Kevin & I are Parents!

On Wednesday, August 18th, Kevin and I became parents to a beautiful little boy! His name is Rimshot and he was born on June 16th. He is a black, brown, and white Jack Russell terrier. And let me just say, he is the most precious thing ever!

Last Christmas, Kevin and I got on the topic of puppies and we started talking about the different breeds that we liked. Growing up, my family always had Cocker Spaniels. They are absolutely wonderful dogs and they aren't very hyper. However, I always wanted a Jack Russell. When I told Kevin that I'd love to have a Jack Russell, he told me that when he was younger he'd watched a movie with one and his name was Rimshot and since then he'd always wanted one. So we decided then and there that when we decided to get a dog, we'd get a Jack Russell and we'd make sure we got a male so we could name him Rimshot.

Throughout the year, we would go to the pet store looking for a male Jack Russell puppy. We found one that we loved. He was exactly what I had in mind. I wanted a white one with brown around his eye and I did not want him to have any black on him. However, when we saw him, it wasn't the right time to get one. I was in the process of trying to finish the semester and move out of my apartment. When we went back a few weeks later, he was gone :(

Over the next couple of months, we kept our eyes out for one. Well on Wednesday, August 18th, I found an add on Craiglist for a litter of Jack Russells. I told Kevin and he called about them. The lady had two males left and so we told her we'd be there in a few hours. On our way there, we pretty much knew we'd be coming home with one and sure enough, we did. When she brought out the two little guys she had, I was a little disappointed that they were white and black. Yet, my disappointment quickly faded when little Rimshot came over to Kevin and me and started playing around. I instantly fell in love with the little guy. He was unlike any other Jack Russell that I'd ever seen. He had black spots that almost reminded me of a Dalmatian (another breed that I absolutely love!). So after talking it over, we paid for the little guy, and took him home!

The past week and half has been something! Getting a puppy was so much more responsibility than I could have ever imagined, yet it is so rewarding at the same time. Having our little guy has really given us a brief glimpse of what it will be like to have children of our own. The first few nights were spent waking up every few hours to take him outside and play with him,((thankfully, he sleeps through most of the night now though!)), we can't leave the house for long periods of time so that he can go outside and use the bathroom every few hours, and we have to arrange our schedule around his! So our lives now completely revolve around our "son", just like it will have to when we have children of our own! Yet, just like with children, its all worth it! There is nothing like coming home and have a little fella go crazy when he hasn't seen you all day and its great to have a little guy kiss all over your face to let you know that he missed you!

Here's a few pictures of the first few days with our little guy!

It's Sad Really...

As I was reading some scripture today, I came across the following passage: "The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God." - Galations 5:19-21

This passage really hit me. As I read off each of the things that God says will block us from entering His kingdom, I realized that all of these things are abundant in the world that we live in today. I see the truth in Matthew 7:13 as it says, "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it."

It seems in today's culture, sex is just a recreational activity. I read recently that a recent study showed that almost 95% of adults have had premarital sex. Thanks to the media, sex is now portrayed as a means of instant pleasure and gratification rather than the intimacy between a husband and wife as God created it to be. Its sad that so many people have sex and end up with an unwanted child. It seems that almost every week I hear or see on facebook that a girl I know is having a baby out of wedlock. But whats really sad is that its so common, I don't really think much about it anymore.

Its sad that there is so much hatred, anger, and jealousy in this world. It sad that, without fail, everytime I turn on the tv, I see where someone else has been murdered or has been a victim of a crime. Its sad that crime occurs so often, our jails are to full to house more criminals so we have to constantly build onto the ones we have or build new ones. Its sad that our women's & children's shelters are overflowing with women and children who are victims of abuse because their loved ones could not control their tempers.

It's sad that so many people today use alcohol as a means to solve their problems, to numb their pain, or to simply forget about something. Its sad that people go out and get drunk likes its the "cool" thing to do when in reality, they are condemning themselves to an eternity in hell when they could live in paradise.

It's sad that these sins are so common that people don't really consider them to be sins anymore because no one preaches against them. It seems that because they are so common, they have become acceptable. Yet, just because society accepts them does not mean God does. God's word is absolute and His word is final. If you participate in these sinful natures, you will not enter into His Kingdom... and what a shame that will be.

My Best Friend's Wedding

This past Saturday, at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, I watched my best friend walk down the aisle as Miss Emily Wagoner and 15 short minutes later, I watched her exit the sanctuary as Mrs. Emily Scearce. I don't believe I've ever seen her look any more beautiful and any happier. I hope that same happiness that she had on Saturday as she said "I do" will follow her and Matt always.

A few days before Emily's wedding, we were talking about how fast time had flown by. I remember when we were in middle school planning our dream weddings to the members of N'Sync (haha!) and I can remember in high school, when we'd visit colleges, before we even looked at the buildings, we were scoping the area out for hot guys. Afterall, our dream husbands were gorgeous guys that we expected to meet in college so we had to make sure we went to a college that had nice looking ones! Yet the funny thing is, we both ended up meeting older guys (& by older I mean like 6 years older!) than us and they didn't go to UNCG after all. It's funny how God's plan doesn't always match our own but His is always better (:

As I participated in the wedding festivities on Friday and Saturday, the fact that I'm getting married in just a little under a year officially sank in with me. In just 9 short months, I will be in Emily's shoes and she will be in mine. I will be the one anxiously waiting to see my fiance. I will be the one walking down the aisle on my Daddy's arm (and I'll probably be bawling my eyes out!). I will be the one looking straight into my fiance's eyes as I say my vows. I will be the one entering the church as a Miss and leaving as a Mrs. And just like my best friend, I won't be nervous at all about it because like her, I know without a doubt that my fiance is the person that I want to share my life with. He is the one I want to fall asleep with every night and to wake up to every morning; the one I want holding my hand in the delivery room when we have our 2 kids (3 if he has his way :P); the one I want by my side as we watch and help our children experience life; and the one I want to look after me when I get to old to look after myself.

So...after my best friend's wedding, I have to say, I hope mine hurries up and gets here!

Emily getting her hair done!


All of us after our hair & make up was done!


The Bride & Maid of Honor (that's me!!!)


All of Us Girls (:


Emily & Matt after they'd said 'I Do'!


The yummy & pretty cake!


Me & My Parents at Emily's Wedding

I Remember Where I Was the Night I Fell in Love

A few weeks ago as I made my way to Danville, VA to run some errands an old song that I hadn't heard in forever came on the radio. It was Mark Schultz's song, "He Was Walking Her Home". As the chorus played, the first part of it began to stick out to me. The lyrics were "He was walking her home and holding her hand. Oh the way she smiled it stole the breath right out of him. Down that old road, with the stars up above, he remembers where he was the night he fell in love. He was walking her home". As the song continued I began to think about those lyrics and how I'd felt the first time I'd heard them several years ago.

Before falling in love with my fiance, I always believed that love just sort of happened over time and you could never really pinpoint the exact time of the beginning of it's existence. I just felt that you just came to the conclusion that you were in love because you realized you could spend forever with that special person. Yet, I was wrong. Love doesn't just happen over time. You can feel it the moment it hits you because it almost takes your breath away. It feels like you've been hit in the gut, but at the same time, its not painful. But all of a sudden, you feel different. Your heart suddenly feels full and complete. I remember the night that I got to experience this amazing feeling like it was yesterday. It was on October 24th, the night of our group's Halloween Party.

That night, Kevin asked me to come over to his house before the party but I told him I was going to be running late so I would just drive seperate and meet him at Emily and Matt's. So when I got there an hour late I expected him to be there, but he wasn't. I texted him and he said he was at his house watching a movie. Thinking that he was mad that I didn't come over, I left the party and drove to his house. When I got there I walked in without knocking ready to speak my mind, but he was sitting on the couch watching tv. When he saw me standing there in the living room, he looked at me with this odd expression. I can't begin to explain it but I guess you could say it was like one of those looks in the movies when the guy looks at a girl like he sees her for the first time. It was like he was really looking at me. I'm not sure if its because it was the first time he'd ever seen me with curly hair or because I was wearing a short Robinhood costume with knee-high boots, but either way, it took me completely off guard and I was completely speechless. But after a moment, I remembered why I was there and I asked him why he wasn't at the party and he told me he was planning on coming he just wanted to finish watching his movie. I'd known Kevin for a long time by that point and I knew there was more to the story than that. After a few minutes, I figured out that it all boiled down to the fact that he wasn't going to dress up for the party and everyone wanted him to. I told him I didn't care what he did but I wanted him to still come with me so he said he would but first I was supposed to sit down with him. We sat there for a while talking and cutting up and then we figured it was probably time for us to be getting back to the party since everyone was probably wondering where we were. So Kevin went to get his jacket. It was in that moment as I sat on the edge of his bed as he put on his jacket that I got that feeling. It came so fast it could have had an air bubble that said BAMMM! All at once, I had butterflies in my stomach, my heart was beating fast, and suddenly my heart felt whole.

I knew then just like I know now that I was in love with Kevin Michael Holt. Yet, at that point we weren't dating and I knew I couldn't tell him. I wanted to but I was afraid I'd be hurt but in my heart, I knew that at some point, I'd get to say it to him. And as you all know, just a few short months later, I did (:

Some Pics from that Night...