Fun at the Cookeville Train Depot

Derek and I took Josiah (22 months) and Ruth (19 months) to the Cookeville Train Depot on July 15, 2009. They LOVED it. What a wonderful FREE adventure for little ones. Now all we here is 'Choo Choo' or 'Train'!! If you have children, it's a great place to spend some time learning about the history of the Cookeville Train Depot.

Update on HOUSE!!

We now have the majority of our siding and shutters (not in this picture). Derek has been working hard doing different things at the house. I am so thankful he is my Handy-Man!! What a blessing he is. We are praying we can start our hardwoods and ceramic tiles this week. Hopefully they will be finished by the week of 06-21 to 06-27-2009.

It's a GIRL!!

'We' are currently expecting a little GIRL around October 2, 2009! We feel so blessed. Please remember us in your prayers. I am currently 18 weeks and 5 days. We are almost half-way through!

Our House

We are so thankful the Lord has blessed us with the opportunity to start building our house. We have bought 4 acres and are looking forward to enjoying that extra space! The basement was dug on February 23, 2009. The footer was poured soon after along with the blocks being finished. The brick followed rather quickly, but the rain slowed us down for around a month. So, the basement floor was just poured at the end of April. So far, they have started framing and we just can't wait until it is finally finished. We have been looking at cabinets, counter tops, flooring, and our lights. There are so many decisions to make! BUT, we are thankful for those decisions. Anyhow, we are praying for no more delays. We just can't wait to make it our home.

Our Love Story (up to the 1st yr of marriage)

Many know the story of US. BUT, some do not. So, here goes. Derek and I started 'talking' to each other in high school. We were both helping with the 4-H Youth Fair. We had never really talked to each other before that day. Derek was a senior and I was a freshman! He asked me to his prom and it has been love since then. We dated through my high school and college years. We went through many things in the process of dating but it has made us tough. Derek graduated from TTU in December of 2002 with his BS in Health and Physical Education. He then started his masters. I graduated from TTU in May 2004 with my BS in Biology: Health Sciences. We were then married on June 5, 2004. Derek was still finishing his masters and I was making a plan to apply to Physician's Assistant schools in TN. Derek didn't find a teaching job until the end of August. So, he worked at Cagles (chicken factory) for the first few months of our marriage. I feel he was grateful for the job but didn't feel like he was using all his 'schooling'. At the same time, I was working at one of the local Doctor's office in the lab. I found out in early 2005 that I was accepted to Trevecca's PA program!! Wow! So, we moved to Nashville, even though I wasn't sure it was what the Lord had for me. I quickly withdrew from the program because I was so unhappy and knew I was not doing what the Lord would have for me. Our pastor had preached a message concerning the Lord's design for mothers shortly after I was accepted. The Lord had put this message there for a reason. I just didn't listen. So, for our 1st year anniversary, I was studying. I had actually forgot our anniversary!!! So, the Lord used my disobedience to teach me and poor Derek a few lessons. So, that was our love story up to our 1st year! The main lesson we learned in our first year of marriage was to "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart: and lean not unto thine own understanding." Proverbs 3:5.