OCTOBER 2011!

This has definitely been a bittersweet month! So many things happening in our lives but we are most definitely happy about the way things are going right now. So this month was our first anniversary, wohoo! Since Abe was leaving to the military a couple of days after the 21st, we decided to have a getaway a little earlier during the month so we wouldn't feel rushed! We took a trip down to Myrtle Beach and it was Oh so much fun! We were only there for a couple of days, but we had a blast; it was awesome getting out of Giles county for a weekend.

For pictures of that, go to my facebook!

Anyway, Abe did his final swearing into the military yesterday before being shipped to Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Yeah I admit it has been hard getting used to not having him around, but it makes me happy that he is happy fulfilling this part of his life. I got to go up with my father-in-law to spend a few hours with him before leaving and saying my goodbyes for the next little while (little while is hoping that I will get to see him in December, not until March).

Here is Abe swearing in:

Here we are right before we had to leave (I know.. notice the nostalgic faces...)

I guess I am an army wife now. I am very proud of Abe and for his will to do so much for our wellbeing. I couldn't have been blessed with a better husband. He is awesome!

A weekend in North Carolina!

After having a great weekend, it is necessary to blog! WOW, we had such a great time. At the very last minute on friday, we decided to go to North Carolina to see my sister-in-law Rachel and her family; our niece's baby blessing was going to take place that Sunday. I am so glad we were able to go, 1-it was great being there for the blessing, 2- it was awesome seeing some of the family who we don't ever get to see, 3-we were able to enjoy amazing family time.

I seriously just had to take a picture with her, who wouldn't want one when she is so cute :)

Our niece, Ava Lynn, is so beautiful, and what a special experience it was to be there for her baby blessing. I also got to hold a small baby for the first time in my life.. (<--- see )(Yeah, weird, I know, I was never around babies). Tons of fun! It was great to get out of Giles with Abe for a few days, since life becomes a bit boring in this place :). Abe and I decided to stop at a mall in Raleigh on our way back home, in which we enjoyed an amazing sushi meal, and I went to forever 21 to shop around for like 5 minutes, but it still was super fun. Now the drive back home wasn't so great! Traffic was awful!

Our nephews, Landen and Carson I think are about one of the cutest and funniest boys I have ever seen, and our nieces, Noel and Taylor only get sweeter and more adorable by the minute.

It bites being so far away from family, but we surely enjoyed the one time we were able to get together with them.

Easter Sunday!

A Minneapolis couple decided to go to Florida to thaw out during a particularly icy winter. They planned to stay at the same hotel where they spent their honeymoon 20 years before. Because of their hectic schedules, it was difficult to coordinate their travel schedules. So, the husband left Minneapolis and flew to Florida on Friday, and his wife was flying down the following day. The husband checked into the hotel, and unlike years ago, there was a computer in his room, and he decided to send an email to his wife. However, he accidentally left out one letter in her e-mail address, and without noticing his error, sent the e-mail to the wrong address. Meanwhile... somewhere in Houston... a widow had just returned home from her husband's funeral. He was a Minster who was called home to glory after suffering a heart attack.

The widdow decided to check her e-mail, expecting messages from relatives and friends.

After reading the first message, she screamed and fainted. The widow's son rushed into the room, found his mother on the floor, and then glanced up and saw the computer screnn which read:

To: My Loving Wife

Date: Friday, June 6, 2007

Subject: I have arrived!

My dearest love:

I know you are suprised to hear from me. They have computers here now, and you are allowed to send e-mails to your loved ones. I have just arrived and have been checked in..

I see that everything has been prepared for your arrival tomorrow,and look forward to seeing you then. I hope your journey is as uneventful as mine was.

PS: It sure is hot down here!!!

haha, that is how Elder Nolan D. Archibald of the seventy started his talk today during stake conference. What a great spirit he had. I loved his talk and hearing about the atonement. He talked about the law of justice going hand in hand with the law of mercy and how the operate constantly. He also talked a lot about how blessings are the result of our obedience to the laws and commandments we are given and how crucial it is for our progression. He stated that there are two acts that come from the atonement: unconditional and conditional (to repent, be baptized, receive the Holy Ghost and endure to the end). It was great hearing such an uplifting message on a beautiful day like today when we commemorate our Savior's life on this earth. It makes me feel so happy to know that our Redeemer willingly performed a sinless sacrifice for all mankind. I am so grateful that because of that reason, we have the opportunity to live with our Heavenly Father again if we become humble, submissive to Heavenly Father's will, and do all we can to hold on to the iron rod.

Our Stake President decided to talk to us about gratitude. He mentioned how most of the time we are too busy thinking of what blessings we will be requesting for next, and quickly forget to give thanks unto God for what he already has blessed us with. There is one question we all need to ask ourselves: What can I do to show my Heavenly Father I am grateful for the temple?— really, what can we do to thank Him for the great joy that temples are to us? Thanks to temples a huge purpose of our church is fulfilled: eternal families. Gratitude leads to humility, which leads to a sense of satisfaction regardless of our situation. Gratitude comes from a sense of being indebted to someone... we owe our Heavenly Father everything! His love is so big that he created us, and blesses us immensely everyday.

President Averett closed his talk by saying that we are changed for the better and grow in the attitude of gratitude. Always try to develop time and energy to show gratitude.

Besides the talks, after church we went over to Abe's grandma's house to have an easter get together with the rest of Abe's family. It was fun, and of course I was able to see my babies!! They seemed a bit confused at first when they saw us walking in but oh how we love them and they love us just as much.

I truly have had an amazing day. I am glad today is Easter and that the Savior is the reason to rejoice today... and everyday!!

life is WONDERFUL

Abe and I moved into our new apartment on the 17th (super exciting!). I personally think our apartment is really nice; three bedrooms, hardwood floors, so nice! It does need a bit of a touch up but it is not big deal. Moving is SUCH a pain, specially because this was the first time I had a "real" move — other times I had my parents or others be responsible of the move. It was so exhausting! Abe was gone that weekend and thank goodness for Abe's friend who came into the rescue and helped us move stuff with his truck that weekend. Unpacking is just as bad, and well cleaning the apartment was not fun at all. It seems like whoever lived here before was a total PIG! Greasy stove, baseboards had HUMONGOUS balls of dust in them, yuck! This illustrates the stove, and half of the grease was gone by the way...

So glad it is all taken care of.

I must admit, buying new furniture was a great experience; it feels really good to actually start building a home with the love of my life. We have been married for 6 months now and I feel more of a newlywed now than I did ever before, it is AWESOME. Anyways, our couches turned out amazing! (If you ever need to buy furniture, look on ebay, you would be amazed at the stuff you find and their prices!).

This was our living room before.

Here is our living room now :)

And this is a close up of our couches.

We bought a 7 piece dining table, but OF COURSE with our luck 2 of the chairs were not made right and we couldn't set them up, so for now we only have a 5 piece dining table. I also love our huge clock! I think it looks great :)

Here is the dining are before...

And a couple of pictures of what it looks like now :) (dont judge my curtain rod, I used the one they left and need to buy a new one.. lol)

The bedrooms and bathroom are upstairs, and well the rooms do not have much of a purpose for now, not until I can turn one of them into a guest room and I think the other one will be my work out room or storage haha... it is a storage room for now.

Our bedroom is still in the making...

then this is my storage room...

And our bathroom is the one hideous part of the house, it has an UGLY peach color lol... we tried to decorate to the best of our abilities, but you woulnd't believe how hard it is to make peach look good! lol

Our laundry room is the trash room for now.. we have TONSSSS of boxes... huge ones as well.

Our yard is awesome! we have an actual yard and I love it, there is this huge tree that looks great!

I AM THE QUEEN OF MY KITCHEN... I love to bake stuff lol.. so far I have baked a key lime pie and it turned out awesome, as well as some chicken crescents and such... the kitchen is a woman's territory! Our kitchen isn't huge but it is enough for me and I love it :)

We are so excited to have our own home.. it feels great!!!

PS: Abe has signed his army contract, he now has a job as a 13D Field Artillery Automated Data System Specialist, he ships out on October 25th 2011, life is great, we have been SO blessed, Heavenly Father is always so mindful of us and I am so so greateful for it! Life is WONDERFUL.