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Wednesday, July 25, 2012

my insta-july

The month of July was my maiden run with Instagram and I absolutely love it. It allows me to express my artsy side and shows off the simple moments in life with style. Enjoy! =)

My co-workers brought me a wonderful fruit pizza for my birthday~ this just may be my first photo

I was pretty stinkin excited to have my hubby home from a week at kids camp

I got the Pioneer Woman's newest cookbook for my birthday from mom~ I cooked my first meal out of it as a welcome home for my hubby

Some of the church softball wives~ their last game

Tabbie Embarassed herself~haha!

my view while watching the kids of Redemption ministries~ Praise God for his creation!

first meal in our "new to us" oven~ Pear Gorgonzola Cheese Pizza~ yum!

see our new counter tops that my hubby built?! He's such a MAN. =)

I took mom to Aviary Creperie~ one of my favs.

That's my man! =)
my first insta portriat~

Thursday, July 19, 2012

be you

I wanted to pass on a challenge from an amazing woman, christine caine. Whew! So simple, but so powerful. I am super guilty of this at times. Lord, Help me to remember these words and live by them!



We don’t look like someone else.
We are not gifted like someone else.
We are not talented like someone else.
We are not as eloquent as someone else.
We are not as happy as someone else.
We are not as smart as someone else.
We don’t have as much as someone else.
We are not as intelligent as someone else.
We are not as creative as someone else.
We are not as holy as someone else.
We don’t know as many bible verses as someone else.
We are not as trendy as someone else.
We are not as fit as someone else.
We are not as clever as someone else.
We are not as thin as someone else.




We actually have no idea what we are good at because we spend all our time comparing our limitations to everyone else’s strengths.

Thus we fall into this comparison trap that is crippling…immobilizing…paralyzing.


No one wins except for the enemy.


That is why Paul writes "We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise" (2 Corinthians 10:12).


Be who God made you to be.
Do what God made you to do.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

i promise i'm not materialistic~ just blessed

I'm finding more and more that i'm pretty spoiled blessed. This past Friday marked the beginning of my birthday week. Jason is away at kids camp this week and he wanted to make sure he did something sweet before he left since he wont be here for my birthday. He's so sweet, in fact, that he almost didn't go to camp because he didn't want to miss my birthday. (awww!) Anyway..

Friday night we went to a baseball game with friends. His first gift for birthday week was a donut. Nope, not a donut you eat, but one you sit on. We went the economical route and purchased "seats" in the grass which consists of sitting on a blanket on the grass. I would have been extremely sore if I didn't have my donut. My hubby is so thoughtful, isn't he?!

Here's our view. (I apoligize for the lack of donut picture)


Saturday Jason and his dad spent the day working on our kitchen. Talking about this totally reminds me that I need to take "after" shots. (another post) So.. I needed to definately get out of our small house while the boys were making a mess. So. I met up with mom at my favorite place (that's right, the mall) and headed out for a day of shopping and girly time. We ended up getting mani pedis and shopped until we dropped. It was fabulous!

We met Jason at this really great new tex mex restaurant for some very unique flavors. I would have to say that my favorite was the guacamole. If you live in Springfield and are a lover of guacamole, go to Santa Fe grill. Even if you don't live in springfield and are an avid foodie and travel for food.. or even just want to come see me... I'll take you there! They have a guacamole bar and they make it fresh. You can pick from the two variations they have or you can make your own. Ours was spicy and had corn in it~ a first for me.  Anyway.. We stuffed our bellies there and then went for a walk at a nearby park. The End. (of Saturday, that is)

Sunday was a family party at Houlihan's. YUM! That's another restaurant you need to try. Everyone gave me gift cards so I could feed my additiction love for shopping. She's a happy girl if you give her money to spend on whatever she wants. =) I also got one of these babies-

Yes.. it's my very own IPhone. At times I think that i'm the last person on the planet to have one.I will love her and pet her and call her George. Ok, i'm done.  I"m excited. My husband rocks.

Back to my story.. On Monday I sent my hubby off on his first EVER kids camp. I am so excited he is getting this experience. While i'm slightly sad that he won't be here on my actual birthday, he's made up for it big time. He's left little gifts around our house and has had my mom, who is visiting from Memphis, deliver the clues birthday card style. He's so sweet huh? This is the present I found in his grill last night at 11:30.

I had spotted the purse in a store months ago and he went back the next day to get it. I had even forgotten that I had seen it. Yep, he's good ;)

Mom and I went to Aviary Creperie ~the most wonderful restaurant for a girls night~ last night

Afterwards we went on a SHOPPING SPREE!!! I had a goal to get some items to spiff up our home. I found a lot of what I was looking for PLUS I got a fabulous Calvin Klein dress for a fabulous price. We did good.

This morning my sweet and wondeful hubby gifted me with a lens cleaning cloth for my camera.  So thoughtful! I super curious to see what I have waiting for me tonight.. Why would he stop now? My real birthday is tomorrow. Yes I know, I'm spoiled. And very blessed. I can' t wait to bless him right back!

Thursday, July 12, 2012

a real man

Wow! this is something that I must share. I totally 100% without any reservation agree with this. As I was reading it, I kept thinking of my husband. Now that i'm writing.. my dad too. If you are a single lady, don't settle until you find a man that's going to posess these qualities. He may not have them all, but if he loves the Lord, he will. I am so thankful for my godly husband and I pray that our society doesn't lose sight of what a true man should be. Take this to heard and ponder on it. Men were created not to serve as eye candy, but to be just this..

Aside from the basic moral wrongs of the hit film “Magic Mike”, and regardless of the glaringly obvious double standard found in its popularity (can you imagine Christian men on Facebook making enthusiastic status updates about seeing “Striptease” with all their married Christian buddies at the local theater?! God, forbid! The claws would come OUT), I’ve got a beef with this recent “harmless” avenue of entertainment.
I’m sure on a base level, Channing Tatum’s gyrating hips could get a woman riled up, as could the vulgar dance moves of Matthew McConaughey, especially if that woman is with a group of hooting and hollering female friends who make her feel like what she is viewing is harmless. I get it.
But make no mistake…
“Magic Mike” is no harmless film.
Entertainment like this cheapens true masculinity, and paints a deceptive picture of what women should get excited about in men.
So if you’ll indulge me, I would love to help remind my female sisters what “sexy” and “manly” really looks like…
A man who communes with his Creator daily and strives to live a life that glorifies God.
A man who works long hours and spends his hard-earned wages to care for his family and occasionally treat them to fun things like Cherry Limeades and Redbox rentals.
A man who reaches down to pick up his little girl when she trips and falls and holds her close until her tears are gone.
A man who gathers his children around him at night to tell them a story, no matter how late he got in from work.
A man who would never go see a movie about a group of female strippers, no matter how many people were saying it was okay.
A man who researches recipes on the internet and makes a huge and messy meal in the kitchen so his beloved doesn’t have to make supper one night.
A man who treats the elderly with respect and dignity by patiently listening to them tell stories about their glory days.
A man who tends to the azalea bushes by the front porch, clipping them down when they need it and watering them morning after morning after morning.
A man who hops up from his reading when he hears you doing the dishes and gives you a hand.
A man who thoughtfully answers every question his little boy has about “why?” and “how?” the world and everything in it works.
A man who leaves whatever he is doing to help you when your car breaks down.
A man who monitors his free time and plans his schedule wisely and fairly. If he gets a night out with his friends, you get one, too.
A man who gets up at night to fix the baby a bottle while you lay drooling on your pillow.
A man who gives up an unneeded PhD so he can spend more time with his family.
A man who comes home with the new book you’ve been wanting, and its not even your birthday.
A man who has trained his eyes to look away from other women, even when they look better than you do.
A man who is humble enough to grow, long after he has become an adult.
A man who wants you and finds his satisfaction in you, and you alone, after many years of marriage and fidelity.
A man with happy wrinkles around his eyes that prove how many times he has smiled at you.
A man who sets up controls on his computer to avoid even the temptation to look at pornography.
A man who has dignity and modesty and self-control.
A man who refuses to speak profanity and hushes others when they use it in your vicinity.
A man who would give his life for you and the children, in a heartbeat.
A man who says “I do”…for better or for worse…for richer or poorer…in sickness and in health…forever.
Men like this don’t exist, you say?
Oh yes, they do.




Wednesday, July 11, 2012

the gap

On a quiet day, I occasionally enjoy reading my past posts to help stir up some memories. I love reading about the journey that has brought me to this point. I started blogging in 2008. I was pretty consistent througout 08-09 and then BAM!! A HUGE GAP! I blogged absolutely NOTHING in 2010. You want to know why?! He's called Jason Nicholas Waln. He showed up on the scene. My amazing husband.

It's pretty coincidental that my last blog post (written Dec.15, 2009)  before THE GAP was entitled "It's Over" ha! I feel like a prophet. That season of my life.. my singleness.. was indeed over. I believe it was that very week that I friended Jason on Facebook.

from Me on (Dec. 11, 2009)
Random friend request - 
"Hello. I am not sure if there has been any explination on your end.. but Lori Sallee sent me a friend suggestion for you and I thought.. Oh why not? It's always fun to get to know someone new... so ...If you don't already know.. Lori and I worked Memphis Discipleship walk together as table leaders and she wanted me to meet you. So there ya go! Have a great day!"

Crazy huh?! That's pretty much how we met in a nutshell. We were set up by a mutual friend that I met at Discipleship walk and he knew through church choir (more on that later).

Here is his response: (written the same day)

"Hi Christa! Yes, I do know who you are! Lori has told me about you and that the two of you became friends on the last DW. She WAS NOT supposed to send you a friend recommendation for me... She was supposed to send ME an recomend for you!!! Bless her heart... Lori messed up but thats ok! I sent Lori a text two days ago asking about you and she said she would send me a FB friend recomend of you and then she wished me luck getting to know you. I waited and it never came so i thought she just forgot! I was going to mention you tonite at choir rehersal but here you are. My compliments to you on "breaking the ice!" I stand impressed =) Now that i know your full name i will send you a friend request and I feel as you do I like making new friends and getting to know other people who love the Lord as I do =) I look forward to talking to you more! Jason"


This was our first meeting. I thought it was cute that he wanted to initiate, yet appreciated the fact that I did anyway. This man quite literally took over my life and I was sooo ready for him to do so.  I had lived so long without a special someone that I just wanted to suck in all the time with this man that I could. He took up my computer time. Here's a picture of us about  a year later: Married.




yes, we got married fast. While I regret not recording our fast track to marriage, our wonderful God given relationship, our amazing bonding experience with words.. I did get a lot of pictures. While pictures are worth a thousand words, actually journaling our journey would have been quite amazing. I would have loved to capture my thoughts and emotions and my conversations with God on this journey. But I didn't, thus, THE GAP. I will just have to fill you in with pictures and try to fill THE GAP the best I can.

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

summer happiness~ in photos

We really have had a great summer so far.. a couple of trips to the lake.. lots of friends and celebrations.. and good ol' lazy days at home. The biggest standout of the summer is the heat. It's been in the lower 100's quite a bit. This is why we stay in the water. I know there is more fun to come.. this is the fun we've had so far...
spending some quality family time at Big Cedar

Jason and his brother~ can't help but cut up

lots of time at Table Rock Lake





JASON'S BIRTHDAY GRILL OUT


I'm ashamed that I didn't get any pictures of the man and his new grill. How dare I?! This was it's maiden run after all. Maybe I could stage something.. you would never know!! haha!!






We spent another weekend at the lake in honor of the 4th of July~ We watched the fireworks from the boat. =)




I have yet to master the art of capturing the beauty of the fireworks..maybe next time.

much love!