Cute

Just a fun picture to leave you with today. A VERY large portion of my day to day life is spent with these two and I LOVE it!

Rotations

We have reached a big milestone in med school...rotation assignments. We found out on Monday that we will be staying right here in Blacksburg. Kurt will have all his rotations in a 30 mile radius of here which means he won't have to leave me for whole weeks at a time! I am thankful for that! When we were getting to put down our requests for rotations regions part of me wanted to go to a new place for a new adventure but the more realistic side of me wanted to stay here. We have GREAT friends, I have a job that has been a huge blessing, we have a church (although I'm not super attached to it), and we know the area. I didn't want to have to start all over with all those things again for only another 2 years before we moved AGAIN for Residency. So, when the day came to find out I called Kurt at least 5 times to see if he found out and my friend to see if she had heard anything from her husband.

We planned a celebratory dinner at Moes with all our friends. There were about 15 of us there 6 of which were med students . I was reminded again how blessed we are here with the friends God has brought into our lives! Everyone got their first choice and all are staying except for one couple is moving to NJ but that is where they requested.

God is good and I am reminded of that pretty regularly these days!

Winter Project

The material has arrived for my winter project to begin. It will be used to make a quilt (kindof) for my nephew River. Excited to get started. I'll post updates!

Check it out!

My friend Katherine is having a raffle for one of her quilts if you donate at least $5 for either her to send to Samaritans Purse or to a an organization of your choice that is helping out with the disaster in Haiti. You just have to let her know.

It's a pretty cool idea that she has going on and her quilts are awesome!! She's the one that taught me how to make a quilt. Just think, a homemade quilt for only $5. That's awesome!!! I do know if you donate more than your name can be entered in more than once.

Check out the link, she has all the details and it's not confusing if you are thinking it might be!!!

http://rhymeswithquilt.blogspot.com/2010/01/stitching-hope-haiti-relief-project.html.

It's Friday!

While at our friends house last night, I said, out loud, "man, I keep thinking tomorrow is Friday but then remember it's only going to be Thursday!" To my great surprise, everyone starting laughing and said "tomorrow IS Friday." That made for a much better evening!

Work-1 Thess. 4:9-12

I started back to work yesterday after a 3 week break and needed a little reminder as to the reason I am working. I honestly enjoyed my last week home being a "Stay at home dog mom" as I liked to call myself meeting Kurt for lunch at school, taking my time making dinners and actually enjoying it, working on "projects" around our apartment, making lists of things to do, running to the post office, you know, things like that. It is hard sometimes being the "bread winner" of the family but it is the season of life we are in now. I am choosing (or trying to choose) to be positive and thankful for a job and a great family to work for. I mean you can't really complain about a 3 week paid Christmas vacation, right? I do somehow find something to complain about though...I'm working on that too.

Anyways, I have been introduced to Tim Keller's free sermons on line by my great sister-in-law (I prefer to just say sister. It feels like we are) and brother (my brother's great too). There are so many to choose from and so as I was scrolling around looking for one to listen to during my NOT guilty pleasure during the kids nap time, I found one titled "Work". I read the description and it seemed to be exactly what I needed.

I made myself listen to it again while I was making supper so I could take it in better. Basically I came away with the understanding that a reason for a job is to help others...an expression of love and to strive for an inside quiet/rest while doing it. God doesn't want us to be restless with our lives. Maybe my job isn't as ideal as I think it should be, but I can be thankful that it is a job that really helps out a family and I can find ways in my job to be creative and use the talents God has given me. If I realize I am working to please my God then my attitude can be adjusted better.

If you are wanting some awesome sermons to listen to check Tim Keller out. They are great for car rides or while making dinner or just for a quiet time in the afternoon. I promise you will be encouraged!!

Semi Homemade

There's something about making things. I love the personal touch you can add to them and the creativity involved.

This year's Christmas was semi-homemade for me. I bought most of the gifts we gave away, but made a few. We got some great homemade gifts from my brother and his wife. Emily made me 2 bracelets, granola and salt scrub for the shower. Andy made Kurt an awesome paddle and me a wooden spoon. From my end came homemade soap and jelly, some ornaments using cookie cutters, scrap book paper and pictures (the ones I made for my mom have pictures of her grand kids in them), and coffee coozies.

I have big plans for next year already and plan to get a jump start on them during these winter months.

I hope you enjoy the pictures and maybe get some good ideas for yourself.

Broom Ball

A classic game of Broom Ball was played Saturday night with a group of friends followed by soup and games. It was freezing cold but it is VERY rare to have a frozen pond so we had to take advantage of it. No one down here has ice skates or hockey sticks so we improvised and had a great time. It was a lot more fun then it sounds. So glad for friends here who like to have a good time.

Thoughtful

This arrived in the mail as a surprise. It pretty much made my day! I'm looking forward to the day that we can do exactly what the card said.