A Wednesday

Somehow Chris and I got lucky yesterday.  Between noon and 5 and then after 8 we were both free!  So what did we do?

We played frisbee golf! And took Annabelle!!  I think the highlight was really how awesome Annabelle was! We left her off her leash most of the time and she stayed right with us.  A lot of the course was in dense woods, but it didn't even phase our baby!

Mama's so proud of Anna!

Annabelle felt like a real explorer following Chris down cliffs to get our frisbees!

Anna was in Dog Heaven!

Later on that night after I had a solid 4 hour study sesh at the local Heine Bro Coffee shop and Chris had a 3 hour teeth waxing sesh, we came home and Chris cooked a wonderful dinner.  We even broke into our engagement party wine stash :)

We sat and enjoyed the meal and wine, and then spent the night catching up on all the FSU interviews and highlights.... Then we got sucked into the youtube black hole and watched videossssss.... Walmart people, Miss California craziness, you name it!!  

I LOVE when we get mid week chill time!

Church Home!

The difference between 2 weeks ago at church and this week at church is absolutely huge!  We went from not knowing but 1 or 2 people to walking into the building knowing 5 of the first people we saw, then sitting close to many of our small group couples.  

We began going to  Sojourn Community Church the second week I was up here.  After our second week up here I discovered our FSU friends, Taylor and Stuart went to Sojourn as well and were already plugged into a small group.  We planned on visiting that one as soon as our Thursdays were free (That was the weekend my dear KATIE came into town!) Our third visit I filled out a "connect card"  and within days was emailed by Todd asking us to join his small group, and I received a call from Linda asking if I wanted to meet up so I could ask her all of my Sojourn questions.  Todd joined her and Chris joined me and the 4 of us hung out for an hour one afternoon.  When we asked them how we could begin serving, they got us plugged into the Connect Team.  That next Sunday (Last Sunday) we showed up 30 min before the service started and asked to be put to work! I got to man the welcome table!  There, I got to know 5 or 6 sojourners very well!  Chris did parking so not too sure who he got to meet.  

That Thursday we went to our first small group.  It was an answered prayer.  There are 3 other couples there (all older than us) and a few single guys.  That night we decided to have a girls brunch that Saturday.  So Saturday, the 4 small group girls and I went to brunch.  It was neat getting to have such one on one time with them from the beginning.  I'm very excited about these friendships and I look forward to seeing how God binds us together.

SO, this Sunday when we walked in to serve, we knew people from serving last week, small group, and the people we had met through them! Ah God answers my prayers.

K Visits, K Perfect!

What a lovely surprise that MY K CAME TO LOUISVILLE THIS PAST WEEKEND!!!!  AHhhhh it seriously MADE MY LIFE!  

She flew in late Friday night, but not too late for some Sweet CeCe's

The next day K escorted me to Chris's White Coat Ceremony (More on that later!)

Then we went to lunch at Lynn's Paradise Cafe (YUMMMM!) and a candy store that has been in Louisville since 1921.  We planned on going to see an afternoon showing of The Help with Mrs. Kersey, but it was sold out! So we hung out at Barnes and Nobles for a bit and then went to see the movie.

The next day we went to church at Sojourn (I was so pumped when she really liked it... Validates it for me!), and then to brunch at Toast! a really cute breakfast/lunch place downtown.  Even though there was a 45 minute wait, it was SO worth it! The food was delish!

We finished the day going down to the riverfront park and hanging out for a bit.

Annabelle helped Auntie K study.

I still can't believe my Kirsten was in Louisville Ky!

I think K thinks she came for her own sake, but she'll never ever know how much it meant that she came all the way to Louisville to be with me... I don't think I even knew how bad I needed a girl frand to come bless/ok/experience/validate my new life in Louisville.  But come she did and we had the most wonderful time just being with each other!

LOVE YOU K!

Dad Came!

I know I'm behind, but I want to blog about all the wonderful things that have happened since moving!  So rewind 2 weekends....

Dad flew in Friday night.  From the airport we took him to Buckheads across the river so he could see the city of Louisville all lit up.  We had an amazing and relaxing dinner.  There were even fireworks over the river!

 Saturday morning we woke up with a long to do list:

-Purchase and hang a rod for curtians in my room

-Paint one bedroom wall pink (get the paint, etc for that)

-Hang all my pictures

-Get and fix (if need be) a dress of drawers

One trip to home depot (maybe 2) and a trip to Crazy Daisy antique store and we went to work!

Dad and Chris fixing the dress of drawers we got.

By the end of the day, all our "To-Do's" were checked off! So we went to Bardstown Road and ate some Chinese/Japanese/Vietnamese food and just relaxed.

The next morning we went and chilled at Heine Brothers Coffee and ate some breakfast.

Then we took dad back to the airport....  Not a fun goodbye at all.

But dad's already making plans for his next trip!

In Love

These past 3 weeks since I have moved to Louisville, I have fallen in love with Chris all over again.

He has been SELFLESS with moving me in and  helping (or doing) my fix it projects.  

He's cooked dinner like every night

He's entertained both my mom and Robbie:

and Dad when he came the following weekend:

He's listened as I discuss my future career/life plans with him (again and again and again)

He's planned fun date nights for us to do.

Together, we've found a church that we're both pumped for.

He's thought of ideas to help us prepare for all that marriage will bring. 

He's treated me like an angel.

So thankful for him... Feeling Blessed!

Almost to Real Life

So, my apartment is all set up (I have a post showing ya'll coming soon!),  I'm becoming more comfortable with my program, and I'm starting to know my way around Louisville!  

The daily grind has been this:

Wake up to Annabelle's 7:20 am wake up "Gotta-Tinkle" kisses and/or barks.

Run/finish hw/play on the computer until 9:30

Then Class all day til 5.  

In the middle of this, Chris and I have an overlapping lunch break so we eat our packed lunch together in the big courtyard... So cool!

Dinner/HW

Something Fun!

More HW/ Hang out with Chris

I'm liking this living the building over from Chris, and going to the same school thing!  

Yesterday, we ventured to Cheerokee Park (That Christin and I had gone to Monday) and walked Annabelle around the over 2.5 mile circle!  She was a champ.... Sort of.  She tugged and wanted to follow every person that ran by!  I hope we can train her out of that....  

Here are some pictures of our venture:

[Annabelle loved this field]

[Queen of the World!]

[Chris loving on Annabelle]

[We made it!]

Even though we held Annabelle as much as she walked, she was a trooper!

Best Worst Day Ever

Today started out lovely, then got horrible and now is back to wonderful.  We woke up and went to breakfast with dad at Heine Brothers Coffee.  For the non-coffee drinker that dad is, he really loved the coffee shop... He appreciated the atmosphere and loved the bakery treats.  Dad has been visiting me this weekend and we have had a "get work done" while having a fun filled blast.  It's just so comforting and lovely having a parent here.

But, at 11 am, that ended.  Dad boarded his place for FL.  I didn't expect to get as upset as I did.  I realized though that I had waited until now to deal with my transition of moving here.  Leaving PC 2 weeks ago was hard, but I didn't fully have to deal with it because I knew mom and Robbie were coming the next weekend and dad was flying up the following weekend.  Today when dad left though, it was the final goodbye.  It was the final piece to moving me in here. Sure enough, we finished all of the projects that were still left and I unpacked my last box... I'm all moved in to Louisville, KY.  Seeing dad leave was like "well Jen, you're on your own.  Your parents have done all they can do to set you up as well as they could... but now it's time for you to come to terms with the move and make your life in Louisville..."

I've always been a girlfriends-girl.  I valued and loved my family and always made time for them, but I also really relied on my friends.  It's funny though because with this move, I really am missing my family much more than I thought. I actually want lots of pictures around in my apartment!  Haha

Although Chris was great and was here, I was overcome by alone-ness... I'm in this big wonderful city without my family or friends...  But, as God is ALWAYS faithful, it so happened that we had made lunch plans with Taylor and Stuart this afternoon.  Taylor had lead a Panhellinic small group bible study her Senior year that I was a part of and we made the connection that we would both be living here.  Lunch was absolutely amazing! We went to Ramsi's and on Sunday they have a yummy brunch.  We talked and ate and so enjoyed each others company.  Turns out they go to the same church we've visited and really like.  Stuart and Taylor will definitely be an awesome connection to have up here.

We had such a wonderful time and I am so reassured that I will find a group of friends and that God will provide.

After lunch we went to the cutest lil stores and bookstore on Bardstown Road and it was great.  Between our lunch and store adventure I was refreshed with optimism about Louisville!  And we're going to the 5 pm church service at Sojourn so I'm looking forward to that.

Praying for the best!

XO

Mom and Robbie Visit Louisville!

If there was ever a perfect weekend, this past weekend was it.  My mom and brother Robbie drove the 11 hours up here WITH all of my stuff that didn't fit in my car (which was a TON!).

They arrived late Thursday night.  Friday while I was at orientation, Chris so sweetly chauffeured them around town to begin getting all the things I'd need for my apt.  I came to Louisville with my clothes, toiletries, dishes, craft stuff and books.  No furniture, no kitchen stuff.  

They got all the kitchen stuff and essential cleaning/organizing stuff and we went to town cleaning and unpacking.  

We took a break from dinner and went to Ramsi's Cafe

And had wine, brie and 4 different yummy meals.  Mine was the best obvi....

The next day we went good-willing and estate sell-ing.  What a success!! Can't wait to show the beautiful pieces we found! We also went to Sams to get my bed... WHAT AN ADVENTURE!  How we got all this stuff to fit in our van I do not know... It did require us unpacking everything in the parking lot and repacking it... Chris got a kick out of this:

In the middle we took a coffee/dessert/yattzee break at Java Cafe:

Then we went to the Frazier History Museum downtown.  They had this AMAZING Divinci exhibit... Divinci was the MAN and did not waste one day of his life.  Art, engineering, anatomy, he did it all!  We had a good time walking around reading all about this genius.  

Then we went home, cleaned furniture set everything up, and then went to dinner at an Italian place called Rocky's.  We went across the river to Indiana so that we could see the beautiful city all lit up. 

Sunday we woke up, went to TWO church services!! Then came back to the apartment and watched the OC while mom sewed and embroidered all my things for me! 

We decided to go walk on the water front so they could see one last side of Louisville

 And an icecream break was necessary:

By the time they left (at 5 am Monday Morning) we had had the most FUN and productive weekend I have had in awhile.  My apartment was fully functional  and only lacking a few things.  

I'm so blessed to have such an amazing family... Without them, I'd still be on a blow up mattress and a not cute place. 

Can't wait to post pics of all the treasures we found!  

THANKS MOM ROBBIE AND CHRIS!

Move to Louisville

So exactly a week and a half from today, Annabelle and drove the 11.5 hours from Panama City Fl to Louisville Ky.

She slept practically the whole way up here:

When we arrived, we walked in to this!  

We have an awesome Chris! And I think he may have fallen for Annabelle....

During the first week I cooked:

Yummy pasta recipe can be found at Martha Stewart here

and

which can be found here.

I did take my own pictures but obvi these are so much prettier!

Thank you Martha Stewart for making the first meals in ones cooking career so darn easy!

During my first week here, I got to HAVE LUNCH WITH AN FSU GAMMA PHI SISTER!!! Having Christen up here is seriously the biggest blessing in the world!!  We went to dinner at the CUTEST restaurant ever, Lynn's Paradise Cafe:

And last but definitely not least, I had a week long orientation for my program!  It's real!

It was an absolute PERFECT first week here... Next up:

- Mom and Robbie's visit to Louisville

- Putting my apartment together: From Nothing to Wonderfully furnished and decorated!

Xo 

Girls Weekend

I know that it has been too long since posting, but a LOT has happened since. Each day this week I'm going to go back and blog  a part of this move up to Louisville and my new life.

First step to moving up here was saying goodbye to PC and my life there. I'll be honest, I had a mini anxiety attack/breakdown about Monday before I left.  But God is Good, he knows me and he took care of me!  

Wednesday night mom, momma chelle, Carla, Aunt Steph and Lilly came to the beach house and we had an absolutely perfect last 48 hours.  

We started watching the sunset on the beach with wine, cheese and crackers (Lilly DID have juice, just wanted a "big girl cup"). 

We stayed on the beach until it was too dark to see anything! We headed into the beach house and watched Annabelle, Landry and Lilly all play.  Around 10 we decided we should start thinking about dinner and made a last minute call to Olive Garden for a to-go order.  Best decision ever!  

We then stayed up until 3:30 am having girl talk.  It was wonderful for Carla and I to get the Godly council of Steph who is just over 10 years older than us and also our moms who are more like 30!  We covered all topics.  

We woke up the next morning (I woke up at 7:30 to attempt to go on a diving trip with dad but once we got all equipment on and ready and were in the middle of the Gulf, they decided the weather was too bad , so I got back to the beach house around 11:30) we lounged around in our PJ's for the longest time.  Carla and I decided to beach it in a momentary sunny moment.  We brought floaties and were DOMINATED by the waves... I thought I was going to loose Carla every now and then.  Then Carla and I went to  Borders and each found an awesome book.  We spent the rest of the afternoon napping and reading listening to our mommas talk life.  

Around 7, they all left and mom and I decided it may be time to pack my car up...  

I went by my dads house, hung out for a bit and had a pretty emotional goodbye :(

Then, I went home to Megan McDowell and my K who were there and ready to help.  With their help, I finished packing and loaded my car... All the love I absorbed the last 48 hours in PC was enough to last me for months! I am so blessed to have such good, loving friends, moms and second moms.

Next stop, Louisville!