a time for change

now anyone who knows me well knows how much i hate change--like to the point that it's almost a four letter word to me...  i just love my routine.  im a planner and don't always do well with the unexpected.  i've been this way my whole life.  i'm not kidding when i tell you that my parents used to have to wait until i was out of the house to re-arrange the furniture.  i just loved coming home to the familiar.  haha

so i was surprised to say the least when i started feeling like i needed some change in my life last fall.  after graduating 2 1/2 years ago, i stayed in my college town and took a job as an ICU nurse at a local hospital.  it was an easy choice.  i already knew that i loved the city and the church i was attending.  i had friends here and my parents were just a short trek across the arkansas-missouri state line.  working in the ICU was never my original plan, but it proved to be a great decision.  i learned a ton right out of school and was forced to speak up a little more and be confident in decisions that had to be made everyday in my job.  i have been happy in this job, but just started feeling like i should at least try working in the area that i always thought i really wanted to be.  as soon as i started feeling like it was time for a change, i began praying that the Lord would lead me to what would be next.  not only this, but i prayed that God would make me willing to do whatever He had.  this was huge for me because i am not the type to go looking for change.

fast forward to this spring.  at the recommendation of a friend, i began reading a book by kevin deyoung called "just do something."  the premise of this book is that so often Believers pray intently for God's will and what they should do next, but don't ever step out in faith and do anything.  deyoung makes the point that God's Will is for us to obey His Word and make much of Him.  how we go about doing this can sometimes be left up to us.  does God care what job i have and where i live?  sure.  but can i walk in obedience to His Word and bring glory to Him wherever i am, for the most part yes.  when i finished reading this book i was challenged to go ahead and just start applying for new jobs (both locally and in other places), instead of waiting around and continually asking the Lord, "what should i do next?"  i knew that He would provide for me since i felt so strongly that it was time for something different.  as i applied for jobs, i prayed specifically for 2 things.  1.  that it would be a day shift job.  i worked nights for a year right out of school and it was ROUGH.  and 2.  that the pay would be right.  i wasn't looking for big bucks, just something comparable to what my current job paid. 

well, He definitely provided all this and as of next week i will officially be a NICU nurse.  (for all you non-nursey people that means taking care of the tiny babies) :)  i am so excited for this opportunity and i am just thrilled to be staying here hog country. it will be weird being the new girl all over again.  i had become very comfortable with the kind of patients i was caring for in the ICU.  now, its a whole new ballgame!  in some ways i think this will be really stretching, but it will be good! 
more to come on this in the next few weeks as i start.  

a weekend away

A few weeks ago i went to minneapolis for a long weekend to see this little cutie and her parents.

it was such a fun weekend with the perfect amounts of going and relaxing.  sonny and anne took me to see all of the tourist-y things you have to see in minneapolis like the mall of america and ikea (not a minneapolis exclusive, but it was my one request of places to go there).  we also did plenty of this.

doing this everyday would just be the life.  now you can't tell from the pic because my hand is in the way that little girls shirt says "i have the best auntie" as if she needed any more help being my favorite niece... :)

on saturday morning we ventured downtown to the farmers market.  now there is nothing i would rather do on a sunny saturday morning than go to the farmers market.  while walking around downtown we discovered this cool trail right by the mississippi river with great views of the city.

the brother and i at the sculpture park. apparently no tourist trip to minneapolis is complete without a trip to the sculpture park to see the cherry on the spoon.  (i actually didn't even know this was there until my momma added this to my must-do list for the trip...thanks mom)

at the end of my time there we all agreed that it was one of the best weekends we'd had in a while.  it was so good just being together.  sonny and anne were the best hosts showing me the sites and cooking yummy dinners each night.  we spent lots of time outside during the day (probably because it was a breezy 78 degrees everyday i was there...i can't even remember the last time it was that cool here...probably in march...) and watching movies at night snuggled on the couch with avery girl.

i'll admit, there were a few tears on the drive home just thinking about how big lil miss would be the next time i see her.  too bad minnasota and arkansas can't be just a little closer.  :(  after hearing a few swaying comments over the course of the weekend of moving to minneapolis, i may have looked at a few job postings listed there when i got home.  then reality hit about 2 seconds later and i remembered that i am a sissy about cold weather.  in my ideal winter the temperature would never drop below about 48 degrees.  let's be honest, there's no way i could do a minnasota winter haha! i guess minneapolis will just have to remain a fun weekend getaway spot.  looking forward to many more trips north!
...in april-early october of course...
...just kidding!
well kind of   :)    

2 weddings and a shower

i'm still playing catch up a little from the past few months and mostly just trying to hit the high points.  the weddings of 2 dear friends and a baby shower for another dear friend could certainly be considered just that. 
early in may one of my very best friends, kristin married heath.  it was such a special day for the two of them and i was so glad to be a part of it.  i appreciate these two so much and love how they are a beautiful picture of serving the Lord better together than separate.  the whole weekend was a blast with lots of college friends in town.  i love how weddings these days are another excuse for best friend reunions.  so so good. 

 one of my very favorite pics from the weekend.  so many people i love this this picture.

mani hands

the centerpieces

(the next two pics are courtesy of the lovely xuan huynh)

we sure love the sass in pics together. 

the ceremony was beautiful and the reception is currently in my top 3 all time favorite wedding receptions i've been too.  there were good friends, yummy pie, hoppin' music and we danced the night away.  most fun night i've had in a while.  i'll spare you the pics from this though.  unfortunately lots of people dancing in a smallish space makes for a HOT (in the most literal sense) party.  we were all looking a little rough by the end of the night.  that's the mark of a good dance party though right??

next up the wedding of this pretty girl. 

leah is the bestie 's sister.  i have watched this girl grow up.  not having any sisters myself, leah has always been "that little sister i never had" to me.  she is spunky and creative and funny.  i just think she is great.  this wedding took place at ashley and leah's parents home.  it was super simple and had so many sweet little details that just made me so happy.  wedding in a field and dessert reception under a homemade canopy in the trees.  loved it all. 

and last but not least, a baby shower for jen and sweet baby kennedy on the way any day now!  jen and i co-led a k-life small group when i was in college.  you know that friend that you can just say anything to and know that she will understand because she just gets you?  jen is that friend.  she had such an impact on my life and is still a dear friend.  i only wish that she still lived in fayetteville :(

we opted for cupcakes since it was on a sunday after church.  tissue paper pom-poms are a little tedious to make, but i do love how they look. 

small groupies all grown up!  i can't even believe they are almost done with college.  they are such Godly girls and i am so proud of the way they live today. 

well the girls pulling in right now for the bach.  gotta run.  bye now.