Fun on the Farm

My Aunt Anita sent me a few of her pictures from our time in Virginia celebrating Juliet's, my grandfather's, and Anita's birthday last week....

My brown-eyed girl!

Prodigy

These boots are made for walking....

On our way to the fair!

One of my [not so important] goals as a mother is that Juliet has a pair of boots for every stage of her life!

Southern Belle with her Apple Basket

Asheville Citizen Times Half Marathon

My dad rocked his first half-marathon at the age of 59.  Also, we ran for New City Christian School and raised almost $1,000 through sponsors!  I'm SO proud of him.  It took us about 2 hours and 33 minutes.

1st Birthday: 3rd Party

We surprised my grandparents with a visit up to Virginia to celebrate Juliet's, my Aunt Anita's, and my Grandfather's birthday....they all had birthdays last week!

Picking apples with great-granddaddy

Reading with great-grandmommy

Yummy, southern food!

1st Birthday: 2nd Party, "Hot Pink Party"

Today Juliet is ONE!  It is so bittersweet.  She is such a blessing and such a joy.  In her honor we had a Pink Party to celebrate!  Juliet did not like her cake (she does NOT get this from me!), but had fun with her new toys and books.

The whole party!
Caroline, Hannah, me, Addalyn, Elizabeth, Natalie, Juliet, Sara Beth, Stella, Sarah, Naomi, Ben, Leah

Flowers and balloons from Micah :)

Juliet and Stella. I can't believe our girls are ONE!

12 month appointment

Juliet weighed in at 21lbs and 5oz, and she is 31in tall.  That makes her 50% for weight and 90% for height. Saying she is not a fan of the doctor is a serious understatement.  She is not a fan of strangers, even less so if they touch her/try to hold her.  The doctor is a stranger that touches her all over.  We have SERIOUS tears.  Thankfully she could hide for a while in the little book cubby :)

1st Birthday: 1st Party

We celebrated Juliet's birthday today with my grandmother and aunts.  We started with lunch at Corner Kitchen, where Juliet at a T.O.N. of macaroni and cheese, and then finished the afternoon at our house with gifts, a birthday tiara!, and cheesecake!

We're the Red and White of State!!!!

Juliet had her first outing on Saturday with the Wolf Pack Club at the Bier Garden downtown to watch the Pack play (she actually went to a few games last year when I was preggers...but she didn't get to dress-up).  She totally looked the part.  That's my girl :)

Polk-a-dot Party!! Happy 1st, Stella!

Stella had the sweetest Polk-a-dot 1st Birthday party.  Juliet shared a plate of food with Stella, had fun playing outside, and tried to partake in gift opening.  What a fun party!  It seems not to long ago that Sarah Beth and I were in our cute maternity clothes, sleeping as much as we wanted, aaannnddd...I don't even remember what I use to do P.B. (Pre-Baby)...Oh, where has the time gone? But we wouldn't change it for the world!  Well, depending on the day.  I kid, people. 

Good Mornings :)

Sometimes I lay Juliet (who looks like a sumo-wrestler with her hair like it is below, I know) in her crib to go to sleep with one of her books.  She will "read" a while and then go to sleep.  Then as soon as she wakes up she seems to just pick up in the book where she left off and when I come to get her up she is just "reading" away. :)

And we're off!!!

He never failed me yet!

People keep asking me "How things are going?" and "What's next?".  I can answer the first one, but I cannot answer the second.

Currently things are going great!  I am teaching three classes at Appalachian State University on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  I love this job!  The people I work with are caring, supportive, fun, and laid-back.  The facilities, resources, and technology are top-notch.  And I am doing something I love: teaching Spanish.  I am also teaching one Spanish class at Montreat college, once a week on Tuesday evenings, and one weekly Spanish class to high school home-schoolers beginning next Monday.  I have a job, I do what I love, and I am still home with Juliet all but two days of the week.  Amazing.

So I like to think back to this very time last year.  I was VERY pregnant and praying and praying that God would provide a job that would somehow work with finishing school and being a new, single-mom.  I could not see how that would be possible, or at least "good".  But he did.  In his time he faithfully provided.  And it is so much better than what I could have imagined for myself.  I even have more work now than I really would like to have :)  He was oh, so faithful, even in the details.

Juliet will be turning one this month.  Crazy, I know.  A lot has happened in this last year and a lot has changed, but God's faithfulness has remained steady and has radiated in my life.

What's next?  I have no idea, and I am perfectly okay with that.  He's never failed me yet.  The ways in which he has guided, provided, and taught me in the last year make me long to stay in a place of true dependance on him.  Yes, "not knowing" is often very hard, and yes, I am diligently pursing options for life after this semester, but I am able to rest in the unknown knowing that he has never failed me yet.  So, I don't know what is next, but I can't wait to see!

Two hymns that have rang very true in my life this past year...

He Never Failed Me Yet
Trust and never doubt
Jesus will surely bring you out
He never failed me yet

I will sing of God's mercy
Every day every hour
He gives me power
I will sing And give thanks to Thee
For all the dangers, toils & snares
That He has brought me out

He is my God And I'll serve Him
No matter what the test

Trust and never doubt
Jesus will surely bring you out
He never failed me yet

I know God is able
To deliver in time of storm
I know that He'll keep you
Safe from all earthly harm

One day when my weary soul is at rest
I'm going home to be forever blessed

Great is Thy Faithfulness
"Great is Thy faithfulness," O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

    "Great is Thy faithfulness!" "Great is Thy faithfulness!"
      Morning by morning new mercies I see;
    All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—
        "Great is Thy faithfulness," Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!