Time Keeps a Movin'

I don't know how this happens, but it seems like I lose track of time and don't end up blogging as much as I should (or would like to!). A LOT has happened since my last post- most importantly we moved to South Carolina! We love being here..but it is a very small town and no malls are nearby. This, of course, is good for the wallet but bad for the retail therapy a girl needs every now and then. Outlets are only about 40 minutes away- but I have a love hate relationship with those.

Anyway, we have great neighbors and live in an awesome house. We couldn't be happier with our set up here. We got a puppy and named him Moose. He is a German Shorthaired Pointer and he thinks he is boss of this house. And if I were to be honest with myself, I would admit he pretty much is. Wade has been gone for the month of September for a training, and this has been our first experience with detachment since getting hitched. We've done really well handling the two or three hour time difference (depends on where I am!). He is so wonderful at trying to communicate with me as much as he can and I couldn't have asked for a better man. You (and Wade) will be happy to know that I've also managed to kill TWO huge waterbugs (or FLYING/superfast roaches) all by myself. Well, Moose attacked one and it may or may not have been mostly dead before I finished him off with Raid.

This last week has been blur because I got back on Monday from a 12 day trip to Dallas, had an interview for a teaching position on Wednesday morning, and then found out I got the job late Friday. This is great news!!! I am so excited to get back in to the classroom with my own students and see how much they progress throughout the year. All that to say this weekend I went to do shopping for all my classroom supplies. Now I have to work really fast to set everything up and then get in there and get to know my kids!

Things I'm looking forward to: Wade coming home (7 days to go!!!), Halloween (maybe we could have a party???), Thanksgiving in TEXAS, Gulf Shores with the Kemp fam and Wade's first trip there with us, getting a fence for the dog with my first paycheck!!!

I'll try to post pictures of our new house soon!!

*Overwhelm Me*

Overwhelm Me - Michael Bleecker

Take not thy presence from me

For I desire to know you more

For you are worthy of all

You’re worthy of all I am and more

I need to set my mind on things above

On the holiness and glory of my God

In the heavens and in my heart

Who created a mountain

And who set a spark that grew into a flame

That burns deeply for you

Overwhelm me, take me from this place and

Put me in the place where You are

Overwhelm me, shake the ground I stand on

I want to be dependent on you…

_____________________________________________________

I don't actually know if this song was written by Michael Bleeker or if it has another history. But lately I have been listening to this song a lot. I especially love the first line that says "Take not thy presence from me". And when it says "take me from this place, and put me in the place where you are". That line reflects my recent prayer...for the Lord to take me out of my selfish tendencies and remind me that I am wholly HIS. I am not my own. My life is His and without Him I am nothing. I am praying that I would constantly be reminded of this. However, I will admit that the last line kind of scares me a bit. "Shake the ground I stand on, I want to be dependent on you". It's hard to ask the Lord to shake the ground I'm on. I kind of like where I'm at...I don't like change much and I like being comfortable. But I do know that if life were always a cake walk and never had challenges, we would forget our need for Him and for the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross. The "earthquakes" of life turn us back to Him. So even though those harder times of life are tough and painful, I am thankful in the end that they turn my focus back on to Him and remind me that I NEED Him. I cannot do life on my own.

Would you...

Well, we are down to 5 and a half weeks left here! Then we will be heading to our new house in South Carolina...complete with 2 bathrooms and MOST importantly a KITCHEN!!!! Now I am really starting to think about what the future holds for me and Wade. Will we be able to find a great church? Will there be plenty of friends to be made at said church? Will I get a job? What will it be? A full time teacher? A substitute? A receptionist somewhere? Is Wade going on any deployments any time soon? Will Wade's boss be nice? Are we going to like Beaufort, or will we be bored? When should we have a family?

Would you pray with us as we prepare to move to our more permanent location? Would you pray with us for God's guidance and revelation of His will in terms of ALL of these fears and questions? Would you pray that we remain calm as we think about all that our near future holds?

We cherish your friendship and your prayers. We love you.

I'm all FIVE!

I'm trying to figure out my "Love Language". I know that I should probably read the book before I decide this, and I plan to- but it is packed away in one of our thousands of boxes waiting for the move to South Carolina! In the mean time (and in all my free time!) I have been thinking about which type of love means the most to me. In case you aren't all too familiar with the book, these are the 5 Love Languages:

a) Physical Touch

b) Gift Giving (and receiving)

c) Quality Time

d) Words of Affirmation

e) Acts of Service

As I've been trying to think about which of these makes me feel the most loved, it is a really tough decision! What if I'm all 5 of these?! Does that make me the most complicated of all lovers? I need all 5 to feel loved! I need Wade to show his love by holding my hand, by surprising me with little presents, by spending time with me, by telling me how much or why he loves me, and by helping me (like by getting my gas because he knows it's one of my least favorite things to do!). It's true, I need all 5. What about you? What's your love language?

Lately Wade has had incredibly long hours. He leaves every morning around 5:30 and doesn't get home most nights until around 8:00. Not only that, but he also works 7 days of the weeks. They have so many projects that they have to go in on Saturday and Sunday to complete the projects. Even though I know he is learning a lot and preparing for his job, I feel so bad for him having to work so much. I want to do things to make him feel better when he gets home. Normally in this situation I would bake his favorite chocolate chip cookies, or make a special meal for him, etc. Without a kitchen I can't do those things...so if you have any inexpensive ideas for creative ways for me to show him that I am thankful for all his hard work that would help cheer him up after a long hard workday, please let me know!! :)

I'm so excited that my friends Marcy and JT are getting married in April and that I will be going home for their wedding!!!!!!! I can't wait. I love these two people. They are amazingly sweet, funny, awesome people and I called it a long time ago before they were even dating when I thought to my self- "What if JT and Marcy got married? They'd be good together." AND now they are!!!!!! YAY!!! His only fault is that he's an A&M graduate. But I'll try not to hold that against him...

There are a couple of 5K's coming up here in Virginia Beach, and I just might have to run one. Is it bad that I'm nervous to run a race in a military town because I'm afraid I will come in last!? haha

Life in Little Spaces

This weekend Wade and I escaped to the Outer Banks, North Carolina area. We had a great stay at a really nice bed and breakfast type place (minus the breakfast!). We ordered steamed crab legs, shrimp and jalapeno poppers from a local take out place for dinner. It was awesome! The crab legs were perfectly delicious. Although, we

did get back to the B&B and realized we had no way to crack the crab legs! But, we survived using our hands and ended up getting ALL the meat anyway! :) Unfortunately, we did not think to take pictures until we were on the way back to Virginia Beach...but I will leave you with those pictures, along with pictures of where we currently live:

A random telephone booth along the highway to the Outer Banks.

Beautiful day at the beach!


Our current bedroom...please excuse the mess, but it is very small.
My favorite part of our new home, the teeny tiny shower. :)
Bathroom!
I know this has nothing to do with WHERE we live, but here are my V-day flowers from Wade! Didn't he do a great job!!! A week later and they still look awesome!
Lastly, the living room/kitchen.
At least we have a place to live and spend time together every day! :)

Another Go 'Round

Here I am, more than a year later trying to resurrect my blog! Mostly this blog will now be to keep those of you in Texas (and anyone else who cares) informed about the happenings in the "Wevan" life adventures. By the way, if you haven't heard- I recently married the love of my life, Wade!

Two weeks ago Wade and I moved to another base, this time in Virginia Beach. We will be here until Wade's training ends and then we will move to a more permanent home in South Carolina! I can't wait to get there and set up our first house. And we even put a deposit down for a puppy!!! We decided to go with the German Shorthaired Pointer. This is a breed we have been researching for probably more than a year. They are very active and love the water, so the pup should fit right in! I think we are going to go for a boy- and we already have a name picked out...MOOSE! Hopefully it will fit his personality, because I LOVE that name!

Basically right now I am a stay at home wife. It was really fun for the first month...but these last two weeks have been a little more rough. I do not have much to do other than laundry, because at this new place we have no kitchen at all. This living arrangement also has a cleaning service...so I can't cook, and I can't clean. Before, those three things kept me fairly busy while Wade was at work...cooking, cleaning, laundry. But now? I only have laundry. SO in an attempt to not get addicted to soap operas and Jerry Springer, I have been running more frequently. I've been talking to Wade's mom about running a half marathon in May. A hug piece of me wants to do this- if I had a Bucket List, completing a half marathon would be on it. But I am a little scared to go for it. What if I get hurt? What if I just can't do it? Will Wade be disappointed in me? (He has run 2 USMC marathons- really fast by the way PLUS at least one half). But another piece of me says now is the time to go for it. I have all the time in the world to TRAIN. If I am going to accomplish this, NOW is the ideal time to do it. Please, if you have ever done a half...suggestions? comments? encouragement???

Another way I have decided to occupy a little more of my time is to volunteer. I found a horse barn nearby that does horse therapy with special needs children. I am so excited to do this! I've heard a lot about this since college and I'm anxious to learn about it and be able to serve however I can. I will keep you posted on how that goes...I start the training program tonight!

A Fresh Start

I can't believe it's been 3 months since I posted my last blog! So many things have happened since my last post...the only way for me to really say all of those things is to make a list!!! :)

June:
1) Wrapped up the school year. I'm actually going to miss all of my students. You know, I think sometimes teachers bond more with students who they have a lot of problems with...
2) My friend from college, Brandi came to Dallas to visit me!!!
3) Left Dallas and flew to Amsterdam alone! My first time going alone internationally! It really wasn't a big deal...I think I could do it again no problem.
4) Landed with Wade in Nairobi, Kenya. It was so great being back there!
5) Watched a lot of ER episodes with Wade's mom and sister. It reminded me of how much I used to love that show!

July:
1) Spent time being the only girl with the Kreamer guys. It wasn't too bad...they let me pick a chick flick one night...and I chose P.S. I Love You! It doesn't get much girlier than that one! :)
2) Watch season 3 of King of Queens...best show ever!
3) Took Brenda, Belis, and Mitchiel to church and lunch one Sunday. They were hilarious!
4) Went to Turtle Bay in Malindi, Kenya and saw the Indian Ocean, coral reef, wild and out of control eels, got henna, got a little bit of a tan, had the best beach experience in my life. It was truly amazing and beautiful. I want to go back as soon as possible! :)
5) Flew back to Dallas, feeling very sad to leave Kenya and Wade.

Now, some big things that are coming up!!!
1) Start off the school year the right way...
2) My cousin Rebecca's wedding in College Station!
3) Moving Kelly to the apartment next door to her current apartment...haha :)
4) My ex-roomie Brooke's wedding!!! So excited about that!
5) Wade coming to Texas! Yay!!!