sunday was one of my favorite days in a really long time. we woke up and had nothing to do that day. josh decided to surprise me with what he called "a journey." i love surprises. so josh told me to dress warmly, scarves hat gloves, the whole shabang. i had no idea where we were going or how we were getting there. and i was super excited. we walked down stairs and boarded the HRT bus route 16. this three minute bus ride took us to the tide. (the new light rail system in norfolk)

we toured through downtown on the tide and got of at the macarthur square station. we walked past some of the tallest buildings in norfolk- it seemed unreal that we actually live here because i really only see these buildings from afar. but when theyre right up close i felt like i was in a big city. 

i still had no idea where we were going. but then we approached waterside. i asked if that was our destination. thank goodness no. waterside norfolk could be really cool. but its not. norfolk needs to hype it up for sure.

we walked around the buildings and back to the water where all the ships are. and i saw what we were doing. we were riding the ferry to portsmouth! i love boat rides. this was a good surprise. 

we enjoyed a pretty chilly stroll through high street.

Col. William Craford- founder of Portsmouth VA

we were headed to our lunch destination. this was a surprise too. a really good one.

this place was absolutely delicious. called the bier garden. the place was opened by a german couple with the help of their daughter and son. they serve authentic german food and have over 350 different kinds of beer. it was so good. we both had bratwurst, spatzle, and the most delicious fries ive ever had. josh ordered Schneider Aventinus Eisbock and I had a Franziskaner Dunkel. (yes i really enjoyed it and drank it all)

we went to an antique store on our way back to the ferry and found a little splurge for our home- but most definitely worth it. itll be shown on my home blog posts soonish. we also found a little birthday gift for joshs dad- it was too perfect to pass up even though his birthday is a while away.

we strolled along the water and took some pictures of norfolk and portsmouth as the sun was setting. still trying to figure out my camera but it starts somewhere so i got a lot of good practice.

solar powered boat- josh loved it

here are some photos i cant take credit for- josh likes to play with the camera too:

the sun was down and it was freezing!

he likes to turn the shutter speed wayyyy down and blur lights

its nice to have someone know me so well and love me despite that. i seriously could not have asked for a better husband. girls, dont settle, because this seriously is worth it all. the time the effort the fights. i am so blessed. 

a little journey.

happy happy weekend.

just wanted to pop in and say happy weekend. i just got an email from odu. and i am currently on the deans list! this is really really super exciting for me. when i went to TCC (local community college) i made the deans list, but that was cake compared to these higher level classes at odu. not to mention last semester i took 18 credits- a very heavy course load that required a ton of work.

i am so proud. i think thats okay. i dont mean to brag. but this really is a big deal for me and my family.

so far, im on the track to graduate Cum Laude.

this gives me a lot of motivation to do well this semester- which i have been wanting.

happy weekend everyone. we are going to celebrate this weekend!

happy happy weekend.

special education.

lately, the idea of me being involved with special education has been thrown at me. not overwhelmingly, but i can definitely see a subtle pattern lining up in my life involving special education. i am not sure if it is coincidence or if God is trying to rely a message to me.

about two years ago or so, josh and i went down to the 1st street jetty in va beach. this is where we first talked about us becoming us. our first kiss. and the first time i think either of us were honestly real with a person of the opposite sex. so we went here to sit on the rocks and look at the stars that are tragically dimmed by the city lights. we like to just sit and be there. listen to the water. and just be still for a bit. well that time we were there, a new park had been constructed right by these rocks. its a park for everyBODY. 100% handicapped accessible. i thought it was so neat. and then pondered what it would be like to have a disabled child. i asked josh what he thought. he said it would be ours and a child of God and that we would love it just the same. i knew that. but deep down my heart had fear that i wouldn't be able to do it.

i admitted that night that i was afraid of special ed (sped) kids and people. ive never really been involved with them. never been in an inclusion class or anything. its a foreign world to me. and it kinda scares me.

this year i started subbing in Chesapeake. i had my first try with sped kids when i subbed at my old elementary school, Greenbrier Elementary. There were about ten kids who were in an out of the class and did certain subjects with another teacher and were in my class sometimes. It was different and kind of weird actually. But a neat experience since most school systems are moving toward inclusion classrooms. I couldn't stop talking about these 3rd grade kids who I got to know and love in just a day.

but i still thought that the older they get the scarier it is.

I subbed two weeks later at my old high school, Hickory. It was for a computer class. That is when I fell in love. I was in the classroom with seven sped kids. each very unique. One boy was on the verge of a break down and I did not know what I would do. the boy next to him calmed him down and showed the most sincere compassion I have ever seen anyone give to anyone. my heart melted and i shed a few tears so utterly and completely moved by these kids. i still talk about that instance today it moved me so much.

currently i am taking two sped classes for college. and my historical methods class has two special ed students in it. they make me laugh. seriously. they are also extremely intelligent. when i was in my sped class on tuesday night my heart leaped when we were talking about kids and i reflected back on those times i subbed and the previous day with the boys in my college class.

i do not know what any of this means. but i do know that my heart has been moved from fear to compassion right before my eyes. i hope and pray this continues to happen in other areas of my life. fears moved to something greater. how great is our God that he would show us the realness of his heart and ours.

special education.

my best friend.

monday my best friend came to visit. she served as maid of honor in our wedding and did a phenomenal job planning and being there for me... itll be my turn one day to return the favor and i am beyond excited because this girl deserves it all. she planned my bachlorette party and it was absolutely perfect. by far one of my most favorite days of my life. i can only describe how i felt as loved.

she is BOMB at cake pops and cupcake bites. she also knows my deep love for Marie Antionette.

cail (thats what i call her. she calls me al) and i have been best friends since 1997- 2nd grade. we were in the same class for 3rd grade and moved next door to her in 3rd grade. most of my early childhood memories include this girl and pretending were animals in the yard or mermaids in her pool. she moved to italy in 5th grade. back in 8th grade. and then to MD in 9th. but weve kept close and visited. and shes my best friend. and one of the people that loves me best and knows me well. she is also my fashion icon. not only did she plan the best bach party ever, she helped me make the dreadful ribbon wall and pretty much kept me sane during my engagement. she also bought me a pitcher from anthro that i desperately wanted and she knew no one else was going to buy it. she is so sweet.

it was nice for her to visit. she saw our apartment. left us love on our giant white board. and we had the best time.

she is going to be the best mom ever because she is so patient. well most of the time. she sat with me in the SS office for an hour. listening to an awkward women yell at someone the phone half the time. we had fun watching the social security tv and watching awful acting from this guy below and some old lady. the government really knows how to advertise easy online help.

 then we ate at one of josh and my favorite places. its a staple to go here when visiting the area. we also saw al doumar. the son of abe doumar, inventor of the cone. possibly the cutest old man on earth. doumars still uses the first ever cone machine. delicious. i get a cheeseburger with egg over easy on top, fried, and a vanilla coke. for dessert a ringo with strawberry icecream (hot fudge and crushed up cone on top). is your mouth watering like mine when i typed this?

cail sported these all day. i made them for christmas for her. i found some on her etsy favorites and decided to make them for her. not pictured is the purse she got me- my new favorite im going to carry forever.

we went to james harris house to watch the sugar bowl. (although if were being real, we didnt watch any of it... i dislike watching football on tv they stop the clock too much) we hung out with a bunch of our friends. everyone here loves caileigh. i love that about here.

the next morning before she left norfolk, we had to go to the donut dinette. yet another on of my favorite parts about ghent. the best breakfast cooked right in front of you. and the best donuts ever (yes better than krispy kreme id say) so delicious.

her visit was short but full of laughter and fun. i miss her but love that we are in each others lives for so long. and that shed drop everything if i needed her to. hopefully her boyfriend jimmy can visit next time too.

today i got a facial. if you have never gotten one, or gone to a spa, start saving change up for one. caileigh got me this as a birthday gift and i just now used it. oh how i loved it so so so so much.

heres to best friends. the friends that your soul dances when theyre around. i have lots of those friends.

ive been taking lots of pictures with the camera. home photos coming soon. and perhaps a new computer for me?! (YAYYYYY ** ecstatic dancing and joyful giddiness**)

my best friend.

goodbye 2011.

last week we visited our family in western virginia- his side. we left thursday afternoon and drove to his grandparents house. then we stopped by his grandmas house and ate dinner with her. it was a blessing to catch up with them and they were thrilled that we could stop by since we have not seen them since we left our reception. we then drove up to waynesboro and spent the day with his sister brotherinlaw and their little one year old, sweet emma. it was relaxing and so good to see them and spend some time with emma- she is growing up so fast. it was his sisters birthday saturday so im so glad we were able to spend some time with her and wish her a happy birthday in person! we even got to skype with his parents while we were there. family is important and i love my new family so much.... sometimes that doesnt happen when you get married but i know that i am so blessed and lucky to marry into such a sweet family.

we had planned to leave the following day to make it back to chesapeake to celebrate the new year with our friends, and were hoping to catch breakfast with the ryders before we got going. but the only way we would be able to see them is if we stayed another night. so we decided to visit them in harrisonburg. it was a great decision- although we missed our chesapeake friends we got to see the jake and ben fleming (two of the funniest brothers i know) kristin (known her since 1st grade) and spend some time with the ryders.

the ryders are very dear to us. they married us this summer and it was incredibly special to be married by ryder and for libby to read scripture as well. they are mentors and dear friends. and have been so encouraging throughout our dating, engagement, and marriage process. not to mention their daughter ava is one of the sweetest little girls we know. we went bowling with them and had so much fun. it was boys vs girls but as libby states in her post. the boys underestimated us for sure. we were good- even little aves. we ate pizza and watched orange county with ben fleming and the ryders. apparently a really funny movie i missed out on in the early 2000s. josh says finding four people who randomly all love that movie is rare. what is even more rare is that their tv movie selection had it. perfect. it was super funny.

one of the sweetest things was hearing ava talk and ask questions, and mostly when she prayed before she ate and said "dear jesus" in the smallest little toddler voice. my heart melted. it was great to catch up with them and see their place and just spend some time with a married couple. they are so intentional with us and ask so many questions about how were doing. they get us. i love that. i feel so loved when were with them.

we also went to church with them sunday morning and heard the VP of young life international speak. it was really cool because josh and i have been considering international ministry. although thats a ways off and were not really sure what we are going to do or where well be in the next couple years. but it just put the idea even more on our minds. we are also hoping to speak with some area directors and leaders when we visit europe next year. (more on that later perhaps...)

its been a sweet break so far. we go back to school monday. well i do. josh is student teaching this year and doesnt know when hell start yet. im not really sure if im ready. i guess ready as ill ever be...

**heres some pics of new years eve... i stole them from libbys blog click here to see more on her blog.**

thanks ryder family for an impromptu visit. we loved it so much.

goodbye 2011.

our first christmas.

we are continually blessed from God, our friends, and our families. our first christmas was wonderful. and i loved starting traditions with my new husband. it was relaxing and the weather wasn't warm either which makes it feel more like christmas. we spent the holidays with my family. it was really good. even though they live twenty minutes away we dont get to see them as often as you would think. so it was good to spend some time with them.

[good news! my computer uploads pictures from my DSLR camera now! and i have gotten some time this week to figure things out with it and look at a few online tutorials. im nowhere near being an expert, but i am loving this free time to get in some practice. bad news is that someone had my memory card at the wedding and i didnt have it for the honeymoon and so all my pictures from ocracoke are on my sony cybershot. but i think im going to go ahead and by a new photo card importer thing, because im just not sure mine exists anymore.]

some christmas traditions we started this season:


1. pincone picking. we picked pinecones together one afternoon and used them to make some christmas decor.

he doesnt like getting pictures taken.

okay this picture makes me miss that hair.

boy looks for anything to climb.

2. watching a christmas story and its a wonderful life on christmas eve. this is one of my favorite things. his favorite is a christmas story.  mine is its a wonderful life. we went last year too. but this year we live down the street from the naro theater on colley so we got to walk to the double feature.

3. making christmas ornaments. we made ornaments on christmas this year to add to our tree. i used mason jar lids, canvas, hot glue, and paint. were making a number for all the christmas' we will be married. so this year we made a 1.

josh made the "1"- i painted.

"k" is for katie hackett. i made one for her because she loved me so well this year when i needed it.

4. christmas heart. this is a tradition my parents passed down to me. when they got married someone gave them a heart ornament. and they told them to do it every year after. every year my parents picked out a heart ornament. so my mom gave me a heart ornament this year. and so did joshs mom. so we have two now. love it.

the heart ornament is illuminated well. we need to put a picture inside.

his momma sent us this one from lisa leonard designs.

i love the holdiays. i love christmas. i love the joy and laughter. i want to carry that with me always. the birth of  christ and the miracle of christmas and why he came should burn like a fever in my soul all year.

any christmas traditions youd like to share?

more to come this week about our visit with his family and the ryders for new years.

our first christmas.