My side of the family.
Tim's side of the family.
Dad walking me down the aisle.
Uncle Denny signing our marriage license. 
Posted in: on Friday, August 11, 2006 at at 1:33 PM 0 comments
Bride and Groom!
Me! I absolutely loved my flowers. I didn't know what they would look like until the wedding day. I trusted my florist though, and that means a lot more than having a picture of what I want and not being able to trust the florist. If you're ever getting married in Texarkana I definately recommend Ruth's Flowers. They are very friendly and honest people!
All my grandparents!
Katelin and Jon (my sister and brother)
Posted in: on at at 1:31 PM 0 comments
Bridal Party
Me and my bridesmaids. I am so excited to have my sister-in-law Brooke as my Matron of Honor. She is on the left at the top.
My family.
Tim's first time to see me in my dress.
Posted in: on at at 1:29 PM 0 comments
I'm starting to get anxious about knowing if I will be teaching or not. I got a call from a principal for an interview and so I called him back to set it up, but he is in a meeting all day. I left a message for him and found out that the position has not been filled yet. So that's good news (for me). I know I'll be finding out soon what God's will is for me this semester, just a little nervous with most schools starting classes on Monday.
Posted in: on Wednesday, August 09, 2006 at at 12:39 PM 0 comments
I am really enjoying being married to Tim. I am really liking getting to experiment with cooking. Both of my parents are great cooks, so while I was at home there was always a meal, and I didn't spend much time cooking. Now that it's me and Tim I have been cooking quite a bit and really enjoying it. The other day I cooked a wonderful roast with potatoes, carrots and onions. It was delicious! I was very impressed. 'Course I guess it'd be pretty hard to mess up a meal in the crock-pot. For lunch tomorrow I am going to try cooking chicken in the crock-pot. I'm looking forward to lunch tomorrow! :) This morning I tried to cook us an omelet for breakfast, but I didn't grease the pan so I ended up with gormet scrambled eggs. I sauteed onions, tomatoes and ham first then started the omelete to add all the fixin's. While doing this I also made hashbrowns to eat with our eggs. It was a great breakfast, very filling. Hopefully next time I'll actually make an omelete.
Posted in: on Saturday, August 05, 2006 at at 12:49 PM 2 comments
The summer I graduated highschool we had an awesome praise band lead us all week long at church camp. Most of the time I spent talking with the lead singer's wife who was able to come to camp also. I think they were either in their 1st or 2nd month of marriage and I loved getting to know her and learning the wisdom that Jamie had to give me. It's been 5 years since then I am still keeping in touch with what Spur58 is up to and how Jamie and Aaron and their boys are doing. I was super excited to get an email this week about a new cd of theirs coming out in October, and that it will be released in LifeWay and Family Christian stores.
I've had the opportunity to see Spur58 in concert 3 times since camp in 2001. The latest time was this past Spring. They were playing at a church near where I student taught. The youth had a retreat that weekend with Spur58 leading worship and ended the weekend with Spur58 giving a concert. It was great to see Aaron. I'm still waiting for when I get to see Jamie at another concert. :) Maybe one day it'll happen.
If you haven't heard of them or heard their music, I recommend going to their website www.spur58.com, or tonight you can hear them online at 7pm (central time). Go to www.studentlifelive.com Find the date and SPUR's name and go from there. And I definately recommend buying their album when it comes out in October.
Hope you enjoy!
Posted in: on Thursday, August 03, 2006 at at 2:44 PM 0 comments
I figured I'd give a little update on my job situation. Three days before the wedding I had a telephone interview with the school I student taught with. During the honeymoon I checked my messages one night to find out they decided to go with someone else. I also had messages from another school district and a principal in that district. I had the interview with the school yesterday, it was the principal and the three 4th grade teachers they have right now. They're looking to add another teacher so they can team teach. That was my first interview with the teaching team, before it had just been the principal and assistant. For some reason I didn't leave excited about it. I'm not discouraged, I guess I don't really have an opinion right now I guess? Today I had the interview with the district, and that was actually fun! :) I was told previously that the interview would be taped, so that made me a little nervous, but the lady that interviewed me was very nice! I got her laughing within my first minute of going into her office and we were laughing up to the point of her turning on the video camera. She still chuckled a little after turning on the camera, but composed herself to do a serious interview. :) At the end of the interview she told me that I am now in the "pool" for principals to get my information. She said that now I just wait for them to contact me. She didn't suggest me calling around to the different schools. She also told me that she has another way of speeding up my process to get on in the district and hopes to see me again in a few days to sign a contract with one of the schools.
I'm not sure how to take all of that. It sounds promising, but we'll see what happens. I know God has the perfect place for me, I just need to be patient.
Posted in: on Wednesday, August 02, 2006 at at 3:35 PM 1 comments
I'm really enjoying being married to Tim. He continues to amaze me day after day with his service and love to me. Before the wedding he spent every day cleaning the apartment to make it ready for me to move in. And since we've been here he has lovingly gone with me to the store to get some finishing touches for our home. He threw out the really old recliner and set up a brand new desk for me so I can have my own computer. He also put a new shower head with the extension neck in the shower for me. I loved going to Home Depot with him to buy a tool box and some tools with his gift card we got for the wedding also. Tim also helps out with some of my chores I have done around the house. Tim absolutely hates to do the dishes, but yesterday he put all the clean dishes away without me asking. I loved that! The number one thing I appreciate about Tim is his spiritual leadership he is already showing in our marriage. Starting the night of the wedding, right when we got to the hotel we started a devotional together. Every day since then Tim has initiated us doing our devotional together every morning before getting out of bed, and every night before going to sleep. I admire that most of all.
In return to show my love for Tim I have already cooked a few meals and have tried to straighten up the apartment, doing laundry and washing the dishes. Theres still lots of work to do, but we should be living here comfortably pretty soon.
Everything has been wonderful. We're learning lots of new things about each other already.
Tim, I love you so much and am so happy to have you as my husband. I am excited to find out day after day what God has in store for us.
Posted in: on Tuesday, August 01, 2006 at at 10:00 AM 1 comments
Bride and Groom cutting the groom's cake.
Tim and Kerri (Tim's old roommate)
David and Adrienne
Off to our honeymoon!
Posted in: on Sunday, July 30, 2006 at at 7:56 PM 0 comments
Nancy and Jerry (Tim's parents)
Ruby and Mark
Maggie, Dan and Ruby 
Kym and Tim
Posted in: on at at 7:08 PM 0 comments
Tim and I have been married for 8 days now and we're LOVING it! The wedding was wonderful. It went by fast for me, as I was warned it might be a blur. I can't wait to get the wedding pictures so I can see what actually happened at our wedding! :) No major bloopers for the wedding. The honeymoon was wonderful! We went to Eureka Springs, AR. I recommend that for a vacation spot. Lots to do and really nice weather. The lake was great. Tim and I got to do a LOT of stuff. We were able to fit in about 2 activities a day. We went on a tour of a cavern, rented a jet ski, went canoeing, swam in the lake many times, went on a 2 1/2 mile hiking trail up and down the steep hills, I got to engenier a train for a little bit...got to accelerate it and pull the horn, walked around the historic district, and saw the Passion Play.
I'll post wedding pictures when I get them.
Posted in: on at at 4:47 PM 6 comments
The wedding week just got a little more exciting. We no longer have a standing mail box. We have one of those heavy duty brick mail boxes...or at least it's suppose to be heavy duty. However strong it was, it was no match for a teenage girl searching in her car for a cell phone. The mail box is broken into two major parts with a few bricks here and there and the base out of the ground. The mail box didn't seem to slow her down and she got herself lodged into our neighbor's tree where is was inbetween the house and the tree. Front of the car in the tree trunk and the back of her Jeep almost in the neighbor's bushes. I couldn't have done that if I tried! Come to find out it's her 4th wreck and her family is members at our church. Her mom was talking to my mom a bit and said, "Of all the houses we hit our preacher's. At least it was only one preacher's house." Which actually, the yard she ended up into (our neighbor) is another preacher in town. At least she ran into probably the most forgiving people's property she could have.
I came home after knowing our mailbox was hit, but didn't think I'd not even see part of our mail box from the end of the road. I found it pretty humorous...we've got the wedding Saturday and company coming in. So no time to worry about the mail box. I'm just amazed how she could've done that. Have ya'll seen the previews for whatever movie where Will Farrell is born a speed racer and tries to drive blindfolded? I thought of that move while looking at what she did. It could've been a lot worst. The girl is physically okay. I assume she's in pretty big trouble with her parents. And she doesn't have a car any more. It's totaled.
To add some humor . . . the mail man still put our mail in the mail box! Yup, laying in our yard on it's side and he puts it in! I wonder if he'll pick up mail if I stick some in there and raise the flag. I wonder if he'd notice. He had to of had a sense of humor to have to get out of the truck and instead of taking it to the door and ringing the door bell just go ahead and put it in a ran over brick mail box.
So this weekend when people are trying to find out house you can't see the address of our house any more, just look for the house without a mailbox!
Posted in: on Wednesday, July 19, 2006 at at 2:04 PM 0 comments
The wedding is VERY soon now! Yesterday my family went to pick up my great grandma Z, who was able to fly in for the wedding. I am so amazed by her. She will be 90 in August and is still going strong. Such a woman of faith too! I'm excited that she's able to be here for my wedding. I am also excited to get to take a generation picture with me and my mom and my gma M and my great gma Z.
Tomorrow I leave to go to Dallas and Tim will be coming out here when his family flies in, then I'll be back in town Friday morning. I've gotta work out plans with my dad today and see if I'll be taking a van full of my things and wedding presents or if we'll wait. I'll probably end up taking a van full 'cause I think my family is ready to get their dinning room back to looking like a dinning room instead of a bridal room.
The wedding still hasn't sunk in completely. I'm thinking it will when the rest of my family and Tim's family gets in town and we have the rehersal. I'm really ready to take the honeymoon and get to relax for once this summer. I've been working on trying to find a job, and have yet to take a day's break from it. I called schools on Monday and even had a principal call me for an interview. And then yesterday the principal at the school I student taught at called me for an interview and we ended up doing a phone interview with her and the assistant principal. I'll find out next week what they decide for their 4th grade classroom. She said she'll just leave a message on my phone for me to check whenever I get a chance.
So hopefully the job hunt will hold still for the next 3 days and I'll keep my phone off during the honeymoon. That way I can concentrate on getting everything ready and in order for the wedding and give a week to Tim.
Posted in: on at at 6:01 AM 0 comments
Yup! Super excited! Lots to do! Prayers are welcome.
Posted in: on Sunday, July 16, 2006 at at 11:55 AM 0 comments
Have you ever gotten so anxious that you can't wait for something to happen, but you don't want to do anything to prepare for it? Thats the kind of mood I'm in right now. I'm ready for the wedding to be here and have all the fun part, but I don't want to do any of the work that has to be done between now and then.
I've been saying for a few days now that I'll start going through my room and clean stuff out and get things boxed up for my classroom and things boxed up for the apartment. I still haven't even started looking at one thing yet.
But! I did take mine and Tim's rings to the jewlers here in town and got the edges of our rings roughed up, and got my ring cleaned again. At first they said it couldn't be done since the edges on our wedding bands are so tiny, but the lady took our rings to the back to the guy who does the work and he was able to put a stone finish on the edges of our bands. Now theres a contrast in the metal from the high polish center and the stone finish edges. I like our rings a lot now. And I think Tim will be a lot happier with them also. Since the store wasn't sure if they could do it or not, and it didn't take very long for them to stone finish the edges they did it free of charge. And they cleaned my engagement ring and told me to come back next Friday to have it cleaned again so it's really sparkly for pictures.
So that's my productive moment for the day. Maybe a little later I'll start going through the things in my room . . .
Posted in: on Friday, July 14, 2006 at at 2:52 PM 2 comments
I have started reading and studying from "AWoman's Walk with God" by Elizabeth Geoge again this summer. I studied in great depth last summer and it came in very handy. This time I am still looking up all the scripture that goes along with the study guide, but not taking the time to journal every single question. I have felt the need to remind myself of the major lessons I learned last summer and put myself back on track.
With the wedding coming up there has been one thing that saddens my heart. Last summer I lost my first friend. And one of my best friends. Anytime I would be visiting someone in Beaumont or just driving through I would call up Aaron and he would drop whatever he was doing and make time for me, or bring me along and include me in whatever he was doing. Aaron fell asleep at the wheel while driving home late at night and didn't make it through. I was studying and learning about Joy at the moment of this event which truly helped me. So why does the wedding remind me of this? Aaron was my only friend I had made plans to be apart of my wedding. I hadn't planned any part of my wedding before hand except that I knew Aaron would play a role in it some how. He could've been my maid of honor if that wouldn't have been to weird. :) I am very grateful though that Tim and Aaron were able to meet 2 years ago at New Years. God blessed me with that being able to happen.
Elizabeth George talks about Joy in a way that really makes me think and be grateful for all God has done and is doing for me and in me.
"I hope you understand now why we must acknowledge that true spiritual joy is not happiness. 'Happiness' is a state of good fortune and prosperity related to and dependent on our circumstances. If all is going well, we are happy; but as soon as some dark cloud or irritation enters our life, our happiness vanishes. Happiness can be a false joy and, since easy circumstances are not life's norm (John 16:33), happiness is elusive. In fact, the apostle Paul preached the truth that 'all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted' (2 Timothy 3:12). God's joy is a gift of grace to us as we encounter the hardship and tribulation and persecution of life in this world, and this supernatural joy, given through God's Spirit, transcends all conditions of life."
My hope and prayer is that whoever reads this can grasp the realness of God's joy for us. To not rely on good fortune, but to seek pure joy. Joy from knowing God's love for his children.
Although I am sad that Aaron will not be at my wedding, I have joy knowing that he is in a much better place. And I have joy that Tim and Aaron had the chance to meet, even though for a short moment, they met.
With how much it takes to pull a wedding together and the stress of decisions being made and not feeling like working on it anymore...I have joy with knowing God's hand is in mine and Tims marriage. God has so graciously pulled everything together making everything work with God's perfect timing in everything. God has also blessed Tim and I tremendously with the body of believers we have surrounding us with their support, love and prayers.
I definitely have a lot to be joyful about.
I learned last year that it is possible to be joyful and sad at the same time.
What do you have to be joyful about? Hang on to that joy and don't forget it.
Posted in: on Wednesday, July 12, 2006 at at 9:06 PM 1 comments
The wedding is coming up soon! Tim and I got our marriage license yesterday and I got to show him the gifts we got from my bridal shower at Dad's church. Mom and I tried to box everything up in an organized fashion (actually Mom boxed all of it up for me) so we can move it home easier. And today Tim and I are going to see Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. Pirates of the Casribbean was the first movie Tim and I saw together, so we of course have to go see this one together. I ended up buying Pirates of the Caribbean from Target last week with one of our gift cards. Mom and Dad hadn't seen it and were going to rent it, but I decided that I'd buy it since it's a great movie and the first one Tim and I saw together. I ended up only paying $10 something with tax at Target, so I was extra excited about that! :)
Posted in: on Tuesday, July 11, 2006 at at 8:19 AM 0 comments
This morning I got a call from a really strange number at 4:45am. Since it was so early and I didn't recognize the number I didn't answer. Then ended up getting a voicemail from Tim about 2 minutes later. I am still giving myself a hard time for not answering my phone. I contemplated calling the number back 'cause he said he was borrowing someone's cell phone from the Ukraine, but I don't know how much of a phone bill that would have rung up.
I've been keeping my phone close by me so I don't miss his call though. He has a $10 calling card to use before he comes home. I will usually leave my phone in my room and go about my business...but now theres no way for me to call him back, so I'm ready at all times for his call. I can't wait until we're married and I don't have to do this!
I miss Tim like crazy and wish he was here to discuss my school offer that I got today. He gets back Saturday afternoon, so thats not far off. Theres lots of stuff to keep me busy, but it's mainly wedding stuff which makes me more eager for him to come home. I can't wait until he comes out here Sunday and I can look at pictures, watch his videos and hold his hand!
Posted in: on Thursday, July 06, 2006 at at 4:47 PM 1 comments
Well, I just got back from my second interview at an elementary school. And they offered me the job. I just had enough time to drive from the school back to Tim's apartment before they called be right before turning off my car.
I feel better about turning down my first offer. This school will be a whole lot better than that one I am thinking. I still want to know if I have a chance at the school I student taught at. But then I don't know if this will be a better place for me or where I student taught.
I'll be leaving soon to drive back home, so I'll have 3 hours in the car of which I can give some thought to what I should do. Tim gets home Saturday, and I told the assistant principal that I would get back to him on Monday after I have a chance to talk to Tim. So that gives me a couple days to figure out what would be best.
Please pray for Tim and I has we discuss what is best for us.
Posted in: on at at 8:44 AM 0 comments
I got the rest of mine and Tim's engagement pictures this week. Here are some from April 22, 2006.
Posted in: on Tuesday, July 04, 2006 at at 7:23 AM 0 comments
Well, Tim has been in the Ukraine for almost a week now and gets back Saturday. We've gotten to email back and forth twice now.
Last week I went with the youth group from my dad's church to Port Arthur to work with Partners in Missions to do Hurricane Rita relief. I learned how to re-roof a house and had fun doing it! I love watching the youth work so hard, cooperate, and then worship at night.
I ended up turning down my 5th grade classroom offer. I have an interview Thursday for a 3rd grade classroom. I am still wanting to wait until the school I student taught at starts interviewing for their 4th grade position and see if I can get on there.
The last day of the mission trip Brianne met us at Joe's Crab Shack and I spent the night with her then we drove home Saturday. She has been up here hanging out, which I have had a blast! I wanted to take advantage of this time to hang out with her before the wedding. Brianne will be coming up early for all the wedding events also. I'm excited she will be here for me to lean on and to help out with everything.
Good news! I passed my ESL test! So now I need to renew my certification already and add that on there. I was so excited to get my email saying I passed. I also got mine and Tim's wedding bands in the mail this morning. I am so excited about that too.
Tim will be coming out here Sunday after church so we can go get our marriage license on Monday. The wedding is so close! The closer it gets the more I'm finding out that there are more things to do.
I can't wait to see him. When he gets back in the states we will have gone 12 days without talking. I can't wait t hear his voice!
Posted in: on Monday, July 03, 2006 at at 5:41 PM 0 comments
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