Finally!! A new post!!!

So many things have happened that it's hard to know just where to begin.

Well, first off I graduated college on May 3rd! Wow, how exciting! However, this is not the end, just another milestone. I still want to go to grad school and have already been accepted to where I believe that God wants for me to go to school. I can start as early as the Spring.

Then, of course, I got married!! Wow, how that went by fast. But, a good fast. When I first graduated, it felt like it was just dragging along. Like we would NEVER get there. Then, all of a sudden, I had to make final decisions on EVERYTHING. fyi - planning a wedding is hard. There is a whole lot of little things that have to be done that took a lot of time and I still don't remember where all of my time went. But, in the end, everything went beautifully. Our prayer was that God would be glorified in our wedding, and I believe that He was. I really believe that people went away not just merely attending a wedding, but worshiping God through what He has done.
It was a special blessing that Jonathan (aka Taylor Martin) was able to sing at our wedding. I told him like a year ago that whenever I got married that I wanted him to be the "special" music. He, of course, did a marvelous job. Jonathan, you are very talented and your gifts have matured so much in just a few years.

So, for our honeymoon, we went to BELIZE!! It was so much fun. We went to the island of San Pedro - about a tweny minute plane ride from the mainland. The amazing thing was that someone from Green Acres Baptist Church (where Jeremy has been working the past year and a half) owns a condo on the island. A NICE condo. And, they gave it to us for a week. FREE! All we had to do for our honeymoon was pay for our plane ride and our meals. It was such a blessing. We came back home with money!

Now, after 2 weeks of setting up house and going through the lengthy process of getting my legal name changed, I am on the job hunt. I had a promising interview today, but I don't know what God wants, ya know? Like, it's a great opportunity, and I think that I'll like it...I just don't want to make the wrong move and then another offer come up and I'm like "argg....I'm locked into this one." But then again, won't life always be like that? You never know what tomorrow may offer, but we just have to make the best choice for today.

Love,
Brittany

If only I could give you a digital hug

I wish I could write something encouraging today. I wish I could tell anyone who reads this blog something that would reach out, beyond the words on the screen that warms them to the innermost part of their being. I guess I can tell you that you aren't who you are going to be yet.
We are in a constant state of growing, and that is exciting to me that I won't be where I am forever! I have the potential to grow more and more as a person everyday, and my failures don't define me.
That is something that God has taught me - you are not defined by one moment in time. That your one, two, or maybe even a year's worth of mess-ups don't define you. You are not who you are because of your mistakes. There is more to life. You have more in this life than past regrets, or trying to live up to standards or expectations. Allow yourself to think beyond your past, or beyond what others expect for your life. You do have a purpose to breathe in and out. You have a reason to live. YOU have a reason to live.

It's been a while...

Hey everyone!
I'm so sorry that it's been so long. I feel as though I'll never be a frequent blogger, and I'm OK with that! lol
Life has been crazy great! I think that most people who will read this already know that Jeremy and I are engaged!! He asked me while we were in Durango, Colorado on December 18, 2007. (Wow...it's already February of 2008!) It was literally perfect. Like out of a Disney movie perfect. The only thing that could have made it better would if Jeremy would have just slain a dragon or something. Anyways, it was on this beautiful snow covered cliff edge at sunset. It overlooked the city and you could see the river in Durango winding in and out of the city and houses while families were turning on their Christmas lights. Yeah. Amazing. It was the most beautiful sunset I've ever seen. I could be a little partial, but seriously, it was beautiful, no picture could do it justice.
So, we have quickly begun to plan a wedding, but more than that, a marriage!
My thoughts on this are kind of weird right now. Weird in the way that I am not panic-y, or having all kind of doubts. I thought that when that day came in my life I would be typical Brittany - freaking out. I kind of just see this as the next step in our relationship. Like, it just feels so natural as though this is exactly what is supposed to happen. It's a great feeling. I'm almost embarrassed to tell you how happy I am because for so long I was always ashamed when I even thought a guy was cute. I think somewhere down the line I had it drilled into me that relationships were a private affair. Now, I feel that our relationship is anything BUT private! lol . We are constantly answering questions about how "he did it" and what our plans are, and suprisingly, good intentioned ladies want to tell me what to expect after we've been married for a long time. I'm just like "hey, let me enjoy my ignorance and think that it's gonna be like a fairy tale!" lol. Seriously though, I want our relationship to honor God, and to be an inspiration to others who are watching us.
The plans are coming together pretty quickly and with great ease. God has really worked great things out for us, especially financially.

If you want something to pray for us about, please pray that God will protect us and provide for us. I really want to have a GOOD job lined up for post graduation. I want to have that safety net of knowing when I graduate that I will have a great job waiting for me to start very soon.

I love y'all and am happy to see that most of you have joined facebook! :)
Brittany

My Birthday!!! and music

Hey everyone!
I have to say life is going well right now. I just had my birthday on Monday which was lots of fun and we've been celebrating since last Friday! lol
I have a family party on Saturday which I am really looking forward to. I just want a day with my extended family (well, Lufkin side) where we can all hang out and not have the TV on. That'd be awesome.
Brent is doing well. His next surgery is scheduled for Nov. 15. I'll let y'all know more of what happens once it's over because sometimes they do more than what they say they'll do which is great!

I love to sing songs about praising God in the good times and in the bad times too. Because sometimes it's easy to cry out to God in the "bad times" of our life. This of course is a natural response and I believe that God allows the storms of our life to call us back to Him and to remind us that He is still good and in control, no matter how the seas of life shake us. However, it is easy for me to forget to praise Him during those times unless I think of "WWJD" - What would Job do.
However, it is equally as hard to remember to praise God during the "good times" without it feeling superficial. It's so easy to live in the feel good times and forget that we live in a broken world that desperately needs us to be aware of what is actually going on.
So, when I hear songs that remind me of praising God when we are on mountain tops, or in the valley, it's like a warm fuzzy blanket of truth wraps around me. I remember where I've been, who I used to be and that God still loves me and wants to give me second chances ("Our God is a God of second chances!" - Veggie Tales). The other part is that even though I've messed up, or I've gone through trying times, God still lets me experience the "mountaintop" feelings before the trials come again. He owes us nothing, yet offers us everything. We deserve Hell, yet He gave us the gift of Eternal Life with Him! He would still be a just God if we were never offered a way out of the sin that we chose. Yet I am grateful that He allowed me to be born in a generation, and in a place that has taught me about the Creator God who hand-crafted me and called me unto Himself. ...It's been a great birthday.

Life is like....the back of a math book?

Remember at the back of a math textbook that the answers for the odd numbered problems are written in for you?
Every now and then, I wish life were like that.
It's not that I want the answers, but when I'm working on the even numbered problems, it's good to have a similar problem to look back on and have that answer. It always made me feel more confident when I would finish the even numbered ones.

What's new

Hey everyone!
Well, some months have past, and my life has NOT been spent on the computer, as you can tell. In fact, I should be studying for a midterm tomorrow, but whatever.

Here's an overview.

July -
Worked
Went to San Antonio with my Mom on our annual mother-daughter get-a-away
Helped Davin (my friend) move back to Waco the same weekend we moved Brent in
Went to Costa Rica

August -
Got back from Costa Rica
Spent much needed time with my family
Packed and moved into school
Started my SENIOR YEAR OF COLLEGE (AHHHH!!!)
Started back at my position in the Admissions Office

September -
Started ministering as a kind of small group leader for new freshman through an organization called "Journey" which is under the BSM at school

Began to LOVE my roommates - for those of you who remember how painful of a year I had last year with roommate issues, this has been nice. I never realized you could actually have roommates who were clean, you get along with, and spend time with outside of just bumping into them while brushing your teeth!!!

Worked at Tiger Day - a preview event that the Admissions office puts on. We had to get up really early...on a Saturday! lol

October -
Went on a "date" with my 3 roommates plus another friend. We watched a movie called Sydney White - I totally recommend it for a group of girls to go and see. It's like a current day version of Snow White, and it's very funny! Not for young girls, just because of some of the jokes.

Met more of Jeremy's family at a family shin-dig


I know that's a lame overview, but I just wanna catch y'all up on what's going on.
Oh, Monday afternoon, Jeremy came up and suprised me! He took me to Walmart to get groceries, and then we went to IHOP. That was SOOO much fun! I really enjoy just spending time with him. Whatever we're doing, it doesn't matter, we just enjoy being together.

Here's a pic!

love you guys,
Brittany

Oops! Sorry so long since I've last blogged...

Hey everyone!
Sorry it's been so long (thanks Jimmy for reminding me week after week).
Well, I'm not doing much right now except for working at Livewell and gettin' ready to travel at the end of the summer.
It's been wonderful to see all of my friends again. To be able to spend time with people who know you inside and out and love you anyways is so...freeing. I love my friends from home. I really do.
One thing this summer is that SOOO many people are getting married!!! lol
I think between me and Jeremy we had something like 7 weddings to go to, 2 of which we were in, and another 2 we are supposed to be helping for.
So, it's been cool to be able to see Jeremy too and not have to worry about studying for a test. We've been able to actually spend time together!
It's also been good to see my family and spend time with them. It's been awhile since me and Brent have lived in the same house, but it's been good this time around!
Well, I'm on my way to go see Ratouille (or however you spell it) with one of the little boys I babysit. Robert (my friend who has been keeping the kids since I've been at ETBU this last year) is taking the older one to Transformers. We wanted to take them out for a movie night and it just happened that today is the parent's anniversary so now they can get some time to go on a date!
Well, I hope to blog soon and I hope that everything is going well in your lives!!!
I love you all.