The Vigil Volumes

Cold October

2010-10-04T21:22:00.003-04:00

The weather is quickly going cold. I officially scrapped the frost off of the car this morning. The only thing I really despise about winter is driving in icy conditions. Other than that, I look forward to lighting the fireplace and spending a few months hibernating in our wonderful house. How amazing it is to even have a fireplace! Bring on the freezing temperatures!
Our fish pond is alive with 8/10 originals swimming about. They have about tripled in size and are fun to watch. Well, fun to watch when they're eating. We will see how they survive the winter... they are tough though...like living in oil ridden muck tough. Go Fish Go!
Our dog still has no siblings, but I get the feeling that he's okay with it. He demands attention daily and lives life up. No doggy smile is sweeter than a Westies. We need to get better about brushing his teeth though.. Now we all like to play a game called "Where's Mama?!" and I'll hide somewhere in the house, and pup will go searching for me. FUN for evvvveryone.
I love my family.

2010-07-10T14:03:00.002-04:00

We are settling into our home very nicely. We're always amazed at the love that was put into this house before we became the owners. It's top-notch!

No babies yet, but our dog is thriving. I gave him a brief hair cut the other day, to Marcus' dismay. It didn't turn out very pretty, and he is currently being groomed professionally. Our dog does funny things. Recently he tossed his empty water dish down the stairs to inform us that he was thirsty. He chewed up a headset and devastated my favorite summer sandals. Do the good times out number the bad? Just ask him when he is on his back, wiggling his arms and legs straight up in the air, and growling playfully with a "smile" on his face. We love our feisty baby.

I've turned my focus from being a nurse, to being an assistant branch manager in banking. It would be a satisfying career and I'm sure it would match my personality. I'll continue to work toward that, as I gain experience in my current banking position. Marcus as similar aspirations; he is prepping and patiently waiting for a management position to open up at his current workplace. He's so good at his job, we are confident he'd be selected once the position opens!

We're doing good. Our families are too. It's a very blessed time.

We are home owners!

2010-03-14T18:32:00.002-04:00

We are so happy and proud of this purchase! We plan to move in late April! It's adorable and spacious! We look forward to having a house warming party!

We also get to take advantage of the first time home buyer tax credit, which feels great.

We are doing very well. We are gracious to be continously blessed by God.

House Hunting

2010-03-04T20:07:00.002-05:00

We are now looking at buying our first house! How E-X-C-I-T-I-N-G! House hunting is so much fun. Maybe we'll find our dream home soon.

Happy New Year

2010-01-01T21:40:00.003-05:00

This Christmas Eve, an American mother and baby died during child birth, from unknown causes, but were both miraculously brought back to life. Medical explanations fell short, but the family knew it was divine intervention. Miracles happen all around us. Reading that story touched my heart. It should remind us all that God is in our lives, watching over us.. loving us. My household loves Jesus, and we look forward to our relationship with the Lord growing stronger with this brand new year.
Marcus is consistently doing well at PG. He’s been there for quite some time now. That stability should not be taken for granted in this economic storm that I’ve read and heard so much about. I love him and our lives are richly blessed. We continue to have fun and enjoy our destined role of soul mates. How amazing that we will be celebrating our 4th anniversary in 2010.
I’m doing well, very excited to be applying to the nursing program that I’ve been preparing myself for. I’ve learned that faith and persistence are crucial partners for goals that aren’t easily attainable. With God, locked door after door have been opened for me to pass through. I look forward to learning what God’s plan is for my life, as these informative new months are starting to play out. Will I be accepted into this elite program for which I’ve been preparing? We will see. I certainly feel as though the doors will keep opening, because God has all keys, and I feel blessed.
Our dog with many names: Bently, Westie, Pup, Diesel, Bad Dog, etc. is all grown up at 23lbs! He is on the large side for a typical West Highland Terrier. He’s not fat; he’s our Hercules. As I type, he serves as my cuddle bug, resting his head on my foot. I love that I have a snuggly fur baby.
Marcus & I were able to attend one of my oldest friend’s wedding in November. How great it was to see her. The wedding was beautiful and perfectly planned out. Every detail was so elegant and classy.
Christmas was amazing with our families. I’m so grateful for them, and as 2010 starts ticking, I look forward to more precious and joyful moments. More moments where we all feel God’s grace and love.

Married 3 Years!

2009-08-12T20:29:00.004-04:00

We've been married for 3 years! Time goes by so quickly. Our dog's first birthday is August 21. More importantly, that's my mom's birthday. We're a happy little family. God blesses us a lot.

We went camping July 30-August 3 up in Mackinaw/St. Ignace. It was a great time. We brought our pup and had lots of fun.
We went with my momma, brothers, and Yogi. It was great to spend time with them. I have a great family!

Louis Watson 1928 -2009

2009-07-05T19:12:00.004-04:00

(We love you, Grandpa. You were a good and hardworking man. You'll be missed, and someday we'll see you again in Heaven.)
Grandpa passed on July 2, 2009 at 2:29pm. It's very sad, but he's not miserable anymore.

On a lighter note, our dog loves us. What a sweet baby. :)

Cruise 2009

2009-05-15T17:53:00.002-04:00

Our long-awaited cruise was fun! We took a lot of good pictures to remember it.
We left the house on May 9 around 2:30am to head for the airport in Chicago. We got there without much trouble. Taking off in the plane was a bit worrisome for me, but once the plane was at about 38,000 feet, I was able to rest/sleep for most of the flight. We arrived at the Miami airport and then the port for the cruise ship very smoothly. There was a lot of waiting, but we finally received access to our balcony room at 1:30pm. We spent the evening getting acquainted with the boat and testing out the fruity drinks! We found the casino and I won $27.75 on a slot machine!
The we spent the next day cruising the water, heading for Jamaica. We laid out in the sun and I got the most horrible sunburn on my legs that I’ve ever had. My legs stung and hurt when I tried to walk and eventually my ankles swelled.
Jamaica was beautiful. We climbed up a gorgeous waterfall and got drenched. I wish I could have taken more pictures, but our camera wouldn’t have made it through the waterfall. The water was clear and cold. It bubbled and rushed past us as we worked our way to the top. We met locals who were determined to get “tips” and “donations” through every point in the day. Two ladies offered to braid my hair. (No way, by the way) One guy came up and put seeded necklaces around us and said they were free, then came back and wanted money for them. Heh! It was nuts, but exhilarating.
Grand Cayman was lovely. We bought a tour and saw a turtle farm, an area of beach, a barren scorched area they called “Hell”, some historical buildings, and a rum cake factory. We bought some things to give away and to keep. We were able to get a lot more pictures than in Jamaica. I heard a rooster crow. I saw baby chicks hopping around and several iguanas lounging in the sun. The country is ran by a governor that is appointed every five years by England’s queen. It’s an interesting place.
We spent the rest of the cruise relaxing and soaking up the sun on the boat’s many decks. My freckles came out and Marcus got a nice tan. The cruise went really fast.
We had a rough flight back to Chicago. It was very bumpy- not good for anxious flier. Also, we watched the conveyer belts for at least half an hour before being told that our luggage didn’t make it back to Chicago on our flight. We ended up finding out that the bags traveled on an earlier flight and were waiting for us all along! Nice!
We’re glad to be home, but think we’ll make cruising an annual vacation.

6,5,4,3,2,1...Cruise!

2009-05-03T21:15:00.002-04:00

Random acts of kindness are endearing to hear about, but when someone pops an act on me, it's a crazy feeling. Marcus and I were at a bakery on our lunch break, and after we picked our healthy lunch (cookies!), the lady behind us in line picked up our tab. It was a big surprise.

My anatomy and physiology class finishes up on Tuesday. About 1/3 of the class made it through the semester. I'm proud of how well I did. I'm ready for the next level of the course that starts in late May.

Marcus started his second season of softball with our church. Him and I threw the ball around in our yard for practice today. Bently had fun watching us and fetching the occasional pitch to him. It's a fun game. Marcus is going to have a good time.

It's almost time for our cruise! We'll take lots of pictures.

xoXo

46

2009-03-24T14:46:00.002-04:00

That's right, 46 days until we board our Carnival cruise ship. Woot! There is a high level of anticipation in this household for all the fun we're about to embark on. We'll be visiting Jamaica and the Cayman Islands on our 5 night get-a-way.

Bently, our dog, hit his 7 month mark a couple days ago. If you've ever read the book or watched the movie "Marley and Me", that's sums up the character of our pup too. He's a nut.

Marcus got a promotion at work and he's doing very well . I'm still working part-time and going to school for nursing.

Getting Off to a Good Start

2009-02-01T11:45:00.003-05:00

I got a treadmill and love it! It has a Ipod port, so I don't have to wear an earpiece. I'm getting more and more endurance to keep on moving, so that's a point of happiness in my life.
We are taking a Wednesday night class at church, trying to figure out what our spiritual gifts are, and how to better use them. It's really interesting to know that everyone was born with one or more gifts to serve God. One day we are all going to stand in front of God, and He's going to ask what we have done to serve Him with our gifts. It's a deep concept.
It's fun to see God working in my life; even the little things make me take note. Yesterday we were in a parking lot, carrying a shirt that Marcus wanted to return. The receipt flew out of the bag and danced around in the parking lot. Marcus was kneeling in the dirty snow, looking for it underneath cars, etc., then when we thought it was gone for good, it danced right in front of me and I snatched it up. Hah!
Bently's doing good, just really naughty. He recently got fixed and has been losing his baby teeth. Lots of things are getting chewed on, but at least he's cute. A new neighbor just moved in downstairs in our apartment building, and I'm hearing they have a Doberman (BIG dog). Hopefully Bently will have a friend, not a nemesis.
Work is going well for us both. We're thankful to have jobs in this day.
Overall, we're very blessed.

Merry CHRISTmas!

2008-12-25T21:38:00.002-05:00

I love hearing angel stories. I've heard two recently that have touched my heart. First, my mother, who prays to Jesus for angels to watch over her, was told by a patient at the hospital where she works, that she saw angels all around my mom. It was really a neat feeling to hear this. Second, there is a news story circulating about a hospitalized child who was very near death. They were considering pulling her off life support, when an angel showed up (who was caught on the security camera as well as witnessed by a doctor and a nurse). The girl was healed within an hour! The captured image is a bright light that is undeniably shaped like an angel with a head, two wings, and a robe that touched to the floor. Praise Jesus! You should search for the article and see for yourself.

Christmas was wonderful. We spent the whole day between our two mother's houses. We will be spending Saturday with my Dad's side, and I look forward to meeting his new girlfriend! I'm so happy for for my Pops!

Watching family open gifts was the most fun, especially since we generally went with a light-hearted approach this year. (haha!)

We received many wonderful and thoughtful gifts, so to those reading, thank you so much! What a great day.

Bently is doing well. We are working on teaching him more commands. His face is getting really furry and furry = adorable. Marcus and I are both deeply attached. Bently is very loyal and likes to be right in the middle of whatever's going on.

Please keep Jesus in your heart and be thankful for his many blessings.

update

2008-12-01T19:32:00.005-05:00

Thanksgiving with my mom's side was good. Lots of family and fun time. Marcus and I hovered under the radar on the actual holiday and made our own feast.

We've been doing Christmas shopping and have just a few more people to buy for. I'm one of those people who prefer online shopping, so the people that deliver mail are getting to know me on a first name basis. Maybe that's not a good sign, but I love the flexibility!

Marcus and I splurged on new running shoes. Our new beloved brand is New Balance. Hopefully we'll start to balance out the money that been electronically deducted from our bank account by going to the YMCA more frequently in the near future.

Our dog is a maniac. He has super freak tendencies where he bites anything, charges full speed around the house, chases his tails, and arguably barks louder than any other dog. I treasure the calm and sweet moments that occasionally happen. He's still really adorable, that helps too.

Marcus' car is an pretty funny topic. He drives it diligently even though he has to cover himself with a big towel because it leaks melted snow. Also the bottom is rusted out, so he has to worry about potentially falling though and getting his butt burned by the pavement. It keeps starting though, and hopefully God will open up a door to a good deal.

God's been really good to us though, and we've been learning a lot through this class we've been going to on Wednesday evenings.

Enjoy the last month of 2008!

Dressing my dog up!

2008-10-31T07:32:00.004-04:00

I was so happy to see my midterm grade: 99.17% ! God is good!

I have such a solid "A" in my chemistry class. It feels very nice.

Bently is growing fast. We bought him his first sweater yesterday. It's soo cute.

Happy 2 Months, Bently!

2008-10-21T20:55:00.003-04:00

Bently is growing so fast. Today is his 2 month birthday! He's such a good dog.

I got a job offer today! I'm going to start working part-time at Chase bank, in South Bend. I'm pretty excited. They're willing to work around my classes, so I can continue on with my nursing degree. The hours are great, everything is just working out so nicely. Praise God.

Bently

2008-10-12T13:58:00.013-04:00

Here is our new Westie pup, Bently. He's 8 weeks old and adorable!

Chewing on one of his bones.

It's cute to see him fit that whole ball in his tiny mouth.

I love his paws.

Making friends with the toy squirrel.

Look at his bent ear! We picked a perfect name before we even met him!

Our sweet baby.

La Casa de Vigil

2008-09-24T17:08:00.004-04:00

Here's a couple pictures of our place. It's coming along nicely. We're livin' the vida fantástico.

Marcus & the C.I.A

2008-09-22T20:16:00.003-04:00

We love our new home.
I've been running the washer, dryer, and dishwasher all day. What a luxury!

Lots of love and thankfulness goes out to my mom and Keith for our “new bedroom”. Marcus said today that he’s been getting the best sleep of his life, and I can attest that everything about the whole room is amazing. Our bedroom looks like something out of a magazine. We LOVE it!

Marcus, a rookie, played softball this summer for our church. We both knew he grew a lot as a player, and I guess his team noticed him too. On Sunday, the team stood in front of the church and two awards were given out. One was for Marcus! He got an emotional “Christ in Action” award, which means that his actions on the team most resembled that of Christ. He was very surprised and later told me it was the most meaningful reward he’d ever been given. I’m so proud of him. I believe that God has big plans for his life. I also feel very committed and “at home” with our church.

God is also pulling me through Chemistry. I’ve gotten A’s on my last two labs, which only encourages me that I’m going in the right direction.

Walker Wedding

2008-09-14T21:30:00.005-04:00

Jack, my cousin, got married yesterday. His bride is Anita, and she is very nice. It was great to see them tie the knot and I wish them an abundance of happiness. I think they make a good pair.

-------------------------------------Click photo to enlarge-------------------------------------

From Left: Jacob (brother), Dad, Grandpa Bob, Grandma, Anita, Jack, Mindy (aunt), Sherman (uncle), Rebekah (cousin), Nickolas (2nd cousin), and Mike (cousin's husband)

Unfortunately, Charles, Kelsey, Marcus, and myself had already left when this photo was taken.

What a memorable night! If they read this-- congratulations!!

Bananas, Eggs, & Lettuce Heads

2008-09-11T20:23:00.007-04:00

We have a small town grocery store just a minute or two from our current apartment. The people there are SO nice. I've made a couple trips to pick up their free empty boxes (for our moving needs). Last time they loaded me up with the best egg boxes ever! They come with handles and a divider inside! Yes, I know, they are fabulous.

The second time I went they loaded me up with mostly banana boxes, but a few various ones, including some that housed lettuce heads. I don’t know why I think that’s so hilarious. I've been competing with some man for their extra boxes. He keeps getting to the store earlier in the morning than me, probably scooping up the best ones.

Marcus was not happy about the banana boxes. He was worried that exotic bugs would be lurking in the dark crevices.

Anyway, that was the excitement of my day. I spent three hours in a chemistry class, or lab, and it was insane. I was stressed we wouldn't have enough time to finish our experiments, which would lead to us getting point deductions, and I'm determined to get an "A". (God's going to help me with that..isn't He amazing!?)

So we are looking to move earlier than thought. How does September 20 sound? mmhmm... I know, it sounds great.

xoXo,

hv

Approved

2008-09-10T15:29:00.006-04:00

We got approved for the apartment! We're super excited. We were really hoping it all would go smooth and it did. Thank Jesus! We hope to be moved in by the end of this month!

So it's funny because when I turned 16 I got a Michigan driver's license, had to test and get an Indiana one when I was 17, moved back to Michigan when I was 21, and now am moving back to Indiana again at 23! So I'm guessing I'll have to test again at the bureau. Yuck. It's worth it though.

The landlord is allowing us to have a dog, so I'm eager to jump at that opportunity.

Gorgeous Apartment

2008-09-02T22:07:00.004-04:00

I start my chemistry class tomorrow! I am starting on a path that will be great and rewarding.

We are in the process of getting a new apartment in Indiana. Marcus and I are in love with it. It has lots of windows, oak and ceramic floors, TWO bedrooms, a huge porch, etc. We are mailing the landlord our application tomorrow, and praying that it works out. Here are a couple pictures:

Introduction

2008-08-23T00:20:00.002-04:00

Introductions are tricky, but alas, a brief rundown of the recent past:
Marcus and I just celebrated our two year anniversary. We’re two peas living in a very tiny pod in the mitten-shaped state. We met in high school, married in college, and now we’re living in the real world, trying to find our niche. I shouldn’t say we, because he has found a career he’s passionate about already. He’s been a loyal employee for his company for almost a year. He loves it and I don’t blame him.

Me? I’ve had a change of heart. With a figurative doink on the head, I’ve come to find a fascination with nursing. The more I look into it, the more I feel a natural pull toward it. See, I’ve never known for sure what I wanted to “be” when I grew up.. but now that I’m unfolding what I don’t want to be, I can appreciate the seriousness that will be had while I go back to educationally rebuild my future.

Life is hard, but it’s a good life. I look forward to keeping this written memento.
God never has a plan B. (thanks SR)

xoXo-hv