Is it really almost April?!

Where is this year going??? Time has just flown by, as we are keeping quite busy still. Katie has just started classes back from Spring Break, but at least that means this tough semester is halfway over. Good news is that she is beginning to feel more like a nurse every day! Chris continues to play soccer and tie flies in his free time. It is so nice to have good hobbies!

A couple weekends ago, we went to our first FC Dallas soccer game of the season. Katie gave Chris season tickets for Christmas, so we will get to enjoy many more games over the next few months. Over Spring Break, we were able to make a quick trip to Houston for the Livestock Show & Rodeo, and to visit family. This year the concert was KISS, which (along with his pulled pork parfait and fried Snickers) Chris was very excited about. They put on a great show! We also took some time to continue updating our bedroom decor, as it has definitely been a bit by bit process. It is amazing how just a couple pieces can really make it feel more like our own.

One of the highlights of last weekend would have to be our visit to the Dallas Arboretum. We recently purchased a year membership so we can go more often because it is so incredibly beautiful. Right now the tulips are in bloom, as well as the cherry blossom trees and other colorful spring flowers. Too bad we can't post all of the amazing pictures on here!

Recently we have had many friends become pregnant or have babies, which is so exciting! We guess it's just that time in our lives where we are surrounded by people in that demographic, but it is crazy to see that transition from wedding invites to baby shower or baby b-day invites. This past weekend we brought dinner to some of our friends that recently welcomed a baby. She was so adorable, and Chris got to practice holding a baby for the first time.

Last, but not least, Katie had two more moles taken off for testing and the results were good and bad at the same time. Both came back clear of cancer (very good), but they were severely precancerous (bad). They were able to get clear margins, so those spots are gone for good, but this means that we cannot give up the good fight. We continue to be on guard against these threats and proactive in diagnosing and eliminating them, but prayers are always appreciated. As summer rolls around, be careful to protect your skin when you enjoy the beautiful weather!

Wrapping Up Winter

So this weekly blog has evolved into a monthly one, but guess it's better one than none at all! We definitely have had an interesting couple months since returning from vacation and getting back into our day to day routine. In mid-January, Chris completed his second half-marathon after some very dedicated training and set a personal record: 1 hour and 48 minutes. It was amazing (the jury is still out on if the new haircut shaved some time off...haha)! Since then, he has been taking things a bit slower, but did get back into playing outdoor soccer which he loves.

Katie has hit the ground running with school and work, which leaves very little time to play - at least the first round of exams are over and she's one step closer to being a nurse. This semester she is taking pediatrics, mental health, and critical care so it should make future career plans clearer by May. Also in February, Katie celebrated another birthday: #26! As the actual day fell in the middle of classes, we will celebrate both that and Valentines over spring break in Fort Worth.

As far as Valentines goes, we both laughed as we mutually surprised each other early in the morning with Little Debbie treats. Our moms must have taught us well :) Another fun thing we did for the holiday was our Sunday School classes' annual Newlywed Game. We didn't win, but we did well only missing two questions - one of those being who would your husband consider the better catch? Just think about how that question turned out...it was a great time!

We almost forgot - the SNOW and the ICE and the crazy winter weather we watched from our window for a week! One new thing we did was make snow ice cream which was not only something to do, but very yummy. It was all so beautiful, but we were glad to safely venture out of our home at the end of it.

The tulips are beginning to bloom in our neck of the woods welcoming spring. Hope you are enjoying the change of seasons that God shows us every year.

The Holiday Season

Where did the past 2 months go?!?! We're so, so, so sorry that it has been this long since we've updated the blog, but we are just now getting caught up from the holiday season. There are so many stories to tell and memories to recap, but seeing as that would take ages to review, we'll just make it short and sweet...


November: Sunday school fish fry was a great time with Chris passing on his Louisiana recipes and getting his hands "dirty"...Thanksgiving went well, as always. We love getting to spend precious time with family...

December: Chris ran on a relay team for the White Rock Marathon here in Dallas. It was a good time, but COLD...Sunday school Christmas party (& cooking party) were more than welcomed study breaks at the end of a long semester...Katie's grandmother came down with horrible back pain that ended up being from 6 or so broken vertebrae. After a month, she had a procedure that gave her some relief. We enjoyed spending time with her, as she stayed in Dallas during the month of December (as did Katie's brother for a week too)...A heartbreaking round of finals left Katie glad that she had a month of no school ahead (89.4 final grade in both classes)...Katie was able to spend a few days with her best friend in College Station, then head to Houston to see Burn the Floor with Chris' mom. What a fun weekend!...Then finally Christmas - It was such a great time we were able to spend with family. We were blessed with more gifts than I'm sure we deserved, but we are enjoying all of them into the New Year.



January: A group of friends rang in the new year with us at a Times Square style celebration in Dallas...Dixie started the year being a guest at her first puppy birthday party...A few days into the new year we left for Disney World!!! It was such a great trip and escape from reality. Our group of 10 from Chris' side of the family spent 6 jam packed days of fun and have lots of pictures to prove it...Now it's back to the routine: work, school, etc. We will definitely miss the breaks we've had, but it will be nice to get back into a semi-normal schedule again. Every so often, send up a little prayer for Katie, as she is facing her toughest semester this spring (made even harder after last semester's disappointments). We are blessed to have family and friends around us that support us in the rough times and celebrate with us in the good.





As a parting note, a couple of books we've been reading lately have made such an impact in our lives - Same Kind of Different As Me & Heaven Is For Real. If you have time to read, you should check out these books. They both turn our eyes to what is most important in life and really put things in perspective. Here are reviews of both of them. Happy 2011!!!


"Prepare to be inspired and changed as you read this tapestry of two men's lives stitched together by the power of God's love. Ron Hall and Denver Moore invite you to walk with them on their journey of growth, pain, and joy. One man's story of worldly success, the other of complete poverty, brought together through the vision and perseverance of a Godly woman. Their story is a message for us all to reach out beyond ourselves and make a positive difference in the lives of others."

"A beautifully written glimpse into heaven that will encourage those who doubt and thrill those who believe."

Cooler Weather & Holiday Season

What a great way to kick off the fall holiday season - cooler weather! We've had a great few weeks, but with its fair share of bumps in the road. For Halloween we were able to carve our pumpkin (squirrel was the design of choice this year) and make caramel apples & cupcakes. We also changed out our balcony plants to reflect the change in season. As great as Halloween began, it ended rough due to an unexpected trip to the ER to treat Katie for a bout of food poisoning (and no, it wasn't candy). On a positive note, we were able to watch a movie and Katie got to study IV insertions up close and personal.

That same week we found out that Katie's best friend's mother passed away, so she made a quick trip to attend the funeral. It was nice to see good friends and spend time with family. Our thoughts and prayers are still with the family...While Katie was away, Chris had the rare opportunity to go fishing with a group of guys from church. They caught a ton of fish and had a great time!

Finally, this past weekend we were excited to host Chris' Mom and Aunt here in Dallas. They arrived on Friday and ate dinner at our apartment before heading out for frozen yogurt and a trip to one of Chris' favorite stores: Academy. The next day we walked to a book fair before making it over to the Dallas Arboretum. It was beautiful and inspired us to get a membership so we can visit more often. That night we ate at our favorite pizza place and watched the Aggies pull out a great game. Sunday morning we went to church and ate some lunch before they had to head home. It was a wonderful weekend - we always love visitors!

"He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul."

-Psalm 23:2-3

Living in Dallas

It's hard to believe that we've been in Dallas for 2 years now. Seems like not too long ago we moved in and went to our first State Fair of Texas. This weekend we went to the fair for the 3rd time (which was a huge accomplishment considering the week leading up to it) and had a great time. We rode the rail in - a first for both of us - and thought it was pretty neat. It was a quick trip to the fair, but we were sure to hit up some of our favorites and of course grab some fried food along the way. We saw a BMX bike show, pig races, the butter sculpture, the parade, a light show, and made a short trip through the car show. Funny to think that last year when we looked at cars at the car show we were interviewed on the news while sitting in the 4runner we bought 10 months later...Now for the food: fried frito pie, corn dog, popcorn, real rootbeer, and pinapple whip. I think if we could buy a pinapple whip machine, we would. The fried frito pie was not bad, but we most likely wouldn't get it again. The corn dog is a classic and always a winner.

Thankfully this week will be MUCH slower than last week. We hope you have an amazing week and are enjoying the fall as much as we already are!

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."

Proverbs 3:5-6

Welcome Fall

So it looks like this once a week blog is now becoming a once a month blog...sorry! Where did this past month go?! We have been busy, busy, busy, but it has been good. Katie started back up with full time school and even finished her first exam last week. She is taking Women's Health and Adult Health this semester, so there should be many "firsts" in the near future. Today she successfully started her first IV and on her first try! She has also been working a couple shifts each week, so needless to say she is not bored. Chris has started playing in a men's outdoor soccer league and is loving it. He has proved himself enough to become a starter after his first 3 or so games. In the spirit of soccer, we went to our first FC Dallas MLS game. It was a great time!

It has been a month full of roadtrips for us - First, we were able to spend the weekend in San Antonio for a friend's wedding. It was a great time to let loose and have some fun! Then last weekend we had the chance to take a short, but sweet visit to Baton Rouge. We were able to catch up with great friends and get in a little LSU tailgating action. Amazingly, we actually packed in everything we wanted to do, including surprise Chris' parents for their anniversary. We are constantly reminded what the important things in life are, and we love to jump in and celebrate those things like we have lately.

Psalm 118:24 - "This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."

Plenty to Share

Sorry it has been so long since our last post, but we have been busy, busy, busy...Let's see...where to start?...After family health issues began to resolve, we were both back to work and the schedule as usual. Our church class had a game night that next weekend where we were able to unwind and meet some new people. We also watched Blindside in the park behind our apartment, which was just as good as people said. With Chris' week off from work, we spent a couple days with Nanny and a couple days in Houston. While in Houston, we got to attend the MLS All-Star soccer game and visit the museum, which was a great time. The next week Katie had her follow up dermatologist appointment, at which they removed the entire area of concern and confirmed that it was all clear. She also finished her last summer school class and even tested out of one of her fall classes!

Now to the biggest news: WE BOUGHT OUR FIRST VEHICLE!!! After years of talking about it, months of research and test drives, and weeks of negotiating, we drove home in our new 2010 Toyota 4Runner! We can honestly say, days and thousands of dollars later, we love it! If you are ever around, we would be more than happy to take you for a spin - We are always looking for reasons to take a drive now :)

To wrap out our eventful month, we spent last night at the Jack Johnson concert. It was awesome! We heard all of our favorites and lots of great new songs too. Best of all, not only did he play "our song" that we danced our first dance to, but he closed out the concert to it as his encore. Perfection! As the closing thought for this post, we thought we'd leave you with a taste of our concert experience:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWVnZAJaq4Q