So this is the New Year...

....and I don't feel any different. Thank you Death Cab for saying what I think every year! I guess it is fun to reflect on the previous year and think about things to change, but I kind of think we should do that all the time, ya know? Every day, actually. I don't want to make any new year's resolutions because I think it's too daunting. How about new day or new week resolutions? Every day or week will be a new attempt at changing/improving. I think that is a little more do-able than making a huge overhaul. Besides, if I fail one week, I can always start over the next instead of giving up altogether.

 One thing I would like to do this year is to have a jar in the house in which we place memories from the year and reflect on them on NYE. Ryan and I will attempt this and just put a memory in the jar any time we think of it. I found this idea on Pinterest a while ago and thought it was sweet. I can't wait to see the things hubs puts in the jar!

 As with any year, there are joys and sorrows. I'm thankful for a God who understands both and shows us His love through them. This year especially through both the joys and sorrows, I have had a greater yearning for Heaven. Through the joys because they are foretastes of the ultimate joy we will experience in being with Christ. Through the sorrows because I know that one day Jesus will come and sin and sorrow will be no more. Come Lord Jesus!

 My prayer is that this year I will grow in holiness. I know that can only happen by God's grace and I pray that he changes my heart from stone to flesh daily.

Happy New Year!

I still split up my year into semesters and breaks. Thanks school for messing up my calendar. Even though it is August, it feels like a new year because everyone is going back to school now. I really enjoy this time of year. Mostly because school supplies are super cheap and I can stock up on my crafting materials! I took some time yesterday to think about the last year and how much has changed. August 9th marked our 1 year anniversary of moving to Louisville. We've lived outside of Arkansas for a WHOLE YEAR. Crazy. I remember last August and how stressed we were from the move and applying for jobs. I remember how lonely we were because we didn't have many friends here yet. I remember the fun long drives we would take exploring Louisville (we still do this on occasion). Today, we have a wonderful new apartment and great jobs. We have AMAZING friends that are practically family. And I think I know Louisville better than I know Little Rock! Thank you Lord for so many blessings!

Ryan will start his second year of seminary tomorrow and I couldn't be more excited! He is doing so well in his classes. All A's so far. I am such a proud wife! I took a break from taking SWI classes last sememster so that I could take a women's systematic theology class through Sojourn with some very lovely ladies. This semester I will be resuming SWI and taking a parenting class with some of the same girls. I'm very excited about this upcoming class. I'm so thankful for Southern Seminary!

This is a pic of the library on campus last fall. SBTS has an amazingly beautiful campus.

I did some fun craft projects this past weekend as well. I plan on posting one super easy project that I did in my next post. I hope to do many more projects that I find on Pinterest. I'm kind of addicted to that site. I've gotten so many ideas for decorating our apartment and I can't wait to put them in motion! We've had family in town since we moved into our new place (for the last 3 weeks) so I haven't been able to do too much as far as decorating goes. I'm actually still trying to unpack all the boxes! I'm very close to getting all of our junk belongings put away so hopefully I can start "prettifying" everything soon!

I'll leave you all with some pictures of our recent excursion to Holiday World in Santa Claus, IN. We took Ryan's little sister, Amber, there as her birthday present from us. We had such a great time!

For the record, Amber is not grumpy, that's just her default silly face. Ha!

Hope everyone has an amazing week!
-Amy

Homeward Bound

I'm so excited.

This time next week, Ryan and I will be in Arkansas! We're so thankful that we get to spend Christmas with our families next week. It will be a short trip, so we won't get to see everyone that we want to, but we're glad we'll be with family. Christmastime seems to get better and better as I get older.

I can't believe this year is almost over. What a year it has been! I've gotten married to my perfect soul-mate and we moved to a new city and made amazing new friends. The only downside is we miss our Arkansan peeps. Many nights Ryan and I will reminisce about college days and the year "off" that we took. We had so many good times. (Thank the Lord for Facebook so I can stalk all of you!) This year has been a great learning year. People always tell you about marriage, but you really don't know anything until you're there. We're thankful for the preparation we did receive from our pastors and mentors. It's been very helpful. I'm glad that Ryan and I know that marriage is not only for happiness, but for holiness. We know that when things aren't quite right, it's because we're sinful and the Lord is smoothing out our edges and refining us. Ryan has been the best sanctification tool outside the Holy Spirit and I am so thankful for him. It hasn't even been a year and I can already see how the Lord has been changing us. I'm told the "newlywed" ooey gooey phase will eventually fade, but knowing that marriage serves a greater purpose than making us "feel good" gives me great hope that we'll be together forever.

I'm really looking forward to next year for one big reason: I'll be an aunt! It'll be so exciting to have a baby in the family again. The last one we had was Alex and he is 16 now (oh my gosh).  I know my mom is thrilled and it'll be fun to see my dad as grandpa. I can't wait to spoil that cute bundle of joy!
I'll be 24 next month and that sounds weird. I'm sure I'll be one of those people who won't be able to handle the transition to her 30s well since I'm already freaking about my mid 20s. I still don't feel like an adult. I'm pretty sure I never will. Ask Ryan. I still dance and sing in the living room like a 3 year old. I'm a total dork.

Well friends I hope I get to see some of you next week! If not it's only because we were there for the weekend and just ran out of time! May the Lord bless your time with family and friends this Christmas. Thank you Father for sending your Son to the earth for our redemption. You are truly good. We are nothing without You.

Merry Christmas!

Baby Fever

Real quick...no, we're not pregnant.

Not that anybody thought we were.

I've been stuggling with contentment. Not in the way that I wish we had a different house or lived in a different place or wish we had more money, but in that I really want a baby. It seems like every other woman I see is pregnant or has a small child. There's got to be something in the water up here. I know right now is definitely not the time to bring a child into the world. For one, we cannot afford it. Two, Ryan is in school and having a baby would mean he would have to take less hours and work more. Three, I really want to be a stay-at-home mom and in our situation, that just would not be possible. Four, we've only been married about 7 months! I'm just now getting used to living with a man so bringing a baby in could be chaotic.

I'm not saying people are wrong for having a baby in the circumstances we are in. I know the Lord would absolutely provide if we were to be blessed with a child. We simply want to be good stewards with what He has given us. First and foremost, we want our children to have a parents who love Jesus and each other deeply. We're trying to figure this whole marriage thing out and we know the best gift we can give to our kids is a loving, gospel-centered marriage. Second, we want to be able to have me stay at home and be the primary care-giver of our children. There's nothing wrong with working moms, but we believe it is best for me to stay home than to pay a stranger to raise them. Third, we would like Ryan to graduate from seminary in a reasonable amount of time. Fourth, we would really like to have a little more financial stability, but ultimately this is up to the Lord and how he chooses to bless us.

I think I'm mostly posting all this as a reminder to myself to wait. Obviously I can't "make a baby" on my own, but I also want my heart in the right place and to not cause my sweet husband grief. Ryan loves children and we want to have a big family, but he is definitely the level-headed one and often has to tell me how impractical it is for us to have kids now and in the next 3-4 years.

The Lord knows my heart. I am excited for the day that He gives us the amazing gift of tending a precious soul. In the meantime, I refuse to let my thoughts dwell on what I don't have. Lord, stir up contentment within me.

Philippians 4:11-13

"...I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me."