Flying with Daddy

For as long as I can remember my dad has wanted to get his pilot's license, and a couple of weeks ago, he did just that! After many hours in the air and many nights studying, he passed his final check ride! I was sooo proud of him! Last Sunday he flew to Vicksburg to take me for a ride with no instructor in the passenger seat. Here are a few pictures from our flight!

 Eagle Lake

Mississippi River Bridge

                                                           

Bethany came along for the ride!

It was so much fun and a much needed break from studying. I'm so happy he's doing something he loves! I love you, Daddy!

This is IT!

I have officially made it to my fourth and FINAL semester of nursing school! I always knew I would eventually make it to the end but it has been such a long journey. Last semester almost sent me over the edge and I was seriously considering another career option, even if it meant I had wasted all that time and money. It was just that awful. I'm ashamed to say I doubted myself and God so many times. I put every bit of my time into school and was getting nothing but bad results. I was a nervous wreck the whole semester! I would get physically sick when I had to go to clinical because I had to face a beast of a clinical instructor who looked for ways to make me feel stupid and like such a waste of her time. I finally came to my breaking point. I put it ALL in God's hands. Whatever happened, happened, and I was going to be happy with it no matter the outcome. It all of the sudden seemed so ridiculous to me. No one should feel that nervous, upset, sick, scared to death, over school. No one. Anyway, my whole semester came down to my final exam. I had to make a 78 to pass the semester. Anything less than a 78 would require me to repeat the entire semester. Considering my other test grades, a 78 seemed near impossible for the final, which was everything we had gone over for 4 months. I took the final, I made a 77. Yes, a 77! Really? So I go back to average my grades one last time to see if there is any chance I could pass and to my surprise one of my other test grades had moved up two points. Literally was posted online as an 86 the day before the final and jumped to an 88 the day of the final. No teacher said anything to me about it, there was nothing posted online to say why my grade had changed, nothing! All I knew was my grade had changed and it made it possible for me to pass for the semester. I needed no explanation, that was without a doubt a God thing. When things looked the darkest, He came through for me just like He has every time before. How great is our God? I tear up everytime I think about it! I doubted and doubted and doubted Him and I was getting terrible results. When I finally put it in His hands, He came through and made a way for me when it looked impossible.

I say all of that to say, this semester will be different. I will not be miserable every single day because I am worried about what will happen. I know without a doubt I have the creator of the universe on my side and He will provide a way. The battle is already won, all I have to do is trust Him!

One of my favorites:

Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone that comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:6

Fairy Tale Wedding

I was definitely one of those girls who dreamed about her wedding day from a very young age. The dress, the church, the music, the food, and of coarse, the groom! When John and I got engaged (June 2009) we had no idea when, where, or how we were going to tie the knot. There were so many decisions to be made but luckily we were in no hurry! The first question everyone always ask is "have you set a date?" and until six months later our answer was "not yet!" I had to work around nursing school while John had to work around football. We finally decided December 18th (right in the middle of Christmas break) would be the perfect time for both of us! I had exactly one year to plan, which seemed like PLENTY of time! Boy was I wrong. I planned and planned and planned and planned and it still all came down to the last week. There was SO much left to do and I was extremely nervous it wouldn't all get done. If you know me well enough, you know that I am a control freak (definitely not my best quality). I want my hands on everything, which is why wedding planning was a nightmare for me- I couldn't do it all myself.

Suprisingly, I wasn't too nervous on the wedding day. John and I decided to take all of our pictures before the wedding so we wouldn't delay the reception afterwards (sooo glad we did this). The day started off really early with breakfast at Anchuca with the bridesmaids. If I had known that would be the last bite I would take until 9:00 p.m. I would have eaten a lot more! We all then headed to the church for hair and make-up! Here are a couple of pictures stolen from my MOH's facebook :)

Bethany (little sister) getting all dolled up

 Rachael (my DSU roomie)

 Putting on the veil

 Most of the BM's

Pictures went really smoothly! I was a bit nervous it was going to be a circus trying to get my family pictures figured out- my immediate family is a bit confusing for most, but Jeff was amazing! I can't say enough good things about him and his work. Check out his website! http://www.chaophotography.com/.

After pictures it was time to wait. And wait. And wait. And wait for the wedding to begin. I don't know why this seemed so long but it was never ending. I just wanted to eat and get out of those darn shoes! Well I had to wait a little longer than expected...our string quartet was late! They thought the wedding started at 6:00 not 5:00! My mom's panic mode was priceless. It's funny now, at that particular moment it was officially a crisis. They eventually arrived and the ceremony began! I don't remember much of it, I was trying to focus on not locking my knees (as I was told one hundred times before). As soon as it started it seemed like it was over and we were headed for the honeymoon. Even after all of the craziness and all of the stressful planning, it truely was one of the best days of my life. Everything that I dreamed my wedding would be, it was. I am so thankful for all of the family and friends who helped make that day a success. I couldn't have done it with out ya'll!