Contentment

What a whirl wind of a few days it has been -- more like weeks.

Last week I headed to Hershey, PA to spend the night and time with one of my best friends, Stevie Jean. It worked out that she was a good place to stop for the night and got to hang out with her, her husband, and their adorable dog Zola! In the morning (Wenesday) I met my mom & dad in Wilkes Barre, PA and Mom and I made our way up to Utica, NY.

From Thursday until Saturday -- I learned the fine art of canning from the one and only canning master my grandfather! We had a lot fun. Not only do I now know to can - I also am a proud owner of a pressure canner/cooker. We canned whole tomatos, tomato sauce, pickles, zucchini salsa, pepper relish, and froze green beans. So many tasty and wonderful things & such a sweet time we had. I learned more about my family heritage, had many good laughs, and memorable times. I am so glad I was able to go. Once in a lifetime kind of trip -- I live so far away & took so many trips when up there when I was growing up but now that I'm an "adult" (weird) trips are further and further apart, it makes me sad. But so thankful for the time I did have and am still having.

However -- my poor husband had to stay home and work - He is such a hard worker, I am so thankful for him and all the traveling he does for us. He was home all last week - but Monday on my way back home - was on his way away - on a job.

So as you see it's been 10 long days apart -- very long days. This is actually the longest time we've spent apart since we got married two years ago. We really miss each other but reunion will be all the sweeter. Distance makes the heart grow fonder.. Tomorrow he comes home!!

The next couple weeks will be a little crazy though work is a little crazy and I will be getting a lot of extra hours for a few weeks - & trevor is traveling again next week. He's leaving Tuesday coming back Wednesday night then leaving again on Thursdays for a 7 day job - we just found out. It's a bummer.

But we keep reminding ourselves that God is our strength and hope. His grace is sufficient. After all the traveling for Trevor - we are going to (near) corning, NY to celebrate one of my other best friends marriage, Margaret! woohoo! Then another wedding of one of Trevors cousins the weekend after in Pittsburgh. Woo, I am tired after typing all that and thinking about everything going on the next few weeks.

Then most likely fall will be upon us.. where did summer go?? I am not ready for this fall business, I love fall just as much as the next person but I really love the summer. I love flip flop wearing, no jacket, shorts, it's so warm out - I can hardly stand it - but I love it!! Fall is great just feels like summer flew by. Check back with me in a few weeks - perhaps by then I will be ready for pumpkins, apple pie, apple cider, apples, and all sorts of other fall things.  m a y b e

regardless we have so much to be thankful for -- in the end that's all that matters - We have each other - and God provides all that we need perhaps not want but def need :) 

fatal mistake

I made a fatal mistake this afternoon.. although I had received plenty of sleep the last night, I took a nap.. a very long nap mind you. I was celebrating you see - my parents are coming to visit tomorrow & I have 4 or so days off of work. So, I thought it only to be appropriate to take a nap -- and beat the heat. It was a lovely nap - but now I am WIDE AWAKE !!

Summer has been so lovely. We have done more traveling and visiting friends/family than ever. It's been so great to see everyone. It recharges my batteries each time we get to go see friends or family. As I mentioned before my parents are coming tomorrow, so we are pretty excited about that too!

In a few weeks, I am going up to Utica, NY the place of my birth and home of grandpa to visit and can tomatoes and anything else we can think of! My mom and I are taking a little mother - daughter trip up there to spend with him.. I don't get up there nearly as often as I use to, I live so far away. I usually only end up seeing my grandpa once a year.. that's not enough!

As many of you know, I want a dog. I really, really want a dog -- we have yet to live somewhere that allows dogs.. what's up with that?? Well, I do this to myself but I downloaded an app on my phone to look at dogs to adopt -- naturally I fall in love with all of them. but I am head over heels for this fella, Otto!
http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/20774957
 
He's a lab/beagle mix - & I want to rescue him so bad! I even considered sneaking him into our apartment - but that's probably not a good idea. Be praying our landlord might have a place opening up that will let us have a dog and maybe if Otto isn't adopted yet we can get him!! I mean comeon doesn't he look like a cool dog?

Also my dear friend Margaret is getting married at the end of August - I am in the wedding - which is an honor and super exciting! I'm really excited for this wedding - it's in New York -- but in the country.. it's going to be a lot of fun -- I am told there will be dancing (naturally), but also fireworks! Excited to celebrate with everyone esp Margaret and Jesse!

Our garden is doing really well despite how hot it's been - my tomatoes are really starting to explode and the peppers too! We may have more than we know what to do with soon, but not yet. Much of our gardening this year was a experiment - some succeeded and others failed. Such as the cucumbers and zucchini, we picked the wrong size pot and they just won't grow - they keep blossoming and then rotting off - it's a bummer but we learned a lot from it! Someday we will have land and hopefully have a big ole garden but for now we are 'urban gardeners' with our container gardens. I love all our fresh herbs. So, we did a lot of things right and a few things wrong. I love talking to people about it, and learning what we can do better. One of my best friends Stevie is a garden expert (at least compared to me) and Margaret is too - so I love getting their take on things and learning what's best practices.

Phillip Phillips has a song out called Home -- and I'm totally digging it - it has a Mumford and sons/switchfoot acoustic feel to it. I've never been into American Idol but if this song reflects his quality he was a good choice!

welp, perhaps I should try to sleep - my madre and padre will be here tomorrow afternoonish.

Advent season..

We bought an advent calender.. it was a snoopy one
but it's not quite what we were expecting..
we were hoping for more of a christian version
turns out it's more a kids one.. still be fun
but i want to do some research about celebrating advent
in another way -- in a Christ focused way
Any suggestions?



in the mean time
Happy very late thanksgiving.. :)

pumpkins !! pumpkins !!

Trevor and I need some help from our friends and family..
we are having a friendly competition..
We carved pumpkins the other night
and now we need every ones help deciding whose is the best

We had so much fun carving these together

We don't want to reveal which is which..
just want you to vote and let us know which one is your favorite..




Thanks in advance for your help!
we decided whoever wins we get to plan a day
and the other must oblige.. :)
either way it's win - win

as of lately..

Sorry about the pictures not being up before, hopefully it works now
i'm still getting the hang of this blogging thing :)

Trevor and I are full fledged into fall..
all things pumpkin and football
& maybe some leaves too :)


so football - i married a steelers fan.. and i do mean FAN



We also got to go to a penn state game last weekend
it was a perfect weekend..
football game, friends, state college -- my love.
i was so thankful for the time and the tickets.


Pumpkins!!
Trevor and I are having a pumpkin carving contest
we haven't carved our pumpkins yet
but we are having facebook, family and friends judge whose is best
(without knowing whos who)
so help us -- we haven't had time to carve yet
but we are going to this week..



So fall has been good to us
we are so thankful and blessed

take, take it all ..

Here's me trying to write more often.. :)
hey, i'm trying !

I love the song that talks about God giving and taking
it always hits home in my heart no matter what season I (we) are in
our life here on earth isn't perfect - there will always be trouble
but there is always blessings - around every corner
(think - make lemonade out of those lemons..)
you never know what God has up his sleeve...
I love that.. I look forward to each day..
amidst pain and trouble there is always a little lesson
to learn from - something that will just make you smile
or bless your heart.. in the midst of trouble and hurting
it's that you have to look for..
we have a God who loves us - beyond all things
and life is never going to be perfect
but there will always be His love.
which sustains so many of us...

"Our God is healer awsome in power - our God, our God
our God is great and higher than other -
if our God is for us what can stand against, what would ever stop us?"

it's been too long..

I've been meaning to write a new post for quite sometime
however things have been quite busy...
so busy in fact that I don't even know where to start

summer has come and gone..
it was such a good summer --
Trevor and I were able to see so many friends
and visited family, it was so much fun!

Towards the middle of the summer something unexpected happened
Trevor was laid off from his job
left us wondering what God had planned for us
it was only about a month before God provided a new job for Trevor
but in that month, we were so richly blessed
we were able to dig deeper and find new understanding of God
and people were so kind to us - we are so thankful for the love & support
Trevor and I started reading together
Waiting on God by Andrew Murray was such a good read for us

So after one short month (althought i felt quite long at the time in retrospect - quite short)
Trevor is now employed and working harder than ever
He is traveling quite a bit with his new job and working 55 - 60 hours a week
but we are so thankful for this job and God's provision
it's hard but we are remaining thankful knowing God has a plan.

New things are happening and changing in our lives
it has been such a new and interesting season for our lives
we are soaking up every moment of it and having fun too
i can't believe we have been married for a year and four months

There is way too much to catch up on but those are a few of the highlights
ups & downs --
my parents came to visit this past weekend - it was so wonderful to see them
the weather was really cruddy but hey it was still lots of fun!

I am going to try to make more posts.. honest!