Final Countdown

This rotation I only have to work 4 days a week, Monday through Thursday, which is great because I LOVE the weekends and having an extra day is even better! Last Friday Mom and I went shopping for wedding shoes. We both needed a new pair for our dresses! And we both found the perfect pair at Macy's!

Love them!

Charles was also home this weekend for the end of his spring break. We got to have family dinner at home on Friday night. Jason's birthday was Saturday, so we had cookie cake that Charles made for dessert on Friday.

Charles's homemade cookie cake!

Jason also bought the Michael Jackson game for the Wii. It's called The Experience, and it has a lot of Michael Jackson's songs and the dance moves. You do the dance moves while holding the remote and the closer you get to what the animated Michael Jackson is doing the more points you get! It was so much fun. Maybe Jason and I will learn a dance for our wedding reception! :)

The game

On Saturday we had lunch with my family and Jason's parents and sister to celebrate Jason's birthday. We had another cookie cake!!

Jason with his cake

Publix cookie cake

On Sunday we had another shower that was thrown by Jason's family. It was fun to get to see everyone since we don't get to see them all very often. I'm so excited that it's getting closer to the day we can use all of our wonderful gifts in our home!

Countdowns:

14 more days of free labor

39 days til Pharm.D.

53 days til Mrs. Ellis

Not my will, but Yours

On Wednesday I found out that I will not be doing a residency next year. I am disappointed because of the rejection and the fact that I still don't have a job after graduation. I'm also relieved. The residency would have required a LOT of hours. I probably would have been working 60-80 hours a week. I would have had to work 12 days then have just 2 days off which would have been really difficult. So I am relieved that I don't have to give up my life and I won't be tied down for a year. This way if Jason is called to another ministry we are still flexible. I prayed a lot over the residency. I wanted to do it if it was the right thing to do. I asked God that if it was not what he had for me that He would close the door. I believe that's what He did. It must not be a part of His plan. I know that He has another plan for me. One day I will look back and think, "it's a good thing I didn't do a residency." On Wednesday night during my quiet time I again was reading Beth Moore's Praying God's Word Day by Day. The following is the entry for March 23rd.

God's primary purpose in healing us from our hurts is to 

introduce us to new depths of relationship with himself.

Lord, in my heart I plan my course, but You determine my steps

(Prov. 16:9).

Life is not going as I planned. But I am so grateful that you are 

not caught off guard. You knew everything that would befall me. 

So please direct my steps as You determine.

I need you, Lord.

Carry me when I cannot walk.

For though I walk in the midst of trouble, You preserve my life.

Stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes. With

your right hand, save me.

You will fulfill Your purpose for me. Your love, O Lord,

endures forever. Do not abandon the works of 

Your hands (Ps. 138:7-8).

I am so thankful that God allowed me to read this on the same day I found out I wasn't doing my residency. God is not caught off guard. He knew at the beginning of this process that the residency was not for me. He will guide my steps and fulfill His purpose for me. What an encouragement from Him after the discouragement of the world!

Mr. and Mrs. Eleveld

This weekend my sweet friend and bridesmaid, Kristen, tied the knot with her best friend, Daniel. It was so much fun, and I am so thankful to have been a part of it!

The wedding festivities began on Thursday night with the rehearsal at the Carl House. You can check it out here. It is a beautiful place. On Friday night the rehearsal dinner was at the community center in Dacula. It was a western theme, and we all learned to square dance! It was a blast! At the beginning of the night we were all terrible at it, but by the end of the night we were all doing great! After the rehearsal dinner most of the bridesmaids went to Kristen's house to hang out. It was great to get to spend those few hours with Kristen and the other girls!

Saturday was the big day! The weather was amazing :) We were able to have the ceremony outside because it was so nice. Everything went perfectly, and we had a blast dancing the night away. Now the bride and groom are on their honeymoon at Disney World! 

Kristen and Daniel cutting the cake

My sweet bear

Beautiful bridesmaid flowers

I think seeing Kristen's wedding from behind the scenes will really help me as I finish up my wedding plans. And Jason admitted after the wedding that it really made him excited for our wedding coming up. By the way, today it is exactly two months away!

Patience

I have been reading Praying God's Word Day by Day by Beth Moore during my quiet time ever since Nana passed away (I found it on her night stand). Last week I read the following entry for March 16th:

Any "No" an earnestly seeking child of God

receives from the throne is for the sake of a

greater "Yes".

Father, help me to remember in my impatience that

the end of a matter is better than the beginning, and

patience is better than pride (Ecclesiates 7:8).

You led Your children, the Israelites, all the way in the

desert for forty years, to humble them and to test them

in order to know what was in their hearts, whether or not

they would keep Your commands (Deuteronomy 8:2).

Help me to understand that sometimes You lead me on

certain paths to humble me also, to see what is in my heart.

Purify my heart, Lord, so that I will be patient in the

waiting times, and so that You will take joy in what You find.

I want to remember that the end is better than the beginning. I also will be praying that my heart is pure during this time of waiting.

Weekend Update!

This weekend was packed but productive.


Friday night we celebrated my sweet daddy's birthday. On Saturday he turned 60, which I still cannot believe! I don't think he looks 60 nor does he act like it! :) Charles came home and fixed dinner for us to celebrate. He made crab cakes, shrimp, asparagus, and potatoes. It was very yummy! My family loves seafood! Hopefully we will see these recipes on his blog soon. Charles also made Nana's famous carrot cake for dessert. It was delicious! 

Nana's famous carrot cake!

Unfortunately, Jason had to work all day on Saturday. I had my make up trial run for the wedding which was very fun. Then Dad, Mom, and I had a birthday lunch at Mimi's Cafe. After lunch we headed to the Mall of Georgia. I took one of my bridesmaid's dresses to the tux place to see if there was a vest to match the green. There isn't so we are going with a champagne colored vest. I think it looks really nice. Dad was able to go ahead and get measured for his tux also. I was also able to get quite a few of our wedding invitations addressed on Saturday night. Next week it will only be two months until the wedding! I can't believe it's already almost time to send out invitations! 

Sunday is always a busy day. We had church in the morning. I love the new church that we are going to. Everyone is so friendly. The Sunday school class we are attending is great! I have learned so much, and they have all been so sweet. Jason will even be preaching there on Easter Sunday in the overflow room. After church Jason and I went to pick out our wedding bands! That was pretty exciting. We had a pretty good idea of what we wanted so it didn't take long at all. I'm really glad we have that done already! Another thing to cross off the wedding check list!

Sunday night we met with our small group. I love our small group. They are all such close friends and it's amazing to me how God has brought us all together to be a support system for each other. I am so thankful for each and everyone of them. I'm excited to see where God will take us!

This will be a busy week, finishing up my last week on this rotation (only 6 more weeks of rotations!!!), and a wedding this weekend. One of my bridesmaids is getting married on Saturday. Her rehearsal is Thursday, then rehearsal dinner on Friday and wedding day Saturday! I am so very excited to share in this time with her! I can't wait to stand next to her on Saturday during her wedding and celebrate with everyone at the reception! It's such an exciting time that we are getting married! We are all grown up! :)

Waiting

Waiting is not fun. I have heard that patience is a virtue, but unfortunately I don't have a lot of it. I think it's a part of our culture. We all want things to happen as soon as possible. Right now it seems like everything in my life is a waiting game. Waiting to finish school. Waiting to get married. Waiting to find out if I will be doing a residency next year. Waiting to find out where Jason will have a job. Waiting, waiting, waiting...

It is so very hard to be patient. This is probably the very reason God is teaching me through all of this waiting to be patient. God's timing is always perfect. I am finishing school at the exact time God planned for me. Only God knows if doing a residency is the right thing for me and for Jason. I trust Him and pray that if it is not the right path to take that the door would be closed. God is our provider; He has always provided for Jason and my family. There is no reason not to trust Him. While I am anxious to find out where Jason and I are headed in our new life together, I am waiting, and trying to be patient, for God to lead us where he wants us to go.

Psalm 27:14 "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."

Wedding Shower

On Saturday I had my second wedding shower. This one was hosted by my mom's good friends and my second moms, Ms. Brenda and Ms. Tish. My aunt ended up not being able to come down after all because my uncle wasn't feeling well. We were disappointed that they weren't able to come down to visit, but the shower still turned out well. 

Mom and I

Jason and I got some really great stuff for our new home. I am so very thankful for the support of all of our friends and family! Jason got what he wanted most off our registry... the magic bullet! I know he can't wait to use it :). 

There was also an amazing cake made by one of Jason's old roommates and friend from college. I was so surprised! I didn't even know Terry made cakes! It looked amazing and tasted really great too! 

It also has our names on the sides!

I am finding it so very hard to believe that the wedding is less than 3 months away! I think 2011 has just always been so far away that it isn't getting in my head that it's actually here!!