365 Day Journey

A year ago today, I awoke to face the start of my 29^th year.  A year ago today, we were just a few weeks into our lives as Kansans.  We were still getting settled in to our place.  Jon and I had just zipped out to CO to see Jada, take in the beautiful Rockies, and enjoy some delicious brews at Avery.  A year ago today, Jon was 2 weeks into his new job and his first year as a Speech Path, while I was diligently working to wrap up my job in MI and starting to think about a new job in KS.   A year ago today, Jon worked his one and only late night on my 28^th birthday getting home at 8 pm (thanks Parent-Teacher Conference!! Hehe)  A year ago today, I got brave enough to pee on a stick, and a year ago today, I saw a + as I nervously peered once, twice and then a third time at that stick

A year ago today, I got to welcome my hubby home and tell him the most exciting (and nerve-racking) news about our baby.  Even as I sit here, my eyes well up recalling the emotions of that day!  What a day!  What a way to start a new year!  How blessed! 

A year ago today, as we celebrated the new life God was molding, I had no idea what the next year would hold.  Duh! Right?! :) None of us do!  But seriously, at that moment in time, in the midst of several new transitions already, we were about to embark on an even greater journey into parenthood!  So amazing and scary for me in that moment! 

Recently, while Jon and I were riding in the car, we started to reflect on the last year.  We’ve experienced so much in the last year, and for me, it’s been the most significant amount of change I can ever recall experiencing in a 12 month period.  IN 12 months, we:

·         Decided to move

·         Packed up a house and moved 1 month later

·         Became landlords

·         Jon graduated

·         I ended a job

·         We both started new jobs

·         Got pregnant

·         Took 5 out of state trips ranging from 3 days to two weeks to Colorado, Michigan and Iowa

·         Had a baby

·         Lost three grandparents

·         Funded 3 financially significant repairs at our place in GR

What a whirlwind of a year full of so many joys, some deep sadness and many emotions in between!  We’ve also had the opportunity to watch dear friends and family as their own families expanded; we’ve prayed for family and friends suffering from illness; celebrated as families were united; we’ve struggled with the joys and challenges of parenthood, and the list goes on! 

The sermon this last week focused on Esther and her steadfast faith in the Lord.  She had great faith that He would deliver her and her people, and she trusted him enough that even He chose not to deliver them in the way she was praying for, that she continued to have faith in Him.  This keeps running through my mind as I face small struggles on a daily basis, as I reflect on our journey over the last year, and I’m praying that when the time comes, as it always does, that I face a situtation that seems too great to bear, that I too will take that situation prayerfully to the Lord for deliverance and make it known that I will trust Him regardless of the outcome.  What an incredible journey we've had these last 365+ days!! Love all the lessons that came with joy and sadness, smiles and tears!

My journey this morning started off with a happy birthday kiss from my hubby in a warm safe home, followed by a snuggle with our handsome, healthy and happy 3 month old.  I was then delivered my favorite breakfast of 2 eggs over medium with ww toast and a piping hot cup of joe!  How blessed am I to start off my birthday and 30th year with these amazing guys!!! 

love to you all!

Treasure Hunt

You know the saying, "One man's trash is another man's treasure!"  That is the theme of US Highway 36 Annual Treasure Hunt.  You can learn all the details about this annual event here, http://www.ushwy36.com/.  This highway has it's own web page to help people to "Discover Kansas' Best from East to West!

This highway runs the full length of KS from Colorado to Missouri, and every year for the past 7 years towns along this highway have an annual garage sale.  Saturday was my first experience with this unique event, and while we only hit up the town of Phillipsburg, many others were  hauling trailer loads of treasures they'd uncovered during this 3 day event!

I spent a whopping $2.00 and walked away with these treasures :)

I'm pretty sure that next year, we'll have to make a weekend of it to fully embrace this fun event and find all sorts of sweet treasures :)

Mitten Pride

Pride, that is something that, without a doubt, so many of the people I came across in GR possessed.  Pride in their city and usually pride in their state!

I love LOVE Grand Rapids!  And I LOVE Michigan!  When I took a week long summer trip to the great state with my grandparents to check out some schools, I instantly fell in love with its beauty!  And, in the 7 years I lived there, I hardly scratched the surface of what the mitten has to offer!  Here are two fun and awesome tributes to GR and the Mitten produced by Rob Bliss.

The Grand Rapids LipDub

The Pure Michigan Statewide Singalong

There is so much Jon and I love about GR and the Mitten:

-gorgeous trees, water, wildlife

-great breweries and beers

-farmers markets

-amazing, locally owned restaurants that use local produce/products

-access to parks

-nature centers

-hockey, football, baseball

just to name a handful!  We hope to have more time to explore the amazing creation in the Mitten over the years, and hope that Kincaid loves it as much as we do!  

While there is so much to explore and love about Michigan, we also have an opportunity to explore and love KS.  It is such a different state in so many ways, but I grew up LOVING so many things about the  Sunflower State !  Things and experiences that I want to recapture and pass on to Jon and Kincaid!  So, I hope to begin to highlight some of our adventures here in KS and that you'll grow to at least appreciate, if not love, our state, too!  

If you live in or have visited KS, I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to know what some of your favorites are so that we can get fresh ideas and capture more of what others love about Kansas, too!  So, have at it!  What are your top 3 things/places/activities in Kansas that you love?? We'll give you a shout out when we do those things, too :)