ice was starting to break. Some of the youth had retold what we have been discussing for past few weeks! I know it doesn't seem like much but when every week you talk and they stare at you as if you have a booger on your face the whole time, you feel like you are getting no where. When they give you a sign that they have been paying attention and start involving themselves, well, the feeling is quite like climbing mount everest. I think, I have not done that but Im sure its the same feeling. I think every youth pastor and their spouse go through this when moving to a different church. The kids have to be around you and feel you out before they are able to open up. But, when that first sign of ice breaking occurs, great things begin to happen.

God is good.

Vinegar

Lately I have been infatuated with researching the life style of the past. The old home remedies that were once used but have been replaced by chemicals and quick results. I am slowly trying to incorporate some into my lifestyle. Not, all at once though, I tend to get overwhelmed or frustrated and give up if I try to change to much at once. I realize that many people are still using these, but it is all new to me :)

Through all this searching I am finding there are so many uses for vinegar. I have replaced fabric softener with white vinegar. I figured I might give it a try and see what happens. I was worried that the oder of the vinegar would stay in the clothing but, I gave it a try anyway. I added one cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle of the clothing I was washing and then dried. Surprisingly, the clothes came out quite soft and no vinegar oder! It cut through the oil and grease stains on my husbands jeans (he works on cars) surprisingly well. Needless to say this is one alternative to fabric softener that I will stick with.

I also tested the method of cleaning things with baking soda as well. I sprinkle a little on the wash cloths and the kool-aid and coffee stains come off quite well. Its a bit more scrubbing than if I would have used clorox but, I feel alot safer using the baking soda. It also made the inside of my microwave look brand new!

The vinegar in the wash also helps clean your hoses and such on the washing machine.

Happy Cleaning