Ashley's 14!!!!

(photo of the shoes Ryan and I got her for her bday!:))

My lil sister Ashley is 14!!! I can't believe she's already 14. In the busyness of the week, I didn't get the chance to blog about her until today. I wish i could be there to celebrate this week. She's in HIGH SCHOOL. how weird is that? She's always been my miracle baby sister, the one I prayed for for five years until God blessed our family with her. She's one of my best friends, and the best little sister I could ask for. I love our dates and our talks and the nights we get to stay up late together. Miss you ashley, and I can't wait to see you when you come visit me!

feeling more like home...

wow. am i actually going to say it? yes, i am...weirdly enough, Storm Lake is beginning to feel like home. Living with my husband and seeing him as my own family is becoming more real to me, and I can't even imagine life without him. My apartment here is feeling more and more cozy, and welcoming to come home to, and the town is starting to grow on me. weird huh?

this past week was a welcome change to the past couple weeks. I spent most of my time at a girl, Sarah's, house. She just had triplets and needed help keeping the newborns happy, feeding them, and changing their lil poop catchers. i spent about 3 and 1/2 days over there just hanging out with her, talking, watching tv, and holding 6 month old triplets. so cute.

I also spent the week subbing for the first time at the elementary school. There is a brand new HUGE elementary school with like 700 kids (and constantly growing), and there are like 8 kindergarten classrooms with like 23 kids each. I spent a day with the kindergarten class, and that was a blast! i got a bunch of hugs, and had fun playing learning games, and practicing handwriting, and reading a bunch of stories. another day, i spent at the preschool classroom subbing with special needs children. some were autistic, some had behavioral problems, down syndrome, etc. i had never worked with special needs kids, so that was a different experience, but enjoyable as well. I'm excited to keep this subbing thing going. Right now, I'm subbing for TA's (IA's here in iowa, Instructional Assistants), but Ryan and I have thought about me getting a substitute teacher authorization, so i can actually substitute teach. that'd be awesome:) we're working on getting that worked out.

it's been a good week, and more to come next week. Today was great, we rested this morning, since it felt like we had been on the go most of last week. We bought a bed!!! yay!!! We've been sleeping on a twin size mattress, which has been cozy and nice and all, but haha, we're ready to move on to a bigger and better, off the floor bed. We got a great cozy queen, so we're pumped to get it in on tuesday. after that we took a nice long bike ride. it was weird cuz we ended up riding on a hughway with cars that didn't quite know what to do with bikers on the side of the road. When I saw three horses grazing, and couldn't see any buildings or the lake, i realized we had left Storm Lake and were on our way elsewhere. Dirt rodes, horses, crop fields, and dust, we went WAY out of Stormlake.

After all that, we took a nice relaxing night to see the movie Julia and Julia...its been an amazingly wonderful day with Ryan...i love thinking I have the rest of my life with this boy!

Kindergarteners like to talk alot...

Today was my first day as an Instructional Assistant at the Storm Lake Public School. The three elementary schools are all in one big brand new school building. It's huge and really really nice. I wouldn't haven't a problem sending my kids to that school, its a really good one. I had a GREAT time with the kindergarten class, and left there already feeling attached to the kids. That one class room totally reflected how sad the poverty level is here. Some of those kids came to school with toes sticking out of their tiny shoes, worn down and way to small, shirts filthy, and some kids go to school in all their brand name clothing. It was kinda sad to see that, but it was cool to be a part of their lives at least this one day. The kids left today with huge hugs for me, and asking me if I would be back tomorrow. I hope I get another call to sub tomorrow morning, I'd love it!

Should be fun.

Ms. Elaine from my church volunteered me to help with this new mother who had triplets. Ryan and I met her husband the other day, and i'm looking forward to helping her out with the triplets! they are 6 months old, but because they were three months premature, they are about the size of a 3 month of baby. Dax, Shepherd, and Olivia...Should be alot of fun:)

I'll be doing that until I find a job. This morning I got a phone call to sub at the elementary school, but I couldn't take it because I'm going to the triplet's house. I'm excited for the chance to do some subbing. I can't wait.:) well, thatz a brief update on my day. I'm excited for this week:)

i love my husband.

I love him.

I wasn't feeling good last night-so i crashed on the couch after dinner.

I woke up-and all the dishes were done and the kitchen was all cleaned up.

I was freezing when I went to bed. I woke up and i had TWO blankets covering me.

I woke up this morning feeling a little better and had a sore throat.

My husband was bustling around the kitchen doing laundry, putting the dry dishes away, and making breakfast.

I love my husband:).

Married life is so sweet.

additional blog:)

here's another blog specifically for me and my husband to update on our lives in the middle of nowhere-er, i mean, Iowa. hope you enjoy visiting this other blogg as well as my blog here:)

Here's the link: www.kristineandryan.blogspot.com

"I do."

I am not quite sure of where exactly to start in describing the most amazing day of my life. It started early morning on Saturday, August 8th. I got up from the couch I'd been sleeping on, and looked over and saw my cousin still snoring away. I checked the time-it was already 5:30 am. It all felt so unreal, because in 5 more hours, I'd be standing at an altar, saying "I do." I got up from the couch, and found Peyton asleep next to Ashley, and so I cuddled my favorite puppy in my arms for a few minutes while I waited for the rest of the household to wake up. So many emotions were hitting me as i thought through what was going to happen the next few days.

The wedding ceremony is a blur when i think back on it. I remember tearing up the moment i walked through the double doors toward Ryan at the altar. I remember seeing all the people who were there for our special day, and seeing their smiling faces. I remember dad grinning, and I remember seeing Mr. Vince and Ryan standingg there. I looked away quickly, because I knew I'd lose it if I looked at him. I glanced over at the bridesmaids and Juniors, and they looked BEAUTIFUL. My flower girl, Grace, and my ringbearer, Clark, had done an excellent job walking down the aisle and everyone was absolutely taken by their cuteness. I remember how worshipful it was, and I remember struggling through the long sentences of the vows. (I couldn't remember what Mr. Vince told me to repeat!) I remember looking at Ryan, and not believing were actually at the day of the beginning of our marriage...everything just seemed surreal. I remember our kiss at the altar and the excitement of it in front of everyone.

Leaving the ceremony was like a breath of fresh air. It was over, all the planningg was done, the preparation for the wedding was finished. We were husband and wife, and boy did that feel good!:) The Juniors were riding in the convertible in the back seat, hooting and hollering and screaming out of excitement. I couldn't believe it was over.

The reception was a blast. I just remember it being loads of fun, and seeing people I hadn't seen in so long. I have so much more to write, but since I'm stealing the wireless signal from the local hospital nearby, the signal keeps going in and out, and my husband and I are about to head home. Once I get pictures from the photographer, I will post it. I can't wait to update all ya'll about how life in Storm Lake Iowa is going!:) I'll write again soon when I get the chance to snag wireless signal somewhere else. :)