Thanksgiving: a wonderful way to begin the holiday season!

The holiday season is off to great start!

My parents and Jennifer came up for Thanksgiving, and we all had a blast! Thanksgiving dinner was a success! It was nice for Kyle and I to celebrate our first Thanksgiving together in our new home with some of our family. God has given me so much to be thankful for, that's for sure.

I got to take Mom, Dad, and Jennifer to Hot Springs, AR, to see Bath House row. We did a little shopping while there too. Needless to say, me Jenn and Mom loved that part, but Dad was less than excited. He was itching to back and watch the Alabama/ Auburn game!!

Jennifer is coming back up here in about a week and half, and I am super excited about that. More fun sister time, which means more shopping! (Sorry Dad!)

I have not started my job yet. They have to run a background check before I can begin, and the process usually takes about 2 weeks. If all goes well, I should start right after Christmas. It's definitely a blessing to not have to job hunt during the holiday season, but get to spend the holidays not working!

Christmas is just around the corner, and I am having a blast celebrating my first Christmas with Kyle! We decorated our first tree together a couple of days ago! Now, we are busy buying Christmas presents, and looking forward to a few Christmas parties on the calendar. I am attending a cookie exchange next week, and have been practicing different type of cookies to decide which to make for the party. Kyle definitely has not been complaining!! :)

Both Kyle and I have been a bit under the weather, so we are anxious to leave the colds behind!

Most of you I will be seeing soon! Can't wait! Merry Christmas!

Being Content in Christ Alone

In our community group on Tuesday we talked on the subject of being content only in Christ. Most of us answer yes, but then when we really get down to it, it's probably because we like where God has us. We are comfortable in our lives. The group challenged me to think, "Would I be content in Christ if my circumstances were less than desirable?" I think this is a question we should all constantly be asking ourselves. We serve a mighty God who loves us more than we can ever know... a God who ALWAYS has our best interest in mind...a God who knows what's best for us even if it means going through a tough time to show us. God uses all things for good- even the times of suffering and hardship.

In Romans, it says to "rejoice in our sufferings because suffering produces perseverance... and perseverance hope." This hope in Jesus is ultimately our motivation for everything we do. We this hope to keep moving.

It's during these hard times that I believe God shapes us the most.It's how we respond in the hard times that truly answer the question "Am I content in Christ alone?" Sometimes, the hard times are tragic; other times, the hard times are just a bit frustrating. No matter the hardship, let's ask ourselves, "What is God trying to teach me,and how will I respond?"

More Pics from Lake Catherine!

Our God is an AWESOME GOD!!!

Today was a great day! I had an interview with the Small Business Association for an Administrative Supervisor position, and they offered me the job! I am calling her tomorrow to accept! The job really is a great fit for what I want and works well with Kyle's schedule! God really does work in great ways when we are patient and trust Him.

This afternoon, Tracy (her husband works with Kyle) went to the Senior Wellness Center http://maumelle.dina.org/departments/seniorsrvs.php to help serve their Thanksgiving meal! It was a such a great experience! It was a great time to get to know Tracy better and get more involved with the community! It is definitely true that we get more out of giving than from getting!

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and I am really excited to see my family! I just love the holiday season! I need to start planning the meal for my very first Thanksgiving!!! Any suggestions!?!?!?

Sweet Home Troy/ Getting Settled in LR

So I was extremely fortunate to be able to visit Troy for a few days this past week! Jennifer White's lingerie shower was Wednesday and Jenny Dye's baby shower was Thursday so it was the perfect opportunity to get to see everyone!

Icing on the cake: my dad drove up to Troy too! I have not seen him or my sister in over a month so it was so great to get to spend some time with them!

Being back in Troy made me miss it so much! It was nice to be with all my friend having fun! I am, however, blessed with an awesome life here in Little Rock! We are really liking it more and more everyday!

Today was our second community group meeting, and we have already met some really nice people! We really like the church we are going to. It's called Fellowship Bible Church... http://www.fellowshiponline.com/littlerock/index.html Check out this link to see more about where we are going!

Fellowship was started by a group of men formerly on staff for Campus Crusades, a college ministry very similar to Campus Outreach. Their teachings are very biblical and challenge us to be more like Jesus. We love it so far!

Pics from Lake Catherine State Park!

Lake Catherine State Park; Hot Springs, Arkansas

Last night, Kyle and I made a quick trip down to Hot Springs, AR, again to go camping at Lake Catherine State Park. http://www.arkansasstateparks.com/lakecatherine/

When we got there, it was already dark, so we hurried to set up our tent. This didn't take long because we decided it would be a good idea to sleep in a one person tent... a VERY SMALL one person tent to say the least. Getting our sleeping bag laid out didn't take long either because we forgot to bring two! The icing on the cake? No pillows! :)

We built a fire and made smores, which we delicious! We were in the tent ready for bed by 9, and by 1 am, we already up again thanks to the cold! By 3:45 am, Kyle decided he'd been in the tent long enough and got out to build a fire.

The poor guy got out of the tent and stayed awake the rest of the night so I could sleep in the sleeping bag! I felt terrible! He was so sweet! Needless to say we will be napping this afternoon!

We hit the hiking trails pretty early, and the scenery was beautiful! The trail mixed with the fullness of warm autumn leaves and the cool colors of winter. All along the trail were small creeks of crisp blue water running fast down the mountain. The main waterfall flowed into a good size water hope so clear, you could see the sand glistening in the bottom!

With nature surrounding us, it was hard not to praise God and look on at his wondrous creation in awe. Look at all he made!!! Look how much detail and love he put into making the leaves that fell above us and the creeks we walked beside. How much more time and love he put into making us, his own children!

While I have definitely had some better sleep, I wouldn't have traded the precious time I was able to spend with my husband for anything. The time was definitely a gift from God, and a great opportunity to give Him praise.

I will upload pictures soon, but you can also click the link above to see where we were!

Pictures of the new apartment!

Hot Springs, Arkansas

Today, Kyle and I went to Hot Spring, AR. It's about an hour from Little Rock and has the amazing natural hot springs. We visited the National Park there and got to feel the hot springs. VERY HOT!!! The water was about 164 degrees. There is also a place there called Bathhouse Row. The row is all of the old bathhouses from the late 1800s to early 1900s. We got to go in and see what the bathhouses looked like. Two of the bathhouses have even been renovated, and you can still use them!

Downtown was awesome! There were lots of neat shops! All downtown there are big hot springs water fountains, and you can buy water jugs to take the water home!

We will definitely be going back there sometime! Looks like a great place for a weekend getaway!

We went to the Discover Fellowship class at our new church today, and it went well. Next week, we are starting the Discover Life class which is a four week class. After that we will join a community group. We are really excited to get connected with the church!!

I will post pics of Hot Springs and also of the apartment SOON!

Dallas... To go or not to go? That is the question.

Kyle found out this week that he is going to have to go to Dallas to work for maybe a month. BOO. Luckily, since I do not have a job, I can with him! YAY! We were supposed to leave on Monday, but now plans are on hold while they get paperwork together. UGGGHHH! You just never know with his job! God is definitely teaching my lots of patience right now, and He is teaching me that I cannot always be in control!

Hopefully, if he is going to have to go, it will be soon, so we can hopefully be back in Little Rock for Thanksgiving. You can see though, that this is a lot of hopfullys. LOL

Today we visited a park called Allsopp Park. We hiked one of the trails, and it was beautiful! Tomorrow we are going to a reception that our new church holds for people that are new to the church and who want to know more about how they can get involved!

Pray for Kyle and me during this time of transition. I know God is going to use us here, teach us big things, and grow Kyle and I closer to Him!

The Market Street Cinema

So I found this really cool cinema today in Little Rock. It plays films that aren't in most theaters. I went to see a really good film called Bright Star about John Keats, the poet. Yes, I went by myself, but I must say I enjoy going alone sometimes. There is something peaceful ad rejuvenating about it. I know... I am way too deep:) (but lets not tell my mom... she would still freak out if she knew I went ANYWHERE by myself!)

The job hut is back off to a pretty good start. StaffMark, an employment agency here in LR, is helping me look for a job. They sent my resume somewhere today! Well see how it goes.

Kyle is still liking his job although he doesn't have much to do there right now. I am sure it will pick up soon though!

Pull Chains... Never thought I would have to buy this stuff!

So I officially bought my first pull chain today! (you know, the things you attach to the fan to make it longer) Only I am not good at measuring so I bought a 3 foot long pull chain... Let's just say Kyle and I don't even have to sit up straight to turn the light or fan on! Haha! Convenient huh! I think so...

The weather is beautiful today! If only I were an artist... the view from our balcony would be perfect to paint: a calm, serene lake with a background of a hill full of autumn colored trees and a white church steeple sticking just above the tree tops..... I know, it's like a dream right. If you ever want to be reminded of God and his glory, just look outside our apartment window! He truly is the lover of my soul!

My first Turn Down :(

Well I applied for a job last week and found out today that I did not get it. Bummer. But that's just the way the cookie crumbles sometimes I guess. I must admit, I am a bit disappointed, but I am still content knowing that God does have a job out there for me. He loves me and has my best interest in mind. I am going to a staffing agency sometime this week, so we will see how that goes.

On the bright side, if I don't find a job soon, it will be nice to have the holidays off! :) Things will work out for the best!

This Sunday, Kyle and I are going to start going to a Bible Study at the church we have been going to! It will be fun to meet some new people!

"Dinner Parties" and unemployment :)

Last night I cooked for some of Kyle's co-workers for the first time! I think it went over pretty well! We had chicken spaghetti, salad, and rolls. Could of been better maybe, but the recipe called for processed cheese, and I was not about to risk putting that in there with guests over!

I still don't have a job. I know, I know... it's only been a little over a week, but I get anxious looking. Pray for me that God would give me patience through this process and that I would wait on the perfect job I know He has for me. (somewhere out there:))

I am going to each lunch with Kyle today! Leftover chicken spaghetti (minus the processed cheese) :)

Visit from Mom

Mom came this past weekend to see our new apartment. I am so blessed to have such an amazing mom!







We had a great time this past weekend... went to some fantastic restaurants and finished getting stuff I needed for the apartment! Kyle took some really cute pics of us!

All moved in!

So Kyle and I got to Little Rock last Friday! Friday, because we had NO furniture yet, we slept on the living room floor. It's nice to have a bed now, but I must say, things are so much simpler with not as much stuff! The movers came with our furniture Saturday afternoon, and we spent the rest of the weekend unpacking. It's nice to finally get to use all of our wedding gifts!

I think we are really going to like living in Little Rock. There is so much to do here and get involved in! There are lots of places to run and go on walks, great places to eat and shop (personally my two favorite things!), and lots of other things to keep us entertained!

We found an awesome church less than one minute from our home. I think it will provide Kyle and I lots of resources to grow in our relationship with God. They have a bible study specifically designed for women who just moved here! I am going to start that in January since this semester's study is almost over.

Kyle has started his job here in Little Rock, and he really likes it! Now, if I could just find one too! I just started the job hunt last week, and I know God is faithful and has the perfect job for me. Pray that I will be patient and wait on Him.

God truly is amazing. He really had Kyle and mine's best interest at heart when He chose Little Rock for us! Our father is really looking out for us!

I am posting some pics the view from our balcony! Soon I will posting pics of our new apartment!

Never thought I would be a blogger...

So, I never thought I would be blogger, but Becky's blog was just so darn cute, I thought I would go ahead and make my own. Besides, this is the best way for Kyle and I to let everyone know how we are! I know must of you just sit around and wonder, " I wish I knew how Jillian and Kyle were doing..." Well now you do! HAHA!