a new season

Wow. Be careful what you pray for! In our case, it all turned out well but it came at me fast. Nolan and I had been praying for a job for me. I also have recently thought that my life had lacked a little purpose because I didn't feel that I was giving of myself enough. Well, when God answers prayer, watch out, it's going to move you. In the the course of one day I

• Was hired at a small loan organization in Lincoln
• Was asked to lead a small group of students
• Was reminded that I agreed to proctor tests for a friend of mine
• Decided to join a women's Bible study group

That day was a whirlwind and I felt a bit overwhelmed. After looking at what I am now involved in, I am so excited to start! I start work on September 4th. I have to travel to Springfield for the first week to train at a different branch and then I will officially start in Lincoln on the 10th. This job will push me out of my comfort zone a bit but I think it will be good. Plus, I'm considered an Assistant Manager, so that always looks good on a resume. The Bible study doesn't start until the 10th and I'm pretty excited about meeting with ladies in the community; hopefully it will help me settle some roots in Lincoln, beyond being a former student. Being a proctor for a test really won't be difficult so I'm not worried about that.
I'm most excited about starting the small group with the girls from school. I think this will be a great opportunity for all of us to grow together and in Him. I've got some ideas for how the semester will pan out with them. I am a bit nervous because I tend to shy away from leadership positions but I feel God wants me to embrace it, so I'm going to. I've also been encouraged by some trusted friends that insist I will do well.
I am genuinely excited about the upcoming months. These changes and challenges are what I've been looking for. Now off to Target to get my planner so I can stay ahead of the game...

Another Great Weekend

This weekend was another family-packed weekend. Our niece, Riley turned 3 on Saturday! She's getting so big. I have to brag that she can already tell her right foot from her left foot, she can count to ten (although she sometimes says "1, 2, 3, 8,9"), she knows her colors and most of her shapes, and she is talking really well! I'm so proud of her! My mom is a kindergarten teacher and I know that some of her students can't tell their feet apart. My niece is great! I love her!
In other news, Nol got his car-pool buddy back. Les is back from Africa and Nolan is pretty excited to have someone to ride to work with. Life is so much better when you have a friend traveling along with you.
Yesterday was finally grocery day. Nol and I have been low for the last week or so. I love shopping at Aldi's. First, it reminds me of when I was little and I played 'store' with my mom's groceries (b/c you have to bag your own goodies at Aldi). I also love it because I know that Nolan and I have gotten so much more food at Aldi than we could afford at Wal-Mart or Kroger. I feel efficient and smart shopping at Aldi. yum. I also feel so blessed on 'big' grocery days because I just think it's such an adult feeling to know that you and your husband have enough food to support yourselves. Just knowing that my fridge, freezer, cupboard, and pantry are full is a blessed assurance. Finally, this is totally me, I love groceries because, to me, order means everything has its own place. That's how groceries are! Frozen food in the freezer, products in the fridge, and then I get to place all the other items in their designated areas. It reminds me that all is right in this world. Okay, that's a bit much but I love it just the same.
Enjoy some pictures from our weekend with our niece and family!

we played the Wii for hours!

Papa should know better than to fall asleep with this crowd

blowing out the candle (or lighter)

"big" pieces

a premonition of what's to come

Riley loves her Uncle Nolan

Aunt Amanda is a bad influence

Surprise!

Family-Packed Weekend

This weekend was pretty action-packed. Saturday we split up. I went home with some girls to see The Wizard of Oz and Nolan went to Springfield for a bachelor party. The play was great and the girls got to meet some of my extended family! Then on Sunday my immediate family met up to spend a few days in Springfield at Knight's Action Park. I had a lot more fun than I thought I would. We spent a lot of time in the lazy river, just floating through and getting a bit sunburn. My back has a nice sting but Nol seems to be doing just fine. My brother and his wife were up from Florida for her brother's wedding so they were able to join us. That is always a great time! That evening we had a delicious supper at O'Charley's and then went back to KAP to hit at the batting cages and driving range. I surprised myself at how many times I actually hit the softball. Nolan and I also got to experience one of those quintessential "golf lessons" as Nolan taught me how to position myself and hit off a tee. Golf isn't my thing but I appreciated the lesson just the same. Enjoy some pictures!

that's my momma!

My sisters & me!

showing dad some love

getting fresh with Abe & Mary Todd

after a delicious meal!

beginnings

Hello to all who may come by this blog! We are newlyweds for a little over 9 months now. We hope to keep our friends and family updated on our lives. We love to have fun and hope you enjoy reading about our adventures!