Tennessee Trip Dec. 2011

I had a really amazing weekend with one of my favorite families other then my own.

My Mom, Lizzy and I traveled up to Murfreesboro, TN this past weekend to visit and blend with the saints. We stayed with the Sandlin family there. They are a amazing family from my church life. Sarah, Joey, and Ben were all delightful!!

Mrs. Sandlin had a birthday last weekend. So like I do for my own Mom, I made her a birthday dinner of Home made Fried Chicken, Mashed potatoes, sauteed green beans and mushrooms with onions, Spinach Salad with strawberries, and Ben and I made home made pretzel m&m's for dessert. everything came out perfectly and I successfully had the Sandlin family in a food coma Sat pm :). Lord's day we had the same for leftovers, and I made a Home made Chocolate cake with a strawberry middle glaze, with Cream cheese frosting, and sliced almonds on top to top it all off. Joey: "this cake is the opposite of terrible" haha, silly man! Joey tried to raid the pretzels from the night before and my mom said "save some for your brother's who are coming next weekend" Joey: "oh, is that why they are in the freezer?"

Ben and I made UGA representing posters. Ben wanted me to play paper football with him, which I have not played since I was his age, and he successfully beat me at. I believe it's because I'm out of practice, but he really is a great player. The little man is very Talented!!

Sarah and I had a blast with eachother, and she made me miss my own little sister Hannah SO MUCH!! We went shopping a little. stayed up talking later then we should have, and did eachothers hair, she played the guitar, paino, madlin and the flute all for me at some point during the weekend. She is SO very talented. She also pulled out family photo albums for Lizzy and I to glance at, all so addorible!!

Joey is one smart man!! He is going to end up being one smart talented college man in the next year. I tried to encourage the summer trip he is wanting to take to the YP Conference in Male Ciche, Poland this summer. It would be so wonderful if he actually got to go. It's a life experience I will always treasure and remember! I showed him pictures from the past years that have accured and told him the schedule, tried to encourage him through stories of when I had attended. I think that he was already set on going, and just praying that it will all work out so that he gets to :). http://www.ageturners.com/ is where you can listen to past messages from this particular conference in Poland.

Janis is oh so sweet, and just kept reminding me of my own mom. I really enjoyed the time I was so fortunate to have spent with her this weekend.

I really enjoyed Mr. Sandlin's sharing in the meeting, as he was very busy working all weekend.

Praise the Lord for the Blending :) I thank the Lord I got this time with the saints in Murfreesboro. Here are some pictures :)

Well back to work :)

As for me and my House

It's been a long couple of weeks... I've been dealing with a lot, been WAY too busy with everything in life!
Someday's are easier then others, and then everything gets hard again. I'm constantly being reminded to call on the Lord moment by moment for my supply :)

The Lord is my Shephard and Leader through this life and I've been growing closer and closer to him in these harder, yet such great times.

I'm spending this Thanksgiving without my real family! My Parents are in Cali, Hannah is in London, Naomi is in Ashville, NC, Alissa and her family are in Rochester, MN. Mark is spending it with his girlfriends family, and Matt, I don't know :(... To say the least I'm hanging with my employer's family, which isn't a bad thing, they are saints, but I want MY FAMILY!! I'm being a BIG baby this year....

I truely believe that because of everything I've had to deal with good and bad this year, I am growing as a better person. I really miss my Grandmother, everyday I have thoughts at least once about her! I'm loving my life at the moment, but whose life is without stress and worry? I'm copping the best way I know how, and that is to set my heart and eyes on the Lord each and every moment of each day! I have been growing in Life in the most wonderful way possible.

Philippians 4:6 In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me.

This year will come to a close with the semi annual training in Cali, and spending two split up weeks with my Parents in Big Bear, California. :D I'll be in California the last two weeks of Dec. and the first week in Jan 2012. I'm looking forward to the time off, and spending time with my "rents" :). The week in Anaheim, CA gaining the Lord and studying Pslams, being with ALL the saints 2011, will in fact have a perfect ending.

While 2012 approches, looking back on 2011... My first FULL blooded niece (my mother's first grandchild), Nora Azelea Greising being born Dec. 25th, 2010, She will be 1 years old Christmas day :)! I first got to meet her precious face at the end of January 2011. Feb. brought new beginnings, March brought my Golden birthday when I turned 26, on the 26th of March, along with the SE Blending spring conference the same weekend. April brought spring break and my first trip to visit my parents in Big Bear, California since they had moved there to serve the Lord full time once again. May. brought my sister Alissa's first wedding anniversary. June. brought my last family reunion with my Grandmother Doris Holloway being there. Summer break... Summer June and July off of work and spent in Rochester, MN with my niece Nora :) and her family getting to know my newly bro in law Ian. Also my last week with my Grandmother ever in Minneapolis, and spent with one of my favorite people in the world my cousin Jody. August brought summers end, and work. A trip to Jacksonville, FL for a SE fall blending conference. Sept. brought the death of my Grandmother, and another trip to Minneapolis, MN to spend time with family in a time of mourning. Oct. brought life, through the SE College age blending conference, "Drink the river of water of life to quench your thirst for the Lord!!"... Nov. brought my baby sister's 25th quarter of a century old birthday ;). and Dec. is going to bring new hope... plans for a new year... and a GREAT/ perfect end to what was a great yet REALLY hard year to live through.

I love my family and all my friends. For those of you reading this, thank you for being there for me this year. "it's been a year!" I'm grateful to have y'all in my life standing by my side, if not behind me ;).

Coinscidences

I for one don't believe there is such a thing as Coinscidences. I truly believe that God arranges all things in His timing and for Hid purpose.

When I lived in Slovakia, I had a small group of American missionary friends. We all came from a Christian back ground, but most of us were from a different state and all had grown up in different churches. But because God is the same in every place, we all had Him in common. When I moved back to the USA I didn't know if and when I would ever see or talk to any of my friends there again. Because of social networking we all keep in touch. But until last Sunday I have not had the opportunity to see any of them!

I was in Chattanooga, TN for a "ground breaking," it was the first Lord's day table (communion) of the "church in Chattanooga." A friend and I decided we wanted to stay for the whole day and tour. While at lunch for my best friend Katie T's birthday, I received a comment on my Facebook wall from a friend from Slovakia who i hadnt seen in 10 years that now lives here in the states with her husband and two beautiful children, telling me she was also in Chattanooga for the day visiting!! So because of social networking and the fact that we all keep in touch in this way, I got to see friends I hadn't seen in 10 years!! I also got to meet her growing family :). Her sister happens to live about 40 miles north of Chattanooga and so she was there with her husband and 2 children also :)!I truly believe it was a God thing, and not a coincidence.

The Lord has been helping me through a pretty rough year. I believe looking back this year has been one of the best of my life sO far, and also the worst! I'm praying the Lord Brings me through stronger and more transformed in Him. I'm also praying He gives me what He wants for me in His own timing. Even if I am also letting Him know my desires also. I thank the Lord everyday for my loving family and my extended one as well, they are all so precious to me!

Friends

Last weekend my best friend took a night and came to visit me with her son.

I missed her. It'd been a month since I'd seen them. We stayed up till all hours of the morning talking :)

A good friend contacted me last week for the second time in a month, when it's been about 4 months since talking to him. Supposed to be coming to visit me, would be nice to see him.

Most the time when it comes to my friends, they are great. I love each and everyone of them. I am glad that the Lord has provided me with such great people to surround me :)

Just another weekend in my life...

I'm home and working today.

Indiana was fun. It was good to see most of my old friends, and to enjoy some down time before returning home and to work, after such a stressful trip :) We went and sang karaoke friday night when we arrived. My friend JT who is in a band had a gig saturday night that got rained out, so we just hung out. It was a fast weekend. Breakfast at Denny's with the friends, and off on the road!!

Mark and Tacheyla 

JT and Matt

Tacheyla and I

Michael, Mark and I

We had Lun-Din half way at the Sandlin's in Murfreesboro, TN. It was really good to see some saints, not to mention I hadn't seen them in ages :(... Mrs. Sandlin made a great fish dinner, that we all throughly enjoyed. And then back on the road it was!! We arrived to my appartment around 9pm.

Yesterday Mr. Sandlin says.... "I'm not getting old, my hair is." it is getting more gray and white in it, tis what happens when you age in years.... we are driving home and I remember this verse: Proverbs 20:29 "The glory of young men is their strength, and the honor of old men is gray hair." just a funny little tid bit to my life, little things make me smile.

Still crying daily, and can't help it!! I'm now congested and have a cough, my brother Mark finally managed to get Matt and I sick at the end of our journey!! Hopefully the sickness wont last long!

Now back to my interesting life as a crazy lover of Jesus!

Today is my half birthday :) that is exactly 6 months to the day of my real birthday!