Ok Savannah, now turn the spoon over...!

Holy SchmeeShmaa yall. I am engaged. 

Love is Brewing

So we have been in pre engagement counseling for a month now and things have been going so well!

I am thankful for the wisdom of our pastor and elders at our church to help us discern the meanings of relationships as defined in Genesis.

We have told our stories, gone through temperaments, discussed communication and conflict, researched, and dug into family patterns of the past. The ability and willingness to be open about where we are has been a gift for sure.

God created all things and said that they were good. When He created Adam, He said it was very good. And yet, the first thing in the garden that was not good, was for Adam to be alone. So after Adam named all the animals and realized that none were capable of being his helpmate, God used Adam's own flesh (the only thing that God created not using dirt) to create Eve. When Adam saw her, he said 'Wow. Where have you been!? You are the greatest thing I have ever seen. You will be my perfect helper.' (paraphrased...haha). He responded in sheer awe at her arrival and appearance. God created Adam in His own image of masculinity and He created Eve in His own image of femininity. It takes both male and female working together to serve the Lord for His image to be most accurately reflected. Wow. This just gives new meaning and appreciation for me about His relationship and marriage design. I'm so humbled.

God placed Adam as the head of the work and household on the Garden. He had the responsibility to name the animals, work the land, and name Eve. But he didn't own up to that. Adam's sin curse has marked men with the plague of passivity, as he stood right beside Eve when she first disobeyed. He didn't protect her. So she stopped trusting him. Eve's sin curse has plagued women with the need for control over their own lives, works, and relationships. Eve desired control over her own life as she when she didn't want what God had promised, but what the serpent had suggested. It is now hard for her to submit to the leadership of man that God has placed for him as the leader in the Garden because he failed to protect her and lead her when she sinned.

Relationships are marked with brokenness...but also with the promise of redemption. Since the marriage relationship is designed to be the closest relationship on earth, it will inevitably be confrontational and honest with each person. Marriage is designed to be a vehicle for sanctification.
I am not convinced that marriage is easy, but I am definitely convinced that it is worth it. When two people come together and their worlds collide, bumps will happen. I want to experience everything that marriage has to offer with Brady. 

Pray for us as we pray about moving forward...whenever that will be.

<-----She's Got Issues

This week can go back. I would like a refund.

I have been swimming- no...drowning in a pool of estrogen for days on days dealing with sassy 18 year olds who think that they are somehow magically too good for already established sororities despite their national history and local success. Oh Im sorry, I guess I missed the memo of where you were the hottest thing since the microwave in your hometown, honey, but here you are in a crowded room full of the best of the best and if multiple chapters dropped you from recruitment then dry it up, homegirl, it means that they didnt want you. There I said it. I know you "didnt think that it would happen to someone like" you, but it did. They didnt want you, but other chapters saw something in you, I dont know how, but they have given you an invite- it would behove of you to accept it. gees. No sympathy pains for you ma'am. Tough titty said the kitty when the milk went dry.
Rant Over.

Those hormones were unpleasant....yes I mean my own. It was an emotional cluster cuss.

Then I found out that my favorite family, The Walkers, that moved 5 hours away to a new campus and moving to freaking St. Louis to go to God's chosen seminary school...Covenant Theological Seminary School. As sad as it is that they are moving farther away and leaving staff, I am overjoyed because they are fulfilling a dream and I am SO PROUD. Hopefully, we will be there too in a decade or so. Woohoo!

Meanwhile, my body is still of kilter and I am exhausted and mean inside. Labor Day 2013 should be entitled "Everything Makes Me Cry"...sweet time with the Walkers, gifts from Brady's mom, seeing all my sororities do amazing in recruitment-even if one left effin boa feathers all over the ground for me to pick up...Ill kill them next week.

I eventually have an emotional breakdown, of course, in the parking lot at some point and Brady consoles me by telling me to 'dry it up' WHAT YOU DRY IT UP WHO ARE YOU THE DEAD SEA???

A good nights rest should do the trick right? No. Long first day of fraternity recruitment = me driving a 14 passenger van for the first time in my life and then going to day one of Pre-engagement Counseling.

Counseling was AWESOME. We answered questions, we asked questions, we told of Gods faithfulness to bring us into Himself through salvation, and to each other and how much we love each other. TEARS. MORE TEARS.

I sneak into the house Im living in around 11:22pm and sound like a burglar (its my first night in with the whole family) and startle the master of the house...fortunately he didnt tackle me. Unfortunately, this did send me over the edge...the edge of my anxious awkwardness. I didnt sleep and worried and worried about what I had done and what they could be thinking so I did what rational, emotional, looney tunes person would do- I wrote a letter. A dramatic telling of I love yous, and your were rights, and I feel awkward, and I'll find another place to live. It really is too bad that all the girls my age are off moving to China or Australia or Ohio or Marriedland. I have been praying for months to find a delightful home in which a family wanted to let me live in their basement in exchange for some child care or something, since my job pays me in tuition and office supplies I cant afford rent on my own. Oh cruel world! This was going to work out great. Only it wasnt. Because I am weird. But thats ok. I will calm down and hopefully my hormones will level back out and oh...hey I am having kidney stone surgery in the morning. Craaaaaaap.

Maybe I will at least say some funny stuff under the anesthesia....

I am thankful that we are starting a book study at the church on this book about women's issues
She's Got Issues: really good news for stressed out secretly scared control freaks like us.

Yes, lets please address this clustercuss of issues: control, insecurity, comparison, anxiety, fear, and anger- and its ugly cousin, unforgiveness.

Here we go. I am so glad that there is redemption in this broken and messed up life I'm rollin in.

Goodnight. so long kidney stone.

I have the best boyfriend ever. Glory be to God.

"just pee in this cup for me"

What the heck is going on with my body lately!?

I have been going and going and going all summer like its got nowhere to go and then BAM!

I thought I was more tired than usual with the late nights, long hours, SOAR sessions and presentations, internship hours, classes, research and papers, oh and my personal life with Brady...like too tired to run ( I so miss running)

I have been planning to go to Disney World with my favorite family, The Walkers, in July...I was so thankful that work obligations avoided the dates. Then I busted my butt to get my hours in and my papers done so that I could skip a week of class and internship. Feeling like a boss, right?

Some weird swelling on my neck sends me to the doc and....MONO!

NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

What!? Brady doesn't have mono! Where did I get mono?? That explains the tiredness...

So no Disney trip for me...but I did get to go home for a week and lay around. Unfortunately my closest uncle died so that was a  huge bummer. But our family came from afar and stayed with us which turned into some good fellowship. But I couldnt hold the new baby. But Brady come down and met some of my favorite family. What a week.

But wait, there's more....
This hot, dehydrated summer had another gift waiting for me.... KIDNEY STONES.

I didn't know what was happening to my abdomen, but Brady did. I threw up everywhere. His mom has been "on all the rides" so he took me to the ER, all moaning and groaning. A few CT's and specialists later, they have found 3 kidney stones. What a shit show. I was throwing up everywhere and the nurse got wried with my IV and got blood all over the floor and sweet Brady almost passed out, quite the show.
Since his taking such good care of me for the last week, I think mom is really warming up to the idea of him taking care of her Savannah Girl :) I love his guy. I do not love kidney stones. I am going to have to have them dissolved at some point.

But before, that I have to move out, send the roommate to Ohio, find a new place to live, start school, get through recruitments, and just pee in that cup a few times.

I love my broken and messed up life. Glory be to God.

but at least I just won that photo shoot...

I WON!!! I WON!!!

So there I sat at home, with mono, at my uncles funeral...whining that I wasn't at Disney World on a free trip to babysit for my favorite family...

When I decided to enter a random contest that happened to pass me by on my Facebook page...

I had known Jessica Magee our freshman year in college.

She is so fun! We have always had similar personalities and interests in laughing loudly. But had lost touch for about 3 or so years... Until we meet again on some trail way as she walks her darling pup and I breathlessly train with my Team in Training team- I still dont know how I was actually race day ready when it was time to run my half marathon (3:00:00!)

SO... This contest was this:

How cool! I emailed Jess and told her all about Brady...how we met, what I have learned from him, what I have learned about myself from him, and what I have learned about the Gospel from his pursuit of me. He has so swept me off me feet in just 4 months and I told her all about how since our first date , he took me antiquing and has had me intrigued ever since.

So finally, last night,  it was time to announce the winner....

And I found out that I won!!

summer lovin'

This is my first summer here in my beloved Shoals Area...

By this time each year, I have always been nestled deep in my bed full of sand at summer beach project, hoping to find pearls in my bed from all the sand and pearls in my heart from all the biblical teaching of the 9 weeks with Campus Outreach...totally exhausted of course by trying to keep up with students or toddlers and the sunshine.

But alas, I am here..living my summer on the Tennessee River, taking my first ever summer class (hey at least its in grad school) and interning alongside my part time job at the university. What a summer!

The Lord has drastically changed my life in the last year, for His good and for my benefit.

He has so helped me to understand His love for me by ripping my idols away (one at a time...until I am sanctified) and showing me what pursuit looks like.

I sure do know how to post my life in an 'I've got it all together' kind of way....yeah right. I feel like I am trying to breathe each day as the summer flies on by...

Summer 2013 has introduced me to several things...like the griping world of chemical addiction through my internship at Bradford as I attempt to put my fresh counseling skills to the test and listent o the struggles of others, as motivated or court mandated as they may be...
I have also many incoming freshmen as I try to con them into becoming involved at UNA... hey it really is the best way to get the best out of your experience here.... What have I got to show for it?  A job at UNA, for one-haha, but more importantly a deep rooted connection to the church that I now serve which introduced me to Brady and here we are starting Pre-Engagement Counseling next month!

Reality is that, I am (willingly) investing my time and my heart into building a relationship that promises to sanctify me before the Lord and His glory - ok - and we all know what a painless joy that will be...

More to come on the real life front. I am thankful for today.

What's that...in the air?

This man... Is changing my life. He just delicately, fervently waltzed right in and with his charming boldness, he has swept me off my feet. He is incredible...really the gentleman I have always dreamed of calling mine. With his quick wit, love for antiques, passion for the Gospel Truth, conviction to teach, desire to provide, compassion for others, dedication to his plan, diligence to loving confrontation, dependence on the Lord's sovereignty, concern for me, and his delight in jazz music (well...most music- good music, that is), he has my head following my heels... We mesh really well and confront conflict with immediacy. We seem to compliment each other in personalities, strengths, weaknesses, and tastes. I'm growing I'm thankfulness for him everyday. Glory be To God. 😍

I freaking loooove this photo.