The Vardens

Water Baby

2010-04-19T18:57:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday Keith and I went to train at one of our local wellness/aquatic centers. We decided to take the Little Miss with us. She loves bath time so we were eager to see if she would enjoy the pool and the cooler temperature. She absolutely loved it. She did not cry one single time and was just so peaceful. There is a very nice kid area in the indoor pool with a ledge that is only 3-4 inches deep. We sat her down in the water and she just leaned right over and started splashing away. I definitely think that we have a water baby on our hands. Now we just need to get in her in the lake.

Week 2

2010-04-19T05:50:00.000-07:00

We completed our second week of training yesterday. We swam 400 meters on Friday, ran 20 minutes on Saturday and biked 8 miles on Sunday. The biking and swimming is great, but I am still not the biggest fan of running. Hopefully the love will come later. Now moving back to Thursday. Prepare yourself....I am going to talk about the spa. I went here...

with my two best friends Amy and Madelaine. We arrived at 9:45 to get "robed and slippered". We enjoyed some dried fruit and cold water before our appointment time. At around 10 we were all called into the massage area and taken into seperate rooms to enjoy a 50 minute relaxation massage. The massages were great and we all came out half asleep. After that we spent some time in the steam room (my favorite part...Madelaine's least favorite part.) After that we all got in the hot tub which is housed in the "Quiet room". We spent lots of time here talking and planning our next trip back to the spa. After the hot tub we ate lunch. Amy and I had the chicken salad sandwich and Madelaine had the turkey club (Keith calls this spa food). The food was great, but after lunch we were ready for some sun. When you book an appointment with the spa at Ross Bridge you have access to all the spa facilities and outdoor pool all day until 6:00. So we headed out to the beautiful pool and enjoyed laying out in the sunshine. It was such a gorgeous day and the water was actually tolerable. After the pool we headed back into to get ready to go back to the real world. All in all it was a perfect day. I went home to my wonderful husband and this...

It's 11:49 on Monday night...

2010-04-13T21:49:00.000-07:00

And for those of you who know me really well, you are shocked that I am still awake. I got home from work at around 7:45 tonight, took a quick shower and then rescued Keith by taking over McKinley's nightly routine of fussing for a solid hour because she refuses to nap. I fixed a little bit of left over chicken and pasta and fed myself while I fed McKinley. She was down in her crib by 9:05 and we turned on Deadliest Catch (one of the best shows ever.) About 15 minutes in I decided to go ahead and bite the bullet and complete the days training...Running! Still not the biggest fan of this sport, but it gets slightly better every day. After the run I decided that I would go ahead and take my patho test. Just finished it and it was not nearly as bad as I had anticipated. Now I am wide awake with an upcoming early morning wake up call by the most beautiful cry in the whole world! Biking 6 miles tomorrow (not sure where), a trip to Babies-r-Us, Zumba tomorrow night, and the spa on Thursday.

Life is so Good!

Here are some sweet pics of our little sas!

She really hates the sun.

Getting some love from her Aunt Rae.

Her sweet shoes her Aunt Tamika made her. She takes orders!

Loving those sweet cheeks!

Monday

2010-04-12T15:35:00.000-07:00

First of all...no pictures of little Miss today. My husband (whom I love so much) cannot seem to email pictures so that I can upload them...I am not nearly as computer savy as he is, so I need things quick and easy. So onto the training...we ran on Saturday and biked another 5 miles yesterday. We biked in our neighborhood on Sunday (we had to ride the same route almost twenty times to get in the mileage) so it was a very flat, fast ride. We are still running separate so it is really boring, but we are getting it done. This week starts to pick up. We start running and swimming together in the same day...so that should be interesting. I am going back to Zumba this week with my friends Amy and Maddie, and on Thursday the three of us are headed to the spa for a good long relaxing day together. I am so excited I can hardly stand it. I have to take a test on Wednesday, but after that my mind is set on the massage, hot tub, and sauna!

McKinley is still doing great. She is learning something new every single day. She is growing so fast. She loves books, especially the kinds filled with bright colors and different textures. We started reading Charlotte's Web on Saturday. I figured that it was never too early to start the classics. We also put together her exersaucer on Saturday and she loves to sit and play even though her little legs are still a little too short to reach the bottom (she does not get to play for very long.) We will be visiting the doctor for her 4 month check up and shots next week. My guess for the weigh in is somewhere between 12lbs. 13oz. and 13lbs. 4oz. Her personality is beginnning to develop. Overall I think she is going to be a perfect mixture of us both. Right now she loves to smile and pretend like she is shy, but she loves the attention.

I will post more pictures of our precious little girl as soon as I can...until then I hope everyone has a blessed week!

Love Wins

More training and...McKinley

2010-04-08T16:21:00.000-07:00

So we have completed day three of training. We ran on the first, biked 5 miles on the second (mostly uphill...it was rough), and we swam 300 meters today, along with a short weight workout. All in all, it has been a very productive and painful week. Tomorrow is an off day, and we start again on Saturday. I also did Zumba for the first time last night. My best friend Amy and I went together. We had a blast, but it was pretty intense. I think I am addicted now that I have a Zumba buddy!

Now onto something that is so much cuter than me sweating all over the place...

McKinley!

She had a great first Easter and received her first Easter basket. She got a whole basket full of teething rings, rice cereal, pacis, and the best thing of all...swim diapers. I cannot wait to get this child into the water. I know she is going to love it! Otherwise she is going to be one miserable little girl because we love the water. Although she did not quite understand the occasion, we did spend some time explaining to our 3 month old what this wonderful day is all about. You can never start to early explaining the true love of Christ. We spent the majority of our day celebrating at our church's Easter Carnival (that is why we are standing in front of a hot air balloon.) We finished the day up with some hamburgers and a nice Spring walk with family. It was a great day!

Here are some pictures of the day...

Training Day 1

2010-04-06T09:16:00.000-07:00

Tri training starts today...woohoo! It's a RUN day. If you have nothing to do today head out in the beautiful weather, briskly walk for 9 minutes, followed by a light stretch, and finish up with a strong 6 minute run. This is the postpartum training guide for the triathlon, so if your feeling more in shape than me just get out there and RUN.

In the meantime...

A Beautiful Day

2010-04-05T18:43:00.000-07:00

Last week, Keith, McKinley, and I took advantage of the beautiful weather and layed out in our front yard. McKinley is not such a big fan of the sun, but she really enjoys being outside. Here are a few pictures of the day...

The Goal...to COMPLETE a triathlon.

2010-03-29T07:58:00.000-07:00

Why you ask...well besides the fact I really want to get back in shape after having my beautiful daughter...it really seems like it would be fun. I never thought the idea of participating in a race would be so intriguing, but I cannot wait to start the process.

The Inspiration: I recently met a mother of 5 boys who competes in triathlons on a regular basis and she looked so healthy and happy...not to mention, she was ripped!

The Plan: To complete an 11 week training schedule that includes running 3 times a week and biking and swimming twice a week with two days of weight training.

The Partner: My wonderful husband and anyone else who is interested.

The Goal: A sprint...this means a short run, short bike, and short swim (key word...short). The date is August 14, 2010, and the breakdown is this...
Swim: 400 meters
Bike: 16.2 miles
Run:3 miles

The Next Step: There are multiple things you need to even start training for this competition, including a competition swim suit (no more bikinis), a new pair of running shoes (Asics are my favorite), a road bike (saving up for this one), and a helmet of course.

I plan to keep everyone posted as we go along, so look for pictures and updates about training!

Finally...an update!

2010-03-29T07:36:00.000-07:00

I have had several people inform me that it is time for another update. So here it goes...McKinley is doing great! She started sleeping through the night at 6 weeks old and is now sleeping from 9:15 to 7:30 in the morning...I know that we are blessed! She is getting bigger and bigger (especially in the cheeks). She now has full control of her head and hates laying flat on her back...she is trying so hard to sit up, but Mommy would like for her to stay a baby a little longer. She is so active and I know that she is going to take after her mother and be a "wild child". We will be starting cereal this month, so she will definitely start packing on the pounds. What else can I say besides the fact that she is absolutely perfect. I could not have wished for a better baby.

The Varden family is also about to make another major transition...Keith and I will be working with another church plant starting in May. We are very excited about this new phase, and we are already enjoying watching what God is doing with this new church.

Things that will be happening in April:
McKinley turns 4 months old.
Keith will be traveling to Casa Hogar Elim.
Keith has two weddings to shoot...all in the same weekend.
Keith and I will begin training for a triathalon (will post details soon).
and
I will be finishing my first official semester of graduate school.

Here are some pictures...

She loves Maggie the monkey.

Look at that sweet face.

Sunday afternoon nap with mom.

Life is Good!

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6 weeks old!

2010-02-05T17:17:00.000-08:00

Miss Mckinley Grace is now 6 weeks old. She weighed 8lbs. 13 oz. at her one month appointment, and she is now 21 inches long. She is doing great! She has been sleeping from 9:00 PM to 5:45 AM...we are so blessed. She is growing more and more everyday. I actually put some of her newborn outfits in storage the other day and I was a little heart broken, but I know that there are more fun things to look forward to. She is smiling at everything and rolling over from her belly to her back (she is such a big girl already)! We are headed back to the doctor at the end of the month for the big "shot" appointment and another weigh in. Overall we are all doing great and enjoying spending tons of time together as a family.

Here are some new pictures...

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The last of 2009!

2010-01-01T14:24:00.000-08:00

We are settling into our new life with Miss McKinley quite nicely. She wakes up about every four hours during the night, so we are definitely not complaining about that. We visited the doctor on Tuesday. McKinley weighed in at 7 lbs. 5 ounces. She lost 2 ounces from her last hospital weight, and she grew 3/4 of an inch! Our doctor said everything looked perfect! I have posted several pictures from the last few days. I will continue to update, but until then I hope that everyone had a wonderful New Years!

Getting some good loving from her pops!

Visiting with her Nana

Daddy watching over his little girl.

McKinley getting ready to meet her doctor for the first time.

Love Wins!

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Photo session with Daddy

2009-12-29T07:36:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures from McKinley's first (one of many) photo sessions with her Daddy

Daddy is already wrapped around her little fingers!

The sweetest face in the world.

Baby feet!

Almost gone.

Wide awake.

Getting love from Mommy and Daddy!

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More Pictures

2009-12-28T17:09:00.001-08:00

Here are some more pictures of the past few days...in no particular order.

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McKinley Grace

2009-12-25T19:42:00.001-08:00

McKinley Grace is here! She was born on Monday, December 21, at 7:31 P.M. She weighed 7 pounds and 9 ounces, and she is 19 inches long. McKinley spent the first few days in the NICU because of a little breathing difficulty, but that is now resolved and she made it home with us late Christmas Eve. We had a great Christmas together and are enjoying spending lots of time with our baby girl. Here are some pictures of the past few days and some of McKinley's first Christmas! There will definitely be more to come, so keep checking for updates!

Thank you all for the prayers. We are so excited about our precious daughter, and we cannot wait to introduce her to all of you.

Love Wins!

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35 weeks

2009-11-16T10:55:00.001-08:00

Tomorrow will officially be the start of my 35th week of pregnancy. Overall things have continued to be uneventful. I have the typical pregnancy problems, the worst being back pain and difficulty sleeping. Other than those two issues everything has been great. We will be going back to the doctor a week from Wednesday to evaluate our status thus far. I am praying that this little girl is just so anxious to meet us that she will decide to arrive a little bit early. Our due date is the 22nd of December, but I would like for her to come at least a week early. I know that her birthdays are going to be difficult, but the farther away from Christmas the better!

We have several things coming up to keep us busy. This Friday and Saturday are full of wedding festivities for our friends Samantha and Ryan. On Sunday we will be celebrating my grandfather's and my mother's birthdays. The next week starts the Thanksgiving holidays. I will, unfortunately, be working on Thanksgiving, but I am already looking forward to some good leftovers. Next Friday is the Iron Bowl...War Eagle...and I officially set aside the day of the 28th to put up our Christmas tree. I really wanted to do this sooner, but there is just no time, and Keith is not very fond of decorating prematurely.

Hopefully, after all of the sweet chaos our little girl will arrive. I cannot tell you all how exciting and nervous I am for this day, but I am also beginning to realize that these last few weeks will be the conclusion of "just Keith and me." I am starting to enjoy those nights where we just sit and do absolutely nothing. I know that they are coming to an end or at least a significant decrease in number. Keith and I are trying our best to spend as much time together now, so that we can be ready for Ms.McKinley.

I really hope to post some pictures of some recent maternity pictures we have taken. I also have a belly picture from last week to post. Have a great week!

Love Wins!

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Register

2009-11-09T05:34:00.000-08:00

Visit Keith's website or click HERE to register for a FREE one hour session. Deadline is November 25th! Just go to the the contact tab and send him a message with the word "CONTEST" in the message line. Be sure to include a way for you be be contacted in the message. The drawing will be the day after Thanksgiving!

Love Wins!

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32 weeks

2009-10-29T07:26:00.001-07:00

We visited our doc for our 32 week appointment yesterday. Everything is looking good and measuring right on schedule. We will visit again in 2 more weeks! After the appointment Keith and I headed downtown to take some pictures of the baby bump. These pictures are not your typical maternity pictures, but we had a great time shooting them. I am only posting the bump picture on the blog, but visit Keith Varden Photography on facebook for the other pictures.

Love Wins!

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31 Weeks

2009-10-22T05:27:00.000-07:00

Quick update: Here is a new belly picture. We are now 31 weeks along...9 weeks to go until that due date. Everything is still going great. I have been really tired, and my back is now hurting in all kinds of places. Keith can not sleep in the bed with me because I move so much, so he has taken up permanent residence on the couch for the time being...just so I do not sound like a horrible wife, he does LOVE to sleep on the couch, so it works out good for both of us. Our baby tea is a week and a half away, and we are both very excited about that. We will be spending some quality time with some family and friends this weekend, so needless to say, Life is Good!

Love Wins!

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My Wonderful Husband

2009-10-19T05:59:00.000-07:00

First of all, a little about Ms. McKinley...we attempted to have a 4-d ultrasound a couple of weeks ago. I was 29 weeks when we went in and she was measuring around 2 pounds and 15 ounces. Because of her location we did not get any good pictures, but we could see enough (mouth up) to decide that she is definitely going to have her daddy's big eyes! Now on to how great my husband is...

He worked very, very hard last week painting and making the room perfect for McKinley's arrival. He practically painted the whole room by himself, and I am so thankful for all of his hard work. He is absolutely wonderful, and I love him so much! So the room is officially painted a nice yellow/green color. We also got our furniture back from the man who was refinishing it, and it looks absolutely amazing. We set up the crib and changing table on Saturday, and I got so excited that I could not wait to put the bedding on, so we went ahead made her crib. The plan was to continue spacing all the preparations out, so that we would not be "waiting" for so long, but that did not last long! We hung 4 pictures that our friend painted for the nursery, and they look incredible! Thanks Lauren! We still have several things we are waiting on (i.e. glider, twin bed so we can sleep in the room if needed), but the room is coming together quite nicely.

My wonderful Sunday School girls gave me a Dipe and Wipe party yesterday. It was very nice to see our closet full of diapers and wipes. Thank you to all the girls and teachers! We also had Samantha and Ryan's wedding tea yesterday. It was a big success and Samantha got so many nice things! There wedding is a little over a month away and I know they are ready for the big day.

We are going to attempt another 4-d ultrasound this week. I am now 31 weeks, and we have been told that this will be our last chance to see her before she is just too big. I am very excited to see her again, but I will not be upset if we do not get a good shot of her. It will just be all the more special when we see her for the first time. Well that is a quick update of the last few days. Again I must say THANK YOU to my husband. He truly is amazing!

Love Wins!

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New Site

2009-10-13T09:44:00.000-07:00

Click HERE to view Keith's new photography blog. He has developed a new site with a few teasers from his latest shoots. Hope you enjoy!

Love Wins!

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The Beginning of the End

2009-09-28T09:02:00.001-07:00

According to my online baby calendar, today is my first official day in the third trimester of my pregnancy. I can honestly say that I have enjoyed being pregnant...thus far! I have very few things that are even worth complaining about, so I feel very blessed. As the date gets closer and closer, the shock of the whole idea is diminishing and excitement is setting in. I cannot wait to see her and to hold her. I know that I will miss having her "all to myself" but I am counting down the days until she is here, and I know Keith is ready for me to share!

We are starting to get things ready for Little Miss. We (mostly Keith) have picked out some gorgeous bedding for her crib.

Keith and his parents have also been working incredibly hard on refinishing our crib and changing table. We will be painting all the furniture black. Keith and I have also spent plenty of time at Babies R Us and Target registering for our baby shower. We still have plenty to do, but things are starting to take shape.

Love Wins!

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26 weeks

2009-09-19T18:27:00.000-07:00

My lovely husband/photographer (keithvardenphotography.com) took a few more professional pics of the belly this week. So far everything is still going great! The headaches are getting slightly better and we have officially less than a hundred days before this Little Miss makes her grand appearance. She is moving more and more and I am getting bigger and bigger. It is becoming more difficult to bend and move and sleeping at night is also something I am leaving behind. I know all of these things come with the game, so I will not continue to complain.

The next few weeks bring absolutely nothing but WEDDINGS! I have mentioned before that two of my best friends are getting married this fall and all of the parties start this coming weekend. I have a bridesmaid luncheon, lingerie shower, and bridal tea all in one weekend. I really am so excited about all of the parties. I remember how much fun I had at all of my parties and I hope these two girls sit back and enjoy all of the festivities.

I will post some pictures of all the events soon!

Side note: I mentioned above that Keith is doing some photography. I know that I am biased but he truly is incredibly talented. If you need a childrens/wedding/portrait photographer check out his website for pictures and prices.

Love Wins!

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25

2009-09-07T05:26:00.000-07:00

We are now on our 25th week of pregnancy. It is crazy to think that we only, technically, have 15 more weeks to go! We will be going back to the doctor this Wednesday for our 6 month check up. They will be "double checking" the gender of the baby this week, so I will be sure to update if something changes! I will also be posting another belly picture soon. There has been some significant change!

Now let's play catch up with what has been going on in our small life!

We took our "babymoon" vacation 2 weeks ago. We spent a wonderful week in Cancun, Mexico. It was gorgeous. We had plenty of time to relax and enjoy the company of family and friends. I will post a few pictures as soon as I get home this afternoon. I just returned from our annual College Labor Day Retreat. Keith will be traveling home today, so please keep in your prayers. The Generation Band led worship and we were blessed to hear David Jett speak the whole weekend. It was absolutely awesome! Keith was able to enjoy some good seafood (This baby is not such a fan of seafood). We also settled in on Saturday night to watch football. Auburn won-WAR EAGLE! and just so Keith will not feel left out, Alabama won, too.

I am back at work now and our vacations are over, but the wedding season is just beggining. Over the next two months I will be in two weddings and attending multiple teas for my two best friends Amy and Samantha. I am so excited for both of them! All of the fun starts at the end of September, and I literally have some type of tea or wedding every weekend from that point on until November 21 and then it is time for baby!

Lastly, See the Need is on the way to Nuevo Laredo, Mexico this morning. The team will be gone until Saturday, so please keep them in your prayers!

Love Wins!

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20 weeks and counting!

2009-08-09T17:56:00.001-07:00

This picture was taken at exactly 20 weeks and 5 days!

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The Beginning

2009-08-06T05:17:00.000-07:00

This is a belly pick around 6-7 weeks pregnant. I had just found out that I was pregnant, and the shock was beginning to settle in! I will post a belly pick at 20 weeks as soon as I take one!

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20 weeks

2009-08-04T05:47:00.000-07:00

Today marks the start of our 20th week. It became so real after we found out that we were having a girl, and now the we are half way there things are getting more and more exciting. After talking with many other women who are currently pregnant or who have been pregnant before, I would have to say that so far I have had an "easy" pregnancy. The only thing I could do without are the wonderful hormonal headaches. My doctor said that they should slack off, but, as of now, they are still in full force. I can honestly say that I have taken more Tylenol in the past two months than I have taken in a lifetime, but, like I said, other than the headaches everything has been great. I am still battling the fatigue, but that is unavoidable.

We have started looking at all the "girly" things that are out there to buy. So much PINK! I think I have FINALLY decided on a bedding set that is yes...PINK and light green pasiley. We also decided on a name: McKinley Grace Varden. She has also started moving a lot. I began feeling just little waves every once in a while, but for the last two days it feels like she is flipping over and over again. I feel a lot better now that I can feel her move. If she is moving then I know she is doing okay, and that is much better than waiting for the next doctors appointment. I know the next few months are going to fly by. Two of my best friends will be getting married, and that means tons of fun parties to attend. I will go back to the doctor next week for my next appointment. We have one more ultrasound, and I am still trying to get the past pictures up on the blog for comparison. That will happen soon...hopefully!

In the meantime, please say a prayer next week. Keith and my brother (Jonathan) will be spending sometime with all our beautiful children in Casa Hogar Elim! I am so jealous that I will not be making this trip, but I am so happy that Keith and JP will be there with them!

Love Wins!

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The color PINK

2009-07-20T07:06:00.000-07:00

Yes it is true...we are expecting a daughter. I can honestly say that I knew from the very beginning that we would be having a girl. I guess you could call it a mother's intuition, but no matter what I was right! It makes me laugh to imagine Keith and I raising a daughter, but God never makes mistakes and I am becoming more excited by the minute. I will be 18 weeks tomorrow, and it is insane to think that we are almost half way there. I have gained a total of 6 pounds (this will most likely be the last time I update about this fact), and I have major headaches on a daily basis. The doctor reported that our baby girl looks very healthy and is right on schedule. I do plan on posting ultrasound pictures, but I do not have access to a scanner right now, but they will be up soon!

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It's official...

2009-06-15T06:45:00.001-07:00

After much procrastination I have decided to update our blog with some very interesting and exciting news...we are going to have a baby. Yep! That's right. There is going to be a combo of Keith and me running around this world in about 6 months. I am 13 weeks preggers (as my brother so kindly calls me these days). Keith is incredibly excited and I am recovering from the shock of things while my body settles into 6 more months of change. Everything has been pretty uneventful. I was fortunate not to face the dreaded morning sickness that I was so prepared for. I did however become an instant vegetarian! No meat for me! The fatigue is easing up, while the crazy dreams and insomnia are settling in. Overall, I am very excited, and I cannot wait for December. Yes! A Christmas Baby! December 22 to be exact! I have tons of ultrasound pictures that I promise to post sometime within the next several days! Hope everyone is doing well!

Love Wins!

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Come Home

2009-04-23T17:49:00.000-07:00

I have not spoken to my husband in 6 days and it is starting to affect me! He has been in Nicaragua since Saturday and is not due home until this Saturday. I miss him very much, but I know he is having a great time! Come home soon my love!

Love Wins!

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Lily Anna

2009-04-20T05:22:00.000-07:00

Today my sister-in-law's (Rachel) sister (Hannah) will have her baby (Lily Anna). There are some special concerns revolving around her birth. Please keep Hannah and Lily Anna in your prayers today! God is our Healer.

Love Wins!

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Party in the Park

2009-04-08T16:13:00.001-07:00

It's back...May 23, 2009! Visit the website for more info!

Love Wins!

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Catching Up

2009-03-31T10:23:00.000-07:00

It has been forever since I have updated this blog, but I have a little free time so here we go...Life has been very interesting in the Varden household. School is finally winding down (thank you Lord!). This semester has been so busy. I am taking two graduate courses (the worst ones from what I hear), as well as, a clinical course that has required 135 hours of my time over the past 3 months. I will be finished with this semester on April 25, and I cannot express how excited I am about that fact. One great thing has happened this semester and that would be the fact that my two best friends have moved back home. It has been great catching up and planning another wedding. Congratulations Amy and Sean!

Keith has also been busy with school and work. For those of you who do not know, we will be making a major change in May. Check out Safe Haven Church (on the side bar) for details. We are incredibly excited about what all God is doing in our life right now, and we would love for all of you to be involved. We will be relocating to Tuscaloosa in the near future, so keep an eye out for updates. I still have so many things that I want to post about, including tons of pictures from Mexico (I am pretty sure I left half of my heart there). Luckily, I do believe that we will be returning to Casa Hogar Elim as soon as the border begins to calm down. If you are interested in visiting this orphanage please visit See the Need's website for info. See the Need will also be hosting another "Party in the Park" pretty soon, and we will definitely need some volunteers, so check the website for dates.

I cannot express how excited I am about all the changes our small family is going through. It seems chaotic and a little scary, but I have never felt such peace. God is good!

Love Wins!

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One Year

2009-02-05T06:23:00.000-08:00

On January 26, 2009, Keith and I were officially married one year. We celebrated our anniverary by flying to an orphanage in Mexico (more to come on that later). It could not have been a more perfect first anniversary. The night before we left for our trip Keith surprised me with the best gift. He personally made a book (on his MAC) of pictures from our first year of marriage. Each picture had a caption describing the moment. It is absolutely beautiful. He did such a good job that I even cried. So I have to props to my husband...you did good! I love you so much and thank you for the past year. God has blessed me with a man who first, loves Him more than anything on this earth, and secondly loves me unconditionally. I could not ask for more!

Love Wins!

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Pray

2009-01-14T05:55:00.000-08:00

Today...Pray for Abby! Click on the side bar to read her story!

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New Year Resolution(s)

2009-01-13T05:47:00.000-08:00

It is amazing to me that it is already 2009! I had always heard that time begins to move faster when you get older, but I had no idea it would move this fast. Over the past year Keith and I have managed to accomplish and encounter many amazing things. Here are few that are on my mind (in random order):

1. We were married on January 26, 2008...we are closely approaching our first anniversary!
2. We spent a week in Jamaica celebrating our marriage.
3. I started the nursing mobility program...one step closer to be completely done with school!
4. The Generation Band completed their first CD.
5. We experienced God move in a mighty way through our college ministry.
6. God laid it upon our hearts to begin a non-profit ministry that provides opportunities for individuals to travel to orphanages and serve our God...See the Need!
7. Keith's father survived a massive heart attack...to God be the Glory!
8. We planned our first international mission trip through our non-profit organization.
9. We added a member to our family: A 901b. Weimaraner named Bella.
10. Keith visited New Orleans for school...said he would never go back.
11.Realized that there is nothing more precious on this earth than family!

These are just a few of the major events that occurred this past year...I know I am leaving tons out! It was a very busy year. As 2008 came to a close, and 2009 began I found myself once again making resolutions for this next year. In the past I have made resolutions that are so far out of reach I know that I will never accomplish them, but this year I have been slightly more reasonable.

New Year Resolutions for 2009
1. Become closer to God. This is by far the most important on my list. My heart is yearning to learn and know my God more. It is something that has constantly been on mind the past few weeks. God is doing so many great things in our lives, and I want to know more of Him.

2. Eat health. Much less important than the first, but what I can say. I am not going to say that I want to lose weight in 2009, but I would like to fill my body with more healthy items. This one will prove to be very difficult. Keith and I have such crazy schedules that eating usually consists of fast food on the way to where we are going or a frozen pizza because we are both too tired to cook. I know that the first step to meeting this challenge is to only buy healthy foods, so when I finally have time to go to the store that is definitely what I am going to do.

3. Complete the BSN portion of my mobility program. This one will be completed in approximately 4 months...so this one is pretty much done! Thank you Lord! I hear the master's program is a little easier, so I am looking forward to that...and to finishing!

4. Be more spontaneous! Keith will love this one! I am usually a "I need a plan" kind of person, but this year I am going to leave a little bit of that behind...or at least I am going to try.

5. Focus a bit more of my time on "my girls" in the youth department. I love my girls, but I can honestly admit that I have neglected them over the past year. We have been so busy with other things that I have failed to make time for them. I know that God has put each one of them in my life for a reason and I feel a little responsible for them now. My greatest desire would be that they would grow to be beautiful women of God, and I pray that God would give the wisdom to lead them in this direction.

6. Last but not least...to show my husband every single day how much I love him. I must say that I really believe that Keith and I have a great relationship. Yes we are married, so we do fight, but overall we are generally a very peaceful couple. I make this resolution because I know that somedays I can be harsh and moody, but I always love him. God has blessed with an incredible man, and even though he is a little hard to handle sometimes...just a little...I love him and I never want him to go a day without knowing exactly how I feel.

So here they...six things that will happen over the next year. I also plan to update my blog a lot more.

One thing that I would like to mention would be our upcoming trip to Mexico. We will be leaving the 25th of January and traveling to Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. This is part of our non-profit org. There has been concerns over safety and the condition of the border town we will be traveling to. I would like to ask anyone who reads this blog to please keep us (there will be four of us traveling) in your prayers this week. We will be leaving the 25th and return home on the 31st. Not only would we like your prayers for safety, but we also pray that God would be glorified through this trip. We will be spending lots of time with approximately 110 orphans and their caretakers. My brother and I have previously visited this orphanage and it brings tears to my eyes thinking that in only two weeks we will be there with them again. Needless to say, I can't wait. I pray that God uses us and the supplies that have donated to this orphanage to minister to these children and show them God's love.
I will post pictures when we return, but until then please check out our orgs. website and blog for new info.

Until then...

Love wins!

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The Generation Band

2008-11-13T06:13:00.000-08:00

I have written previously about The Generation Band (Keith plays guitar). Well, the boys and girls of the band have just finished their first (of many I am sure)CDS and it is now for sale. I must admit that it is...INCREDIBLE! They are selling the CD for $12 if anyone is interested, but I was really writing to inform all of you that tonight at 7:30 they will leading a whole night of worship straight off of the new CD. If you are not busy and need some place to go head over to the GFBC multi-purpose building and enjoy an evening of worshiping our God!

Love Wins!

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Over Due

2008-10-29T14:28:00.000-07:00

Things have continued to be incredibly busy around the Varden house. To see what has been occupying all of our time check out seetheneed.blogspot.com or click See the Need on the side bar.

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Life Changing

2008-10-01T06:10:00.000-07:00

I had every intention of updating last week about the wonderful weekend Keith and I had with all of our friends. I had a girls night, Keith had a guys night, and we finished the weekend up by spending an entire day at the Cooper's house watching football games. War Eagle! Like I said I had every intention, but did not succeed. My faith in the Lord was tested last week, and I must say that I am not sure I did very well. I had a very scary and not so promising conversation with doctor regarding some severe joint pain. She ended my visit by preparing me for the worst. Needless to say, I lost it! I cried the entire way home and poor Keith really had no idea what was going on. Being a nurse makes days like these very hard. The very moment my doctor mentioned the possibility of a chronic illness, I started reliving all the things I had learned in nursing school. I actually remembered a lot! I had prepared myself for the worst, forgetting that God was in control. It took 48 hours to process my lab results, and lots of prayer...they were all within normal limits! I did show signs of the beginning of an infection, but 7 days of antibiotics would knock that right out. The final verdict was a reaction to a medication that I was taking...much better than what was first placed at my feet.

What did I learn...I finally grasped something that I have been taught my entire life...it was life changing...God is in control. My life is in the hands of the Lord, yet my human nature thinks that I can take care of things on my own. While I was diagnosing myself with some disease, my God was taking care of me. I was "fearfully and wonderfully made," so why do I constantly feel the need to worry. We worry about money, jobs, stability, the clothes we where, the houses we live in, the cars we drive: this world revolves around worrying. As Christians, God has called us to hand our lives over to Him. I read in Mathew this morning about what Jesus said about worrying:

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, or what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

I love this:

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Mathew 6:25-33

Seek first his Kingdom. I am learning more and more about this verse. My life is not about this world...it is simply about a loving relationship with my God and bringing glory to Him through everything that I do. His love for me is so great, and His plan for me is perfect. Now I must let go and let Him take control.

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Auburn Football

2008-09-15T11:00:00.000-07:00

Keith, Me, and our dogs headed up to my brother's house on Saturday for a day of corn hole, hotdogs, and Auburn Football. Alabama was only on paperview, so Keith did not have a problem watching the game with me and about 12 other Auburn fans...he did stand strong and sported his BAMA shirt on gameday. The day itself was wonderful. Jonathan and Rachel set some tents up in their front yard, along with lots of Auburn gear. It was very warm, but there was a slight breeze to cool us off. Everyone played tons of corn hole and ate lots of awesome food. Auburn kicked off at 6 and so began one of the most stressful football games I have ever seen. Thanks to our defense Auburn beat Mississippi State 3-2 (yes Keith I know...it sounds more like a soccer score than a football score.) Next week Auburn plays LSU and Alabama plays Arkansas, so things should begin to get interesting. I have tons of pictures below that show how great the day was! Enjoy and God Bless!

War Eagle!

Rachel and Allison

JP's game face

Jonathan and Dad playing corn hole

My hubby and me

Jonathan and Carla working the grill

Keith and Price wrestling before the game

Kaitlyn in her cute Auburn shirt

Corn Hole!

War Eagle Dogs!

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Birthday Weekend

2008-09-15T10:49:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we were able to celebrate Keith's parent's birthdays. His mother's birthday was Friday and his dad's birthday was yesterday. We celebrated with a trip to Flemmings. Keith and I had heard from numerous individuals that this resteraunt and the steaks were phenomenal, but I must say that I really did not think that it was that great. I am the kind of girl who believes that the best steaks are cooked at home on a charcoal grill, but nevertheless the evening was great. The dessert was the best. We had a Chocolate Lava Cake with vanilla ice cream and two candles...so good! Keith and I got to dress up and go out...which we do not do that often. Keith actually wore dress pants, a button down shirt, and DRESS SHOES (he usually wears flops). We looked good, but I did not get a picture. We celebrated one more time on Sunday. I cooked a small lunch and we had an ice cream cake from Dairy Queen. Keith followed up the afternoon with a nice long nap, and I did homework! Overall, the birthday weekend was a success!

Happy Birthday!

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House Divided

2008-09-06T12:28:00.001-07:00

I have written before that Keith and I live in a house divided. Keith is an Alabama fan, and I am, wisely, an Auburn Fan. Keith has put forth a great effort this week to try and convert me to the other side, but I have not been shaken...WAR EAGLE! I am at home right now watching the Auburn-Southern Miss game and Keith is in Tuscaloosa with his dad preparing for the Alabama-Tulane game. Keith I hope you have a great time at the game, but you can forget about any conversion...I will forever bleed ORANGE and BLUE!

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The Generation-Beach Style

2008-09-06T11:45:00.000-07:00

We headed out last Tuesday night to our final beach trip of the Summer. Keith, Jess, Matt, April, Cooper, Autumn, and I left Birmingham around 7:30 Tuesday night and made it to Destin in a little over 4 hours...thanks to Tom Tom. Our annual Generation beach retreat was scheduled for Labor day weekend, but we all decided to head down a little early and enjoy some extra time on the beach. After checking in at Sand Destin, we arrived to our room around 12:00 a.m. As soon as we heard Matt laughing we knew that something was not right. The room was the size of some walk in closets. After some laughing and a little planning, Matt called the front desk and politely asked for a room that he could "at least turn a cart wheel in". The woman on the other line laughed a little a then gave us a great upgrade. We moved to a two bedroom condo with a sleeper sofa and extra floor space. We finally settled in around 1:30 and we were all exhausted and quite delirious. The next morning we woke up at a descent time, and Jess and I took a trip to Publix. After shopping and spilling spaghetti sauce all over the parking deck, we all headed down to the beach. It was gorgeous and there was hardly anyone else on the beach. It was glorious! We spent the entire day on the beach...which is amazing for Keith and me...we are not big fans of the beach or the ocean. We went to eat that night at the Crab Trap. The food was great and Keith some got great pictures of our college minister's family. We ended the night on the balcony playing a "friendly" game of spoons.

The next day started a little earlier. The guys woke up in great spirits because the first football game of the season was on television that evening. It was very difficult pulling them away from Sports Center, but we made it back to the beach. Keith and I spent a little more time at the pool on Thursday, and he and Matt headed out early to start setting up for the retreat. The girls headed back to the condo to begin preparing dinner. Stephen, David, and Garrett joined us for spaghetti and some of Autumn's incredible Strawberry Punch Cake. The guys enjoyed watching the game...most were shirtless. April and Brent left us to travel down the beach to meet up with some other friends, and Cody (Autumn's boyfriend) joined us at Sand Destin.

We packed up again Friday morning and moved into the houses we would be staying in over the weekend. Keith and I decided to stay in different houses for the retreat. Jessica and I stayed together in the cutest little beach house. We had turtles in the pond behind our house and plenty of room to move around. The rest of the weekend was wonderful. The retreat was amazing and the weather held up until Sunday. I was forced to endure a house full of Alabama fans for the Saturday night upset against Clemson. Alabama did win, but so did Auburn...WAR EAGLE. We had planned to stay until Labor day, but we all headed home Sunday evening to avoid the possible wrath of Gustav. Overall the entire week was great. The end of our Summer could not have been any better.

The group on the beach

My hubby and me

Spoons

Autumn dealing out the cards and Keith's handy camera work

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The Fish Market, Bowling, and Jacksons

2008-09-06T11:29:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from our last double date with Amy and Sean.

Amy and Me at the bowling alley

Amy and Sean

Keith bowling...he won both games!

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The Horse Show

2008-09-06T10:58:00.000-07:00

This post is little late, but I wanted to share this very historic day with all of you. About two weeks ago Keith got to experience something new...the country. Keith, Stephen, Matt, and I headed to Locust Fork to see our friend, Erin, in a horse show. Keith was able to experience his first horse up close and personal...he was scared to death. The guys also got to take part in their first cake walk. I was shocked...cake walks were a very common thing in the town where I grew up. I actually had to explain how this game worked to Keith. Erin did great in the show. She got 5th place in her first showing and 4th in her second. This was actual Rover's last competition as a show horse. He is now free of his "shoes" and running wild in a pasture. Matt also got to brush up on his horse showing skills when Erin let him warm up Rover before she showed the last time. After Erin finished her last competition the guys headed back home, and we all headed to Buffalo Wild Wings (one of our favorite resteraunts). The night ended as we all gathered around our television and watched Michael Phelps win his eighth gold medal. Here are some pictures from our day in Locust Fork.

Keith and Rover

Erin and Me in between her competitions

Matt warming up Erin's horse before her next competition

Matt giving Rover some love

Keith enjoying the cake walk

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Erin and Rover during his last competition...Erin won 4th!

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Update Coming Soon!

2008-09-04T05:25:00.000-07:00

It has been forever since I have updated, but life has been a little busy lately. The Generation Band did a D-Now weekend last weekend, and we headed to the beach last Tuesday. Not to mention school is in full force again, and you all know how much I love school! I will be updating soon...maybe tomorrow! But until then I pray that you are all having a great week! God Bless!

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Good Times

2008-08-18T05:51:00.000-07:00

Keith and I have had the most relaxing past few weeks. It helped a ton that neither of us had to focus any on school stuff. After my last final I did something drastic. I got a major hair cut. I had the appointment for weeks, but I really had no idea what I was going to do. Everyone who knows me knows that I like to be in control of the situation but this time I just let go. I told my hair stylist to do what she thought would look good. She ended up taking off about 3 inches and cutting some major layers. It took a little while to get used to because I look so much more like an adult, but I love it! After the new hair cut I headed to the lake to spend some time with parents. I have mentioned before how much I love the lake. It is just so relaxing and peaceful...not to mention I love being around my parents. My parents are the most giving and loving people, and I can only hope that I turn out to be a parent just like them. Keith and I were also able to spend a little time with my best friend Amy. She and her boyfriend, Sean, are away at college, so we do not to get to see each other as often as we would like. This particular weekend we ate at the Fish Market (they have amazing fried dill pickles), went bowling, and finished with dessert at Jackson's Bistro and Grill (Fried Cookie Dough Egg Rolls...AMAZING!). It was a great night. The next week was a little bit of work and then a Girl's Day Out. Some of the girls who are involved in the Generation (college and singles ministry) went to see The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2. I was incredibly lucky to go see it with the girls because there was NO way I was getting Keith to that movie. The movie was actually better than I thought, and I had a great time with the girls. I made another trip to the lake last week. My mother and I did a little shopping, and my dad and I watched a lot of the Olympics (Phelps is ridiculous).

I have written about The Generation before (our college and singles ministry), but I have some exciting news...the Generation Band (Keith plays guitar) is headed to the studio at the end of September to record a CD. If you are interested we are taking pre orders right now ($20= an amazing CD and a t-shirt). Keith and the guys headed to the studio on Friday to take a look around and talk with the man who runs the place, and now that is all they are talking about. They are incredibly excited and cannot wait to start this project. Please keep this process in your prayers. They truly desire for this CD to glorify God and God alone.

Yesteday was Promotion Sunday at church, so we had about 75 5th (now 6th) boys and girls with the "deer in the headlights look" roaming around the MPB. I can actually remember maybe 5 of their names...which is quite impressive for me. I had to leave a little early, but Keith said the transition went very smooth. Last night we headed out to a local organization called "The Love Lady House" where hundreds of women and children are giving a place to live and worship our Lord and Savior. The band led worhsip and Andy spoke, and it ended up being an incredible night. God moved in a mighty way and you could feel is presence in that place. It truly was a beautiful sight and a great way to end the weekend.

Today I am back at work, and Keith is beginning a 10 page paper. School starts tomorrow, but I am determined to keep a positive attitude...the end is in sight and only getting closer!

Love Wins!

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New Blog

2008-07-29T10:44:00.000-07:00

I have to brag a little on my big brother. He has started a new blog called Rended Heart (it's at the top of my "Blogs We Read" list). His words are incredibly encourgaing and full of the word of God. Take a look at this blog...I pray that it will bless your heart!

Love Wins

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Long Over Due

2008-07-28T05:26:00.000-07:00

Someone asked me the other day why I haven't been blogging, my answer...I have no idea what to write. The past two weeks have been full of tears and questions. Keith and I have lost so much sleep and had so many little fights that we are exhausted. We experienced ministry in a whole new way last week. We watched as hundreds of teenagers gathered to mourn the death of a fellow student. We hugged and we prayed, but in the end we just watched as God moved. On Wednesday we attended the funeral of the teenage girl who lost her life in a car accident. Hundreds of people all gathered in a church sanctuary to honor and celebrate the life of this beautiful girl. The service was full of wonderful stories and remarks about this young girl's life but nothing compared to what we saw... we watched as seven other individuals (young and old) gave their lives to Christ. This alone brought tears to my eyes. She continued to influence this world even after she had left it. Her life and relationship with Jesus Christ continues to be an example for so many people. Please keep this family and the other individuals involved in the accident in your prayers.

As a new week began, Keith and I began to return back to our normal personalities, but we were, and continue to be very tired. On Friday we headed to the lake to visit with my parents and pick up our dogs. As we traveled North we decided that we would have a Rock Band party (in a previous post I had mentioned my extreme dislike for this game). We invited all of our friends and planned for a "bring your own meat" party. While we were at the lake I made chocolate chip oatmeal cookies and two chocolate pies (which tasted almost exactly like Jim and Nick's chocolate pie). The lake was beautiful even though it stormed the entire time we were there. We headed home that afternoon and I went to the grocery store and Keith ACTUALLY CLEANED. No I'm just kidding...he is pretty good about cleaning if I ask him to. Although he did tell me that our guest bathroom was "spick and span" when it was definitely not! That evening we were joined by many of our friends from church. We all cooked out and played Rock Band and Wii bowling. We both had such a great time and enjoyed all the entertainment that all the guys brought with them. At one point that night, Painter and Allen actually took Matt's tailgate completely off of his truck...the best part was that he had no idea that it was his tailgate laying in my front yard. He kept asking me, "Why do you have a tailgate in your yard?" The night ended around 1130, and Keith and I headed off to bed to continue our 3rd season of NCIS.

Saturday was a great day. It rained all morning, and I finally made my first successful batch of pancakes. Keith's mother makes incredible pancakes, but until now I couldn't even keep them from burning. I know that my pancakes will never be as good as his mom's (mainly because my pancakes come out of a box), but it was very nice to not have to say "Forget it...we are going to Cracker Barrel." After breakfast, we began our relaxing day. We watch two movies (one being a Harry Potter film) and layed on the couch all day...we never left. Ohh, did I mention that this very special day was actually our 6 month anniversary. Not that big of a deal, but it was special to us. That evening we finally made it out of our house. We went to Keith's favorite Chinese resteraunt, and then we headed to the church. There was a Game Night going on in our youth department that night, and Keith was in charge. I left early and went home to watch P.S. I Love You with Samantha. Great movie!

Sunday morning was the last time my Sunday school girls would meet at 6th graders...they are so excited about not being at the bottom anymore. I cooked sausage balls and blueberry muffins for our "end of the year" party. I also got to see one my fellow Sunday school teacher's new baby. She is so beautiful, and I had so much fun holding a completely healthy child. It kind of made me want one of my own...not really...give us a few more years! For those of you who do not know, we have two dogs Bailey and Bella (Brittney Spaniel and Weimaraner). They are both incredibly active dogs, and they need exercise every day. Keith and I have had this idea for a really long time, but we were scared to try it...but yesterday seemed like the perfect day. Keith and I rode on our bikes while the dogs ran beside us. It was great! It took about 10 minutes before they were both so tired they could hardly stand up...I also think that the 90 degree, humid weather had something to do with it! After our bike ride, I did something that I never do...I actually took a nap. I have never been the kind of person who sleeps during the day, but my body obviously needed a break. After our nap we headed out to celebrate our anniversary. We had dinner at Sumo's Japanese resteraunt and went to the movies and saw Hellboy II...not that great of a movie, but we had a really great time just being together. So that pretty much sums up the past two weeks.

Happy 40th Birthday Jamin!

Jess and Me...our favorite picture of the night!

Keith, Matt, and Stephen at the Rock Band Party

Husband and Wife...and Matt's teeth!

Bella slept the whole night...Stephen decided to join her.

Me, Jess, and April

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The Big Easy

2008-07-14T06:48:00.000-07:00

After long nights of homework and studying, Keith has finally made it to New Orleans. He will be in the "Big Easy" for one week while he works on two classes for school. He arrived last night around 8:00, and called to express his loneliness through an almost crying voice. After the past weekend all I could do was cry. The stress of his father's heart attack, facing the fact that he could of died, my husband leaving for a whole week, and Keith basically crying over the phone was a whole lot to handle. I cried and prayed for quite a while and now I am doing much better, but I do ask that you keep Keith in your prayers while he is gone. He was not too excited about leaving his family during this time, but his dad did insisted that he go to school. Please pray for his safety and that God would comfort him during this time when he would rather be by his parents' side instead of sitting in a desk listening to a lecture.

Keith...I am a little jealous, but I have some requests...make sure you spend a little time sight seeing (St. Louis cathedral and Lafayette cemetery)...eat some good cajun food (my mom recommends the muffaletta, but I doubt you will like it), listen to some New Orleans jazz, and take a few pictures in the French Quarter...but most of all...bring me back a t-shirt! I love you very much...be safe and try to have a little fun!

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The Healer

2008-07-14T06:17:00.000-07:00

I must start this blog off by reporting how amazing my God is! Keith's father suffered a massive heart attack on Saturday, and God decided that He had a greater plan...He saved his life! The doctor himself stated that God must have more for him on this earth because the area of the heart that was affected usually results in death. I must say that it was amazing to see God reign over the rules of medicine. They were able to remove the clot and avoid surgery by placing a stent in his artery while he was in the Cath lab. It was no more than 4 hours later that he was cracking jokes about the fact that he "never saw the light". He was moved from the CICU last night into a regular room and has been told he will most likely be able to return home on Tuesday. I believe that this event made an impact on many people's lives including my own. Not only was I reminded again of how short life can be, but I also realized that Keith is going to work really hard to beat this gene factor. I wanted to say thank you to all of you who lifted this situation up in your prayers, and ask that you continue to pray for his health and a speedy recovery. I am continually amazed by God's grace, and this event is just another portrait of His love for His people.

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Request

2008-07-12T19:10:00.001-07:00

Please pray for our family

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Beach Week

2008-06-30T05:36:00.000-07:00

Yes...it is finally that time. We are headed to the beach this week, and I could not be anymore excited! Life around the Varden house has been quite busy the last few weeks, and we are both in need of a little of break. Keith actually left this morning to head down early and play at a youth camp with Stephen. Keith and Stephen are both part of "The Generation Band" and play each Wednesday and Thursday night for the youth and college ministries. God is moving in a huge way with these guys and He has actually opened so many new doors for all the guys involved in the band. Not only has God given them the opportunity to begin playing for church camps, but He has also presented them with the opportunity to begin the process of making a CD. Side Note: They are playing for the Union Hill Beach Camp, so please pray God moves in a mighty way in the lives of these youth!

Since I am incredibly scared to stay by myself my mother is actually going to spend the next few days with me! This means Chinese and Mexican food and chick flicks. Then...on Thursday we are headed to the beach! This will actually be my first vacation to take with my brother and sister-in-law, so I am really excited! Like most siblings, my brother and I did not get along very well as we are growing up. Jonathan and I are 6 years apart, so about the time I was at my annoying little sister age, Jonathan was beginning to hang out with all the cool baseball players, and he and his friends loved to see how hard they could make me cry. This lasted until I was about 12 and then he realized I was actually growing up. As the years have gone by our relationship has gotten so much closer, and I consider him one of my best friends. I also have the most incredible sister-in-law!

Samantha is also going with us to the beach. Ryan (her boyfriend) is playing baseball in Idaho right now, so we will just have to have fun without him! There are no major plans for the beach...just to read, tan, and eat great food! I am officially going to leave all of my school books at home and just relax! I cannot wait! I will post lots of pictures of our trip when we return! Until then I pray that everyone has a blessed week! Love Wins!

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Lake Trip

2008-06-17T06:46:00.000-07:00

We managed to make our first lake trip this past weekend. Keith and some of our friends headed up to my parent's house on Friday. The weather was suppossed to be absolutely horrible, but it was one of the prettiest weekends of this summer. I absolutely love the lake (Keith not so much) because it just feels like a mini vacation. I know that it is only 30 minutes away from home, but when you are there you feel disconnected from the world. We usually spend the mornings on the front porch rocking or sitting in the swing. Life seems much slower there...I just wish we could go more!

We woke up on Saturday and my wonderful mother fixed us all a Southern breakfast. We had eggs, sausage, biscuits, and some good gravy. It was so good! Then we all headed down to the water. Keith took us all innertubing...it was very painful. Keith has been known to be a little rough, but I think he reached a new point this weekend. Mallory and I were on the tubes and Keith was being really rough...long story short some how Mallory and I got thrown off and severly rope burned all at the same time. Mallory's arm looked horrible and I had it across my left cheek and under my nose. It hurt so bad, but no one was critically injured. Keith continues to say that it wasn't his fault, but I think otherwise.

The severe burns started after lunch. I promise it does not matter how much sunscreen you apply you always get burnt. Keith and I managed to do very well this time. I was a little tender on my shoulders and Keith had some serious pink cheeks.

Stephen and Pilgreen managed to ski with millions of boats and seadoos all around, and Keith proved that he stil had it! When Keith was younger (17/18 ish) he could wake board like no other. He could turn flips and get some serious air, but now he doesn't have that much time to practice...so he can't do all of that anymore. This weekend he tried, and he looked pretty good. He tried his flip at the end but did not quite make it...but he came really close!

After the conclusion of our wonderful lake trip, we celebrated Father's day with Keith's dad. Keith's parents left on Sunday for a 2 week vacation in Mexico...seriously! So please keep them in your prayers as they are away.

Sunday afternoon we headed out to City Stages. I can honestly say that I was not at all excited. I did not really like the idea of being out with tons of people in the heat of the day, but it turned out to be incredible. We actually just went to see The Basement and Daniel Bashta on the Coca-Cola stage. It was hot but it was incredible! There were hundreds maybe even thousands (I am not too good at estimating crowds)of people praising God. There has been a lot going on in my spirtitual life, and I feel that God is moving in a mighty way. He definitely has a plan for Keith and I, and I feel now, more than ever, that He is beginning to prepare me!

Overall, it was such a great weekend! I am looking forward to my next lake trip which will be...THIS weekend! Keith is headed out of town and I am going to spend a little time with my parents. I am also taking my 6th grade girls Sunday school class to the lake on Friday...it is going to be crazy, but I am very excited and so are they!

Until next week...

We pray that everyone has a blessed week!

A Relaxing Weekend

2008-06-09T06:50:00.001-07:00

It's time for my Monday blog, and I must tell everyone about our relaxing weekend. We were able to spend Friday and Saturday at Keith's parents house. They have a beautiful back yard with a pool and the weather was beautiful. Keith got fried on Friday, so he did not enjoy the sun as much as I did but we still had a great time. We cooked out Saturday and spent the rest of the day swimming and sunning! Jack Johnson was the background music and life was wonderful.

We spent Saturday night celebrating one of our friend's big news! Ryan got drafted to the CUBS! We are all so excited for him. He is actually leaving today to begin his life as a baseball player. Samantha (Ryan's girlfriend and my old roommate)is going to become my tanning friend. We have already made plans to spend the end of this week at the pool. So good luck Ryan with your firt week! I promise to take care of Samantha. Don't forget us when you famous and GO CUBS!

Sunday was busy...as always! God has blessed us with a such a wonderful church. He has given us both such a great opportunity to spread his word to the youth. God is moving in a such a mighty way that we are left speechless...it is so wonderful. After church we headed to lunch and then back home where Keith was able to continue the relaxing weekend. He spent the rest of the afternoon alseep, and I did what I always do...I studied! We had an evening swim party for the Jr.High kids. Keith proved to me that he is still young! He was doing double front flips, back flips, and ganers! Thank God he did not get hurt!

Today...I am at work and Keith is golfing! I would be jealous but it is almost 100 degrees out there, so he can golf all he wants right now!

Life is Good!

Summer...so far!

2008-06-03T06:03:00.000-07:00

Well it has been a crazy start to our summer...here is a little update!

School is so busy right now it is incredible. I am trying to finish as fast as I can, so my semesters are jam packed full of more nursing classes. My weeks are pretty much filled with reading and trying to complete assignments on time. I did manage to pull off some pretty descent grades on my first two tests, so I am rather pleased with the way things are going. I think that I am settling into my groove, so things are beginning to go a little smoother. The only problem is that by the time I have completely settled this semester will be over! I am very excited though because next semester I will take my first Graduate course! I will be one step closer to being finished, and I cannot wait! Keith is also getting ready to start again for the summer. He will be traveling to Louisiana twice this summer for classes. He has a few more days off before the hard work starts!

Enough about school here is a recap of the past two weeks!

Sumer, Keith's cousing, graduated from highschool. I know that I am only twenty one but I felt very old as we watched her walk across the stage. We are incredibly proud of her...so congratulations Sumer!

On May 26 the youth group that Keith works with left for camp. We took approximately 140 students and three charter buses to Tennessee. I stayed in a cabin full of 6th and 7th grade girls who were terrified of spiders, but needless to say they all survived! I cannot begin to explain how wonderful this week was. We had close to twenty students accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. This camp could have not been any better! The students and leaders were able to experience God in a whole new way. The setup was simple, cell phone service was impossible, and the world seemed to vanish for a week. We were all able to experience God without any distractions...it was beautiful!

The twenty students who accepted Christ definitely made the week, but the students also got to experience many other things! One very adventurous thing they all experienced for the first time was no cell phone service! I love these kids, but it was so funny watching them stand in this big field with their cell phones raised to the sky. At times, there would be 25 kids out searching for service.

This camp had many outdoor activities that everyone enjoyed (including Keith and me). Each group spent a day either playing painball, running the adventure race, swimming at the water park, or riding down a 1000 foot zip line on the high ropes course. It was so much fun and luckily no one was injured! I did play paintball for the first time. Ohh my goodness...I don't see why this game is so popular...it hurt so bad! All and all the week was wonderful. The kids are already asking to go back next year!

By the way, Keith also got to raft down the Ocoee while we were in Tennessee...cheater!

This next week is quite peaceful compared to the last two. Their is a little school stuff to catch up on (the internet service at the camp was horrible!) Keith is also planning on taking up kayaking as his next hobby...it is definitely going to be interesting! The month of June is going to be rather slow. Keith leaves to play at a camp for another youth group at the end of this month, and my brother, sister-in-law, and I are going to meet him down at the beach towards the end of the week! I cannot wait!

Well...JP there is your blog update! I hope that everyone has a blessed week!

Love wins!

My Husband

2008-05-13T05:49:00.000-07:00

I have to take a little time and brag on my wonderful husband. Keith knows that I have been a little stressed about going back to school, so he decided to do a little bit to help. Last night after I got home from work I walked into the kitchen and began trying to decide what we would eat for supper. It only took about 5 minutes of me rambling before Keith got a little upset! He "kindly" told me that he had worked all afternoon to dust and pick up the house. I then took a minute to walk around the house and notice all of his hard work. It was beautiful, and he even took a little time to make the bed (remember that rule about if you get up last you make the bed...Keith doesn't follow it, but today he did!) I just wanted to say thank you to Keith for being such a wonderful husband.

I pray that everyone has a wonderful week...the weather is beautiful, so take a little time to enjoy what God has blessed us with!

Beach Birthdays

2008-05-07T07:09:00.000-07:00

Well, life is very busy right now, but I wanted to take a little time and share about the best beach trip ever.

Keith and I left home around 9:20 on Thursday night and headed down to the beach. I was absolutely determined to get there in a timely manner, and since my husband drives about 60 mph all the time, I drove all the way down. We finally arrived around 1:30. Amy and Sean had managed to stay awake and give us directions to the house. The house was so beautiful, and Amy and my birthday weekend had finally begun (Amy turns 21 on May 10), but all we could think about was sleep!

Friday morning I woke to the wonderful smell of fresh brewed coffee. I love coffee, but Keith does not, so I don't fix it for myself. Steven had gone out earlier that morning and brought back some incredible doughnuts for breakfast. Shortly after this, we all headed to the pool. It was so wonderful. We and maybe 10 other people had this huge pool all to ourselves. It was about 80 degrees the sun was shining...I hope you can get the picture. Although the weather was beautiful the pool was FREEZING...and I hate to be cold! Even though it was quite frigid we did all manage to get in...briefly. Keith was a little more hesitant than everyone else, but he resulted into making a water slide out of the stair rail...yes he is a child! After lunch we all headed to the beach...this is where my skin started to fry. I must admit I had told Keith before we left home, "make sure you pack sunscreen because you know how easy you burn"...needless to say you reap what you sow. We spent about 45 minutes playing a game of massive horse shoes. Guys against girls..guys won...of course! Then I spent the next hour under Keith's tshirt and hat. We were able to get a little time in the ocean. Amy and I share one major thing in common...we don't swim in the ocean. I can remember a time around our 8th grade year where we spent hours floating in the water, but not anymore...knee high is as deep as we go! The waves were huge and the undertow was at it's worst, but it was so nice!

Later that night we all headed to Red Bar. For those of you who have not experienced this place you need to! It is basically an old shack filled with colorful junk, but they have some of the best food! This year I took a chance and I actually tried the crab cakes that everyone raves about...they were delicious. Amy and I also had the shortest birthday song ever sang to us by one of the waiters (we think he could have been high...it's debateable.) Notice the picture at the bottom...it was a whole apple covered in cinnamon and then fried...glorious! After this we did a little shopping...Amy found the perfect dress for her brother's graduation, and then we headed back to the beach house. Steven and Mrs. Theresa had planned the best birthday celebration for us. We had the coolest cake and goody bags filled with toys that kept us occupied for the next two days. I am so blessed to have these people in my life...they made this very important birthday the best yet!

The next day was not as sunny as the first, but we did not let it stop us! We headed to the pool expecting to get some of that overcast sun...nope, did not happen! The house was calling our name, so we left the pool and found ourselves on the couch watching an E true story hollywood story about lottery winners...it was very educational! Keith had been dying to go to the Polo outlet, and since it was not very sunny we all consented and headed out to shop...Keith's favorite thing! After this we ate at Pandora's...this place had the smallest crab claws that we had ever seen...they were so tiny! The highlight of the evening...the "all girl band" with the accordion and the fiddle...heck yes! Keith (the music man in the group) said they were horrible! Amy just liked the fact that they had an accordion!

After dinner, we had big plans...we were going crabbin! So Amy, Sean, Keith, and I headed over to Rosemary beach to catch us some crab...we stopped by Starbuck's first and this guy made me a frappucino he created all by himself...it was really good! Then the crab hunt began...Amy sat on the boardwalk because she couldn't imagine the crabs crawling on her feet, and Keith would not touch a crab to save his life (he has a major phobia of spiders and I think that the crab looked too similiar). I think that we finally caught 5 or 6 crab. Most of them were very small, but we did catch one huge one! We wanted to show Steven and Mrs.Theresa all our crab, so we decided that we were going to take them all the way across the street to the house. For some odd reason I was the lead bicycler at this point...Amy was behind me and the boys were trying to keep the crab from crawling out of the bucket! Then it happened...I almost killed my best friend! She told me if the road looked clear then go ahead and cross the street, so I looked one way it looked clear, but looked the other way and realized it was not, so I slammed on the breaks and the next thing you know Amy is laying over her bike on the road! We were both laughing so hard we could not breath...cars were passing by and there's Amy laying in the road laughing. I felt so bad...and once we finished laughing Amy realized that her back was actually hurt! Nothing serious, but it is possible that she does have bruise from my stupidity! Sorry Amy!

We all made it safely back to the house and the crabs and the back injury were proudly displayed! This was our last night, and it could not have been better. Keith and I woke up the next morning and left the beach around 8:30. It truly was one of the best beach trip ever! We caught crabs, listened to an "all girl band", I learned what a "Rosemary" is, Amy broke her back, we ate good food (minus the claws), and Amy and I turned 21!

Here are some pictures from the weekend!

The first day at the pool!

Amy and Sean in the freezing water

The house

Amy and Me at the Red Bar

Us and our very interesting waiter

Our Birthday dessert

Keith and Me after the Red Bar

Amy and her mom (Mrs. Theresa) laughing...most likely at the Rosemary

Isabella (my cuddle buddy) and Me...I fell asleep before everyone!

Steven and Me at the beach...when we discovered I was fried!

The beautiful birthday cake...Steven got it from Publx!

The bicycle bruise! My bad Amy!

Birthday Week

2008-04-28T06:13:00.000-07:00

Yes it is my BIRTHDAY WEEK! I will finally be turning 21 on Thursday, and I am very excited! We actually celebrated my birthday with all of the family on Saturday. My brother and I are exactly 6 years and 5 days apart, so we always celebrate our birthdays together. This year was no different. We all (by all I mean my incredibly small family of 9) met at the lake and grilled out! It was really cloudy, so there was no laying out or boat riding, but it was still a really good day! The only down side was Keith was not able to be there. He was actually working at a block party that the church was hosting, so I cannot really complain.

Later that night, we went to eat with my best friend Amy and her boyfriend Sean! We ate dinner at the Village Tavern (which we highly recommend...definitely get the crab dip). We finished the evening with another trip to Whole Foods, but the highlight of the evening was Amy inviting us to go to the beach this weekend!!! Keith and I had discussed the possibility of going down for my birthday, but we really never made any plans. Amy's family rented a house in our favorite location and they have an extra room! So, Keith and I are going to leave late Thursday night and meet them all at the beach. I really do not think Amy and her family know how excited I am about this trip. First of all, I absolutely love these people! Second of all, we are quickly approaching May 7 (the day that I start classes at UAB), so this trip is perfect! I will be with people that I love (including my wonderful husband) and I will not have to worry about school or work! It will be glorious! Needless to say...I cannot wait for Thursday!

Sunday was also a very good day! My parents and my brother and sister-in-law actually came to eat lunch with Keith and I. I officially have cooked my second successful roast. Keith said that this roast was much better than the first (I guess that is a compliment). The food was great, but the company was the best part. As a child, we always ate Sunday dinner together. Jonathan and I got older, and Sunday dinners ceased to exist, so yesterday was definitely a blessing!

I also have a few more plans for my birthday week. I am working for the next 3 days, but on Thursday I am going to drive back to the lake and spend a little time with my daddy on my birthday. That afternoon my mom is going to meet me after she gets off work, and we are going to pamper ourselves with a pedicure and manicure (my last pedicure was the week of my wedding, so my feet are in desperate need of some work). And then that evening we will leave for the beach!

21 is not looking so bad after all!

P.S. Happy Birthday to my kindergarten teacher (we share the same birthday)!

Pictures of Our Life

2008-04-24T16:19:00.000-07:00

Well, I think that I finally got this picture thing figured out...and I thought that I would catch you guys up on some very important aspects in our lives!

God has blessed Keith and I with a passion to serve His children! This means we spend a lot of time apart, but God blesses us with moments like these where we are able to serve Him together! He is Good!

We are, unfortunately, a house divided...but that's okay! WAR EAGLE!

We wear flip flops everywhere...literally!

God has blessed me with these girls, and I love them!

Keith and I love to bowl, but everything is a competition. This is the one night...I think...that I bowled a better game!

On January 26, 2008 we became Man and Wife. I cried...Keith did not, but it was beautiful!

Tristan Prettyman

2008-04-22T05:39:00.000-07:00

Well, one of my favorite artists is coming to Birmingham tonight, and I am very excited...Tristan Prettyman! I am meeting Keith and Jonathan(my Big Bro) after work, and needless to say I cannot wait for this day to be over! Yes...I will be blessed with the two large black x's on my hands, as well as an extra $3.00 cover charge! But in...9 days I will reach another major milestone in my life! I will finally be 21! For those of you who know the slightest bit about me, you know that I really do not drink (and never will) but I cannot wait for this birthday. I guess after this blessed day...I will finally feel like an adult! I'll post about the show and hopefully some pictures (my computer is still preventing me from doing this)!

God Bless!

Wait...what is happening?

2008-04-21T06:45:00.000-07:00

Yes...something is happening to my dancer body! Things are changing, and I am not at all happy about it! Every time I ask Keith what he thinks he says "if you think your gaining weight then do something about it." WHAT? That means I am, indeed, gaining weight!I can still wear all my clothes, but I just don't think that I LOOK the same anymore. So, I have sworn off bread and everything that is associated with it! It is so hard because I really just don't like meat, so I eat bread...but no more! I am making a change, and "I'm going to do something about it!"

Whoa! Dream Big!

2008-04-21T06:13:00.001-07:00

Well, this weekend was a good one! The weather was absolutely gorgeous and my best friend came into town! For those of you who do not know Madelaine...you are missing out! Everytime I am around her she makes me laugh so hard that my nose get so stuffy I can't breath! We spent the first half of the evening at AL's, and then Madelaine introduced me to one of my new favorite movies (this means I will most likely watch it about 6 times before I get tired of it!) JUNO! It was absolutely hilarious...if you like dry, sarcastic humor! So, I will not ruin the story, but if your looking for a good movie...rent JUNO! Madelaine...come back soon!

After concluding my evening with Mads, I went home to a house full of boys (and poor Samantha) playing Rock Band! The idea of having Rock Band at our house seemed like a good idea at the time, but it has slowly become quite annoying! My husband refuses to be terrible at anything...so this means that he HAS to practice for the next big RB event! If you have never been in a room with Rock Band then you have missed out on the annoying tapping of those stupid drums! So my relaxing evening came to a halting stop after I walked into my house. I heard Cody screaming into the mike, Keith on the guitar, and Ryan (who is actually exceptionally good at all the instruments) was on the drums! This event lasted for about an hour and half. You cannot imagine hearing Cody sing/scream the song Maps at 1100 at night. Let's just say I am blessed!

On Saturday Keith and I drove to the big ol' town of Hayden! My mother and her best friend had a yard sale, and I was eager to spend a little time with my mom! This is most likely going to drive Keith crazy, but I miss my mom! Don't get me wrong I LOVE marriage, but there are days when I just need to see my mom! The yard sale went well, and we were able to eat lunch with my mom. It was a good day!

Completely off subject, but Keith and I (mostly Keith) have been working on our back patio. The idea was to buy new outdoor furniture, but then we realized that we are newly married and poor, so that idea was soon vetoed. We have been able to put a little money towards this area of our house, and it is beginning to look very nice. Keith is so proud, and it has become his new favorite part of the house. He has sat out there every aftenoon just relaxing. Props to you Husband...it's beautiful.

Beautiful Grace

2008-04-14T07:41:00.000-07:00

O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.
You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways...

For You formed in my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother's womb.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them...

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And Lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 139:1-3, 13-16, 23-24

My Blog

2008-04-08T03:42:00.000-07:00

So...I got a text message last night asking for the login to my blog, and I must say that I reluctantly gave all this information to my wonderful husband. I thought he would just write a few things about our wonderful marriage...oh no...I got home last night from work and he had changed my whole blog template. I must say that I was a little upset! Keith and I have two completely different ideas about design...and needless to say, I hated what he put on MY BLOG! I have absolutely no problem with him writing on the blog, but you can't just go and change my template. It really got to me! So, for those of you who have noticed the changed background, don't worry...my template will return along with some long awaited pictures! Keith I love you but no more changes...please!

Just Thoughts...

2008-04-07T18:07:00.000-07:00

So this is my first blog, my wife has been doing all the work and it is absolutely amazing. I am in love with her and she is with me most of the time :) No the past few months have been unbelievable. I couldn't ask for anything more. However I am having to learn that money is not something that we can just spend when I want to. Key word is on I. But it is amazingly fun as you can tell from the prior blogs. We are in our twenties yet we act like 70. hahah

So here is the thought... I am sitting in class listening to a professor (literally now) and we are talking about the doctrine of Christianity. Our discussions are deep and our thoughts are being probed to figure out these wanders of our faith. However, what happens when we focus on all the theologians and and theories and forget about the first love that we were called to? I mean don't get me wrong, it is important to understand what we believe, there is no question. But what I am learning about myself deals with getting so caught up in the business of the Christian life that I forget the purpose. I am called to make a difference.

So here is my declaration::.
I am called to be a world changer, one who is dedicated to the name of Christ being proclaimed to this world. I am a warrior. God is working in me to go to battle for the sake of Christianity. I am bold, not caring what people think, but passionately pursing a God who loves each and everyone of us. And Last but certainly not least, a Godly husband who is passionately in love with my wife, just as Christ loved His Church. To show her respect and to lead her in the way that only God can do.

So this where I am at... not sure if it makes sense to everyone reading (if anyone) But it makes sense in my heart and in my mind. I hope that it cascades out into my everyday life. I am tired of holding it in. I am called.

.::I am awakened::.

Rain, Whole Foods, NCIS, and a Roast

2008-04-07T08:39:00.000-07:00

Before I write down every detail about our weekend, I have to ask if all who read this will say a special prayer for Keith's dad. He and 11 other men are currently doing strenuous mission work in Nicaruaga. There is actually some airport strikes and governmental issues stirring in this country right now, and we are PRAYING for safety and PRAYING AGAINST any sickness or international problems.

Well...I had big plans for this weekend (a picnic somewhere peaceful), but the weather had another idea. You see...I worked extra hard this week to have the house completely clean so we would have Saturday free to enjoy the warm weather, and instead we spent the day inside watching old chick flicks(which Keith actually enjoyed). By lunch time I had already watched "The Perfect Man", "The Wedding Planner", and half of "The Prince and Me". Although the day was pretty much a bust, we did enjoy a new resteraunt that night...Fire and Ice. The resteraunt or "improvisational grill" basically consited of a massive buffet of all kinds of vegetables, pastas, meats, and sauces. We were given a small bowl to fill with whatever we wanted, and then we took our bowls to this grill in the center of the resteraunt to watch the chef's cook our food. It was a great experience, but it required a lot of thinking (for me at least.) Keith had no trouble with the idea of creating his own meal. He went right to it, while I gazed at the wide array of food for about 15 minutes before I could decide what would taste good together. In fact he actually fixed enough meals to feed a small country. By the end of the meal, Keith was actually trying to find places to hide is uneaten food. All in all, it was a lot of fun!

After the meal, we were on a mission to find fresh flowers for our house. I was cooking dinner for Keith's mom on Sunday, and I NEEDED fresh flowers for my table. We ended up in Whole Foods (my most favorite store). I HATE grocery shopping...with a Passion, but Whole Foods is not your ordinary grocery store. I am by no means a "health freak", but I do like to buy things that I know are not treated with hormones and "extra things", so Whole Foods is definitely the place to shop. We entered the store and I was greeted by a huge display of fresh flowers. My mission was complete, but it was impossible to leave without looking around. We ended up buying some much needed items off of our grocery list The trip was a definite success, and a very nice break from the Walmart Super Center!

I know it seems like we had a very full Saturday evening, but sadly enough we were actually home by 8:30...it's pitiful that we are already an old married couple. One thing that Keith and I love to do together is watch seasons of television shows. Last month we watched all four season of "The Office". Saturday night we started the first season of NCIS. It is another CSI/Cold Case type show...which we love. Our goal will be to basically finish the season as fast as we can...we are already 6 in! I know...I know...our life seems incredibly boring, but I LOVE IT!

Lastly, I must tell everyone of my major accomplishment. When I was a little girl, we ALWAYS had a roast on Sunday. You know the kind with the potatoes and carrots! Well I did some major grocery shopping on Friday, and I had the idea that I was going to cook my first "Sunday Roast." Well, I must say that I was incredibly nervous because we also invited Keith's mom over for dinner (Please keep his dad in your prayers-he is on a mission trip to Nicaruaga right now.)So this was a very important Roast! Months and months of the sarcastic Varden jokes relied on this roast. I began cooking late Saturday night...after 3 episode of NCIS. I lost a good nights sleep because of this roast! Finally I woke up early Sunday morning and low and behold it actually tasted good! It was a success...I managed to cook a tender, descent tasting roast that Keith actually ate! I was so proud!

That pretty much sums up our wonderful weekend. My plans were ruined but it was perfect! Well I pray that all of you have a blessed week.

FaithHope

Monday Blog

2008-03-31T10:10:00.000-07:00

Well, Monday is my usual blogging day, but I must say that there is very little to talk about. I try to update on this very special day, so my husband will have something to read while he is in class...not paying attention! Our weekend was pretty slow minus a day of sickness and some snotty noses. For those of you who do check the blog I have a discovery to share with you. I have been keeping up with this man's blog for quite some time now, and I feel that I must share it with all my wonderful friends.

The link is www.cfhusband.blogspot.com or you can just click on CF Husband under "Our Friends." This man is incredible. His faith in God and love for his wife and new daughter are beautiful. His wife suffers from a terrible disease called Cystic Fibrosis. For those of you who are not in the medical field...this is a serious/deadly illness that affects the lungs. I encourage everyone who might be suffering from slight boredom to read this blog. It is inspiring!

I apologize for the lack of informing news, but I do pray that everyone haves a wonderful week!

God Bless!

School Update

2008-03-20T14:30:00.000-07:00

It's official...I'm a Blazer. I was actually accepted into the college yesterday, and today I had a very nice meeting with the Director of the nursing mobility program. It was decided today that I will definitely be pursuing the RN-BSN-MSN. I will actually take my first graduate course this Fall. I must say that I was dreading the thought of going back to school, but now I guess that I am a little excited. Now I can finally say...I will be officically finished with school in two years. If all goes as planned, I will graduate with my Master's degree a few days after my 23rd birthday, and then I am NEVER going back to school. The end is in sight, and it looks Beautiful!

Life is Good!

Married Life

2008-03-13T06:13:00.000-07:00

Keith and I are approaching our 2 month anniversary as husband and wife, and I must say that it has been wonderful. People keep telling us "just wait...your still in the honeymoon phase," but I guess that we are just blinded by love. I cannot imagine life ever being "bad" with Keith. Yes we have our glorious moments of yelling and smarting off to each other, but we usually recover quickly...most likely because Keith has cracked a joke and I cannot help but laugh. So needless to say, things are going very well around the Varden house.

We have developed certain rules around the house to keep things in order...the last one out of the bed makes the bed (this is usually Keith), I unfortunately do the laundry, and Keith takes out the trash. Our greatest struggle right now would have to be potty training. Bella is our 11 week old Weimaraner, and she is a little difficult. She has learned that if she needs to go outside to go to the front door. Well this all great and wonderful, until it is 9:30 at night and Keith and I are cuddled on the couch all warm and cozy. This is when the yelling starts! Neither of us really want to leave our warm spot on the couch, but somebody has to do it. We have developed an "every other" schedule. If I get up the first time, then Keith has the next and then it goes back to me and you get the point. It is a great plan, but we will both be glad when Bella can hold her bladder for more than 10 minutes.

The Office...possibly the best show on television. Keith and I had been told by many friends that we needed to start watching this show. Well, we did not really want to start from the fourth season, so we devised a plan to buy the seasons in intervals so we could catch up with the plot line. We bought the first season and finished it within a week. It was slightly boring (for me), but Keith insisted that we give the second season a chance. It was hilarious! We finished the second and third season in less than a week. The episodes are only about 20 minutes a piece, so please don't think that all we do is watch t.v. Well, we finished season 3 only to realize that season four does not come out on DVD until December 2008. We both sit at home every night wishing we could watch the show. It's pretty pitiful. So, basically I am recommending this show to anyone who loves dry humor. Some of things are so stupid that it is hilarious. It is definently worth watching!

I also have to tell you about the last 2 weeks at church. God has shown up in a glorious way. We have had around 6 or so youth give their life to Christ within the past 2 weeks. To God be the Glory! It is so amazing to see someone making the most important decision in their life. The youth group is beginning to sense how wonderful God truly is. During our service last night they showed clips from The Passion of Christ. It gave the kids an opportunity to visualize what Jesus went through on the day He died for them, and let me tell you how amazing it was. I do not believe that there was a dry eye in the house. As a Christian, it is very painful to watch and think that He was tortured and killed for me, but let me tell you how glad I am that he did. He saved me! Not only has God been moving in the youth service, but He is also doing mighty things in our college ministry. About 150 college students meet at 7:30 on Thursday nights at GFBC (if your interested). Our college ministry is called The Generation. God meets with us every Thursday, and He is doing great things through our college minister. It is a beautiful time of intimate worship and discipleship.

Well I think that I have covered all my bases...marriage, rules, dogs, The Office, and most importantly our amazing God. I pray that God continues to bless your week and your life.

Life is Good!

A Beautfiul Day

2008-03-03T06:16:00.000-08:00

The past two weeks have been relatively peaceful. We have been busy but nothing out of the ordinary. Keith and I, after a long discussion, decided to add another member to our family. Last Thursday we picked up our 8 week old Weimaraner. Her name is Bella (We have a Brittney Spaniel named Bailey). She is a dark silver and she has bright blue eyes. She weighed in at 14 lbs, and her feet are giant...she is going to be huge. Our two girls love to play together. Bailey wins most of the fights right now, but that will soon change. We took the dogs down to this large patch of land in our neighborhood yesterday. It was absolutely beautiful. The day could not have been any better. The sun was shining and it was so warm. We took a blanket with us and laid out in the sun. The dogs ran and played. Bella experienced the creek for the first time...she did not seem to like it very much. It was wonderful, but I got to work this morning and my dreams of an early spring were shattered...I was informed that it will be snowing in two days...you got to love the Alabama weather.

I made a big step today. I finally applied to UAB. For those of you who do not know, I am planning to go back to school for my master's degree as a nurse practitioner. I have been in school since I was 5 years old, and I have not stopped. I will be finishing my last prerequisite this Spring, and I will, hopefully, be in the ADN-BSN-MSN program this Summer. Please keep this situation in your prayers. I truly desire to be in God's will and not my own. I should know more about my application within the next 48 hours. If and when I get accepted I will then apply to the ADN mobility program. I will be in school for another two years, and then I am NEVER going back. Keith will finish school in December...thank the Lord! I know that he is exhausted and ready to finish. We are praying that God has His will on our lives. We have always known we could potentially move from Birmingham to another city or even state. I am the kind of person who NEEDS to know exactly what is going on...needless to say God is teaching me a lot. He is in control of this situation. If he calls us to move while I am still in school, then He will provide, so that His will can be fulfilled in my life.

Knoxville

2008-02-18T06:12:00.000-08:00

Keith and I traveled this weekend to Knoxville, Tennessee with the GFBC youth choir. This was our first youth trip as a married couple. For those of you who do not know, my wonderful husband is an associate youth minister at our church. Keith felt the calling into full time ministry when he was 17 years old, and he has been pouring his heart into kids ever since. This weekend was one of many trips that we have taken with the youth...this being one of the smaller trips. We headed out on Friday afternoon with about 55 youth ranging from 6th grade to 12th. My specialty would be the 6th grade girls...they still think I am pretty cool. We spent this weekend working at a ministry called Water Angels. Our kids and about 20 leaders spent Saturday painting, cleaning, organizing clothes, and prayer walking around the city of Knoxville. We were blessed to hear the stories of men and women who, with the love of Jesus Christ, are recovering from drug and alcohol addictions. It was so great to hear how they found Jesus in the deepest of valleys, and how He has rescued them from despair, addiction, hunger, and poverty. Our kids and even the adults saw a whole new side of life. The GFBC youth ministry is incredibly blessed. Most of the kids and adults have very nice houses to come home to and they can afford to put food on the table and buy new clothes, but these individuals do not. They walk around the streets of Knoxville with everything that they own in a suitcase, but still find the Love of Christ in everyday life. Most humans are incredibly shallow. If we found ourselves in a valley like theirs, most of us would turn away from God and blame him for the trials we are facing, but these individuals found God in their despair and His strength and grace have rescued them from a dark life. Their faith and strength is inspiring.

I do have to take a moment and brag on the youth. Keith and I love these kids. They worked so hard this past weekend, and I do not believe I ever heard a single complaint. They painted the exterior of a house, the inside of a church, organized bags and bags of donated clothing, and cleaned the house of a mother in the community. They worked so hard on Saturday, and then the choir spent Sunday leading worship at two different churches. We visited the Greater Warner church in Knoxville for their Sunday morning worship service, and I was so blessed. The preacher is definently a man of God, and his words were a blessing to my heart. The choir did amazing at both churches, and their voices and love for God blessed many hearts...including mine! Keith and I headed back to Alabama yesterday around 4:00. The youth had planned to go to the Dixie Stampede last night, but Keith and I had to get back to the real world. The youth and the leaders will be traveling home today, so please keep them in your prayers as they make their journey home. I pray that you all have a wonderful week. May we all realize the blessings that God has given us, and the grace He so freely gives.

Valentine's Day

2008-02-18T06:01:00.000-08:00

Well...our first Valentine's Day as a married couple was not as romantic as I had hoped. Keith and I have spent many Valentine's Days together and this possibly was our worst. Instead of a nice dinner at a new resteraunt or some other exciting night, I spent the evening on the couch running a fever. Keith came home to find his new wife knocked out...Theraflu is good stuff! Although we did not get to spend a romantic evening out on the town, we did get to exchange some gifts. Keith gave me a beautiful bouquet of flowers, chocolate, and some of the most comfortable socks in the world. Keith's gifts consisted of a few things to preserve his inner child. He got a new Wii game (Madden football), the first season of The Office (we hear it's a really good show...we'll see), and two more Wii remotes, so all his friends can come over and play. Needless to say... it was a wonderful day.

No Worries

2008-02-06T07:48:00.000-08:00

I posted about the wedding, but now I have to write about the HONEYMOON. It was absolutely wonderful. We spent the first night at the Tutwiler, which I highly recommend. The next day we caught a 6:00 flight (we were exhausted) and headed to Jamaica. I know that Alabama is not the coldest state in America, but I am extremely cold natured and the heat in Jamaica was a nice change. We arrived in Jamaica around 3:00 that day. We were hearded onto a bus where we spent the next hour and 45 minutes traveling to our resort. As Americans I believe that we definently take our lives and freedoms for granted. Here Keith and I were traveling to a lavish resort, while we passed shacks made out of sheet metal and children walking barefoot down the street. Keith and I have a heart for missions, and we felt incredibly guilty about enjoying all the good food, warm weather, and comfortable shelter, while these individuals struggled to make a dollar. Jamaica's economy relies on tourism, and I am passing on the word to travel there and feed their economy. These individuals were so kind and so eager to help us. They were all so relaxed and laid back and never complained about the job they were doing or their lifestyle. Many of them were very eager to discuss their life and the hardships they face, but not a single person said that they would flee to a better place if they had the chance. Many say that they have had family members travel to America to earn money, but they always come home to Jamaica. Keith and I left Jamaica feeling very blessed about the life that God has given us. We have so much more than we deserve.

The week in its self was wonderful. We spent the majority of the days relaxing on the beach and trying not to get burned. We spent one day at a world famous attraction called Dunn's River Falls. This was a 1,000 foot waterfall that we climbed hand in hand. The water was freezing but the environment was beautiful. Keith and I purchased a special pair of water shoes for this occasion...they were hideous. Needless to say, they did not make it back to America. Part of our relaxing week involved a massage on the beach. It was a little nerve racking having a thin sheet placed over you while the rest of the resort was free to watch, but it was amazing. After a long week of wedding planning and final touches, we both needed the massage. The resort did not have very much of a night life, unless you enjoyed drinking...ALOT! Keith and I spent a lot of time at the ping pong tables, which I am proud to announce I won a whopping total of 4 games out of about 16. Keith is definently not a believer of letting the girl win, but I love him. About Wednesday we both decided that Jamaica was nice, but we were both ready to get settled back in Gardendale. It was great to get away from the "world" for a little while, but there is no place like home.

Beautiful Chaos

2008-02-05T08:55:00.000-08:00

We have made it back to Alabama, and I finally have time to post about our wedding. It could not have been more perfect. I had heard time and again that no wedding went without at least a minor disaster, but I must say that our wedding went very smooth. If there was a disaster it was definently hidden from me. The festivities began the night before. Keith's mother put together a wonderful rehearsal dinner with chili, taco soup, and grilled cheese sandwiches. I know it's not your typical dinner, but it was so wonderful. The food was amazing and the company could not have been better. That evening the guys took off to see the new Rambo movie. I heard reports that it was incredibly bloody. The girls on the other hand headed to the Varden's house for one last "girly" spend the night party. We spent the evening laughing, "duck taping", and trying to relax. Of course I did not sleep...I might have gotten in one hour. We woke up that morning, and I don't believe I have ever been that calm. My friends will tell you that calmness is definently not a quality that I possess. All the bridesmaids and myself spent the morning getting our makeup done and fixing hair. We all met at the church to finish getting dress...and then started, possibly, the most emotional day of my life!

Keith and I chose to see each other before the ceremony...I know it's not very traditional, but we are not traditional people. This may sound incredibly sappy, but the moment that the doors were opened and he turned around all was forgotten. The stress, tears, and nerves vanished as I walked down the aisle to meet him. He hugged me and held me while I cried...Keith never cries!! After I quit crying we began to laugh because I realized that I had forgotten to put on deoderant on the most important day of my life. We spent the rest of the afternoon laughing and taking pictures...which I will post when I figure out how! The ceremony began at 2:00 and felt like it was over by 2:05. The pastor who married us is the man who introduced to each other...thanks Andy! The ceremony was beautiful and very emotional...I cried but Keith held strong. The moment that he introduced us as man and wife was beautiful. Our ceremony was meant to bring glory to God and He was definently in that place.

The wedding was followed by a black and white reception. The guys changed from their tuxes to t-shirts and the mingling began. Everyone told me that I would not get to eat at the reception, and they were definently right. I had a bite of cake (for the picture), a bottle of Sprite, and one Sweet tart sucker. The party was wonderful. There were so many people there, and we felt so blessed to have them all witness our special day. The whole day went by so fast and before we knew it we were driving off in the 50's Buick limo looking back at our guests and our family as they waved goodbye. It was beautiful. I could not have asked for anything else. I married my soul mate in front of all the people that we love. Keith and I have one desire and that is to serve our Lord and Savior. We have begun a new journey and we cannot wait to see where God takes us. Please keep us in your prayers.

The Vardens

Days Away

2008-01-17T07:13:00.000-08:00

Well the big day is almost here...8 days away! I really am so excited about the wedding, but I cannot wait for it to be over. I know that probably sounds bad, but all this stress and anxiety is killing me. My parents sold my bedroom furniture and we moved it all yesterday. This probably sounds crazy, but it made me cry! I have had this furniture since I was a little girl, and it is kind of bitter sweet that it's gone. We move OUR furniture in tomorrow, and I am very excited about that. I had to put my alarm clock on a box last night! I also have the last of all my parties tomorrow night. It is the big one...the Bachlorette Party. My sister-in-law, Rachel, is hosting the party, and she has guaranteed me that there will be plenty to be embarrassed about. After that party, I will be heading to spend the night with 16 6th grade girls. Keith is in school to become a youth minister and is currently working at our local church as an associate to youth ministries. Each year our church hosts what we call BLAST WEEKEND. It's a big ordeal that involves all the kids spending the weekend together and racing derby cars at the end of the big event. It just so happens that our wedding falls the weekend after this exhausting but wonderful weekend. I will be spending the weekend with my Sunday School class...the 6th grade girls, and will be lucky to get 12 hours of sleep the whole weekend. It sounds like I am complaining, but I am really not. The main goal of this weekend is to bring in kids from around the city and introduce them to the Love of Christ. So, please keep this in your prayers. Another big day comes on Monday...it's Keith's birthday. He will be 23 years old. I have a special gift for him...but it's secret. It is so hard to believe that in 8 days I will be his wife, but I definently could not imagine spending my life with anybody else...I know it sounds sappy, but sometimes the truth is.

Well, that pretty much sums up the wonderfully busy weekend before our wedding!!!

God Bless

Busy Weekend

2008-01-07T12:28:00.001-08:00

This past weekend was full of wonderful wedding related activities. Saturday night was my lingerie shower...the party that I dreaded the most. If you know me at all then you know that I am a very reserved person, and the idea of opening scandalous lingerie in front of 20 people was not my idea of fun. All and all, I had such a good time! My best friends, Madelaine and Amy were responsible for the event. The evening consisted of games, presents, and a cake in the shape of purple panties and a bra. It was so cute!!! The best thing of all...the blinking crown and the purple boa! I received lots of beautiful lingerie and only one REALLY embarrassing gift...thanks Amy!!!!

On Sunday we had the bridesmaid's luncheon. Madelaine's mother was kind enough to host the party and it was absolutely beautiful. All 9 bridesmaids and myself sat around a beautifully decorated table. Each bridesmaid received their own miniature bouquet, personalized notepad, and a special gift from me. Mrs. Carla had prepared a wonderful lunch, and we had a Red Velvet cake in the shape of a gift as dessert. We took some pictures and I will be sure to post them soon. I can honestly say that I have never felt so blessed! Although a party seems like a small thing, I could see their love through each and every detail. I really appreciate them, and I love them all so much!!! The Lord has blessed with me so many wonderful things in this life, and my beautiful friends are just evidence of his love and grace.

23 Days and Counting

2008-01-02T12:15:00.000-08:00

It's official...we are exactly 23 days away from the big day. Life is beginning to get stressful as we prepare for marriage. Last night reality set in...we went through all of our wonderful wedding gifts and spent 4 hours setting up the kitchen. Everything is now in its place and I can finally see my dining room floor. We managed to make it through the night with no premarital arguments or major injuries...just a couple paper cuts. We cannot wait to get married, and the painfully cold weather of Alabama makes Jamaica look better and better. Please continue to keep us both in your prayers. Keith and I truly desire nothing more than God's will upon our life together.

Life is Good!!!