Wordless Wednesday - who am I kidding?

Wordless Wednesday. I don't know why I continue to call these Wordless Wednesday. They aren't wordless, and probably never will be. But that's ok.

Meet our awesome friends:

When I say awesome, I mean AWE-SOME. Let me just give you a run down, we have: two worship leaders and an elementary school teacher in training, a high school teacher and reigning state champion girls' basketball coach, a physical therapist, a graphic designer, a smarty-pants accounting wiz at an energy company, and two radiation therapists at a cancer treatment center. Ah.Maz.Ing.

These people are simply wonderful and Chris and I are so blessed to have them a part of our lives.

Wanna hear a story?

Want to hear a story? A truly amazing, once-in-a-lifetime story. A story about healing and Jesus and he still performs miracles to this day.

Read this story from Chantel, a friend in our BGroup, who is wise and brave beyond her years.

My name is Chantel Wiley. My husband and I have two daughters, Casey and Sarah. My husband Dustin was diagnosed with Stage 4 brain cancer when I was 7 weeks pregnant with our youngest daughter. He has been through 2 brain surgeries, Chemotherapy, and radiation. His tumor was diagnosed as an Astrocytoma. The first round of Chemotherapy and Radiation in 2010 failed to do the job. The cancer was growing more aggressively and jumped up a grade. After new Chemotherapy combinations over a year and a half, his cancer was in remission. This was February of 2011, when he turned 24.

Exciting right? He had cancer and then he was healed! Oh, but this story isn't over....

This past Deccember, 2012, we rushed Dustin to the emergency room due to severe vomiting and migraines. We found out that his cancer had spread to the center of his brain and now had transformed into a grade 4 Glioblastoma. The worst type of Brain Cancer a person can have. More aggressive than ever. Dustin was given less than a year to live in December.

Yikes! Dustin's cancer has returned. His cancer returned about 5-6 months after moving to Shreveport and joining our BGroup. We all celebrated when he found he was in remission! We were thrilled! And now not only did his world get rocked, all of ours did. We were all on this journey with Dustin and Chantel. When the Wiley's found out the cancer was back, it hurt us all. Dustin began another month of chemo, honestly with little hope. As a class we rallied around the family and prayed for comfort. We brought food and babysat anything to help out. It's strange. We all know our God is still in the miracle business, but it's like we never think we will see it. Or be a part of it.

The Sunday before Dustin's final scan, after 1 month of chemo, we decided in BGroup to pray for Dustin and Chantel and the family ton Wednesday and Thursday (the day of the scan and the day of the results). We each signed up for one or more hours to pray for the Wileys. The family was covered in prayer from 3 a.m. to 11 p.m., Tuesday morning through Wednesday night and same for Thursday. Ah-mazing.

After God's children came together over a beautiful, short period of time, prayers to heaven were everywhere you looked. Dustin had an MRI on Wednesday, January 30, 2013. The next day, when we thought we would hear horrible news, the doctors pulled up the scan and the tumor was gone, vanished..notttta. To God be the Glory. Giving our daughters and I more time with their Daddy, and his best birthday present ever :) February is a good month. We will continue to do Chemotherapy, and are not out of the woods..Brain Cancer has a really stupid way of sneaking back up on you when you aren't looking. So we need all the prayers we can get!  

Dustin's tumor is gone!!!! It is hard for us to wrap our little brains around that. It's truly amazing. I don't think any of us ever doubted God, or the fact that he could truly make this happen. But I don't think anyone truly believed it would happen. I'll be the first to admit, I didn't. Shame on me.

Thank you God for healing Dustin and thank you God for continuing to perform miracles, even when we don't believe or deserve it.

You can keep up with the Wileys and follow Dustin's story on their Facebook page.

Been a minute...

So, hello and goodbye January. Goodness, it has been a hot minute since I have blogged. Maybe I'm just recovering from the holidays? Yeah, it took a whole month....

So let's catch up...
Work- work is crazy good right now. Super busy, like I won't be able to come up for air until April, busy. But that is fantastic! I love being busy with work that benefits the community! It is also so great to work with ladies that love the Lord and always try to do the right thing.

School/teaching- I am not teaching this semester. Whew. I will guest lecture a class at Centenary in March. But other than that, no higher ed for me. (WOO!)

Junior League- Oh my goodness. THIS is why I haven't been blogging. Market is almost here!!! And it has been keeping me busy day and night! My placement has been Market Publicity. It's like a job on top of a job. But I know it will be all worth it when Market gets here. Want to join me for a weekend of super fun events and shopping?? Get your tickets here - http://www.jlsb.org/?nd=tnt

Chris- Chris was off almost all of January!! Crazy!! I say "off," but he did do some work, but he was home every night! What a blessing! Probably the longest we have been together (like days in a row) in a while. Since we've been married? Crazy! We were really able to hang out and be normal with each other. Go to dinner, cook dinner, etc. We also really got to know other couples in our BGroup (Sunday School class). It was perfect timing to where we could hang out and get to know everyone on a better level. It's easier to get to know other couples when my other half that makes me a couple is here. We had so much fun with the crew on New Year's Eve (minus Tyler and Aimee)

The house is great. No four legged (or two legged) kids running around. I wonder which will come first at this point. 

I am doing a new Bible study with a small group of girls. We just needed a change. So we are studying Malachi by Lisa Harper. I wouldn't say it is the greatest Bible study, but it at least let us start conversations with each other and grow together.

I was honored by the Young Professionals Initiative as a 40 Under 40 honoree. We got to dress all fancy and go to the event to be honored. (Yes this was in December. Did I never post about that?)

Me and my boo at 40 Under 40

The whole fam! 

Life is good and I've got nothing to complain about!

Wordless Wednesday

Gah. I love this man. <3

Why hello, 2013.

Gosh, where did 2012 go? I feel like the first part druuuuuuug on (while we were building the house), and now the last part just FLEW by!!

It seems like a lot happened in 2012, but I didn't blog about it to prove it. Hmm. Well, what can I say, it was a busy year! That's for sure!

Chris and I started building our house in 2011, continued in 2012 and finally finished is in July 2012! Whew! It was a long, exhaustive process, but we are so pleased with the results!! We feel so blessed to be able to come home each night to a house that is our very own!

That was the highlight of 2012, I'd say. Chris worked his tail off every other week at the rig and the other weeks at home. Poor boy. When he comes home, he never rests. I've got him tackling all kinds of projects when he's "off."

I worked my tail off at my old job, and my new job! I am so pleased to be working back at The Community Foundation and just look forward to how I can grow in 2013 and beyond with the organization.

I don't really have big plans for 2013, but I do have a few things I'd like to accomplish. I think a New Year's resolution is too much pressure. But as a blogger friend said, I do have some "intentions" for 2013 I'd like to accomplish.

• I want to enjoy 2013. Like, really enjoy it. I loved 2012 and all its excitement, but sister needs a break. From about October through December I had something to do after work almost every.single.night. That's just not normal. Or sane. And I was beginning to feel it. I want to cherish moments with hubby and friends and family, because life really is too short and could be gone before ya know it! 
• I want to save money in 2013. Who doesn't want this? But I don't want to save, just to save. What's the point in that? As the song goes, "You can't take it with you when you go." We spent a lot of money on the house and it is time to start building up the savings account again. I want to save for a trip. [Then go on the trip and start saving for another :)] I want to save for our future babies. How ridiculous to have to start saving for college before kids. I can't even begin to imagine how much that will cost?! Such is life... I want to save and build a fence. I want to save and make a double mortgage payment. I want to save and be wise with what God has provided us.
• I want to grow in 2013. Well that sounds odd, because I also want to shrink as a person! Haha! I want to grow and flourish in our marriage. I want to go beyond just the surface with my friendship. I want to get to know my friends on another level, and I want my friends to get to know me. Chris and I have a wonderful group of friends from church that we are just beginning to grow with. I can't wait to see what God has planned for the crew of friends! [Grow? Oh you thought I meant grow our family? Well, maybe that too ;)]
• I want to shrink in 2013. Seriously though. I know this is such a cliche New Year's resolution, but this ship has got to shape up, or it's going to sink. Ick. I don't even feel good about myself right now, and that is just no fun. I'll probably stay out of the gym in January and February because all the other crazy New Year's resolution folks will be in there, but I can and WILL start haulin' my butt around the block come January 1! (Shoot! That's tomorrow y'all!!) 
• I want to read the Bible in one year. Chris and I are going to try to tackle this one together! I think it will be so fun to read together and see what God can teach us. I also want to read for FUN! I honestly can't remember that last time I did that. Probably when the Twilight Saga was out. Yikes.
• I also want to charitable, loving, honest, responsible, caring and selfless. Ya know, just those few, small things.  

Wow! Writing all this made me super excited about 2013! I can't wait!!

New table

A coupe of weeks months ago I came across this on Pinterest:

I thought: I need a smallish table in the living room. And I don't want to spend a lot of money. And I could do that, with a little technical assistance. 

So here was my shopping list:

6 crates @ $12.99: $77.94

7 legs @ $5.98: $41.65

Plywood: $24.38

Screws: 5.58

Stain: $7.77

Paintbrush: $2.96

TOTAL: $160.28
(Don'y worry, like any other project I made about 37534857 trips to Lowes, Home Depot and Micahels.)

Testing it out in the store.

The Pinterest picture showed a square table, made with 4 crates. We needed something a little longer, and not so square. So We added two extra crates to make a rectangle.

Table legs, sold individually at Lowes/Home Depot

After the stain

My assistance, helping piece it together. 

We put the crates together and then took exact measurements. We went to Home Depot to get an exact piece of plywood to use as a base. We stained it as well, since you can see it through the slates in the crates. So Chris screwed in the base plywood, then we added the legs. We put 3 down each side and one in the center for support.

I am still deciding what to put in the middle. My lovely helper is going to help be build the center up to be a little more shallow and then I can put something in there. A vase? An arrangement? Candles? Time will tell! 

The project really was pretty simple. As long as your can semi- work with tools and have some help putting it together, you'll have a new table in no time!

Saw it. Pinned it. Did it.

What a great link up! I was already planning a post about all my recent Pinterest projects, so this is perfect!  

Pinterest exploded in my garage a couple of weeks month ago. First I made the tomato planter Christmas trees.

The planters were $5.99 each at Home Depot and I used some lights Chris's parents had given us. I bought matching bells for the top of "tree." The planter in front of it, was a gift from my mom- which was one of her Pinterest projects: wooden box, sprayed with chalkboard spray paint. I wrote Merry Christmas on the box. Then put my Black Friday $0.99 poinsettias in the planter. Ta-da!  My next project is our monogram above our bed. I bought these big letters on my recent Canton Trip. I used left over paint from when we built the house, so no cost there! The I purchased the crackle paint. Using the crackle paint was so fun! I just followed the directions on the bottle and it turned out great! I haven't actually hung my letters, but I will get to that eventually.  Letters: $28.15 Crackle: $ 16.49 (1 Quart) - plenty left to crackle everything else! 

Finally, the grandiose Pinterest project, our new living room table! Stay tuned... 

Merry Christmas

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. - Luke 2:11

Merry Christmas from us! 

Canton

Well I experienced my first trip to Canton. Canton, if you don't know, is a HUGE outdoor market for anything and everything: antiques, furniture, crafts, decorations, ribbons, even animals! When I say it is huge, it is huge!!!!! I probably didn't even see half of it! But I did get some good deals. 

This was my first purchase of the day: 

Is that not precious?! I just loved it. 

I chose the one above instead of the big Nativity scene, because I figured my handy husband could build the "barn" if I ever needed him to. :)

There were also vendors with these awesome doors:

I know that may sound weird, but I loved the white one in the back. It was so pretty. Would be perfect for type of decoration. Just not sure what... But I am thinking on it.

 I also got these great little pillows:

This one, obviously, says Merry Christmas. And I got another that say Joy. The total for the 2 was $25! She was having a one hour sale, so I got them for a deal!

Then I got the beautiful birdhouse, sorta:

I saw this birdhouse and just loved it. My mom's best friend, who is also my other mother, came on the trip too and she said she would get it for me for Christmas! So I technically do not have the birdhouse yet, because it is under her tree. But I will have it soon! :) 

I also got these cute letters. I know they sell letters like this at Hobby Lobby, but they never have ones big enough for what I want to do. So I bought these: 

I bought a big S and then a smaller J and C and I am going to hang our monogram above our bed. I even did the crackle painting myself! But I have a whole other post planned for where my Pinterest projects have come to life!

I had a great time in Canton, but I'm not going to lie, I was exhausted. I also got up at 6:20 a.m on a Saturday to drive over there!!! TOO early for Saturday! But it was a great trip and I am so glad I got some great things for the house! 

Wordless Wednesday

Mom's birthday! (And I got bangs!)

Christmas Decorations

So now that Thanksgiving has past, Christmas is in full swing! I did a little Black Friday shopping, but not til about 11:30 and mainly shopping for the house.

Chris and I put the tree up before he left on Thursday night. We're hoping to get a fatter tree next year, but for now our skinny one will do.

I am so excited to spend our first Christmas in our new home! 

Thanksgiving

I.love.Thanksgiving. Love it! So I was beyond excited to host the entire family at my house. If there is one thing I love more than Thanksgiving, it's hosting. I almost feel it is my calling....anywho. Any and all family that could make it Thursday came over. Hannah and her mom joined us and Chris's parents did too! It was so nice to have everyone on all sides of the family over!

I made pumpkin pie, spinach and shrimp dip and the rolls. Everyone got there from about 10:30 right up to 11:15 and of course we eat at straight up noon. Except, since I was running the show we were blessing the food with 2 minutes to spare!

My favorite memory this Thanksgiving happened just before the blessing. The preface: We had so much food on the counters that after dad carved the turkey and the ham, I put the pans in the laundry room to get them out of the way. So, everything was ready and I went to nudge Dad and ask him to say the blessing. As I looked around I couldn't find Chris. And I asked aloud, "Where is Chris?" Dad jokingly said, "Maybe he is in the laundry room eating turkey." Well wouldn't you know I marched over the the laundry room and the door was cracked. I flung the door open and there he was!! Chris was bent over, shoveling turkey in his mouth!!! Dad just about fell out. He said if jokingly, but sure enough he was in there. And Chris's face!! He got busted! It was classic. Everyone got a could laugh out of it. I did feel a little bad, because Chris doesn't like a lot of attention on himself, but that's what he gets for sneaking turkey!

Three generations- James Robert Cook.  

The Steadmans!

Us. <3

A couple days before Thanksgiving, some couples from BGroup got together for a Friendsgiving. I am so thankful for these friends. I am so thankful God has put these folks in our lives to grow together in Christ and throughout life. 

Spiers, Schiros, Galliens, Hennessees

Baby Brother

Ah, baby brother, more like grown man of a brother. :( A few weekends ago my brother graduated from Louisiana Tech University with his Master's of Accountancy. I can't believe he is old enough to graduate college! And the weekend before that he proposed to his girlfriend Hannah! And the weekend before that he landed a job at a local CPA firm in town. I am so proud of him! Some pics of all the excitement:

Family!!

Graduates. Engaged. Employed.

So proud of both of them! Let the wedding planning begin!

Decorated Home

I have been asked only a couple hundred times to put up pictures of the house now that it has our "stuff" in it. [Shout out Ramona.] You can review here what all the rooms look like empty right before we closed on the house. So without further ado here's our stuff, and if I can remember where we got it:

The mantel/fireplace/shelves before:

 

And after:

I've got my fall decorations up. I found those precious little scarecrows at Tuesday Morning for $6! And the tin pumpkin/lanterns things are from Target. I used candles from our wedding in the pumpkins and in some of the other lanterns on the shelves. I got the tall vases on the mantel from Libby Glass outlet and the grass/branches (I don't know what it's called?) are from Hobby Lobby. The shelves are filled with candles, picture frames, various lanterns and photo albums. The shelves are abnormally large and deep so it takes a lot to fill them up!

The couch and the chair that the hunk is sittin in came from Haverty's. The two little chairs by the window are from Red Door. 

This is the back wall of the living room. The table is from World Market. Didn't find it on sale, but it wasn't terribly expensive. Yes, that is a Pintrest project come to life on the wall.

Chris brought me home a great pallet from the rig. I sanded that bad boy down and then stained it. I We used a French Cleat to hang it up and ta-da! I think I want to stick a little green vine up there and let it grow. I'll get to that one day.

So here is a picture of the living room and kitchen from the backdoor BEFORE: 

And After:

The bird cage on the top left looks tiny in the pic, but it is actually a pretty decent size. I purchased it at Red Door and it has pretty purple and white flowers "growing" in it. The shelves at the top on the right are all LSU decorations.

This is the table we got that is in the little nook in the kitchen. Love the chairs. 

This is the "Dining Room." We use that term loosely, as there is no dining room table. Everything in this room came from the townhouse and was bought several years ago. Maybe I should start calling this the reading room. 

This is the guest bath. Most of this came from the townhouse as well- the curtain, towels and fleur de lis. Mom bought me the little sink set at TJ Maxx. Should have taken a close up of that. 

 Guest bedroom one. Chris has just made himself at home here. This is "his room," or the hunting room. Whatever. It is normally quite clean, but he had just got back from hunting. All this furniture came from his room at his parents.

 Guest room 2, "my room." This is all furniture from my town house. And the pics were in my room at the townhouse. It's like we have a girl and boy room for our children that we don't have. Lol.

And this is our master bedroom (please excuse my 80's Halloween costume on the bed). The walls in here are still a bit bare. But my favorite thing in here are the lamps! I just love them! They are mercury glass with burlap shades and like burlap flowers. Presh! - A Hobby Lobby find.  

So there you have it. That's the major parts of the house. I need to take some more detailed pictures of the little things in the house. I'll get to the one day....