Thanksgiving is coming....

So I'm not really very interesting this week...my mind is FOCUSED!!

In 2 days we will be with family and I am just so stinking stoked!!

Sarah called the other day to tell me Emily wanted to talk to me..Em told me we can make brownies when I'm home, and when I told her we could maybe go to Monkey Joe's she responded with "that would be very fun." That precious child speaks in sentences..and Anna is trying to walk..I mean seriously! So that is where my mind is at.

However, one funny story of the week.

Last night as we got into bed Brad was watching something on ESPN and a song came on..

Let It Rock by Kevin Rudolf.

I don't know if you know this song...but it's a pretty manly song..however...

Brad knows it from somewhere else..when it came on he asked

"Rach what does this remind you of"

To which I answered...

"DANCING WITH THE STARS - CODY AND JULIANNE AND THE PASO DOBLE!"

What have I done to that sweet man? That was from 2 seasons ago! I love it!

I then told him that this was definitely blog worthy...he told me I'd never figure out what song that was. Don't underestimate your wife's power of perseverance my love. Game on.

Weekends!!

It's the weekend! I'm excited!

This weekend means:
No work
Time with my love
Time with friends
Celebrating baptism with a dear friend
Rest
Football
One week away from Indiana
One week away from both our families
One week away from back home friends
One week away from the girls' shopping trip with my family
One week away from my dear friend's wedding
One week away from our precious nieces
Just over a week away from Thanksgiving
3 more shifts before I become a CCU nurse

I love this time of the year.

This week has been tough. I've been feeling a little under the weather, and I've been GROUCHY. I think I'm nervous. This job changing thing..though awesome...it's intimidating. I've been in this job since I graduated, I love the people I work with, I love my patients - and while I'll still be with the same doctors and the same hospital...everything else is changing. For those of you who know me, change is NOT on my list of favorite things.

In the position I am now I feel competent, sometimes even good. I love what I do and I'm confident that for the most part I do it well. But starting November 29th, I'm willingly choosing to know nothing again. It makes me sick to my stomach. AH!

Anyways...so I'm praying for peace. I'm depending on God because I know he's going to be with me in this...but whoa it's scary. And seriously..grouchy Rachael has got to go...I don't know what to do with myself. I was found out I was getting a patient the other day and I got all teary. I think my coworkers were at a complete loss, I am not one to ever be upset at work, so to see me cry is kinda shocking. I'm so thankful though, because when that patient rolled up..there were 2 nurses and 2 techs there doing my job so that I could take a minute to breathe. I love the people I work with. I love being a part of a team.

So that's my life story.
Have a great day!

Surprise!!

Woke up this morning, 4:45am, dragging and way not motivated to go to work.

Got ready, prayed that the Lord would protect my patients, my decisions, and my attitude at work today, and that it might be a nice day because every once in awhile you need one of those at work.

Headed out around 5:30 (LATE) and drove my tush there quickly! Listened to some Chris Tomlin Christmas Worship music - yea we have that cd early and I definitely like it! Prayed again that the Lord would bless this day because I wasn't feeling well and could tell my heart just wasn't there today.

Arrive at work- 5:57 am (MADE IT!) - my name is not on the list.

Go to resource office to see why - find out I don't know how to read a schedule..I don't have to be there until tomorrow. Ask if I need to stay - get told nope they're totally staffed for the day.

6:05 on my way out the door. WOOOOO!!

6:45 back at home with coffee for sweet Brad and ready to spend some time with my Bible, that I missed this morning because I was SLOW.

Thank you Lord for the undeserved surprise this morning! I will choose to find a blessing in the fact that I can't read! Hope you have a great day!

Sabbath

It seems that every week I am learning more and more that I have so much room to grow in my walk with the Lord. Not that this comes as any big surprise, but certainly gives me things to work on. In the past few months God has seriously been changing my heart and I think growing it to me more like His. I am so very thankful for it! However, I'm not sure I'm doing such a great job ...but thank goodness for Jesus-it's not about me anyways!

So..here is what I learned this week.

1. God created sabbath. He created it and He commanded it, and this seems to be one commandment I choose to ignore.
Exodus 20:8-11 "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, or your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

Mark 2:27 Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath."

God didn't need to rest on the Sabbath, I mean, He is GOD. He blessed that day and in that blessed us.
It will renew and restore us physically.
It was will renew and restore us spiritually.

That's not where it stops though.
Deuteronomy 5:12-15 Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor the alien within your gates, so that your manservant and maidservant may rest as you do. REMEMBER THAT YOU WERE SLAVES IN EGYPT AND THAT THE LORD YOUR GOD BROUGHT YOU OUT OF THERE WITH A MIGHTY HAND AND AN OUTSTRETCHED ARM. THEREFORE THE LORD YOUR GOD HAS COMMANDED YOU TO OBSERVE THE SABBATH DAY.

I need to let my sabbath be a reminder to me that NO victory or success that comes my way is from my work but from my God's mighty hand. If I am trying to achieve or striving towards my own success on sabbath, I am choosing to say I don't trust God. I am saying I am unable to take even one day of my week to let go of those things in my life to remember that God is completely in control of my life. I say I surrender to him, I say I give Him control, yet do I spend one day of my week completely resting in Him? No.

Lord forgive my weak, selfish, wavering heart.

We sang this song this week...it always gets me.

Prone to wander
Lord I feel it
Prone to leave the God I love
Here's my heart Lord
Take and seal it
Seal it for thy courts above.

Updates.

1. I have to apologize to sweet Brad...he says it's gross I posted a picture of his foot. I think it's awesome. Sorry.

2. I am going to officially be a CCU nurse as of November 29. I am SCARED out of my mind but also so so excited. This has been my dream since I graduated from nursing school and now here I am ready to go. I'm extremely happy that I'm getting the opportunity to do this at the Heart Hospital so please pray that the Lord would bless this time and would just give me His peace and calm as I make this transition.

3. We get to go towards Indiana for Thanksgiving! We will be there for 8 days! YAY! My dear friend Debs is getting married, I'm going to go on the girls shopping trip with my family, we'll get to see our precious nieces, and we get to spend Thanksgiving with both of our families.

4. We can't explain enough how excited we are to be staying in Austin. We both are at peace and excited to see the Lord work in us here. Overall, I just am so overwhelmed with thankfulness and wonder at God's amazing timing and protection. I don't think words can describe how I feel, but I can definitely just feel the Lord's hand on our life..and that's exciting! I just pray that we will not waste this time He has given us.

5. I have a obsession with do it yourself home improvement and decor ideas. I LOVE all the design blogs that are out there, and I LOVE antique stores, and I'm so excited to try some of these. Stay tuned...if it actually happens I'll post.

6. I've also taken up sewing again. I definitely feel like I'm starting all over. I bought a pattern and some remnant fabric and I've got it all cut out...I'm just too afraid to mess up so I haven't actually started the project yet. Actually, today after our windows get washed that is my intended plan. I love only working three days a week.

All for now..have a great week!

A & M Football

What should you never wear to a Texas A&M Game?

Flip Flops.

Why?

You might get kicked by one of the 10,000 feet wearing cowboy boots and end up with a seriously in pain pinky toe. Oops.

So worth it though! We went to the game this weekend with David and Kathrin and had SUCH a fantastic time! It's always so relaxing at the ranch and we love spending time with the Campises! Football here in Texas is a serious lifestyle. Seeing that we're Purdue fans..and they seem to find a way to let us down..it's fun to experience UT and A&M. Those two definitely are not feeling the love for each other; however, we just love a good game. So we went to midnight yell on Friday night, and then the game on Saturday. We had an awesome time cheering on the Aggies, can't even lie..I LOVED IT! I loved all the songs and the crazy cheers and all the awesomeness of that many people who are SERIOUSLY devoted to football. It was great! So thanks David and Kathrin for letting us join in the fun!



So overall it was an awesome weekend! We rested, we enjoyed our time with friends...it was FANSTINKINGTASTIC!