Well it looks like I'm averaging a post every two weeks or so. I suppose that isn't too bad although for as much time as I spend thinking about everything under the sun you would think I'd have more to say.

Anyhow, the start of 2012 has been rather stressful. I will never take for granted those times in life when life seems to move past you without a hitch. Renee and I have so very much to be thankful for and I think I need to remember that in the stressful moments. So far this year we will have or have had: 1 baby being born, 1 graduation, 1 changing job situation (Renee being done with school), problems with pet health (aspen is ok), and decisions in living arrangements and future child care arrangement.

There are at least two or three of the most stressfull events people go through in there and we are two months in.

I sure am glad we can trust in the Lord with all these things. We have always had difficulty trying to discern where and what God would have us do and sometimes it seems like He is saying, Don't worry about all that, right now you just have to trust me in the small things.

In other news, here are a few things we've been doing to keep ourselves sane: reading books, trying to exercise, hanging out with friends, talking with family, dabbling in writing, trying to do quality work in our big-kid jobs and eating ice cream (Renee's OB told her to eat more milkshakes haha)

Thoughts on Life

Most everyone is on Facebook these days. I don't spend a lot of time on Facebook outside of the quick check of the news feed. I don't put many status updates or photos and the like. But I was on it the other day and it was one of those rainy, dreary days when you just want to sit inside and watch a movie. Suddenly I found myself checking up on all kinds of people from the past. People I went to college with, people I went to high school with or people I just knew for a month or two while working at a camp.

What I found myself thinking is how different my life would be with even the slightest change in my decisions. What would have happend if I didn't go to that school, or work at that camp, or stayed in touch with this group of people. I suppose my mind goes places like that on rainy days. I have a feeling that God will have quite a story to share with me when I see him face to face. How many nudges he had to give me to end up where I am today. I am blessed in a hundred ways and yet sometimes I don't quite know how all the chips fell into place.

An old friend of mine said she loved introducing her friends to other circles of friends. I think heaven will be a lot like that. I am looking forward to hearing God share the story of how all the chips fall into place.

Something Interesting to Say

Another couple weeks has gone by and we are getting closer and closer to our baby boy making his debut. He has been kicking Renee nonstop but I think he knows when someone wants to feel him kick because he seems to stop as soon as I put my hand on her stomache. I'm gonna take that as a sign that I have a soothing effect on him.

We are pretty sure on what we are going to name him, but I think we are keeping it under wraps till the big day. That is if Renee can keep a secret for a few more months (I'm guessing she can't haha).

So with this blog thing I think I should make sure it is not just a bunch of updates on our life but also has some substance. I think there should be stuff on here that I would enjoy reading. I guess that has to do with that fact that I'm a nerd and actually enjoy learning (I hope thats one thing my son gets from me).

This year I'm trying to stay invested in books. I like reading for fun, for growth, or for learning. I'm reading Brave New World right now. It's a cool book and makes you think about a lot of cool stuff. Probably the most interesting idea is that we all need the freedom to experience pain or we are really just numb to everything. It is only through experiencing the storms that we can appreciate the sunshine. The book basically boils down to the idea that it is quite sad to live a life only of happiness. I suppose a lot of lottery winners could attest to that idea. Hopefully I can appreciate this concept in the tougher times.

Thats all for now.

New Year, New Life

So neither Renee or myself have put anything up here in a long time and we might as well start this all over with the amount of change we've seen in the past 6 months. Of course if you know either of us you know that at this point Renee is fully 21 weeks along with our baby boy.
All I can say is that I'm super excited about what he will bring to our life and really a little freaked out because we have no idea what to expect. I'm looking forward to reading to him a whole lot and teaching him how to be a good packer/cubs/gamecock fan (a wide assortment I know).
One thing I have been thinking about is how I have given advice to others. I've always that my job was to present both sides to someone so they could make the best decision for themselves... my opinion was not what matters. But now, my opinion will matter. I get to decide what my kid will experience. What he will see. What values we teach him. When to fight the battles and when to let them slide. So much to think about.
Anyway, I'm hoping to put more of my thoughts down so maybe one day my kid (or kids) can look back see what was going through my head when they are having kids of their own.

God bless.

WHHHHEWWWW!

So an entire semester has gone by and I have already enjoyed one month of being out of school. Is there some way to push the pause button? I pretty much have been traveling since school got out. I have been blessed with the opportunity to spend about 11 days at home, a romantic weekend hiking in the smoky mountains and a memorial day weekend with great friends in Myrtle Beach. It has been an awesome busy time but I am looking forward to lazy sunday afternoons reading a book by the pool and not panicking about the fact I have one more year left of nursing school and back out into the real world I go. Ah. One more year? Now most of you might not see the reason to panic but for Errik and I, we have been waiting for this period of our life for what feels like a long time. We have been planning for May 2012 since 2008. "Our" timeline ends there. How did it sneak up on us so fast? We know God has awesome plans for us but right now we are at this be patient time in our walk with Christ. If any of you know me, I am not patient. Not at all. Not even a little. I'm working on it. But right now, I see this big blank slate after May. It's exciting and terrifying all at the same time. But, we sit and wait. I hope Errik and I can enjoy this place we are at and be thankful for everything the Lord has blessed us with and continue to live our lives for Him. Stay tuned.

No Place Like Home

After this last Christmas, I have realized that I am so blessed to have 2 "homes." Chicago will always hold a piece of my heart, where most of Errik and I's family live. Then, I have discovered that Columbia, slowly but surely, is becoming home. And not because it's a place where they get 3 snow days for about 5 inches of snow and some ice or having the hustle and bustle of city life (ha) or being home to the South Carolina Gamecocks but Columbia is home to so many great friends and a church we just love even in its slight brokeness. Although Errik and I may be here for a season, Columbia is the first place Errik and I made home. So I apologize to those I have confused when chatting about home, because right now I am not exactly sure which one is home. And I am okay with that.

I was so blessed to be home (chicago) for 2 whole weeks! I miss my amazing family and our crazy hilarious nieces with a nephew on the way to spice things up. Errik and I wish we could be there for their birthdays, to catch their funny sayings, to babysit and spoil the heck out of them but I know the Lord continues to call us elsewhere for now.

Finally this past Christmas, I was DETERMINED to go back to my home church. The one that taught me what church was, who Christ is, what it means to follow Him, and encouraged me to grow in my faith. God had placed some pretty amazing people along my path there. It was SO refreshing to be back after 3 years. To see all what God has accomplished and continues to accomplish. I felt like a stranger but at home all in the same moment. I remember roller blading on cement floor that are now filled with the nursery, only 500 people attended at my first service where currently thousands of people attend on 3 different campuses not including the roughly 25 church plants worldwide, the crazy lock ins, the camping trips in Canada and Vermont.I even ran into my small group leader from 6th grade who I had prayed with to accept Christ. The list goes on. Lord, thank you for reminding me of a child-like faith and for placing so many people in my life to encourage me to grow in you, no matter where we live.

2011 can be the best year of your life

I'm back home from IL and I loved spending time with family and probably most of all my new nieces (one nephew on the way). While home we had the chance to go to church and Pastor James talked about 2 Tim 1:7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. It was great for me because I often struggle with certain types of fear. Usually the fear of what will happen if I really let God take the reins. Non the less God has given us power (over that which we can not control), love (to over come pain, hurt and disappointment), and self control (power over the self). Pretty cool to think about.

Anyway it was great to hear a challenging and convicting message. So when I think about what I want to be great this year it really boils down to a few key things. I want to be a man after God's own heart, I want to be a devoted husband, I want to be a disciple with my guys, I want to work each day as if for God and finally to be more healthy (thats a major self control one there). So it is January 4th and there are still 361 days to get these things done...