iPads & 1200 thread count bed sheets...

These two items are my new guilty pleasures. Both were Christmas presents. I say guilty pleasures because even though I love having them both, I feel like a total diva as I sit up in my king-sized bed that's adorned with newly washed silken smooth sheets, typing away and browsing the web on my iPad. Oh well. As long as I don't develop the heart or the personality of a diva, right?

Anyway, I don't want an entire blog post to be about my two newest material possessions. As excited as I am about them, I am even more excited about the life changes that are about to take place. And we all know the best way to document such things is by trusty ole' bullet points. In all seriousness, though, with the upcoming new year, I have plans to make some big changes, and I feel it's good to put these things down as sort of a means of holding myself accountable. <- and others, too, of course. That being said:

*I'm on my way to a healthier lifestyle. Physically speaking, I have a want to be more active, and a longing to feel better about myself. I'm tired of living day after day hating certain things about the way I look, but lacking the motivation or the will to change those things. It's time for me to get serious. Mentally speaking, I have to make changes as well. Its time for me to put my foot down and stop letting negative thoughts and insecurities hold me back. I want to look in the mirror and know without a doubt that my husband loves me, rather than question all the time. Sure I carry a few more pounds than I did when he first met me, but it hasn't changed who I am, which ultimately is the reason he fell in love with me to begin with. But that doesn't mean I let myself go (physically) either. I want to be my best physically and mentally for my husband, and more importantly, myself. So the new year will begin with a new running schedule, and I will kick it off in February with my first ever 5k run. I registered already. I'm excited. No turning back. Period.

*A few posts back, I wrote a little about some possibilities for adoption becoming a reality for us. Jeremy and I talk about it a lot, and really feel the calling on our life together to adopt a child. We would still love to have a biological child, but we know we have to wait on the Lord for that miracle. And we are both okay with that. As far as adopting, nothing is set in stone as far as details go, but we know we are supposed to move forward. I am so excited about what this year will hold. Just to preface, though, I hold no expectations. I trust that God is going to lead us exactly where we need to go. I know it's probably going to be a difficult, emotional and long road ahead, but we both just want to be obedient to what God has planned for our life as parents.

*We are also going to take as many opportunities as possible for 2011 to pay off some debt. I think throughout our relationship we've done a pretty good job of keeping the numbers low (and I have to say we have never owned a credit card to this day), but it will be a happy day in our household when a vehicle is paid off!! So here's to getting out of debt!

There is obviously more, but not everything needs to be put out there. I'm gonna leave it at that for now and go be a diva while I enjoy a cup of coffee in my bed with my iPad and 1200 thread count sheets :-)

It's a special day...

Back in 2003, I was a freshman in high school. This was me:



(I know, I know, I am so young...) I didn't particularly like the beginning of my first year in high school. It was awkward, kids were mean and snotty since they thought they were oh so cool, and I had just left my jr. high school that I loved so much. Needless to say, walking the halls at WFHS as a freshman took some getting used to.

Until I met this guy...

He was so cute to me, and not to mention a s.m.o.o.t.h. talker, and shortly after the start of our high school days, he asked me to be his girlfriend. Although we couldn't see it then, we were your typical high school romance: We would walk to every single class together; we would eat together in the cafeteria; we wrote notes to one another in nearly every period, and then desperately try and smuggle them into each others hand before the bell rang; we had our own secret spots where we could steal a quick smooch, then feel like total bad "A's" when we'd come out of hiding having just escaped getting caught; he was the baseball player, and I was a cheerleader; everyone knew us together, but hardly anyone knew us apart; we told each other "I love you", barely knowing what that really entailed; we had an "anniversary"; we talked on the phone for hours upon hours everyday after just seeing each other all day....I could go on forever. We were 4 years worth of mush for each other. And high school days after Jeremy weren't so hard for me any more. He made them easy, and fun for me every day.

I remember those days so vividly and how we made so many plans of how we would go off to college together (really it was I would follow him wherever he went), then get married, have kids...the whole works. We had set plans. We'd get serious about those plans for a minute or two, but then the next we'd be getting into our fancy clothes so we could go off to our ball, a.k.a our school dance, together. We made so many memories:

Our first spring dance




Before we knew it, we had been "dating" for 2 whole years! We celebrated every year, but this one was a big one. Jeremy planned a day in Destin where he took me on a sailboat dolphin cruise. I remember feeling that day that this wasn't just a temporary school yard relationship. I remember looking at him and being able to visualize me marrying this dude. He cared so much. He loved hard. He courted me and made me feel special. I felt beautiful with him. He was sensitive. I loved him.


We were inseparable


Our senior year was a big one. I think it hit us both that our school days were coming to an end. We were both scrambling to finish out the year with amazing grades, we were both haunted by the worry of getting accepted into college, we were trying to figure out how we were going to make those "plans" that we had set with one another come to fruition. Suddenly, things didn't look so easy anymore. But we had to put those thoughts aside to make one last beautiful senior memory: 12th grade PROM!!


In all actuality, our school prom sucked, but being there with my love was the highlight for me. We had made it so far. And Jeremy made the night beautiful for me.


To shorten this a bit, we graduated, moved in together, worked full time and Jeremy went to school full time, got our own apartment, and quickly became young adults. About a year after we graduated high school, Jeremy proposed to me. We were young, had no clue what we were doing or how we could afford such a thing, but one thing remained: We were crazy in love with each other, still, after so many years. There was no doubt in my mind that he was the guy I had always wanted. A year and a half of wedding planning led to this special day:

December 20, 2008






And here we are two more years later. That's a grand total of nearly 8 years together. Crazy! It amazes me that two 14 year old kids have grown into husband and wife. So all that to say:

Jeremy, I love you more than life itself. You are my first true love, and I am proud to call you husband. You have enriched my life, and I cannot remember it without you. Thank you for asking me to be your wife, and for wanting to spend the rest of your life with me. I know it has not always been perfect circumstances, but there is no other person I would rather walk these roads with than you. I am a better person because I married you, and I thank God for gracing me with such a beautiful companion. I love who you are and what you stand for. I love you so much, but my favorite thing is to stand here today and still be able to say that I am IN love with you. Happy anniversary, Love, and I can't wait for many many more!

Love,
Jessica Faith

A little inspiration...

I came across this video this morning from a local church here in town, and all I can muster up to describe how beautiful this story is, is tears...lots and lots of tears.

Below you will find a beautiful, yet heart-wrenching story of a little girl named Serena who is battling a very complicated and debilitating disease. My heart aches as I listen to this little girl talk of her life and all she's been through already at such a young age. But her spirit and faith in God left me with a sense of peace, and a yearning to continue trusting and believing in the Lord through tough circumstances.

I may not know what you're going through, but I only pray that after you are finished watching this 12 minute testimony, that peace comes over you and that you may know that there is hope and happiness in Christ. I hope Serena's faith inspires you to believe for yourself of the miracles that are possible through our God. *If you think about skipping out early before the full 12ish minutes are up, you will be sorry. Just saying.
Be blessed by this:

A Re-post...

I am stealing this from a good friends blog because it cheers me up when I feel down.

So I encourage you to watch this clip. Let yourself be a kid for a few minutes, and dance and enjoy. Take in the words, and let them be truth to you today. Let go of those feelings of defeat, insecurities, and rejections, and just believe you were created for purpose...And whatever you are is exactly meant for you.

"Gonna keep my head up high, keep on reachin' high, never gonna quit, I'll keep gettin' stronger..."

Poor hot glue gun...

I said in my last post that I was in the process of making other holiday crafts around my house. I didn't lie. It's taken me a week to complete two stinking things, but I'm happy to report that they're done! Thank you Jesus! Not only was my brain on the brink of exploding from ideas, but my blessed hot glue gun was too if he didn't catch a break!

First up, I wanted something cute to display Christmas cards on as we begin to get them in the mail. I saw a couple of cute ideas on-line, but wouldn't you know my husband came up with this idea when he spotted these cute little wooden letters in Hobby Lobby on a recent trip. I loved it and ran with it. Here is the result:



I need to decorate that table up a little more, but I thought it was so cute! I can't wait to put actual Christmas cards there =) Another perk from doing this project: our back porch now sparkles as if someone threw up glitter out there, thanks to the lovely glitter spray paint! Pair me with a couple cans of spray paint, and that's quite a disastrous combo! Enough of that, though, on to project #2!

You know that tree skirt I was saying I wanted to make? Well, behold:



Again, I love it. It took me 5 days, but it's done! I'm happy, husband likes it, and I know that glue gun is! Now if I could just keep the dogs away from it, we will really be doing good =)

I don't know what has gotten into me with all these projects. I've never been into this kind of stuff before, but I guess seeing what some of my friends have made, and realizing how inexpensive it is to make my own stuff, I've just become inspired. I have to say it has been a sort of therapy for me. It's definitely kept me busy. I have found a creative side to myself that I like, and it takes my mind off of those things throughout the day that could lead to a negative place. As I've said before, holiday seasons can be very difficult for me, and have taken a miserable toll in the past. But this year, however, I'm determined for it to be different. Focusing on the good things: I am blessed, I am loved, and then turning around and doing things for others.

Going through this journey of infertility, people will give you their "Oh, poor you" stuff from time to time, but I say this year, I'm gonna keep a good perspective, I'm gonna love hard and enjoy moments, and I'm gonna craft my brains out! Then, the only thing left to pity will be my poor glue gun! Haha!