brief update. . .

being a pastor's wife is amazing and exhausting

we just had an awesome first youth group

Jesus Christ is my Savior and amazes me EVERY SINGLE DAY!

life. . .

As I was driving home yesterday from my second winter retreat in a row, I went to adjust the heat and all of a sudden I felt like I was hit with a ton of bricks. No one else was going to tell me what it should feel like in the car. I was the only person that could control it. . .wow. Now I have had a car since I was 16 but something felt decidely different. A little tick on the clock from childhood to adulthood ticked to the right. It's little things like that which tell me I am not a child anymore. And it's scary.

Perhaps it was the contradiction of spending an entire weekend as a junior higher. Acting as silly as possible and loving every minute of it. Of getting in trouble as a leader for staying up too late because I was singing all the girls crazy songs about the boys they like! With my ski goggles on all the while. The girls decided I was "crunk" on Jesus.

It was so refreshing. I drank a load of Mountain Dew to keep my energy up and as we were all about to go to bed I started pacing the floor. Maddie our High School leader that came with asked what I was doing to which I replied "A pivotal moment has come. I can go to bed right now, or I can be really crazy for quite awhile, what should I do?" She thought crazy was the right way to go and so I did. I almost peed my pants numerous times.

And I get paid for that. . .

So while I struggle with growing up I get the blessing of hanging on a little longer in doing Youth Ministry.

godisgoodallthetime.

height of humiliation-height of happiness

Ultimate humiliation-Trekking to Jewel with thirteen pre-teen girls to buy ice cream and toppings only to get armfuls, get in line, and not have your debit card. Turning around and telling 13 girls to "put back the ice cream" may be one of the hardest things I've ever done. You hear stories of poor mothers being embarrassed with 2 of their children in similar situations, I had 13. Then the lady was extremely rude. And the girls didn't want to put it back they just wanted to leave it, but I made
them put it back.

I felt like I was in Jr. High again. Like I had just completely ruined my first impression and no one was going to want to be a part of my small group because of my mess up (Nate found my debit card in the couch grrrrrrr).

Then we got back and the girls decided we would just eat what we had. Which consisted of

-Strawberries
-Strawberry Topping
-Animal Crackers
-Sprinkles
-Chips Ahoy
-Lime Chips

My heart burst open as I saw girls putting strawberries on lime chips and happily munching away.

Life would go on.

I may have been a little frazzled and a huge chunk of time was to be building the sundaes and talking while we did it, but we did the two games I had planned and played some volleyball (this group of girls loves it so I can't fight it).

Next week we will have a sundae party at the girls house where we are going to meet for the year.

As we were finishing up one of the seventh graders came up to me and said "If we are at the Hunt's house, how will we get the ice cream?" to which I replied, "Well don't you think I better get it ahead of time?" She smiled a big mouthful of braces and said "I like how you think" and trotted off.

They have probably already forgotten that we didn't have ice cream (well those that don't already have the pre-teen tude going on).

I will probably never forget.

But hopefully soon I can at least smile about it.

Back 2 Life, Back 2 Reality

Ahhhhhh.
Sometimes I love to just take a deep breath. To be acutely aware of my body and how it functions. I also love when you haven't really had any hydration for a bit and you can feel the water go down through your chest as it rehydrates you. It is a good feeling.

I'm still trying to figure out what to do with my time. I feel busy, but not busy enough.

I did a massive overhaul on the apartment yesterday. Pray, pray, pray, that if it is God's will we find someone to sublease our apartment. We really want to move to Evanston. We went and saw the apartments and they are so great! The kitchen even has room for our table which is amazing if you have seen the kitchen we have now.
So if it is to be, I would love it to be!

I am reading the whole Time Series by Madeline L'Engle right now. I started randomly but then decided to do it in honor of her passing. As of now I am on A Swiftly Tilting Planet which is the third installment. So timely, so universal. Her writing continues to amaze me. And it is really making me focus on not losing my ability to fantasize and imagine.

Speaking of fantasizing, Nate and I stayed up late last night to watch Pan's Labyrinth. AMAZING! I think everyone should see it. It is beautiful.

I need to get back to work. Tonight is my first Jr. High Girls Small Group. And for the kickoff, we are doing a big ice cream sundae party, where everyone brings their favorite topping and I provide the ice cream! I am excited to see how many will come!

mere

and the answer is. . .

No.

Stephen called today. I was in the middle of the Broadway Antique Mall with Nate. Anyways he said in lots more words that they aren't 100% sure that they can make me a career because of my less than plus size and because of that they aren't willing for me to take that risk.

Stephen was so sweet. It almost seemed as if it was hard for him to tell me no. He kept telling me that I was lovely and a lovely person on top of that. So that felt good.

Not to say I'm not disappointed, but it kind of kicked me into gear that it is so not about me.

As simple as it may seem, perhaps Stephen needed to meet another Christian wanting to share with him the love of Christ. Perhaps we were to have our short encounter for that purpose.

I should be fullfilled with that.

And I also shouldn't limit this experience to what my mortal mind can wrap itself around.

I'll be honest, I had a little cry, and I'm eating some food that is not so good for me right now, and just being grossly human.

But I have a husband and family and friends and most importantly a saviour that loves me just the way I am.

Besides, something interesting is coming this way. I can feel it in my bones.

backinthebloggingsaddle

So much has happened that I won't be able to get it all in.

Nate is at Garret now and absolutely loves it. I have to admit that I fall more and more in love with Evanston every time I visit. So prayers about our near future housing decisions would be greatly appreciated.

I am completely done at the store and I am excited for more free time! I am also excited to see how my former boss and I's relationship will develop without the issues of an employee-employer dynamic.

I finally got a streak in my hair. It might seem silly, but as far as things go with my physical appearance, I was always scared to do things that I wanted to do. Kinda goes along with the constant struggle of "what will people think?". So now I have a streak and a slightly asymetrical haircut! And I love it!

Worship went amazing yesterday as well, and for me it was a milestone. It was the first time I was up there doing worship with Nate for the sake of worship. So many distractions of other peoples expectations of worship and situations we had gone through with the church had always held me back. And I just let go and held on all at the same time.

I am so excited about my new job! Jr. High and High Schoolers bring you such an energy! (Which means I need to get in better shape! Guh)
Like I said before HUGE turnout. And I successfully got every single person to fill out an info sheet and got their picture. Quite a feat if you could have seen the mob!

I also look forward for free time to spend with friends. It is especially lovely to get together with Lindsay in the city and with Mackenzie for lunch.

I am going to continue to clean and organize our apartment. It never stops does it! Not when you have SO MUCH STUFF IN SUCH A SMALL SPACE!!!!!

I did purge a lot of junk this weekend though. Let's hope I can jus keep it up!

Pray for me and I will pray for you!
mere

Goodness gracious! It has been awhile. This is my first official week of my new job. Yesterday was an eleven hour day. I'm a little sore. Ha!

But we had an amazing turnout, with a ton of new faces. :o)

I have to start cleaning now though, so I will be back later today!