The moment you've all been waiting for......

Well I had a wonderful birthday and am now legal.....not to worry though...I have been able to keep it all under control. ;)

So, not going to lie, but in order to help me remember what I have even been doing the last couple of weeks.....I had to look at my planner. :-o  Very sad, I know....lets just say I keep myself too busy. The most exciting and fun thing that I did recently was go to Winter Jam (a Christian concert with several different singers).  It was awesome!!! I went with the Gerber girls, Ella Stoller, and Maria Ramirez.  We had a blast!! Last week on my day off, I went and spent the afternoon with Alyssa Eisenmann, who will soon be leaving for Southeast Asia for three months.  So please pray for her!!  Also, this past Sunday, I actually helped teach Sunday School, filling in for a friend.  I didn't give the lesson, I was just the helper...which was a good thing, since I didn't really know what I was doing.  But it all went well and we all survived!:)

Me, Erika, and Alyssa (or what we call an Alyssa Sandwich)

And now....the moment you've all been waiting for.....

I have accepted a job at Gateway Woods (a children's home in Leo, IN) as an Assistant House Parent.  I am really excited and can't wait to see what God has in store for me there!! It will be challenging and will push me to learn and grow!!  I ask for your prayers and support in this new transition! Also, for those wondering if I will now be making Leo my "home church".  The answer is no, I am acutally planning on keeping Bluffton Country my home church and will come back to Bluffton quite a bit on my days off.  I am hoping to take some Sundays off every month and days I know the yg will be doing things....and come to Bluffton.  I decided on this for a few reasons.  First, when I moved to Bluffton, I moved with the intention of not moving again and setting down roots.  Establishing a home church and really becoming a part of a church body and community.  This is something that I have had a hard time with before.  Secondly, it actually happened!!!....I mean I haven't hardly traveled since moving here, and I am totally fine just being home and not traveling as much!  I feel like I have just finally started to establish friendships....past the outer layer... and want to keep those and grow them.

Anyway, I don't have a lot of other information yet, but will keep you updated!:)

P.S. After writing this title....I had to laugh and wonder how many of you would get excited thinking....she is getting married?!?!  hahaha....not to name any names....but I can think of a few people who would be thinking just that....;)

Blessings and Pets

So I ran across this verse the other week when I read the wrong verses for a Bible study I am in, but it has really stuck with me.

"Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:" Proverbs 3:3

I don't know how to explain it, but I picture the table of your heart as a stone tablet and the thought to have mercy and truth engraved in your heart's table, is so powerful.  To always have it with you, and part of who you are.  Anyway, if you continue reading in that chapter it continues....

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5-6

No matter where life takes you and what challenges you are given, just trust God and acknowledge him in everything you do...and He will take care of you!  Trust is something that at least for me, is so hard, but so extremely important!! It also saves you so much stress and worry!

On February 22nd, my grandma Corrine Mae Schmidgall passed away.  She hasn't had her mind for several years now, and we all knew it was going to happen at some point, but it still shocked me when I found out.  That weekend was definitely a rough one. She passed away on Saturday afternoon, I found out on my way to the LSM benefit supper/auction, so I babysat at that, then went to the call after the auction.  I had made plans then to drive up to MN on Sunday and then drive back after the funeral on Tuesday.  Then Saturday night after I got home, I ended up throwing up all night and felt horrible all day Sunday. So after talking to my mom, we decided it was best if I didn't come up.  It was really hard at first to think of everything going on back home and being so far away.  But I had to realize and choose to trust that God had a plan and His plan involved me not being home for the funeral....and off the roads.

Other than that my life has been busy and hectic as always:)  Several girls went to a Casting Crowns concert the end of February, which was totally awesome!!  I also went to the Purdue Singing, which was also a great time!:)  The drive there and back were definitely highlights of the trip!:)  It was so awesome to see some people I knew and spend time with them and praising our Lord!

So Thursday night, several girls had a surprise birthday party for me!! It was soo awesome and I totally wasn't expecting it!  We ate at Pizza Hut and then afterwards most of us went to the Kindgom Academy's play.  I seriously realized just how blessed I am to have so many amazing friendships!! These people have welcomed me in and have been such great people to get to know, work with, and spend time with.  It is something that I have taken for granted so many times! Oh, and I received a pet for my birthday!!! Yes, can any of you see me with a pet? Yep....not really the pet type, ESPECIALLY house pet type....but I am going to take a step out of the box and branch out.  So I am now the proud owner of Randall.  So far he has been a great addition, because his needs are so few and he is an amazing listener!! Plus I am working on teaching him some tricks!!!  Yes, I believe Randall the rock with be a great addition to my life.

Anyway, I have wrote enough for today....until next time:)

Casting Crowns, For King & Country, Laura Story

Grandpa & Grandma Schmidgall

Parent Appreciation supper....:)