Because life is like a box of chocolates...

I am soooo excited to start this blog!  I have kept a journal since I was probably old enough to write--of course then I called it my "diary"..

Since I do not get to see my family and some of my friends as much as I wish I could this is a good way for them to keep up with my incredibly interesting life (ha).  Thankfully, my family was able to come visit me this weekend--I miss them so much.  It is so hard to be so far away from people who play such a major part in your life.

Also, I wanted to create a place to post and share my paintings rather than on my facebook!

The Lord has truly made himself evident in my life the past few months. After graduating from the Master's program at the U of A last spring I NEVER would have imagined this as what my life would be.  IT IS BETTER THAN I COULD HAVE IMAGINED.  I am a 100% believer in the idea that "everything happens for a reason" and that "God doesn't bring you to it if He won't bring you through it".  Ahh..where to start?!  Of course, ideally I would be kinking lesson plans for the upcoming week at the perfect elementary school somewhere in NWA tonight.  However, the Lord had different plans for my life this year--He is still revealing some of those.  I was so blessed to be hired for a long-term substitute position in a third-grade classroom for this school year's first semester. I fell in love with the faculty, students, and their parents!  It was perfect.  Obviously, it was very difficult to leave the kiddos and everyone I had grown attached to, but as I said---God is still at work!  God has blessed me with an extremely fun talent--painting :) and He has been getting me by the past few months with various requests for paintings and substitute opportunities.  I am eager to see where God will place me next fall.  God did not leave me out to dry--this summer he brought the most amazing man into my life.  I am certain that he placed Ben Willard in my life at just the right time.  He has been so supportive (especially on the days I was so close to losing my sanity) and and such a positive voice throughout this bittersweet time in my life.  

....So now I will take the opportunity to continue to brag on my boyfriend

-Ben Willard-- adorable, HANDSOME, caring, understanding, selfless, supportive, AMAZING, comical (don't tell him I said that), and down-right ridiculous most of the time (in a great way)...WHO COULD ASK FOR MORE?...he is so many more things, but I really cannot spend all night on this :).  At the end of June I was in church with my roommate at the time (she had been insisting I meet him) and though I had no idea--he and his family were just a few rows behind us.  After church we talked & I had to introduce myself (I guess he's shy..pshh).  That was that and we went on our way.  On July 4 he had requested that we hang out for the first time, but I was planning to spend the day with my family.  For some reason I felt like I was already in the car driving to Fayetteville --so that's what I did.  We have spent almost everyday together sense then.  That summer was a very difficult transitioning time for me.  I remember crying to my mom that I would never get married and that I would end up an old lady with cats (and if you know me-I HATE cats). Ben and I joke about how crazy it is that we know so many of the same people and have been in the same place so many times throughout the past few years, but God knew our time was right.  He is my best friend.  In Lady A's song "When You Got a Good Thing" says -"you can make me laugh when I wanna cry.." and Ben truly does that...I guess he has super powers because no one else has ever been able to do that!  Of course, after spending so much time together he knows how to tick my ticker and I am sure, OCCASIONALLY,  I MAY annoy him...(probably not), but I am so in love with him!  I also think it is pretty neat-his niece, Stella was born on my birthday! ;)  He has an awesome family that I have also fallen in love with!  THANK YOU JESUS!!

Ben and I just got a new puppy (well, rescued a puppy).  It was the hardest thing trying to name her--can't imagine how hard it is going to be to name a child-whew.  Since we both love basketball we decided on MJ, but that sounded too much like a boy so we chose-EmJay!! Perfect!!  We are obsessed with this little pee pants pup!