SOLD!

For the last year, Chase and I have been contemplating trying to buy our first home. Well, Wednesday, after looking at an endless number of 'starter' homes and homes in the middle of now-where-land, we finally found our dream "first" home.

We found out the day we viewed it that the price had been dropped 10,000 which put it into our price range! Needless to say, we put an offer and long story short, they accepted and we accepted! Now begins the hard stuff. We are ready and excited, but are trying to stay objective throughout the process just incase something falls through. I would be disappointed in a huge way if things fell through, but I am excited to buy our first home!With buying our first home, we also qualify for the 8,000 tax credit!!

Really, this process has been simple with the help of Terri and Don McNaughton. They are a blessing from God and I know that He has his hand in this. The sense of peace I feel is unmistakable and I am just so thankful!

We are proud even more that we are going to be able to do this on our own.
Now, just pray our house we live in now leases ASAP (we have two months until it would be potentially bad, so if you need a home to live in, CALL ME!)

Now for some photos:

"And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus."
- Philippians 4:19

Summer Lovin'

Over Memorial Day Weekend, we traveled down to NLR to spend time with the family. This time every year, we have a crawfish boil and this year was no exception. Despite the rain and high winds, we were able to commence as usual just fine! My dad was able to make it again this year. Good times were had by all ( I hope).

Our Pretty Girl

Such a ham..

Daddio!

Cody and Uncle Chase

Halfway through the afternoon though, the rain came and our guys came up with a pretty unique solution to be able to stay outside and eat their crawfish without getting wet. Leave it to the Cavalier men...

Since our return home, the rain has FINALLY stopped (knock on wood) and we have been able to work in out yard. I'll show a before picture of the pond and an after. I was so thankful I was able to clean it up in one afternoon- because last year it took a whole weekend. Although, I am betting that last year was the first time it had been cleaned in about two years. Go me! I am super sore today, but it felt good to get down and dirty and get the yard back in tip top shape. To celebrate our hardwork, we grilled out today and I layed out in the pool. Next item on the agenda is to buy a few hanging planters and make a pretty display of annuals. I don't really think I want to plant a garden here because we hope to buy within the year and it sure would be a hassle to transplant in a year or less.

Anyhoodle, not much else has happened. Work/class/work/class.. more work.. more class. My car has started the steady decline downhill and I am afraid that it might die soon. Nevertheless, I still cleaned it thoroughly today and drove it through the Kangaroo Wash! I LOVE that place... such a good car wash. :) Even though the engine is actin' a fool, atleast my car looks fabulous!

OKC Zoo!

What luck we had this weekend at the Zoo. It has been raining for what seems like 40 days and 40 nights, so to have a whole afternoon with no rain was a miracle! There was cloud cover all day and a few raindrops here and there, but no monsoons! The cloud cover actually made for a very cool afternoon- so there was no need for heavy sunblock or mist machines. I have a feeling that the next few days (if a cold front doesn't come through) are going to be steamy and warm.

Anyhoodle. So the Zoo. It was great. Here are some pictures of the fun times that were had.

Trinitie, Barrett and Faith.

Me and my bud- Goose!

RAWR!

Love the hubs.

Trinitie and Uncle Chase. 

Also, I started work this week at Saied, and next Monday I start my 1st of two summer classes-Espanol. I am pretty excited.... can't you tell?

Tomorrow Meggles and I are leaving to drive down to LR for Mindy's wedding (eek)! Hopefully we won't catch much weather on the drive down. I am so ready for consecutive sunny days. My bike ride was cut short today because of showers... not cool. :(

FINISHED!!!

I am finished.... so finished!

I start work at Saied on Monday; however, before that Chase and I are going to OKC to take my two nieces and nephew to the OKC Zoo! The OKC Zoo is probably one of my favorite places on Earth. It's so beautiful and peaceful and the animals don't look depressed there (*cough* like at

 the LR Zoo *cough*)

Two classes in the fall and I am outta here! I techinally could have walked today in graduation- my name was in the program and all.. (oops!) but I wanted to wait until after student teaching to walk so I can feel like I am REALLY finished with the UofA!

I was slightly sad today (notice I said slightly) that it would be my last time to place in commencement band... ever... but I think 4 times is plenty. ;)

Corey also came into town today to grill out with us and it was fabulous! He grilled these HUGE steaks and mmm... they were awesome. So juicy! I still have 3/4 of mine left. They were seriously monsters.

Now though, I am about to start preparing the lunches for tomorrow. We are taking our own food in an ice-chest. It's much healthier and less expensive if we take our lunches and eat them in the pavillion/park in the Zoo. I remember as an elementary aged kid going to the zoo and eating the sack lunches that the school would pack.

 Hopefully my lunches will be better than that.. and healthier!

I think we're going with whole wheat w/ turkey, strawberries, baked thins, bananas, water and Tim and Jess packed some snacks for us to take along as well. 

Seriously. I am so happy to be finished... FINALLY!

 This week has been a whirlwind of a ride. With being sick (finally better now!), finals, juries, commencement, and Chase's Phil. concert (which brought in all the family) which meant that we deep cleaned the house.. I am exhausted! Also, inbetween the monsoons, we made time to mow the lawn. It's finally over though! Summer can commence... 

Steph and I at the CAKE concert!

CAKE!

and then bring on the Fall! Two jobs and two classes plus a recital- it feels good to work hard!

Keep an eye open for pictures from the Zoo!

Whirlwind!

This weekend has been quite the ride! Friday after classes ended, Province Days for SAI began. We sang beautiful songs and ate lots of yummy Olive Garden food, and hosted the wonderful ladies of SAI from all over Arkansas, after which we went to Common Grounds and did the traditional CG night with the girls.
Chase and I hosted our P.O. (province officer) in our home, so she and I came back to the house after CG. By poor (but amazing) husband was pricing things for our garage sale the next morning (which he had to work by himself since I had SAI business). He did a fantastic job, too ($160.55)! We didn't have much to sell, but what we did have, he sold it! ;) It is pretty refreshing to clean out closets and junk that we don't use. Hubs has a tendency to be a bit of a pack-rat, but I am slowly helping him purge the things we don't really use.

SAI Province Days was indeed an absolute blast! We initiated 16 new ladies (all are AMAZING women). Dr. Maines gave a great speech on women in music... my favorite line "where have all the girls gone." I respected what she had to say and really left thinking about my future. One statement she said really hit me hard. I sometimes do this, and I realize now that I definitely shouldn't, but I apologize for my decisions or make excuses when I should be completely confident in them- no matter what others think. If I feel led to teach elementary music and have a family, I should not apologize- for that is a commendable life and I look forward to it!! God has a plan for my life, and I am doing best I can to listen and follow his plan.

Anyhoodle, after initiation, I came home and crashed in bed for the rest of Saturday afternoon (when I should have been cleaning or doing homework). I couldn't help it though- I was completely wiped out.
My lack of productive behavior on Saturday left me loads of stuff to do today though. I went to quintet rehearsal, cleaned the house, did laundry, practiced piano, studied for the listening test, finished a presentation for tomorrow, worked on a study guide for Biology quiz tomorrow, did an extra credit packet for biology, and studied for my conducting test. Whew!

I still need to study for a while longer, so off I go!

Looking forward to May 10th-11th! We're going to OKC to take my niece to the OKC Zoo for her birthday. When I called to talk to my family today, she said that she was going to hold Chase's hand at the zoo the whole time... she's so stinkin' cute and loves having an uncle so much!