Smiling heart.

So, for Christmas Henry got a new camera. The funny thing is that I'll probably use it wayyyy more than he does. Here are a few snapshots of two of my kitties and also a squirrel that I was chasing around the yard using his zoom. 

Not professional pictures, but they offer a tiny glimpse into my world and what makes my heart smile. 


<3 Ab

Goodbye 2011, Hello 2012

I'm normally not the type to get excited for a new year, make unrealistic goals, or even recap the past but like I've said before-I love change. So here it is, my recap of 2011.

Things that I did in 2011-
-Didn't go to school for the first semester in my life
-Completed my first rubix cube
-Turned 21
-Shot my first gun
-Owned Justin Beiber nail polish
-Missed my college roommates
-Got a twitter
-Drove to West Virginia and back twice in one day
-Watched the 1st and 2nd season of Glee
-Perfected my british accent
-Took summer classes for the first time
-Yelled at a professor for the first time
-Failed a class (on purpose cause of the stupid professor!)
-Hated a professor with a passion
-Had to cancel my trip to Costa Rica
-Took care of 10 kittens and 5 adult cats
-Watched kittens be born
-Had a pegleg kitten
-Lose a cat to being run over by a car
-Laughed so hard I cried (not over the cat ^ :(  )
-Sang over the headset at work
-Was on the news
-Took crazy photo booth pictures with some of the most dearest people to my heart
-Became a team leader
-Survived my first health inspector while being the only leader in the store
-Yelled at the comcast people...4 times.
-Went to my first Bachelorette party
-Watched the entire series of 7th Heaven
-Moved into a cute new duplex
-Rode the public bus
-Watched one of my best friends get married
-Saw wild billygoats on the parkway
-traveled to NC with work to learn more about CFA
-Helped our Drive-thru team do over $1000 in one hour
-Was in the Christmas parade
-Played Words with Friends
-Spent Christmas morning with Henry's family
-Had the best Christmas I've had in years
-Spent New Years eve with 2 great friends playing Taboo and Scattegories
-Loved with all my heart

Here's to hoping 2012 is even better. <3

change.

Alright, I'm just going to go ahead and put it out there- I LOVE CHANGE. I love the mystery of starting over and making something different. Not only do I love change concerning my room layout, hair color, or favorite color. But to the more complicated things such as jobs, school, and my faith. If you were to ask any of my college roommates they would tell you "Yes, Abby rearranged her room about once a month." My poor husband, is going to come home to the house completely flipped upside down. :) I just can't help it though. Change is wonderful, it gives me the sense that any thing, any situation, and person has the potential to be great. Some times that just takes some: change. Its all about perspective. Take for example the room scenario. All of the stuff in the room is the same, you're just seeing it in a new and different way.


Change is great in faith, too. Throughout college I learned SOO much about the Mennonite culture and the little world they are all connected to. I loved it. Since I've graduated high school I have regularly attended so many different churches. It has been a great experience to hear or experience things I had never come into contact with. I've attended my home church, United Methodist, then 2 Baptists church, all the Mennonite churches in college, and my most recent-Pentecostal. All of these churches have given me something new to "chew" on and digest. From sitting down to sing hymns in the Mennonite churchs all the way to seeing people speak in tongues at the Pentecostal church- the change is wonderful and great for forming my own, unique faith and relationship with my unique and amazing creator. How wonderful though, really?? Having certain things He says that are nonnegotiable, but others that are free for interpretation to help form that deep and meaningful relationship. :) 


"Christians are supposed not merely to endure change, nor even to profit by it, but to cause it."

Harry Emerson Fosdick


I'm gonna change the world.


Ab

"Like" round 2

It's time for another "like" post. So here we go--
Some things I like===>


*Chick-fil-A (as a job and as a restaurant) 
*Cameras
*Polo's
*Internet at my house
*Friends
*My coworkers <3
*Purple
*Christmas lights
*Sharpies
*Pictures
*Scrapbooks
*Organizing
*New beginnings
*Letting go of the past
*Bible verses 


To end on that note, this has become my favorite Bible verse:


Phil 2:14- "Do everything without arguing or complaining."
         Help me do that if I fail.


Humbly,
Abby

First of many.

So lately I've been working on my bedroom and trying to "cheaply" make it more grown up. I initially was going to go with an earthy toned room-darker blues, greens, and deep purple. That didn't go too well. I realized that I need bright colors in my room otherwise its just sad and it's not really me. It's still not complete but it has come a long way, and it has bright colors! :)

Before

"Set your mind on things above, not on earthy things." Cor 3:2 reads the green wall decoration.
The blue reads:
"Because of the Lord's great love, we are not consumed for His compassion's never fail. They are new each morning." Lamentations 3:22-23


This is one of my favorite things about my room so far.

My .50 coke glass to hold all my necklaces. :)


Stay encouraged! <3 

Blessings

There are certain singers that I know God speaks to me through. No matter the song, I feel him when they sing. Britt Nicole is definitely one of those and so is Laura Story. I just happened upon this song today and it was what I needed to hear. :)


Blessings-Laura Story


"We pray for blessings, we pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering

All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?

What if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise?

We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough

And all the while You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?

And what if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise

When friends betray us, when darkness seems to win
We know the pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home
It's not our home

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?

What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst
This world can’t satisfy?

And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise?"

Changes.

This week has been a week of sheer emotion. Everything seems to be falling into place and it is all just overwhelming. For those that don't know---WE ARE MOVING. Anyone who knows where we live will understand why this is such great news! We are moving out of ghetto life and into a cute, nice, QUIET place over in the tree streets!! :) 


Insert funny side story: 
Until today, we had been doing daily drive by's to get to know the area and make sure that it really was as quiet as it seemed. Our new neighbors across the street must think we are crazy because every time we ride by they are outside. Luckily, today we got the keys and actually got to stop and go inside (so hopefully they realize we weren't just creeping all the time). 


Anyways we are sooooo incredibly happy and thankful because our God is working things out just beautifully and according to his plan.


Another change taking place this week is mom having her first day of work in over 6 months! Praise God!! :) Not only has this whole moving situation worked out perfectly but top it off with a job for mom and we are just ecstatic! As well as tons of offers to help us move, and also free furniture being given to us. I am just humbled at how PERFECTLY God is providing for us. 


Mom shared this verse with me yesterday and it is us to a Tee...he heard our cries and prayers to get out and he provided..


 Psalm 34:4-7
"⁴ I sought the LORD, and he answered me;
   he delivered me from all my fears.
⁵ Those who look to him are radiant;
   their faces are never covered with shame.
⁶ This poor man called, and the LORD heard him;
   he saved him out of all his troubles.
⁷ The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him,
   and he delivers them."