Appreciating my family

In the craziness that was moving on Saturday, the Viking and I had some relaxing relief come Sunday morning. My sweet cousins from Alabama came to visit us as part of their 2 week summer vacation! We started out by going to the beach and enjoying the sun and sand just before it POURed, and then showing them the new house before going to dinner at a staple local restaurant! We laughed, we cried- from too much laughter, we ate great food, we talked a lot, but most importantly we Loved! They have always been so supportive and uplifting, that their visit was just what the doctor ordered and just another reminder of all the good that God gives, just when we need it most.

I am including some pictures of our Sunday Funday- hope you enjoy!

xoxo,
Katie Beth

The Viking, and I with my parents.

Me and my Sweetness!

The Cousins!

Art inspired metal bikes, make great props!

Working through the Present

Well the move-in happened, and went so well! 

We had some great friends help us and give us major support and love through it all. My parents, the Viking's parents, and 4 other friends, put the pedal to the medal and got us packed up and moved over to the new place by around 5 that afternoon.

One thing that I am taking away from this experience- I have to quit being a pack rat! I had no idea how much stuff we accumulated in the 3 years we were in the old house! I have posted so many organizational tips to Pinterest and now it is actually time for me to implement them. It was just amazing that our moving buddies didn't mind it all- they just picked up and packed up where we needed it, and hauled it over. That was the biggest aid to a calm and stress-free move. I was able to assess priorities and give direction with a deep breath, clear thoughts, and Christ's love surrounding me. Currently, we can't safely navigate through our garage, but the stuff is at least in the house.

I could never have imagined how at peace I would feel in this house. I laid down the first night and it was as if the Lord was whispering to me "This is where you belong", because I have never felt more at home (But we were exhausted and had just laid fresh sheets on the bed so that always helps ;). I am very excited about getting the opportunity to organize and start to truly make it our own with all of the crafts that will soon begin! I'll be keeping it posted here, but for now, welcome to our home "The other side of the Lake"!

xoxo,

Katie Beth

Looking towards the Future.

Ahh.. My first blog post. I am really excited about this experience of blogging! I am looking forward to this being a great tool for documenting some of the wonderful and ever-changing times in my life. 

As I type, I ponder what brought me to blogging in the first place. Change and the ever-present knowledge that there is nothing I can do about it except to pray. I wouldn't say that I have a type-A personality but I do like to plan and I do like to have things a certain way. When I feel completely out of control, or out of the loop in decisions made for my own life, I start to feel this claustrophobic, chest-constricting, uncomfortable-in-my-own-skin emotion that I can only attribute to stress. It kind of freaks me out a bit. So when I start to feel this comin' on, I think back to this- my favorite quote by C. S. Lewis and something that I look to as a personal mantra.

Change is good. No matter what kind of change it is, in the end it is always good. It shapes you and molds you in ways that nothing else can. It brings the raw emotions and feelings that we suppress, to the surface and really make you solidify your beliefs.

Over the past 2 years, I have been through a lot of change! And it has brought me to a fabulous place of excitement and wonder at what God can do with a life that trusts Him. My husband, Jason (of whom I will from here on out refer to as the Viking), has been a huge supporter and instigator of all of this change and has made me take a look at myself and realize how much of a rut I was stuck in- both spiritually, and realistically. The Viking, with his bouts of social anxiety and introversion, has pushed me out of my comfort zones so many times I can't keep track any more, and yet it has made me feel so much more independent, confident, needed and loved.

Our next big change now, is the purchase of a new home! The Viking had purchased an adorable little home for when we got married, and that he was able to afford on his own. We have loved this charming place from the get-go, but after adopting 2 fur children (of which I will post pictures of later) and me moving in, we quickly realized that it is starting to feel a tad cramped and not realistic for future planning (cough, cough, BABIES!!). The market is awesome for purchasing a home right now, and with the Lord directing the entire process from start to finish, we found the perfect home in our budget and were able to form a sweet relationship with the builders/current owners! It was AWEsome to see His hand shown so clearly in the timing of it all and the major blessing that it can be.

After a month of waiting, we finally were able to pick the keys last night! Let the moving commence! I will post pictures soon.

xoxo,
Katie Beth