Rewind

     Well I began blogging shortly after Jimmy and I were married, as life would have it, I posted maybe twice, possibly three attempts, and then stopped. The blog title was "the end of goodbyes" because Jimmy and I had been in a long distance relationship for 2 1/2 years prior to our wedding. Those years were filled with many unbelievably difficult Sundays which always brought about "goodbye." 

While we were dating and engaged I can remember drinking as much caffeine as possible on Saturday nights because I couldn't bare the thought of going to sleep only to wake and have to say goodbye the next morning. I HATED falling asleep, I wanted to soak up each possible moment. Still on weekends I find myself struggling with this same mindset of having to stay awake. (And now with a 13 week old baby, that isn't exactly easy!)

    However, God used those times to prepare, shape, and grow our love for each other. We learned valuable communication skills, seeing as we had to communicate by phone for so long. There were also personal lessons which we had to learn during this time as well. It was here when I began looking back through my prayer journals and realized you could see God writing my story! I had to learn to turn over the pen, and allow the maker to write my story instead of telling Him what I thought He should write. I am incredibly grateful to serve a  God who is all-knowing and works all things for our good! 

    On the flight back from our honeymoon I was ecstatic it was the first time in almost 3 years there would be no tears on the ride home! The thought still baffles me! And after 3 years of marriage the fact that I get to see his face each night and morning is still thrilling! We make the choice to never get accustomed to seeing each other and to marvel in the blessing it is just to see each other's face each day! Never take even one day for granted!

     And so it continues, our journey as husband and wife ... 

I made the move and joined my husband in Raleigh NC. We lived in a cute, cozy one bed/one bathroom apartment. We absolutely loved every minute getting to know each other in this new relationship! In October of 2011 we traveled for our first trip as a married couple to Chicago for Jimmy's cousin's wedding. We had a blast! This was a picture from the bean.

God had been working in my heart that He needed and wanted me to work with impoverished children for a while. So when I moved to Raleigh I began teaching at a school which served a particular neighborhood in Raleigh which had previously been bused to keep socio-economic status equal throughout schools. It was here that God placed D in my life....