Money.

I was originally going to post about our engagement in "The story of Kley and I," but then I changed my mind to talk about money (although talking about our engagement is WAY more fun!).

August was a depressing month for us money-wise. We talked about it several times and tried to stay on top of it, but it didn't go so well. We knew we were going to have some larger expenses, such as my visit to the eye doctor, ordering new contacts, and paying for Kley's law school books. But we also had some expenses that we weren't expecting, such as re-paying money for my teaching license application (that's another long story that maybe I'll share sometime) and Kley getting a "new" car (his old car unfortunately bit the dust and is now in the salvage yard) and having to pay for things like broken speakers and new license plates.

We are so thankful for a generous and supportive family, on both sides, and for God blessing us when we need it. We both have the best parents who help us out with things like random target gift cards, helping Kley get a new car, letting us house-sit while they are gone, and helping us figure out Kley's loan information for this year. For those of you who don't know, we are a single-income couple right now as Kley just started year two of law school! We knew that this would be a big decision for us financially, resulting in large amounts of debt, but it will be well worth it in the end when he finishes!

All in all to say that we went way way over budget this month. September will hopefully be much more frugal.

I don't mean to sound down in the dumps. While we did spend a lot this month, God has blessed us with everything we need and we are doing fine. Growing up has a lot of learning that comes with it!

Matthew 6:19-21- "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." This verse is a good reminder for me. It's easy to think that we are fine and we don't need to worry about that because we don't have any money to worry about, but that's not true. No matter what our financial situation is, if we don't handle it properly or spend too much time focusing on it or worrying about it, it's still wrong. I want treasures in heaven!

Our weekend!

Friday night Kley and I went to the Iowa Cubs game. It was our first (and probably only) one of the year! I don't personally love baseball, but it's always fun to do something different. I am glad we went and it was great weather for a game!

Also, in the last weeks, my brother and sister have both left for college. I am excited for them, but sad they aren't in DM anymore. Keaton went back to Bethel, and Karlie headed to Northwestern in Orange City for the first time. So, Kayla is the only sibling left in town! My parents were helping with the moves, so Kayla spent the night at our apartment on Friday after the game. 

It was fun. :) Saturday morning I made breakfast- eggs, bacon, white nectarines, and cinnamon rolls. White nectarines are my new favorite. I just bought some and I love them. I also hate making bacon, which is unfortunate because Kley loves bacon. I bought bacon back when we were first married, and had a horrible experience that ended up with grease everywhere in the kitchen, which soured me on bacon for a long time. Last week at the store, I decided to surprise Kley and bought bacon again. I admit that I don't know how to properly cook bacon, but it didn't go well again. It looked raw still in the pan, but by the time I took it out of the pan it was almost black crispy and the apartment got all smoggy.  Needless to say with my record of every two years, I won't be buying bacon again until 2014. The rest of the breakfast was awesome, though.

Then Kayla and I painted our nails and we went to a movie. We saw "The Odd Life of Timothy Green." I loved it and thought it was really cute. Then we all (me, Kley, Kayla, and my dad) went to Red Robin for dinner. Today we went to Church and out to lunch with my grandparents, who had come back to visit after seeing Karlie's volleyball tournament. It was a good weekend!

Encouragement from Valley Church

I get the daily emails everyday from Pastor Quentin at Valley Church (where we attend), and I have been meaning to share this one, back from August 14, ever since I got it. I thought it was a really good one and hope you can find encouragement from it too!

I love it when he says that through the darkest valleys and highest peaks, God is there and He knows you.

Scripture

SCRIPTURE    Proverbs 14:10 Each heart knows its  own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy.

Every Day

IN SOME THINGS, IT'S JUST YOU AND GOD This beautiful, poignant and powerful proverb reveals a simple truth that we all know, but sometimes we don't know how to express it. Every single one of us has certain experiences - good and bad - that no one else truly understands.  "Each hearts knows its own bitterness."  You have had experiences that were really difficult for you.  Perhaps the loss of someone you loved.  Perhaps a crushing disappointment.  A failed relationship.  A terrible injustice.  A broken promise.  A deep regret. You know it.  You've experienced it.  You've felt it... deeply.  But the truth of it is that really no other human being can truly understand it.  Friends may have empathy.  Family may show compassion.  But they can never truly understand it like you do. The flip side is also true.  We've all had those momentous experiences where our hearts soared with incredible joy.  Maybe it was an unexpected gift.  A reunion with a long-lost friend.  The day of your wedding.  The birth of your child.  A smile that you'll never forget.  A day that brought unimaginable joy.  A place where you experienced deep peace. You were there.  You got it.  But as hard as you might try to explain the joy you felt, no one else can really fully enter into that moment.  It's not that they don't care. They just can't be you to experience that particular and singular joy. This proverb reminds us that the deepest sorrows and highest joys are often impossible to fully share with others.  In those moments, whether they bring great pain or great pleasure, you are on your own. But not fully alone.  Because in the highest peaks and darkest valleys, God is there. Though no one else really gets it, he does.  There are some things in life that it's just you and God. And that is not only "ok."  It is good.  It is holy.  It's as it should be.  It's the closest bond between Father and child.  Don't reject that.  Savor that.  Embrace that. He knows you.

The story of Kley and I: Chapter Six- Fun things we did while dating

I'm going to speed up the pace of the story, partly so it doesn't take forever, and mostly because I don't want to share absolutely everything with you, just some. I want to keep some parts of our relationship just between us and close friends. So, I will share a few fun things we did while we were dating! These pictures range from are mostly from our second year of dating- 2008 to 2009. Enjoy!

(Sorry for the flipped pictures- I haven't learned how to rotate them yet.)

These were when we visited ICA (high school) friends at UNI. We always loved going there and visited a few times over the years. Here is Kley and I after we all went to a play together.

My good friend, Lauren, and I.

Christmas Banquet 2008

My roommates (and Kley)

Our good friends, David and Jacquie, and us. This was the very beginning of their relationship, and now they are married!

Keith Urban concert! Summer 2009

4th of July in OC with my sister, Kayla

Kley visiting my family right before moving back to Bethel for my junior year

Kley with my sisters (I do have a brother too! I don't know where he was when these were taken.)

My Favorite YouTube Video.

If you love babies and laughing, like me, watch this and you will love it too. :)
Baby Ethan ripping paper

This one is also funny I think.
Baby giving evil eye

Enjoy!

Celebrating our Two Year and the Iowa State Fair.

We spent Friday night at the August Bergman Inn in Newton, IA, celebrating our two year anniversary! I got a sweet Groupon deal for it awhile ago. It was nice to get away, but honestly it wasn't as exciting as hoped because Kley ended up having to spend more time than we originally thought finishing up his last summer final. But, oh well, at least we still got to go. :) Here are some pictures from our room!

Saturday we got to go to the fair! It was fun to walk around for a few hours and see all the sights!

Our fun activity was going down the giant slide. I love it!

My one choice for food was, of course, a watermelon cup! So good!

Kley's choice was cheese curds. No surprise there either. :)

We also got to see our friends, Lauren and Stephen, for a bit as they were here for a wedding! Sunday for lunch was my five year high school reunion. It went well and it was nice to see people that we hadn't seen in awhile! Overall it was a good weekend. Hope yours was too!

Oh, and by the way- here is my bragging moment about my wonderful husband. For our anniversary, he got me a really nice new camera! I was so surprised. I had mentioned to him that I was wanted this specific one, but had no idea he took be seriously and I thought I would only MAYBE get it for Christmas, let alone now! He had been telling me for a few months that he was selling some of his guitar gear and had this plan to get all this new stuff, but in reality he spent that money on me! I felt so special. You're the best ever, Kley! Thank you! (It's a Nikon J1, for those who like cameras.)

My Utmost for His Highest- July 16

Text Size: Zoom In

(taken from http://utmost.org/the-concept-of-divine-control/)

The Concept of Divine Control

Jul

16

2012

. . . how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! —Matthew 7:11

Jesus is laying down the rules of conduct in this passage for those people who have His Spirit. He urges us to keep our minds filled with the concept of God’s control over everything, which means that a disciple must maintain an attitude of perfect trust and an eagerness to ask and to seek.

Fill your mind with the thought that God is there. And once your mind is truly filled with that thought, when you experience difficulties it will be as easy as breathing for you to remember, “My heavenly Father knows all about this!” This will be no effort at all, but will be a natural thing for you when difficulties and uncertainties arise. Before you formed this concept of divine control so powerfully in your mind, you used to go from person to person seeking help, but now you go to God about it. Jesus is laying down the rules of conduct for those people who have His Spirit, and it works on the following principle: God is my Father, He loves me, and I will never think of anything that He will forget, so why should I worry?

Jesus said there are times when God cannot lift the darkness from you, but you should trust Him. At times God will appear like an unkind friend, but He is not; He will appear like an unnatural father, but He is not; He will appear like an unjust judge, but He is not. Keep the thought that the mind of God is behind all things strong and growing. Not even the smallest detail of life happens unless God’s will is behind it. Therefore, you can rest in perfect confidence in Him. Prayer is not only asking, but is an attitude of the mind which produces the atmosphere in which asking is perfectly natural. “Ask, and it will be given to you . . .” (Matthew 7:7).

This is my favorite day from that book, and I have read it many times over the years, so I thought I would share it and hope you can find encouragement from it too! Enjoy your weekend!

Two Years.

Today is our two year anniversary! Holy cow. In one sense it feels like time flew by, but in another sense I can see how it's been two years, especially with having one year in Minneapolis and one in Des Moines.

I am so incredibly blessed by Kley and am so happy to be his wife. I hope that I can be a more and more of a Proverbs 31 woman the older I get. I love living life together. The last sentence on the card I gave to him on our wedding day was about not having to say goodbye tonight, and that's still one of my favorite things. Sometimes I still lay in bed and tell him that I am so happy we get to sleep together. I always hated saying goodbye. Now when we say goodbye, even if it's just for the day, even if it's a horrible day, I am still blessed that I get to come home to Kley.

Kley is a good husband. He always (well, almost always) has the absolute perfect thing to say to me, no matter my mood. He is good at the gift of words of affirmation. He is passionate, encouraging, serving, gracious, forgiving, positive, and loving. Some of my favorite day to day moments are going for walks, driving around and looking at amazing houses, eating dinner, watching a TV show together, and talking in bed before falling asleep.

Don't get me wrong- marriage is hard, but it's the best gift and totally worth working at. It's scary how fast you can start to fall apart. Kley is my most important relationship on earth, and it takes a lot of effort, commitment, and time. But, there's no one else I'd rather spend my days with. :)

Here are a few pictures from our wedding day- August 14, 2010. (I had to refrain from posting hundreds of them. I love them all. I will post more when I get to the wedding post in "The story of Kley and I.")

I think I got a winner. :)

Verse Encouragement

The LORD your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17

(These pictures are from a family trip we took to Michigan back in 2008. They really have nothing to do with anything other than I thought they were cool to share.)

The story of Kley and I: Chapter Five- Our first months and "I love you"

Now we are far enough into our relationship story I can start to include pictures! :)

Our first few months of dating were really special. Not that the other ones after weren't, just the first few months together are always uniquely special because you are getting to know each other and you have that butterfly feeling that's different then when you've known someone for a long time.

My family came to visit me at college, and we went to the Mall of America together. If you've ever been there, you know there's always something going on in that middle area right outside all the rides. That day a bunch of people were there advertising for the Minnesota Timberwolves. I played a free round of Plinko, and I won two tickets to a game! I was pumped because I thought Kley would love doing something "manly." Here are some pictures from the game. 

This was the very first picture we ever took together after the game, and I am so disappointed to say that I hate it. It's one of the worst pictures I've ever taken. Remember the story from the first time we met with the pink eye turned contact solution allergy? This was still going on at the time (this was early November 2007), and I could hardly open my eyes because the flash hurt so bad and my eyes were beat red. But nonetheless, this is our first picture so I have to share it. 

We made a bet during the game against the teams- whoever's team won got to wipe mud on the other person's face. Clearly, I won. :)

Winter Banquet 2007- Our first dance together

Going to Gadkin together- a Bethel event where the guy asks the girl and it's pretty much a weekend long date with lots of fun activities. (In the spring, they have Nikdag (Gadkin backwards), where the girls ask the guys.)

On a date in February 2008, Kley told me he loved me. We had been dating four months. We were in his dorm room, and were about to watch Road to Perdition, which is one of his favorites. We were on the couch together, and he told me that we didn't have to watch it because he didn't know if I would like it. I told him that we could watch it because he loved it, and then he looked at me and said, "No, I love you." :) It was a truly great moment. (I, of course, told him I loved him too.)

Visiting Como Zoo & Conservatory- one of my favorite places in Minneapolis! (Early spring 2008)

Spring Banquet 2008

Home is where the heart is.

These last two weeks, Kley and I have been staying at my parent's house while they are on a Europe trip. (I know, awesome! I totally wish we were there.) While they are gone we've been taking care of Daisy, the cute but spoiled dog. 

Here she is. Not the best picture, but it's all I had. Cute, right? :) My family got her when I was 16. She's a Schnoodle. 

While there are great perks of staying at my parent's house- free laundry, free food, lots of space, and a great new TV with cable- it's not quite "home" to me anymore. While this is a little sad, I am happy about it. It took a long time for me to say that and mean it.

When I first went to Bethel, I was very homesick for the first month. I thought I could never love a place like I love Des Moines, or truly feel at home at any other place than my parent's house. I did end up growing to love college and the city of Minneapolis, and we even spent our first year of marriage there together, but it still never felt completely like home to me.

Honestly, that was a struggle for me when we got married- to leave my family and join a family with Kley. Not that I didn't want to do it, I certainly did, but it was an adjustment for me (an adjustment I am so happy that I made- I am incredibly blessed by Kley every single day.) For the first year and a half or so of our marriage, I always felt a little torn between Kley and my family, like I wanted both equally. I know that it's Biblical to "leave" your family and cleave to your new husband, but I struggled to feel completely at home in our apartment.

Now when we stay at my parent's, I miss our apartment and I don't feel as "at home" here as I used to. It's a very good thing for me. I know that we are welcome at my parent's whenever, but I don't feel like I live here anymore. I live with Kley and I miss our home when we aren't there. I feel connected to it, like Kley is my family and it's part of my responsibility to serve him and our home as best I can.

I hope this makes sense. I'm sure there are others out there who feel/felt like that too! All in all, I am ready to go home tomorrow when my family gets back, instead of wanting to stay. That is how I should feel and it is good! I still love my family, but in a different, yet good, way. I am so happy and blessed to have my heart belong to Kley, and where he is, that's where I'm at home while on earth. I love living together with him and going through life together. I get a clearer picture of how God loves me and how I am to love others because of Kley. We are blessed!