I Can Do This

I CAN get through this last week of my first Masters class and I CAN finish this huge field based research paper by Friday. I CAN do this. I HAVE to keep my focus and motivation. I can't wait till Saturday...then I will be done with this first class and I can breathe! I CAN do this. Really, I CAN.

A Little Cup of Heaven!

Anyone who knows me well knows how much I LOVE ice cream! I include frozen yogurt in the ice cream category! I love fro yo too! I especially love Cherry on Top! From the first time I walked into this brightly colored yogurt shop I knew we would have a lasting relationship.;) I don't know what it is, but I think getting to make my own yogurt creation is just the coolest thing ever.:) I am not kidding...when Tyler and I go to Cherry on Top I am giddy like a little kid. Tyler always says I remind him of a little girl because I get so excited whenever we have ice cream.:) I never eat all the food on my plate, but boy I can devour a cup of ice cream like it's nobody's business!;)

Reflection

I am always reflecting. It is just what I do. I wonder if I reflect more than the average person?

Lately, I have been reflecting on all sorts of things, but tonight while I was vacuuming (yes, I reflect a lot while vacuuming!) I was reflecting about how this time last year I was getting ready for my first bridal shower. Rebecca and Brianne threw me a beautiful shower and I remember how excited I was because the wedding was getting so close. If I was having a bridal shower it MUST almost be time for the wedding. I was so excited to see my friends and family.

I was also reflecting tonight about how excited I am for a normal summer this year. Last summer was INSANE. Not only was I getting married, but I was in 4 other weddings, all of which I had to travel for. Last year at this time Tyler was in New York to be the Best Man for his friend Brett's wedding. We were living and breathing weddings! Haha! This summer will be so different! Don't get me wrong, last summer was great...I mean I got to watch my close friends get married and I married my best friend! This summer Tyler and I get to enjoy a season jam packed full of fun things!

In just a few days we are headed to Las Vegas to spend 4 days with my parents and brother. I can't wait! We are staying in an AWESOME hotel (the pool is complete with a shark tank and 3 story waterslide!) The pool at our hotel was #7 on Yahoo's Top 10 Most Amazing Hotel Pools. I can't wait to just get away with my Husband and family and enjoy our time together. We are also going to celebrate Tyler's birthday while we are there which will be lots of fun!

Tyler was asked to speak at a youth retreat up in Big Bear in June and I get to tag along for that too. I am so proud of him. I know he will do great and I am happy I will get to be there to support him.:)

We are leading a missions trip back to Watts in June as well. We went last year and it was an INCREDIBLE experience. I can't wait to go back. We have an awesome team again this year! I can't wait to see what God does in their lives over the course of the week we are there.

In July our WONDERFUL friends Chad and Ally are coming to visit!! Ahhh!! I can't wait! They will be here to celebrate the 4th of July with us and I am already counting down the days till they are here! We miss them so much. They are the BEST couple to double date with!

In July we also get to go to summer camp! I didn't get to go last year because it was so close to our wedding, but I am going this year! Yippee!

AND in July we also get to celebrate our 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY!! Tyler isn't telling me much about what we are going to do, but I know him and he always plans the best surprises. About a month ago he asked for some ideas of places I would like to go, but I really have no idea what he will plan!

There is no doubt our summer will also be filled with lots of beach trips and bbqs! We will also take advantage of Tyler's parents lovely pool!;)

Although last summer was amazing, I am quite thankful that this summer I am married and just get to enjoy being with my Husband.:)

My New Obsession...

Etsy is my new obsession! I should have never started looking at this website! Lately I have been really into aprons and I want all of these, especially the last two! Okay, so how cute are these?!

A+!

Ask me what I got on the first paper I turned in for my Masters program? Okay, I will tell you!
Yes, that's right! I got an A+ on my first paper; 100%! I am pretty excited if you couldn't tell! I was definitely stressing about this first big paper for my program and was really intimidated to write it. It felt so good to see that I did well and all of my hard work paid off. It has definitely been challenging balancing school on top of everything else, but somehow I am doing it! I am already half way through this first class! I keep dreaming of how good it is going to feel to see the diploma that says I have a Masters in Education. It's going to feel so amazing. Okay, now back to studying!;)

Tea Time:)

This past Saturday I had the priviledge to attend the Women's Tea at the Grove. When my "Mother-In-Love" Leslie asked me to go along with her and my "Sister-In-Love" Christina I was very excited! I knew it would be fun to spend time with them. The three of us rarely get girl time, so it was a nice change.:) Leslie was the entertainment at the tea. For those of you haven't heard her sing, you are missing out! She did an amazing job like always! Let me just say, THE TEA WAS OVER THE TOP! Each table was "sponsored" by a lady who was in charge of decorating it. Well, the tables were beautiful! I snapped a few pictures, but let me tell you, my pictures do not even begin to capture how awesome they were. They were better decorated than tables at weddings I have been to! I had such a wonderful time at the Tea. The lady who gave the message spoke about Godly friendships. The message was really for me. This is an area that I have been reflecting about a lot lately and I was so blessed by what she had to say.

I am so blessed to be a part of the Ellis family. I get to have these two amazing women in my life. They constantly encourage me and speak truth into me. I am happy I can not only call them my family, but my friends as well!

My Head is Spinning!

The first week and a half of my Masters class has been intense! I am trying to take everything in, but my head is a' spinning! I am trying to keep up with the reading and all of the assignments, but let me tell you it's a lot of work! Tonight I have been working on my first big paper. I am feeling very anxious about it, but I feel good that it's underway. I am learning a ton of awesome things in my class and have definitely gained some new insights.

My head really has been spinning lately. I have had so much on my mind. Honestly, sometimes I simply CAN'T think straight. I have been waking up around 4a.m. almost every night and I just lay there thinking, thinking, thinking. Tyler and I are in the midst of a lot right now: big decisions, big plans, big dreams, big hopes, big fears. I know that I am not called to live with anxiety and I am really trying to remember that. God really is on my side, he really does have a plan for my life. He is in everything. Sometimes it's just so hard to see. I am not called to worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. I feel so blessed to serve a God who will meet me right where I am at. Tyler has been worried that I have been waking up so much, so he has asked me to please wake him up when I can't sleep so he can pray for me. I have been trying to do that and it has been helping a great deal. There is power in prayer. Thank you God for an awesome Husband who prays for me.:)

Well, I guess it's back to my big paper!:)

Mother's Day

Today is Mother's Day and it has been sort of a hard day. I called my mom this morning to wish her a happy day and as soon as I got off the phone I started bawling. I am used to being away from her now and not seeing her often, but I guess it just felt harder today considering it's Mother's Day. I miss my mom so very much. She is an incredible lady who has had many painful moments in her life. She has not had it easy, but she is a woman of incredible strength and dignity. I look up to her in so many ways. If I could be half the mother she is to me to my own children someday, I would feel accomplished. Her and I have a strong bond. She has always been there for me and still is. We talk every few days and our conversations always brighten my day. I admire my mom for some many reasons, here are just a few of them:

1) My mom is a hard worker. Seriously, she is. She has worked for the same company for over 30 years. Crazy. She never had the privilege to be a stay at home mom like many of her friends and many of my friends' moms growing up. She always had to work. It was really hard on her when we were growing up. She would rush home from work every night and couldn't wait to hear about our days at school. It killed her to leave us in daycare when we were small, but she did what she had to do. My dad and my mom have both been an incredible example of what it means to work hard. They taught both my brother and I that if you really want something, you work hard for it. My Mom has sacrificed SO much for me throughout my life. I owe so much of my work ethic to her.

2) My mom is a clean freak! I swore I would never be like her. She can spot a minuscule spot in the carpet or a smudge on a coffee table from 100 feet away. It's crazy! She HAS to have a spotless kitchen. She can't stand a dirty bathroom or clutter. Guess what? I AM NOW A CLEAN FREAK! I swear I have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. I can't concentrate or get anything done if I see clutter. I have trouble sleeping if my kitchen isn't spotless. I mop and vacuum every couple of days and clean our bathroom multiple times a week. I can't handle dust. I just can't. It's bad. Tyler is very clean himself, so we are quite the clean couple.:) I definitely owe my "clean freakishness" to my beautiful Mom.

3) She is one of the most generous people I know. I can't even count how many times I have come home to find a package sitting by the door or a card in the mail from my mom. Her reason for sending a gift or card?..."Just because I love you." My latest gift from her...MAC makeup! I came home to a little package and inside was a beautiful MAC blush compact. She definitely knows me well!;)

4) She is an amazing hostess. I grew up with people always in our home! My mom loves to have family and friends over for dinner. She loves to entertain and cook big meals. She always let me host get-togethers with my friends in high school and college at our house. She is also an amazing cook! I have learned so much from her and I am thankful that she started teaching me how to cook from a young age! I have taken many spiritual gift inventories and my main spiritual gift always turns out to be hospitality. Guess who I take after?;) I LOVE having friends over for dinner. I look forward to our small group every Thursday and teenagers over-taking our living room. I love to cook and bake! I adore family get-togethers! I love to entertain people even though we live in a little apartment! :) Thanks Mom for passing your love of entertaining on to me.:)

5) My mom LOVES holidays!!! Have you met me? I AM A HOLIDAY FANATIC!! Celebrate should be my middle name. Christmas is my favorite holiday, but really I love them all.:) My mom decorates for every season and every holiday. I am already finding myself doing the same thing. At Christmas she has always turned our house into a winter wonderland. One day, I will own enough Christmas decorations to do the same thing! She has instilled a love for holidays in me that I will always hold on to. She always makes holidays special too! In our family we will find any excuse to celebrate!

6) She is the best nurse. Really, she is. Tyler takes amazing care of me when I am not feeling well, but when I am sick I seem to miss my mom so much more.


My mom is just incredible. She has always set an example to love God even when life is hard, to love others even when they let you down and to give to others even when you might not have what you need yourself.

I love you Mom.

So Nervous!

Today I start my first Masters class and I am feeling SO nervous! I do not know what my issue is. I am used to school. I am going on my sixth year of college between undergrad work, credentialing, student teaching, and now my Masters. I guess this just feels BIGGER. I have to write a thesis. OH GOSH. I am scared about balancing all of my responsibilities. I am adding school on to my already busy schedule. Will I be able to balance everything? How will I fit in observation hours on top of working? I hope so. I just keep thinking that it is good I am doing it now instead of waiting till down the road after we start a family. I cannot even imagine working on a Masters while being a mom. That seems almost impossible to me! I only have 5 one month classes left and I will have my Masters. I can do that right? It works out well that I am starting this month because Tyler also just started his Ordination process which is a TON of work, so we are both striving to achieve a goal together. He is a great encourager, so I know when I am feeling like I can't complete another assignment or research paper he will be there to cheer me on. So, here I go.:)