Our Flowers

3.27.12

Popcorn trees! I love this part of spring. Although in this picture it looks more like a snow tree.

3.28.12

Laundry day. Again.

3.29.12

These are "our flowers", as John and I call them, they grow all over in the spring and I have no idea what they are called. Playwiki park is covered with these in the spring and John and I would often go there when we were dating and still did after we married. So, every time I see them I am reminded of happy memories and we make new memories. Unfortunately Playwiki park is not open this spring due to hurricane Irene. I knew the park would probably not be open this spring. The worst part about the park being closed was knowing I would miss going and seeing the flowers. We would go just for these flowers carpeting the park. But here they were at Tyler today. Seeing "our flowers" today made my day brighter. I had to take a picture.

Tulips

3.26.12

Tulips :)

Core 4 + 1

3.23.12

Snacks Friday night - Wilder style

3.24.12

Official photo of Saturday. 

Last Core4 before Rebekah moves to Missouri

Wonderful weekend with these girls.

PotteryWorks

3.25.12

Home with my Loves and eating popcorn. Mmm.

Beach Day

3.22.12

 

1st beach day of the year. You can barely tell, but we are at the beach in sweatpants and sweatshirts. It was cold, foggy, and breezy. But the beach is the beach. Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall. Always worth the hour drive. I'm going to miss my beach buddy Rebekah when she moves to Missouri in two weeks. She's the only friend who understand and shares my beach obsession. Thank you for our beach days Rebekah!!

3.21.12

John made roasted chicken for dinner. Oh so good. Rosemary, lemons, garlic, mushrooms, potatoes....my man can cook.

I bought a cap

3.20.12

First day of spring. I wore my new cap swimming. Becky has turned me to the dark side. 

Only I'm passively aggressively in rebellion with a light cap. Not really. I bought a light cap to go with my light dorky goggles. Swimming is getting better! I'm not as sore afterwards and gagging less and less.

Daisies

3.19.12

I planted some herbs today. I began to put the deck back together (somewhat) as I am getting ready for my flowers and summer. I think I'm going to go a little more low key this year. Last year I had a rather large urban garden. Several flower pots in each corner, alongside the table, next to the house, on top of the railings, and even on the window ledges. Oh, and bags hanging off the house too. It was way too much. I have been trying to find perennials that will survive over the winter in pots. I have found a couple, but most of them just die. Late last year I tried to plant daisies. It was a horrible idea since it was towards the end of the season, they would barely grow before frost would kill them. But I did it anyway. They grew quite well actually, then winter came. We had a warm winter. They are coming back.
Little green leaves are coming up.

Smothies and Sunburn

3.18.12

Grilling the the deck. Making smoothies. Getting sunburned.

End to a good weekend.

Junk Yard Treasures

3.15.12

Just my pen holder on my desk. Picture doesn't show the colors too well, 

but it is a pretty piece of pottery - garage sale!

3.16.12

Dinner with the Davis family! We played just dance on the Wii. I was way to serious and John cheated the entire time by just moving the remote around! Lame. Thank you for a fun night Bobby and Joanna!

3.17.12

3.17.12

 Junk yard treasures! I have been realizing my need for more creativity in my life. I am trying to make it a priority. I have a few ideas floating around my head, but I am unsure of what I am actually going to do here- the theme will be beauty out of brokenness or beauty in the midst of brokenness..something along that line. I might add some song lyrics or a verse to the mix. I heard a new song recently via my friend Rachel by Rend Collective Experiment. You can check out their video here: Second Chance .She had posted the lyrics and they caught my attention. The whole song shows what I am hoping to show in this crazy project. This morning I was feeling discouraged trying to sift through the difficulties of seeing and acknowledging the depth of pain I see at work, while still holding on to hope, faith, the work and promises of redemption. I decided an art project was just the thing to do. John and Mike were working for the day and so I asked Becky if she would join me on an the adventure. We were off!  We could not find any junk yards around, but her apartment complex has lots of dumpsters, so I went dumpster diving for the first time! Then we found the big dumpsters and hit the jackpot. Broken glass, rusted metal, and "who knows whats" everywhere. We brought them home and cleaned them up. Tomorrow, or soon, we will begin our creations! 

My future hangs on this
You make preciousness from dust
Please don't
Stop creating me

...............

When sin and ugliness
Collide with redemption's kiss
Beauty
Awakens by romance

~ Rend Collective Experiment

Sunshine

 It has been too long since I have posted my pictures! I was away for the weekend with no internet. Hopefully next time I post it won't be a week out.

Here we go!

3.8.12

Thursday at the office. This is the corner of our group room. Behind the book shelf is the play area where Dr. Ganey has lots of toys to use in play therapy. The rest of the room you cannot see behind the camera, is quite roomy. This is where we have individual sessions and hopefully group sessions in the future. The room is in the decorating process, but looking great! I recently moved my books onto this book shelf because we were running out of room in our office down the hall. The joy of reading and learning. A full bookshelf of counseling related material. Woo! My books are the little group on the top shelf. I have a lot of collecting to do!

 

3.9.12

Today, Erin, Rebecca, and I went to a training by Diane Langberg - who for all intensive purposes is my hero. There ended up being a group of PBU counseling grads at the training too! This was completely unexpected and refreshing. It was a long wonderful day full of hard and inspiring words and stories about childhood trauma. I'm so sad to say this is the picture I have to show for the day, it does not do the day justice. I was originally hoping to get a group shot of us or a shot of Diane, but I was so caught up in everything around me I completely forgot about my camera. This will have to suffice.

3.10.12

This is my mom's homemade pizza. YUM. Becky and I drove up to my parents for a short weekend trip after our training on Friday. Saturday was filled with sleeping in, moving wood, and 4wheeling in the freezing cold - see below. Oh and Becky put low lights in my hair! Thank you Becky :). Saturday night with my family we celebrated my brother's and my birthday - even though it was on Skype for him (I just ate his ice cream cake for him) We miss you Ethan!

I just had to through these of Micah and Marcus in - they are actually really poor quality because I took them from a video on my point and shoot, but fun. Thanks for having fun with us boys!

 

3.11.12

 Sunday after church we loaded up the 4wheelers and took them over to my uncle David's. We had so much space to ride around in the woods. SO much fun. Becky experienced a hands on lesson on driving the 4wheelers. I'm afraid it was probably more of a quick 10 second lesson on "this is the gas" "this is the gear" "this is how you go in reverse" "oh and this is the break"...because that might be important, then "GO!" She was also brave enough to ride with Marcus! I can't wait to back this summer to ride some more with the fam. 

3.12.12

This is John's bike. It's mountain biking season again and so the bike has taken its place by the door, greeting you as you arrive through the door in the living room. I am so thankful John has guy friends to do fun things together like mountain biking. Welcome SPRING!

3.12 is also my brother Ethan's birthday who is in Florida. I wish I could have seen him to take a picture, but he is too far way. Happy Birthday Ethan!

3.13.12

I went for a walk in the park before I went to work today. Everything was dead, but the sun was shining and the weather was so beautiful. This whole week has been gorgeous making me miss the beach and look forward to beach days. While walking I was thinking about the cycles of seasons. At the park the plants and leaves had died through the winter and nothing remains. But spring is coming, rain and sunshine, which will bring life again. This winter, as was last winter, has been a growing season for me as a counselor and the growth continues. I am thankful we are given seasons of rest along with the seasons of stretching and growing. Seeing the world anticipating spring was a reminder to me. While at the park I noticed all around, in the midst of deadness, small green plants were popping up. This lil onion plant (I think that is what it is) was growing up surrounded by dead grass. Sometimes, I see so much deadness and evil at my job. It is easy to become overwhelmed or cynical. Even in the midst of death and evil, chaos and pain, growth continues. I pray I will continue to grow just like this little plant and hold on to truth and hope which guides through the winters.

Sara Groves - Rain

Call it what you will I call it rain
When troubles come and pat against my soul
Go in if you like, I will remain
And let the washing waters make me whole

Just when I’m sure that I can't bear the rain
A tiny leaf starts pushing through the ground
In a place where the ground was too dry to sustain it
A new tiny flower can be found

3.14.12

Another beautiful day! Every other Wednesday is Laundry day. Today was the first time since the fall I was able to hang out the sheets to dry. Mmmm, the smell of wind and sun dried fabric. Yes. Glorious. I was even able to sit on the deck enjoying the sun while reading for my later sessions.

Swimming Legs and Counseling Legs

3.7.12

In our counseling internship last year we often talked about what it was like to be finding your counseling legs. The metaphor was for the floundering we were experiencing when first starting out in the field of counseling. Finding your counseling legs was about going through the process. Often being unsure of yourself, your skills, and where you were going in sessions was part of the learning experience. Everyone hated the process, but we kept telling ourselves it was about the journey not the destination. Penny would call it "finding your counseling legs". I knew what she meant in counseling as I was living it everyday and today I had a hands on experience of the metaphor. 

Becky starting teaching me how to swim laps for our workout. We've been going consistently to the gym since last week because I have a 30 day guest pass. She is determined in her quest of persuading me to buy a membership and after today my resolve to NOT buy one is slowly falling apart. We are having a blast! We usually shower and get ready at the gym which reminds me of my college days. I miss getting ready with girls around. Much more entertaining then all by myself after John leaves for work. Last week we started out on the treadmill the first day, then the next day we did a yoga class. So much fun and I was incredibly sore afterwards. On friday last week I taught her free weights for our arms and today she took me swimming. It was so hard. I had no idea how hard it was to swim laps. It takes pacing yourself to a whole new level when you add being surrounded by water to your breathing. I gagged so many times. Anyway, I am incredibly sore and happy.  And tomorrow is yoga. I am enjoying the variety of the gym - I never have to work out the same way two days in a row. Awesome. I am also enjoying having a workout buddy. We have fun. So enjoy my crazy picture, Becky is the all cool swimming instructor with her dark goggles, and then there's me, student with dorky goggles, complete with goggle marks on my forehead. Ha! Great. 

Running and Sweets

3.5.12

 

 

 

 

 

 

Running. I ran 2.5 miles again today. Woo! Lets see how long I can keep this up.

3.6.12

 

 

These are one of my favorite candies. Becky and I were in the city for our counseling exam in October and they were passing out free samples of Brookside chocolates. I was hooked. John bought me this huge bag for Christmas and yes, I am still eating them little by little. I realize I am much like my mom when it comes to eating food...slowly but surely is better and more tasty. I already have lots of pictures of food showing my love of food. How ironic my picture from yesterday was of running and today's picture was of candy. They are a nice wind down snack after dinner. Yum. If you are ever here, ask, I might share some with you.

March begins...

3.1.12

This is the door of our office. The office shared by three residents. Three residents, colleagues, and friends. These three colleagues are going to a Diane Langberg seminar this week to learn about the trauma of childhood sexual abuse. How I am excited about such a thing makes no sense. The accompanied pit of sadness makes more sense. This door used to hold only my name with "counseling intern" underneath. Now greater things are being done as we move forward with three, not just one. "Greater things are yet to come and greater things are to be done here."

3.2.12

This is our young married sunday school class dinner. We do it every 1st Friday starting this year. This time we had Raclette, which is melted cheese poured over whatever you are having dinner. Cheese. Yes. Apparently they used to melt cheese next to the fire or other heat source, and scrape (Raclette is the French verb for scrape) the cheese off and onto the food. We had a Raclette grill with a heating element - we melted the cheese underneath and then poured it over potatoes, chicken, pork roll, pepperoni, tomato, pickles, and onions. Yes, pickles. It was so tasty! Thank you to Gregorys for sharing!

3.2.12

This is the second picture of the second day of March. I asked John if it was "ok" for me to post more than one picture a day. He said no, because "it's called a PICTURE a day". I said "maybe I'm going above and beyond," "ok, maybe I'm breaking the rules, I'm a rule breaker, meh". So, here's the second on the second. I wanted to include this one because it's a keeper - Paul, great shot. Paul and Dorothy have led our young married's sunday school class for over the past 2 years. I've learned more from them about being married then I learned in an entire semester of grad school focused on studying marriage counseling - and it does not reflect poorly on my education. Thank you friends for opening your life in honesty to teach, support, and encourage us youngins in the art of marriage. You have had a great impact on my life and in our marriage. Paul also introducted me to DBT (dialectical behavior therapy) of which I am currently quite enthralled by and hoping to make a permanent part of my counseling career.

 3.3.12

Saturday. Ahhhh, how I love the weekends. John and I made (more like John made) a good breakfast after sleeping in. I think he had plans to make omelets, but they turned out a little different. We dubbed them "open faced omelets". Yum.

 

3.4.12

Sunset on a restful weekend. This makes me hungrier for summer, grilling on the deck, and watching the sun go down on warm nights. And camping! I am greatly looking forward to summer, weekends of camping, fresh air, tents, fires, sleeping bags, and laughing by the fire with the Fishers. Mmmmm. Yes.