Another Chapter Down

Two thousand and fifteen has come and gone! 
Two thousand and sixteen is upon us.

That really blows my mind! I literally blinked and 2015 was over! Why is it that individual days throughout the year can go by so slowly but when you look back at it all and in a larger scope time passes by very quickly. 

God is a big God and I am so blessed to walk through life with His help! It is amazing to look back on different seasons of the year and wonder how I made it through. 2015 would have been a completely different year if not for my relationship with Jesus. 

I never would have thought that 2015 would have brought some of the exciting things that it did. 

Sammi's wedding

Brett Favre HOF Induction

Northstar Training program

Morgan and Taylor starting at OU

Living with with my Parents

Vicky's wedding

These are just some of the adventures that I got to partake in this last year! But 2016 is a new year and I love to reminisce as much as the next women, I know I need to look ahead to what's to come. 

I decided to make my goals this year rather simple and practical. I have made many goals in the past that on the outset sounds like a lot of fun and something I really wanted to make happen but then as life went on that year, I was not able to make it a priority or I set too many goals for the year that some just slipped through the cracks while I worked on others.

1. Pay off the rest of my debt
2. Weekly write in a gratitude journal
3. Visit the Clark family 
4. Read 12 need books
5. Get back into blogging more

I believe these five goals are going to be very practical for me this year and I am excited to start on them and see them come to fruition. 

One other thing... 

I have never done this before but this year I decided to choose a word for the year and make that my focus. I want to make this year the best that it can be and I thought that giving it a theme of sorts would help keep my focus.

This year I am choosing JOY!

I am looking forwarded to the wonderful, joyful moments that I know this year will bring. And even though I know this year could bring more trials I want to be joyful in all seasons. 

Like is says in Romans 5 - I want to rejoice in my trails along with the blessings because I know that both are made to develop something in me that the Lord knows I need. I believe keeping up with my gratitude journal each week is going to allow me to focus on the blessings from the Lord and keep the joy alive!

All the Babies

I have been helping out in the Nursery at my church since I decided I was going to settle in Fort Worth over two years ago! I have been blessed to work with the 1 and 1/2 to 3 year old kids! 

Since I am do not have any kids of my own at this point in life (I have a while to go before that is possible) I have been very grateful to be a part of the lives of my friends children. God really has been very gracious to allow my to live in the same town with wonderful friends and their families. 

I am not sure what the Lord has planned for me and my future family but I am very glad that He has given me little ones to love! I know that even though I am not blood to these little humans I can and want to have an impact in their lives. 

And even though there are little ones that I get to see more than others, the love I have for them is all the same!! I hope that I will be able to continue to shower the kiddos with love throughout the years!! 

It is amazing to me the amount of love you can feel for ones that are not your own. I can't wait to know the feeling of loving my own children! If the Lord allows children into my life someday and I am excited to see what He does through them. It is such a blessing to be a part of the lives of so many families.

Jesus loves children. Some of Jesus' miracles involved healing children. He blessed them. He called them a good thing and wanted them to be taken care of.

Mark 10:13-16

People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.

Humphrey's at OU

It is official! All four Humphrey children (Lord willing) will graduate from the University of Oklahoma!! 

I am so incredibly proud of Morgan and Taylor for taking this step of faith and having the courage to move away from home. 

Last week my dad and I drove up with Caitlin, Morgan and Taylor to drop them off at OU for the new school year. It is hard to believe that my LITTLE brother and sister are starting school at the same school I graduated from almost three years ago! 

Taylor and Morgan will be studying Computer Science in the College of Engineering! I cannot wait to hear about their classes and all the programming things they will have to do... that is way over my head! 

My biggest prayer for them as they start this new journey is that through the people and experiences they have at OU their relationship with Jesus will grow and be nurtured. I pray that they not only gain knowledge in their specific field but that they see the worth and need to have knowledge in the Lord and for that to be a priority for the rest of their lives. 

I know what an amazing impact the people and ministry at the University of Oklahoma had on me in my years there. I also know the Lord has everyone on different paths in life and our training programs in life will never be exactly the same, so it is humbling to know that Morgan and Taylor's journey at OU could look very different from what Caitlin and I experienced. I am praying that the Lord places amazing men and women around them that will call them forward and be great examples to them, just as Paul was to Timothy in the Bible.

Caitlin will be starting her last year at OU! CRAZY... thinking that she was joining me at OU just four years when we lived at the Duffy house! I cannot wait to see what the Lord has in store for her this year, I know she is going to do great things and learn so much about herself and who God is in her life. 

My siblings are the best!! I am so incredibly proud of each one of them!

Number 4

Brett Larenzo Farve. 

Number 4.

Quarterback for the Green Bay Packers.

Most consecutive starts (289).

I grew up watching this man play football. My dad grew up in Green Bay and my grandparents still live there! I can remember my Aunt mailing my dad VHS tapes of all the Packers games that did not show on TV down in the south. 

So when it was announced last year that Brett Farve was going to have his number retired and be inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame, I knew I wanted to be there. And I made sure that my parents knew as well.

Well by the grace of God, we were able to get enough tickets for people in our family to go (my mom and youngest sister were not interested in going). My dad, my brother and I decided since we were able to get tickets we were going to fly up to Green Bay for an extended weekend (my other sister was actually living up with my grandparents for the summer to do an internship). I was so stinking excited! It was great to see family and hang out as well but the weekend was all about Brett!!

It was a memory I will never forget. I am so thankful that we were able to be apart of this experience. Brett received a five (plus) minute standing ovation when he walked into the stadium! 

we love to laugh

watching our cousin in a baseball game

three generations (me, my grandma and aunt) 

Brett was inside this building doing a signing... we were so close

on our way to the stadium

 I have now made it into the stadium, just need to make it to a game in the stadium :-)

Lambeau selfie

the whole gang

 

the man of the hour

Not only did he come out on the field and say a few words but we got to watch the ceremony on the big screen! 

We also spent some time out at Aunt Mary and Uncle Jerry's house with both sides of their family! It was a fun time to play crochet and be outside in the wonderful weather. And of course we had to get a few hands of cards in while we were there with Grandma and Grandpa! 

Grandpa and his "garden"

 This was a great experience and I am so thankful that we were able to do it! God really bless us!

30X30 - Donating my Hair

Donating my Hair - CHECK!

I am so excited to say that I did this one! 

It has been a long time coming but I did it! I just need to mail it!

My hair has not been this short in over 6 years! 

I am of the mindset of "it is just hair, it will grow back" 

I am just grateful that I am able to do something like this. It is amazing to get to help women who are going through such a hard thing and be a blessing to them in this way!!

30X30 - Be in a Music Video

Be in a music video - CHECK

So this is the one that I was sure would actually not happen but I was WRONG!!

I had randomly signed up to receive updates about the Eli Young Band because I really want to see them in concert sometime. Well I got this email that they needed people to help with a music video they were shooting in Dallas. I signed up right away not really knowing how that was to work out.

I knew on of my coworkers Lunden was a fan as well so I asked her if she would want to join me (I was allowed to bring one friend). I knew it would be too hard to ask someone to come all the way from Fort Worth right after work so it was a great opportunity to spend some time with Lunden. She has been a good friend to me at work.  

                

I know it will probably be a long time before I get to do something like this again. We were on the stage to the right of the drummer. I doubt we are actually going to be able to be seen in the music video but it is cool to say that we were there. I had a great time. It was a really long night (about 4 hours) but totally worth it!! :-)

And If Not...

As I lay in bed tonight I dwell on these words...

Moving through this year as a well-water women - I strive to cling to the truth that God is good. In all circumstances God is good and when I struggle to believe that I dive into His word to set my perspective right.

No matter my plan for life or schedule for the day, God is in control. Jesus is going to do better than my most amazing "dreams come true."

So much in life is unknown to me in this stage of life. So much is moving from true to real for me and even though the times of learning and growing are exciting, that does not make them any easier to grab hold of!

"and if not He is still good!"

 I am going to cling to this as I struggle to let go of my plan and idea for what my life should look like.