Frogs and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails...

He is here. He is handsome. He is loved.

Rhys Nelson, so great to finally meet you.

Ice Cream and Sunshine

What a busy month it's been! Brett finished up his school year teaching, which has been awesome. He's home all summer, and I only work 3 1/2 days a week, so half of our summer is basically one giant vacation. Granted, we've been doing a lot of work around the house. After almost three years, we have a yard that actually looks like a yard. Brett's been seeding and reseeding and watering and watering some more, and after a run around the city collecting enough seed and a hefty water bill, we're beginning to see results! It's funny, despite our patchy yard, we now at least have the greenest yard on the block due to all the watering and lack of rain! Ya win some, ya lose some.

We also recently bought Brett a car. The '99 Civic was on it's last leg, and we knew we needed something more reliable considering how far he usually drives each week. I, for one, hate car shopping. It sounds simple enough, and test driving cars is pretty fun, but at the end of the day, it's a giant headache. However, this experience was pretty different. It's amazing how much more pleasant the basic milestones in life are when you're going through it with your best friend. I never want to forget how blessed we are, and I pray that gratitude forever fills my heart. I don't want to take Brett or our marriage for granted... Whoa, wasn't really planning on pouring out my heart there. Forgive the sappiness. Anyway, we wound up purchasing a 2010 Focus, and we're both very happy with it!

Memorial Day weekend came and went so quickly, but we enjoyed the crap out of it. Some friends of ours went with us to Ikea in Cincinnati. Always a good time. It never ceases to amaze me, how our cart can be stuffed to the brim, and we barely break $100. That place is magical. I'll post pictures of all we purchased soon. Sunday we ended up taking Sophie to the lake with my siblings and their dogs. Six people, four dogs, and two boats later, we had ourselves a pretty great time. It was Sophie's first opportunity to swim. Now, you mom's out there reading this can laugh all you want, but because we have no kids, I tend to treat Sophie like my daughter. So, naturally, her first swim was a very special day for me :) Brett got in the water first, and I handed Sophie to him from the boat. Immediately the girl froze. She had no clue what to do. I jumped in, and Brett let go of her, and Sophie swam to me. I was so proud of her! Granted, she wasn't so much paddling as she was swatting the water out of disgust, but she was a trooper. It was pretty obvious she was happier on the boat, so I joined her up there soon after and soaked in the sun. Great weather.

We are also still impatiently waiting the arrival of my nephew, Rhys. He isn't due until Sunday the 17th, but for the sake of my sister-in-law and her aching feet, I'm praying he comes sooner. We've had so much fun preparing for him, between the baby showers and way too much shopping in H&M's baby section. The other day my sisters and I took a day to get pedicures and see the movie "What to Expect when You're Expecting." 






First of all, I can't count the number of times someone took the time to tell me, "You know that's not an educational film, right?" Umm, hello!? If they actually thought a movie with Elizabeth Banks, Chris Rock, and Cameron Diaz would be "educational," they're delusional. That being said, the movie was comical (just as the label "romantic comedy" suggests!) and we had a great time having a girls day.

Other than that, we've been busy with the typical summertime stuff. Tincaps baseball games, grilling out like nobody's business, getting in the hot tub, eating icecream, fishing, and just relaxing outside. I'm trying to soak it all in now because I know that in just a few short months, Brett will be gone all the time again with football season starting. You'd think I'd dread the fall because of how much he's gone, but I'm actually starting to look forward to it. I'm probably just crazy. Anyway, off to watch yet another basketball game (why teams need to play each other 7 times still boggles my mind!) and cuddle up with the boy! That part I like :) 

Surprise!

Everyone has a different love language. I laugh because Brett and I really are so much alike, but our love languages are completely opposite. Brett's most prominent love language is acts of service, while mine is words of affirmation. I'm good with words, words are close friends of mine. Demonstrating my love for Brett with less chatter and more of a servants heart has been a stretch for me, but I'm always up for the challenge.

 It's just that it gets a little difficult when he finishes his master's degree. I want to shout to the world, "LOOK WHAT HE DID! CONGRATULATE HIM!" (which I did, by the way, via facebook), and Brett sits there saying, "Shhh Kayla it's no big deal..." Because my telling him how proud I am of him only went so far, the only solution was to throw him a surprise party. It was planned about a week in advance, so I was grateful that (almost) all of our family was able to come on such short notice to show Brett how proud they were of him! 

Brett was certainly caught off guard, but by the time he realized we were going to eat his favorite foods for dinner, he was good to go. We spent the evening eating dinner, sharing stories, fishing, and spending time around a bonfire. I think the whole night left Brett feeling admired, so it was a win! Thanks to everyone who came and made him feel adored!!

(Pardon the pictures with poor lighting...)

A Nautical Celebration

This past weekend we were able to celebrate the upcoming arrival of my nephew! This little man is planned to join us in just a few weeks, and my sister and I were excited to plan the party. And yes, I call it a party, because, let's face it, "showers" can be pretty boring. Anyway, we were grateful for our family and friends who took time out of their days to bless my brother and his sweet wife. Nothing is more wonderful than people who gather and pray boldly that this new life would one day surrender himself to our God. Here are a few pics from our Ahoy! It's a Boy! nautical celebration! Be sure to check back in in just a few short weeks to meet the latest addition!

**The silverware idea was courtesy of Pinterest. The "Crab Cake" was created by a friend at LinZcakes LLC. The punch is 4 parts Sprite with 1 part Strawberry Daiquiri mix.

Home Updates, Sweet Home Updates

A friend of mine tagged me in a post on my Pinterest account of a sign that says, "There are Four Seasons: Winter, Spring, Summer, and Football."

 It makes me laugh when I think about how much my life has changed in the last two years, because I would have never thought that'd fit my future family so well! 

As an Indiana girl, I am grateful for each of those seasons. Sure, winter tends to overstay her welcome, but there's not a whole lot prettier than a fresh coat of snow. And I don't know what it is about Spring that makes me want to change everything in our home. It's the season when I stock up on home decor and repaint things I already have. And don't even get me started on deep cleaning...the thought of scrubbing every square inch of the place down makes my heart flutter like the first time a boy calls after the first date. It's practically magical.


So here are a few things I've done/am doing/hope to do sometime in the near future!

Let's start with the bird cage. I've looked for the perfect birdcage for years. I've stumbled across about a thousand of them, but they were never in my budget. So this year when we were on vacation, I found her. I wish I could tell  you I found her at some quaint antique store or an off the road flea market, because I think you would believe it was cool. But no, lo and behold, she was sitting on a shelf at Ross Dress for Less. And she was only $13. Hunter green was not my color, but she was nothing a little spray paint couldn't handle. 


I can't wait to bring her in and find her perfect place. It saddens me a little because she looks awesome out in the woods...I think the birds would really like her! But, it must be done!

Next is our bedroom. There is no "before" picture...just imagine the bed with nothing else. That's what it was.  This picture is just to show you the paint colors we (as if Brett had ANYTHING to do with this! ha!) picked out. The green shelf was originally just a piece of plywood from an old barn (aka Lowes...see, barns sound cooler than Lowes!). We painted it and I let Brett do the hanging of it...which was quite the story in and of itself. 


Then it was off to collect the perfect items to place on the shelf. The finalists were: the bottle of champagne from our wedding reception, a piece of art created by my sweet friend, Brooke, with our wedding date, a little globe that's so teeny and cute I just wanna tickle it, and a few other random belongings.

I DID, believe it or not, manage to find one precious canister from a thrift store! I love the colors, I love the content, and I love peanuts, so it had to be mine! As of now, it stays on the fireplace mantle, but I have high hopes for this piece.

My last two finds are both from Goodwill. The globe (courtesy of my sister, Kortney) stands next to Mr. Peanut on the mantle for now. I love the color intensity on this little guy! I may still spray paint the base, just because the muted silver is a little too predictable for me. Any color suggestions? I was thinking peacock blue or crayola red...we shall see. 

Last but certainly not least, this may be my favorite. I found this Tinplate Toy Company clock. This little guy contains images of vintage toy trucks, horse drawn carriage, airplanes, boats, and the list goes on. I don't know what I like most about him. Is it the colors? Is it because it's a clock (which I LOVE!)? Or is it because I could see this in a little boys nursery one day down the road? Who knows? Regardless, I'm glad he's mine.

The Proposal

One year ago the boy surprised me when he got down on one knee, offered me a pretty ring and the rest of his life. ONE YEAR! I can't believe it, I feel like I just met him, but then again I feel like I've known him forever. Praising God today for gracing me with a man so godly, so ridiculous, so handsome, and so funny. My life will forever be sweeter because Brett's in my life.

A Little Background...

Brett and I met on a Tuesday. We actually met through eHarmony (another story, another day) but actually saw each other face to face for the first time on December 14, 2010. It wasn't long before I realized he was the rock to my roll...the cheese to my macaroni...the fruit to my loom. I'll stop there. What I'm trying to say is, he was quite wonderful and won my heart. 

My family goes on an annual trip to Siesta Key, Florida every year. That March, Brett went along. Keep in mind, it was just a mere few weeks before we left for vacation that Brett first told me he loved me. We both agreed we wanted to marry each other one day, but we both concluded we were in no hurry and wanted to take our time.

The Twist...

While in Florida, we were blessed to be able to take long, long walks on the beach. Hand in hand, taking in the sounds of the ocean and talking more and more about our future. Naturally the questions began to rise in both of our minds: if we're confident now we want to get married, why are we waiting so long to do so? We lived an hour away from each other, and football season would be here before we knew it. Did we really want to go through the fall being that far apart AND that busy?

As a girl, of course, I was giddy with excitement, but totally suave. The boy had no clue I was listening to songs on my iPod, planning which one I would walk down the aisle to. I just knew. I didn't know when, exactly, but I finally knew the boy at the end of that long church aisle would be Brett. As thrilled as that made me, I played it cool and let him bring it up and do the talking. I just agreed excessively when he mentioned marrying me sooner.

The Days Prior...

As the Florida trip ended, Brett concluded, "I think I need to talk to your dad." We had busy schedules the next couple of days making it difficult to spend time together, but our conversations continued. One Saturday morning (who remembers that cartoon, btw!?), I had to go to work, but Brett had a paper he had to work on, so he decided to come up to my house while I was at work to work on his homework. When I came home from work, Brett and I were talking casually, when he asked, "So, do you want to go ring shopping tomorrow?" My heart said, "EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" but my mouth whispered, "I'd like that." Again, so suave.

I walked to the refrigerator and found a box of leftovers from Applebees. I yelled into the living room, "Babe, what's with the Applebees box?" He said, "Mind your own dang business!!" Aha! He had lunch with my dad. I love him.

Long story short, we looked at a few different stores for rings. I liked the ones that shined, and he liked the ones that made me smile more. To this day, I won't allow him to tell me how much he spent, because I would just want to return it and get something cheaper. I hate spending money. However, knowing my husband, he got a killer deal.  Another reason why I love him.

The Proposal...

It was a Thursday night. I worked all day and was exhausted. Brett text me while I was at work, asking me when I would be done so that he would know when to call. I told him what time. He text again: Text me when you leave so I know when to call you. I thought, Good Grief! I just told you! And then it hit me...I always hear stories about how guys act shady right before they propose. Could he be up to something? I rushed out of work like a bullet from a gun and headed home. The whole way home, I talked myself out of it. I didn't want to be disappointed, especially since he didn't do anything wrong. It's a silly thing girls do, and are good at. By the time I pulled in my driveway, it was totally out of my mind.

Then I noticed his car in my garage. I ran inside, fully expecting him to be down on one knee, with soft music playing and candles lit and rose petals everywhere! I opened the door, and, instead, found him making pork chops and messing with Sophie. I said, "Well hey, what's going on?" Brett said, "I knew you had a long day, wanted to surprise you with dinner!" Suspicious, I asked, "Umm, is that it?" He smiled a smart mouthed grin and said, "YEP!" I wasn't convinced, but at that point I knew he was gonna milk my anticipation for all it was worth.

We ate a nice dinner and went on a walk. Halfway through the walk, I realized, the faster we walked, the faster we'd be back home, and the faster I'd (likely) get engaged! I was bookin' it, and the boy knew it. He was all like, "Oh babe, slow down, it's such a nice night out!" Punk. We finally made it back home after walking at the pace of a snail. We went out back to chill out on the porch, and that's when it happened.

He set up all of the patio furniture, and had flowers and candles everywhere. The white and colored lights were strung throughout the porch...it was seriously perfect. I sat down beside him, quiet, letting him lead the conversation. I didn't want to delay his speech about how much he loves me and wants to spend the rest of his life with me. But again, I should have known. This is Brett we're talking about. Ornery, mischievous, Brett. He asks me if I liked the lights. I told him they were awesome and I was excited about them. He said, "Yea, I thought I remembered you saying you liked these. They had these other lights that..." And on and on he went. 

Seriously, a good half hour went by as he was talking about these dang lights. I finally zoned out. He was loving every moment. He knew he was killing me. After what seemed like light years, he finally said, "So, there's a reason I did all of this tonight." That was my cue. Boom, I was paying attention. Tell me more. He said, "I wanted you to get a glimpse tonight of what life could be like if we spent the rest of our lives together..." I'll spare you the sappy stuff, but trust me, he said sweet things that would have made any girl say yes. It was lovely and his words I'll cherish in my heart forever. At the end, as you may have guessed, he got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife. Without hesitation, I said, "YES!"

And boom. Less than four months later, I became his wife. I'm a lucky lady. I cannot thank God enough for Brett and I would continue telling you how grateful I am, but instead, I'm going to wrap it up because Brett just offered to take me out for dinner at Biaggis, and I've gotten in the habit of telling him, "YES!"

Preach It!

"Yet when I preach the Gospel, I cannot boast; 

for I am compelled to preach. 

Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel!" 

1 Corinthians 9:16

As believers, we have NO choice. When we come to accept the fact that we are sinners and cannot save ourselves...when we discover God's great love for us, that while we were still sinners, He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for us...when our hearts have been changed by this Truth, we have NO choice. We MUST preach the Gospel. With our whole lives, with our every word, with our every breath. It's the least we can do to bring Glory to His Name.

There are many "gospels" out there in the world. The only way to test and see if its true is to see what they say about Jesus. Because if they're preaching a different Jesus, then they're preaching a different gospel, and a different gospel does not save. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and He and God and the Holy Spirit are one. He was sent to earth to live a perfect life and teach us. He was nailed to a cross where He received beatings to the point where He was unrecognizable, where He died and was buried in a tomb. Then, three days later He rose again! The ONLY way to God the Father is through Jesus Christ.

Most of the world is preaching the message that we can save ourselves. They preach that there is a power within, and if we can unlock it, we are capable of great things. Some of them even tie in the name of God into this twisted message. My friends, do not be fooled. Do not be mislead! We constantly hear that we deserve greatness, that God wants us to be successful, or that we have the power to create life and death with our words. Friends, the only One capable of creating life with His Words is God. WE ARE NOT GOD! We are dust, we are dirty, we are sinners who deserve nothing less than death! But our God, who is mighty and compassionate and who is LOVE, He loved us enough to give us the opportunity to be saved! Apart from Him, we can do nothing!

We must be bold. We must speak the truth in love. We must pray for those who hearts are hardened. And we must warn those who are being mislead to come back to the Truth. There are many popular "teachers" out there that are leading even Christians astray. Joyce Meyer, Benny Hinn, Joel Osteen, Oprah, Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, and Creflo Dollar are just a few of the first that come to mind.  They use Truth, mix in a little bit of blasphemy, and sell it on national television.  To quote Justin Peters, "If you take a perfectly good glass of water, and mix in just a drop of poison, it is no longer good to drink." Please join me in praying for those who have been fooled by their teachings, as well as for them, that their hearts may be softened to the Truth, and that they would turn from their ways and run to Jesus.

"But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who brought them-bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping...." 2 Peter 2:1-3

"I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel-which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what is accepted, let him be eternally condemned!" Galatians 1:6-10