Oh, babe.

Ever Read Camp Patton? She posts every once in a while about the things her husband says and does. it's called, Simon says.
Brilliant & hilarious.

Nathan is always saying things and then asking me, "are you going to blog that later?"

I am now babe, I am now.

After eating a huge dinner, 15 minutes later.
Nathan: I'm starving. Gets up to pour an overflowing bowl of cereal.
Jess: 
 
 Singing yet another made-up song.

Nathan: I love my wifey bear, she has some cutey hair, I see her over there. (while singing to a tune he made up)

Jess: Yup, that's going on the blog. 

While laughing hysterically at his iPad with headphones on.
Nathan: You're getting pranked this week. Oh, you're getting pranked bad.
Jess: I'll kill you.

While looking at a house online, I told Nathan it had a whole guest house in the back.
Nathan: We can put your mother back there.
Jess: laughing

Sitting on the couch every night, Nathan puts his feet close to me.
Nathan: Diabetes check?
Jess: (tickling his feet to make sure he can still feel it)

Driving to get some coffee yesterday morning
Jess: Looks like it rained last night.
Nathan: No, I just peed everywhere.

Swimming with some friends one night, I decided it would be a good idea to get on Nathan's shoulders for a chicken fight. Wrong-o.
Nathan: Chicken Belly flop!! (As he proceeds to throw me from his shoulders face down into the water)
Jess:  Death stare. 

While at a Student event, one of the jr. high girls is explaining to us how having a twin is sometimes a pain in the butt.
Nathan: Sometimes I have gas, and that's literally a pain in the butt.
Girl: 
Jess: Stop it, stop it right now.

And my personal favorite.. Whenever I do something he doesn't like or wants me to be quiet..
Nathan: Chhhhhhh,(sound ceaser makes) pokes me in the neck like Ceaser Milan does when dog training.
Jess: laughing.
Everyone else around: Also laughing.
*disclaimer, I actually don't know how this got started but we both do this to each other now.. it's become so popular that our friends have began doing this to their spouses. Sounds messed up, but it's really not ;)

That's all I have for now but I have decided to continue these until my husband kills me for putting this all over the blog until further notice.

SO What Wednesday.. Finally!

    I know, I know, it's been wayyyy too long since one of these.  I will make your day by posting this though, you're welcome.     SO What If:   Our house hasn't sold yet. It's been a day since it's been back on the market, deep breath Jess, deep breath.    I leave for our Mission's trip on Sunday and I have done NOTHING to prepare for it.. well except prayer and reading my Bible. That's all I need anyways right?   I have found a total or TWO gray hairs. Clearly these 'So Whats' really do bother me..
I got mad at my husband the other day for telling me I am turning 26 in a couple months. I honestly did not believe him, I thought I was only 24 :-/ I have been so excited to see Starbucks getting my drink right each time that I smile really big and say "thank you so much, this is absolutely perfect," with the sweetest voice ever. I am in Starbucks wayyyy too often. I get gift cards from my Chase purchases.. it's how I afford the little things. ;) I convinced one of the freshman girls going on the trip that because she is a freshman she has to play with my hair the whole car ride there.. all 6 hours.. and she is totally going to :) What girl doesn't like their hair played with... and I mean.. what better way to convince a student? :)   My idea of getting ready in the morning is brushing my teeth and throwing on a tank and comfy shorts. #workfromhomeprobs I jumped on the Candy Crush bandwagon. That game is addicting.    My husband and I have been staying up until the wee hours of the night to play Mario Kart Wii online. Every once in a while we get back into this..and then we can't stop.   Within the next 2 months I am the MOH in a wedding, planning parties, going on a Mission's Trip, making a cake for another wedding, 2 baby showers, another wedding, a vacation, my bffl is having her baby, my birthday and we are trying to buy and sell a house at the same time with our already crazy busy Ministry/Work schedule. We can do this!    Happy Wednesday friends!    

As the Lord sends us out..

   When we were headed off to camp last month, I was battling some pretty bad anxiety.  The Lord walked me through it and we had an amazing week.  Now, as we prepare for next weeks mission trip, although I am not void of anxiety, there seems to be everything else going wrong.  As most of you know, we put our house up for sale 2 weeks ago.  We had an offer within 4 days and we were under contract.

It was very exciting and we were happy to be moving forward to be  able to buy a home where we do ministry.    We also found an amazing home within our budget and perfect for us. We were the first to put in an offer and were extremely optimistic.     Sunday night we got the news that the sellers excepted someone elses offer.  I cried, went on a Starbucks date with my love, and got over it.    Then Monday morning, my realtor called and said the Buyers on our house cancelled.    It's weird because, although I am a little worried about coming up with 2 payments if we don't sell that home soon, I honestly think this may be for the best.  & I am certainly not overwhelmed by it.  Did I have long conversations with my husband & BFFL for comfort? Sure did. But am I having anxiety about it? No.    Small steps people, small steps.    I honestly feel the Lord's peace in every step of this process.  I think there will be a "better" buyer out there for our home and that this will work out in the way the Lord wants. I can't see what that is right now, but I really do trust that this will work out in the exact way the Lord plans for it to.   & of course this is all happening 6 days before we leave for the High School Mission Trip.  No doubt, the enemies way of trying to bring us down and cause us to be ineffective.  The problem with his tactic is, I KNOW my God is bigger than any of these circumstances. He will have His way no matter what and I am so, so comforted by that simple fact.  So the enemy will once again, lose.    There's my update for this week in hopes that you will all come along side us in prayer for this next week. That our student's lives, our leaders lives, and most importantly those we minister to, will be changed forever.  That the Lord would keep us safe and work miracles.  That people would find Jesus. Much love friends!

What my Husband CAN'T do..

I was reading one of my favorite blogs the other day.  Everything she said in this post resonated with me.  I had been wondering for days what to write down. What to share with you all.  & then it was right in front of me.    My husband cannot fulfill my deepest needs.  He cannot be my everything. He simply cannot. I often find myself putting this unfair expectation on my husband to somehow "complete me." That's what movies teach us real love is, right?

 After all, according to the world's standards, if we don't have that sort of fairy tale, ooey-gooey feeling all of the time, there must be something wrong and therefore we should then act according to the "what is best for me" scenario.

There are often times I fall far into this trap. Times when anything he does will determine how I feel. I begin to rely solely on what he can do for me instead of what God has already done.

Without a doubt, because he is human, he will eventually fail to meet my deepest needs, which leaves me feeling unfulfilled, insecure, and broken.

Who's fault is that? Certainly not my husbands.

It's easy to rely fully on him. He truly is an amazing man. He loves Jesus in an intense way. A way I can personally say I have never seen another do.
He strives to always treat me with respect and shower me with deep love and affection.
He hopes for me, dreams with me, counsels me, prays with me.
He is the one I have waited all of my life for.
But he cannot be my god.
He cannot fill that role.
He will not always be there for me in the way I would like him to be.
He cannot give me the peace that surpasses all understanding.
He cannot relate to every hurt, sin, and deep need I have.
He cannot give me purpose or self worth. 
What he can do is lead me to the One who can and will not only fulfill but exceed my greatest expectation.
You see, the thing about Jesus, is you can never expect too much of Him.
He is fully God.
He knows you deeply.
He weeps with you, relates to you, celebrates with you and loves you in a way no one person ever can.
He made you and I so He is the only One capable of fulfilling us. 

 Friends, I know how easy it is to allow your husband to become your (little g) god.
I know how easy it is when you feel intense love for him.
When he is the man you longed for your whole life.
I catch myself doing this far more than I would like to admit.
I cling tightly to him with fear of ever loosing him.
Which only leaves me disappointed and dependent on him in a way I should only be in the Lord.
Maybe this is something you relate to?
Either way I just want to be an encouragment.
There are many things in this life that will promise fulfillment but there is only One who can come through on that promise.
My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 (emphasis added)

HUME SD 2013

    So... we took close to a bazillion pictures.  OK but really, 2,000.  Camp was A-MAZING.    Kool-aid fights.  Late nights. The Beach. Kayaking. Worshiping.  An Amazing video. The Gospel.  Seeing Kids devote their lives to Jesus. Ice cream & coffee. chanting "C O P S, we're the COPS & we're the BEST!" Car rides. Paddle surfing. Pizza slices the size of your face.  Crab crawling. Christmas in June.  Just to name a few.  Also, the enemy really didn't want us there, particularly me, I think.  I Was having terrible anxiety the week leading up to camp (mind you, I haven't struggled with anxiety this bad for close to a year now..)  and as soon as I got there, I thought I was going to die from it. I mean it got so intense I had to walk outside, drive to get some dinner with my husband, talk it out and cry.  I slept maybe 1 hour that whole night.  Which really didn't help considering I had to be a non-stop jr. high leader for 5 days straight at a camp that doesn't stop.  But you know what?  God is good and guess what.. the enemy didn't win. he never does.  God will always prevail. The Lord spoke to my heart and changed me.  He allowed me to be a part of  our students giving their hearts to Him and committing to His ways.  He allowed me to be challenged, stretched and moved. He allowed me to be the one to pray with and speak truth to a sweet girl who committed her life to Jesus. Of course the enemy didn't want me there for that.. but I was and I am so thankful to continuously get the opportunity to "do ministry" with my husband, our great team of youth leaders & our amazing students. 

Our First Home

 

  On Friday Morning, July 5th, we put our first house up for sell. On Monday morning, we had an offer. So.. That's pretty crazy. We are already under contract as they have accepted our counter offer.    I have a lot of feelings.  Some sad, Some excited.  It all just kinda happened so fast, I don't know which emotion I feel more.  Either way, I truly believe this is just another indication that the Lord has us right where He wants us... Doing Youth ministry at a church plant we fell in love with 2 years ago. When I compare our home & our past to the life we have been given now, I am overwhelmed the joy that the Lord has given us .."immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us" -Ephesians 3:20 Even still, I'll never forget all the memories we had there.   My Bridal shower. Coming home to our house together after our honeymoon. Bella's first Easter.

Nathan nearly burning the house down (& lighting his hair on fire!) while working on his jeep.   Tearing up floors and tearing down walls creating mounds of dust in our kitchen and a lot of eating out.  

 

 

So many Birthdays.  So many kisses & hugs when either of us would come home from work.  Planting flowers and watching them survive everything. My husband caring for baby pigeons. Countless hours of painting & decorating together. Nathan running outside during a lightening storm to save our 2 newly planted trees. Thanksgiving in the backyard. Bringing mattresses out for Bella to play on so she wouldn't fall on the hardwood. Placing a decal above our bed that said "Just One lifetime won't be enough for us" Installing our new TV on the wall thinking it was going to fall and break because Nathan's arms were falling asleep. Singing and reading together on the porch.

  Sleepless nights spent watching movies on the couch. Getting up early every morning with Nathan when he worked so far away and cuddling up next to him while he drank his coffee and read his Bible. Watching my husband work hard to make the house look great, inside and out. A spider falling out of the air vent causing me to panic. The phone call about my dad needing to have open heart surgery. "counseling sessions" with my husband in the office and him speak truth over & over to me. So many times we were laughing over everything.  Some times I was crying over nothing. Just sharing this home together.  The very first place that was ours & making it a place we loved to come home to.  All of these memories will hold a special place in my heart forever. They can't be replaced and I will never again be able to recreate them in the same place. What I do know is we will create new memories. ones even more beautiful then the past ones.  We'll create a new home together. I know God has great plans for us, just as He has always proven, and I can't wait to see what they are.  

Life Lately..

I know I have been missing for about 2 weeks now..

Here's Why:

Jr.High camp-6 days. Enough said.

We put our house on the market.

My husband got bit in the face by our dog & I am freaking out because a trip to the ER, 10 stitches, a house that looks like someone got shot, and talk of infection has all but thrown my anxiety into overdrive.

Our other dog chewed up the carpet stairs in our rental home 2 days later.

Our sprinkler system broke in the home we are trying to sell causing us to hire someone on an emergency basis since we had just planted sod.

Countless weekends of yard work in 117 degrees at said home.

Youth Group, Small Group, Trios, Pool party's, & hang-outs.

Oh & I don't know if I mentioned we have full-time jobs.

In 3 weeks we leave for a missions trip with our high school group.

I know I sound like such a whiner but the ONLY reason I am sharing all this is because:
A. to let you know why I have gone missing &
B. We need some serious prayer. PLEASE.

The enemy is attacking us from all sides & I am asking that you please lift my husband, our family, our youth group and our upcoming trip in prayer. For healing, NO infections, medical bills, etc.
That God would receive glory from this and that others would be able to see God make good out of the bad, like He has SO many times in our lives. I so appreciate your hearts and your prayers for us. Thank you!

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. Genesis 50:20

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28