2012 - A Year in Review

Ok, so I was really good at having a monthly resolution every month UNTIL the holiday season started.  Excuses only please those who make them, so I'll spare you...

The year of 2012 is by far the BEST year of my life so far.  This past year I have accomplished some things I never thought I would and they all happened because of God and His endless love for me!

The beginning of the year was rough.  I had a severe panic attack and after numerous visits to specialists I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression.  I also learned in February that my father had prostate cancer.  After a ton of prayer and some amazing surgeons my father beat cancer's butt and is doing AMAZING.

The Spring brought blessings I couldn't have imagined!  I was approved to move to Charleston and keep my job and started the process of building my own home.  In April, I met my soul mate and knew God had a hand in everything that was happening in my life.

All Summer long I got to enjoy the Lowcountry with Marshall and my family.  You know the saying, you don't know what you have until it's gone...well the Lowcountry was missing from my life and even the simplest smells of pluff mud were exciting to me!

In the Fall, I moved HOME and was able to spend all the time I wanted with Marshall and my family and see the sunset on this beautiful place every single day.  In August - 2 days after closing on my home - I surrendered my life to Jesus and was saved in front of hundreds of people!  From that point forward, my life changed completely.  I didn't worry about things anymore, I knew my life was in His hands and that He would take care of me.  I was baptized in September and got to share that experience with Marshall and my family!

The holidays this past year were exciting for me - I had my first Thanksgiving dinner in my new home and was able to have a SECOND Thanksgiving in Clemson with Marshall's parents too.  Christmas was split 4 ways in one week with my family and Marshall's family in Maryland.  I didn't get a white Christmas, but I did get two days of snow while I was in Maryland as well as seeing nearly 50 deer walk out in a field and feed in front of me.  They grow 'em different up there - way different!

We rang in the new year with a Clemson win and yummy oysters on New Years Day!  I think I've eaten more oysters in the past 4 months than I have in years - all thanks to being near the coast now!

I'm really looking forward to what 2013 has in store for me - if it's anything like 2012 I'll be one happy girl!

The only new year's resolutions I have is to be more consistent with my tithing and to take one Sunday a month off from volunteering at church - just have that day so Marshall and I can attend a service together.

God Bless and may your New Year be full of His Grace and Love!!!

House Photos - Completed-ish

Ok, so what I've learned in this whole being a homeowner thing is that there's ALWAYS something to be done.  So when I say here's photos that are completed-ish...they're just that.

Oops October

Oops, I missed October.  But what I've come to know in my new found walk with Jesus Christ is that the past is, well, the past.  Let it go.  So, toot-a-loo October...it's NOVEMBER!

November is my favorite month of the year for a LOT of reasons:
1.) it's my birth month - that's right, birth month.  Meaning I get to celebrate every chance I get that I was brought into this world!

2.) it's FALL!  Finally boot and jacket weather - my favorite!  Since moving I've continuously found boxes of sweaters, boots and scarves that I forgot I owned.  It's like Christmas every time I open another Rubbermaid bin and find something "new".

3.) Thanksgiving - do I really need to go into detail here?  Turkey, dressing, green bean casserole, sweet potato pie, and SECONDS of all those please!  This year I'll get to host Thanksgiving in my new home with my mom, stepfather and loving boyfriend - I can't wait!

4.) Football - not just football, cause lets be honest it's been going on for two months now, but I'm talking serious, hardcore, in-your-face, we-want-it-bad ball games.  There's only 4 games left in the regular college football season and I'm so blessed to get to go to TWO of them!  Can't wait to cheer on the Tigers in Death Valley next weekend and when they stomp the 'coots on the 24th!

5.) Oysters - I understand that most people think that you can eat 'em in months that have "R" in them, but I just can't bring myself to eat oysters in September and October.  The water is too warm - yucky.  November is the perfect month for oysters, fire and cold beer!

6.) It's almost Christmas! I love Christmas, I love buying Christmas presents, I love wrapping Christmas presents and I love decorating for Christmas - I freaking LOVE Christmas!  This year I get to spend it with my boyfriend IN Maryland!!!  Come on white Christmas!

7.) Hunting - prime weather for hopefully my first shot at a deer.  My boyfriend has been SO awesome at scouting and prepping me for my first kill - hopefully it will happen this month! 

8.) FIRE.  I love a good fire...and this chilly weather makes me want to kick back around one and share stories and fellowship.

9.) Cold weather food - chili, soup, pot roast, and all the other deliciousness that comes out of a kitchen in the fall to warm your body!

10.) Smells - I love the smells of Fall - granted, with the cold I have now I can't smell ANYTHING.  BUT, when I can smell it's apples and cinnamon, pumpkin, and Christmas spice that's gonna be burning in this gal's house!

So for November, I'm just going to let it be my favorite month and not have a resolution - if it ain't broke, don't fix it, right?

Cheers Yall!

Saved September

Ok, so it's not a resolution I had when starting this "one resolution a month" thing at the begining of the year...but it's an important decision I made and need to share that.

On August 26th, 2012 I gave my life over to Jesus Christ and "met Him at the cross" in Salvation.  It was not planned, and totally shocked my parents and my boyfriend when I accepted Jesus Christ in front of my entire congregation at NewSpring Church.  When I say it was "not planned", I mean just that - I had no intention of salvation that specific day.  Our pastor asked those who wanted to be saved and give their lives over to Jesus to pray and then I nailed my name on a strip of paper to a cross at the head of the church...along with 1,269 other people all across South Carolina!

Since that day, I have been a completely different person.  I speak of myself as the "New Lindsey" on occasion and I'm really liking the new me!  The new me that is saved and committed to glorifying the name of Jesus Christ.

On September 16th, 2012 I publicly displayed my new relationship with Jesus by being baptized in front of my friends and family at NewSpring.  It was an experience like none other - but I have to be honest and say that I felt "numb" afterwards.  Though there were hundreds of people gathered around the baptism pools, I came out of the water and didn't "see" anyone.  It was my moment with Jesus - HE was there with me.

Also on September 16th, 2012 I became an Owner of NewSpring Church and have committed to serving Jesus thru greeting on Sundays.  I love serving and hope that my smile and warm wishes to all the people who enter and exit on Sundays allows them to enter and open their heart to Jesus.  

When I decided to move to Charleston and take a "leap of faith", I never intended on meeting my soulmate who in turn introduced me to Jesus Christ.  And for that, I am so thankful and blessed!
 

Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:8-9

Home Photos

I haven't posted a lot of the photos from the process of the build...so here they are!

SOLD!

 

 

No siding...but I have a roof!

Most of the siding is up!

Siding is up!

Unfinished Kitchen

Stairs to 2nd Floor Unfinished

Mostly finished exterior

Kitchen with Walls

Master bath

Master bedroom

Exterior Done!

Cabinets in!

Counters in and kitchen floor done

Granite!!!

Master Closet almost done

Corner Kitchen Cabinet

Master Bath Fixtures

Master Bath Shower

Living and kitchen with flooring

Landscaping starts this week and the walk thru is Friday!!!

Ahhhh....August

Recap: Jewish July was hard...but I made it.  It's so hard NOT to spend money when you're building a friggin house!  I did well, though, and therefore I call Jewish July a success!

August...oh August.  You're finally here.  You're the gateway to fall and football and the first page of the next chapter of my life.

August, so far you're also the biggest pain in my butt.  I've had the most difficult weeks of work in August so far that have caused me so much stress and anxiety - anxiety that I thought I had under control.  Add building a house on top of 10+ hour work days and this white girl is TIRED!

So, my August resolution is very simple: just make it thru the dang month.  No catchy headline, just make it thru the dang month - without freaking out.

I've made it thru almost two weeks now and I've done pretty well.  My boyfriend, bless his heart, has been my rock and my ear every afternoon when I'm about to murder someone from work.  My mother and Stepfather have been there thru the entire building process for me and have had to take on some of my responsibilities while I cannot be present.  Mind you, my poor mother had hip surgery 8 weeks ago and back surgery last week.  She's an angel and a trooper!  I don't know what I would do with out her!  So, when I say "I" have made it thru two weeks, I mean my support team has helped me thru two weeks.  I couldn't do any of this without them!

Coming up in this crazy month...

5 days from now I'll be back in Charleston volunteering for Habitat for Humanity with my boyfriend.  I've always wanted to work on a Habitat project and give back and I'm so excited to get to do this!

11 days from now I'll be closing on my house.  I never in a million (28) years thought that I would ever own a house by myself.  I count my blessings everyday and am so very thankful for the gifts that God has given me.  This far into the process, I can only pray for him to guide me thru the rest of the month and bless those who have helped me along the way.

12 days from now I'll be moving into my new house.  This is the stuff that keeps me up at night: "how will we get the washer and dryer up the stairs" or "should I get Direct TV or Dish".  Seriously, I've been taking herbal sleeping meds to keep my brain from thinking and I think my body is getting used to them.  Great.

19 days from now I'll be moving out of Rock Hill and into my new home for good.  Reading what I just typed brought a huge smile to my face!

22 days from now I'll be starting to work from my home office with a team that I'm so proud to be a part of and look forward to what we can do with our talents.

So, yea, I've got a busy couple of weeks coming up.  I can make it - I know I can!  Gotta start looking for that light at the end of the tunnel and stop worrying about all the bumps along the way.

Cheers y'all!

Jewish July

See how Jewish I'm being...I waited until the 9th of July to even post this.

I'm a poor future home owner...and need to save money...thus, Jewish July.

Not even going to write anymore about it...just being Jewish.


Oh, and PS, I will never give up Jelly Belly's again.  Period.