New Fave

As sad as it was leaving our favorite restaurant in Cherokee, I do believe we have a new favorite here! Dino's is an adorable, old-fashioned Pizza Place that has elegance, spunk, and really really good food.

Whether you split a pizza or get pasta on your own, you will always walk away feeling satisfied. The atmosphere is my favorite part though as you feel like you've stepped into a 60's movie upon arrival.

So, if you're ever in the area, I would most definitely recommend Dino's.....I know we'll be visiting it alot!!

A Perfectly Wonderful Sunday Afternoon

It feels like we're finally getting into the swing of things and some dreams are becoming realities! This weekend I had alot of time just to think and keep processing life. As I've mentioned before, I like to spend time thinking about the future and the possibilities that will arise, but I keep forgetting about the here and the now. This weekend I felt like I was hit over the head with a realization, motivation to live for the here and the now, and a renewed hope in some of my dreams.

Again, I know I've mentioned it before but now I feel like I have a very clear direction as to what
I'm supposed to be doing. I have to take things step by step. I mean, week by week with a few big picture things in mind. Aaron and I sat at Caribou yesterday and talked, dreamed, studied, and just had an incredible quality afternoon together.

And, the decision....this week I'm going to just look into what it would take to go back to school part time. Living in the here and the now, we started thinking "Why not?" I guess we're just dreaming and putting feelers out there to see if it goes anywhere. If not, I won't be crushed but I feel like I have a renewed hope that I need to be actively pursuing the here and the now and take advantage of every opportunity.

I also feel a motivation to just LIVE life. I haven't had this for soooooo long and instead I've just been just thinking about all the things I don't have. We need to just LIVE this life that God has given to us and embrace all things. Again, I KNEW these things before but knowing and doing are two different things.

So, this week we're putting out feelers and seeing if God will open up any doors....walking by faith and LIVING each day. And that's why I named this post "A Perfectly Wonderful Sunday Afternoon" :) It was wonderful :)

Brrrr...it must be Minnesota

Before I even say this, I want to preface it with I KNOW this has been a crazy winter and I KNOW that this winter has had way more snow than previous years and I KNOW that this is a bit abnormal....BUT...

Minnesota is WAY colder than Iowa!!!

What?? Did I really just say that? I laughed when people asked me why I was moving to MN because it's so much colder. In my mind, Iowa has always been the same temp as Minnesota. But, the day we moved was a prime example that Minnesota is in fact colder. That day the temp in Iowa was -1 and the temp in Mankato was......

-13

SO, to all of you who told me that Minnesota was colder, I agree with you now. I'm freezing and realizing that I need to invest in more sweaters, better boots, and a four-wheel drive car. Ahhh....then I will be a true Minnesotan :)

Guess What!?!??!

I GOT A JOB!!!!!!!

Ahhhhhhh!!! I'm so excited!!! And, it's not just any job, it's almost my exact same job that I was doing in Cherokee! How crazy is that!? I'm so excited!! I have two more days of subbing and then off to training next week :) Thank you, Lord :)

End of Story, Please?

Last night I was rereading a favorite book series of mine. As I was reading all the in-between details of the story that were crucial, I kept thinking, "I just want to remember the ending! It's a happy ending I remember....I want to read that!" Although I needed to read the intricate details to get to that final spot, I realized last night why I usually go for the ending of the book. I need resolution. I want peace and harmony. I want to know what's going to happen. I want answers.

Huh, sounds pretty familiar to the journey that Aaron and I are on. We're in the middle of this particular chapter and I want to get to the ending to hear that it all worked out. The answers came. Things were resolved.

Although I'm getting rather used to and fond of our new life of waiting and trusting, it's killing me just like it was killing me last night to read all the little details and not read the ending. However, just like any good story, it needs a little drama, questions, and things to be resolved to get to the ending. And, those waiting times and trusting times really are the times when the characters in the stories grow the most...

So, come along for the ride and be patient just as we have to be that this journey in our life WILL have an ending. But, I will try my hardest to not rush to the ending as I'm so known to do but instead slowly walk through the details, slowly walk through these times of waiting, enjoying them just as much as the ending so that when the time comes, the ending will be sweet and sooooo worth it :)

Subbing Jobs Galore!!

Wow!! When I said how great it was to be blessed with one job after waiting for so long, I never knew that I would get to sub 4 out of the 5 days of school this week! That's soooooo awesome! We are incredibly encouraged this week because of the job opportunities that have opened up...I even had to turn two schools down one day!! Woot! God is sooooo good :) Tomorrow I'm an elementary music teacher....I'm excited :)

Snowy Day

What a gloriously snowy day it is!! Although I love snow, I really really REALLY want Spring this year! We haven't been able to explore our new home yet and I'm anxious to drive around Mankato and see all the great parks everyone keeps talking about :)

Today I finally subbed in the district and I remembered how much I love 3rd graders. They are hilarious and LOVE to learn. It was really fun....especially the early out at 10:45! God keeps guiding us week by week and I'm just reminded how wonderful waiting and trusting really is :) I appreciate His blessings so much more when I've had to wait and trust Him for them!

Since it looks like this outside:I've been doing alot of this:

My new friends up here are into scrapbooking which is inspiring me to create these great memory books. I think the reason I love scrapbooking so much is because of the stories that I can relay through the use of pictures, notes, and funny journaling. They are GREAT conversation starters! So, here's the start of my engagement one....one step closer to that intimidating wedding book that will take me a year at least :)

Dreams, Dreams, Dreams

I LOVE that I dream every night. It's so much fun to wake up in the morning and recall the events that went through my head while asleep. Last night was no different as I had an intensely real dream that I lived in Africa for three years and was just returning home. Only, everyone who I came into contact with was different. Like.....

My brother was a professional comedian...

I think my parents had more kids....I remember a bigger family...

I came home to live in a tent

Various people had gotten married....people who don't know each other in real life

My husband was.....hmmm, where was he in my dream? Maybe I accidentally left him in Africa!

Those are just a few but anyways, this dream was so distinct and REAL that this morning it took quite a while to tell myself that it wasn't real....ever have one of those dreams?

Clue Party!

It's February!!! I'm sooooo happy it's February!!! Yay! January is over!!....what a long month :)

However, January had to go out with a bang and what better way than to have a Clue Party!!! :) You will never guess who was there but....Colonel Brian Mustard & Mrs. Kelly White

Mr. Green & Mrs. Peacock

Professor Plum & Mrs. Elsa White

Colonel Aaron Mustard & Miss Scarlet

HA :) Way too much fun! Thanks to Brock and Chelsea for a very memorable Clue night :)