"2010 Recap"

In one post I am going to try to sum up my entire year so I have a feeling that this might be a little lengthy. God has just been doing great things in my life and so many memories have been created! Here we go!!

2010 began in Atlanta, Georgia where I journeyed with friends to the Passion Conference. There I heard such amazing Christian men and women speakers including Beth Moore, Luis Giglio, Francis Chan and John Piper. My relationship with Christ was deepened so much as a result of this conference, and I got to meet many people from all over the United States that were going through the same things in life as I was. My world got a little bigger after learning about slavery still going on in many countries, countries where people did not have clean water to drink or where they could not read the Bible in their own language. I began to realize how much suffering there is in the world and how the heart of Christ breaks for these people who just need somebody to come alongside them and help them. Chris Tomlin led worship for us for three days and God truly Awakened my soul for His Church and  our responsibilities to help the hurting and the broken. Little did I know where He would lead me in just a few short months.

After coming home from Passion, spring classes started at UofL. Alex and I had been engaged for two months and continued the wedding planning process and doing engagement type things such as having our engagement pictures taken, ordering bridesmaids dresses with friends, wedding dress fittings and choosing tuxedos. It was fun while it lasted, but I didn't enjoy the planning as much as I thought I would. To me it was just stressful and although it was for a "good cause" I would rather have had a wedding planner that did all of that for me. Does that make me lazy?? Haha... I just cannot imagine having to plan weddings for a full-time job.

During the spring I continued to lead a small-group on Wednesday nights at Southeast. I adored the girls in my group and they are just beautiful young ladies and I am thankful for the time that I got to spend with them that year.

In December of 2009 I was elected the Membership Chair of Kappa Delta Pi which is the Education Honor Society at UofL. We hosted many fun events including a bake sale, Blessings in a Backpack food drive, as well as a Literacy Alive event. I got to know many great women and am excited to serve as Vice President for this next year!

Alex had a big year that included transitioning from living in Jackson, Tennessee to becoming a Kentucky State resident. It took a couple of months for him to find a job, but he finally started at Commonwealth Mortgage in February as a mortgage broker. He wasn't actually a broker but I am not sure what the exact term was. After a few months of that he got tired of sitting behind a desk and talking on the phone from 8-6 so he got a job at Insight Communications which is a phone, cable, and internet company. That job was such a blessing for us. He made wonderful money and had really good hours so that when we got married later on in the year we were able to spend a lot of time together. After a while though (like any sales job) the demands to perform became outrageous, and Alex knew that he could offer more to another company. He landed a job at a Finish Line in Indiana as a manager, and that is where he is currently working. Starting a retail job right around the holidays probably wasn't the smartest move, but he is enjoying his work and has developed a new love for tennis shoes. I guess it balances out my love for dishes!

In March I found myself in the hospital (somehow) for dehydration. I thought it was something worse, but after pumping a few bags of liquid into my body I was fine but had missed school for couple of days. I was able to catch up and ended the semester with all A's. That semester I also applied and got accepted into the Teacher Education Program at school. The program is 3 semesters plus a semester of student teaching which I will do in the spring of 2012 (before I GRADUATE!!).

In late April, Alex and I went to an information session at The Block (at Southeast) about this church that was starting in Old Louisville called The Avenue. I had gotten a Facebook invitation to go to this event and randomly dragged Alex along with me to see what it was all about. Little did we know that God had been working in both of us, and by the time the pastor, Ben Hardman, had finished his little presentation, Alex and I knew that we had to move to Old Louisville and be a part of this church. We had already filled out an application to live over off of Brownsboro Rd. but we threw those applications away and started looking for apartments in Old Louisville.

Becoming a part of The Avenue Church was one of the best decisions that we made this year. Coming from a church of 20,000+ I didn't really know what to expect, but God has been working in such visible ways and the group of people known as The Avenue Launch Team have become like family to Alex and I and we have made so many new friendships this year. God truly brought us to Old Louisville for a reason and although we may not understand what that reason is just yet, we know that God will continue to work through us to help the people living there. I am so thankful this year for my Avenue family.

On a more serious note, Alli was the Bachelorette on ABC this year. She had many fine men to choose from and Roberto won her love. :) YES I am addicted to the Bachelor/Bachelorette, and that is all I will say about that.

In June I spent a week serving at middle school camp at Country Lake and had THE BEST FAMILY EVER!! We were the white team and nicknamed ourself the Mighty Whitie Tighties. We were a sight!! Middle school students have had such a special place in my heart over the past couple of years, and hanging out with them at camp and seeing their relationship with the Lord and each other grow is something so special.

I got to spend some time with Alex's family in July, and for the weekend of the 4th we flew to Iowa to celebrate at the McCall family reunion. Alex was not able to go because of work, but I got to know his family better and see the farms I've heard so much about!

At the end of July Alex and I moved to the Bellamy, got married and honeymooned in Italy. (Lots in one sentence, huh?) :) Technically we moved our belongings into the Bellamy (apartments for college students) and then moved in after we got back from Europe. Gosh, that is so weird saying that... Europe... I have never been a traveler, but I sure was one in August! I did not find out where we were going on our honeymoon until the night we were married, and I was so surprised! I honestly had no idea where we would be going, and I absolutely had a blast on our trip. It was so fun just exploring the cities with my husband! I recently found a list of things that we learned in Italy... things we wrote while we were on our trip. I will have to find them and post the list sometime!

School started in August, and I got to teach in JCPS (Jefferson County Public Schools) for the first time. I was placed in a 4th grade classroom and just like I fell in love with middle school, I fell in love with 4th grade. I did not expect it at all, but 4th grade just seemed to fit me so well. I loved my class and at the end of the year before I left, they presented me with a book that they all signed. They wished me well, and I am so thankful for the time I got to spend with them!

In the fall I played on a recreational softball league at Southeast. Technically Alex and I are still members there and we go every so often with my family. My softball team was so bad, but it was a lot of fun playing and getting excercise playing the sport I loved so much in high school!

Alex and I celebrated our months of marriage by visitin Gilberto's Gelato in the Norton Commons Square. We love to remember our trip to Italy by visiting there on the 31st (or 30th) each month. I told you it was a fun trip!!

On 10.10.10 our church officially launched. We had our first service, and it was so wonderful to celebrate with the support of family and close friends. Two days later Alex and I celebrated 3 years as a couple. I guess when you are married you are not supposed to celebrate that as your anniversary, but it was a special day for us! I am so lucky to have had him at my side for three whole years!

The rest of the year was a lot of fun for me. I landed a substitute teaching position at the school where I graduated from, Whitefield Academy, and enjoyed subbing for one day this semester. (4th grade!) :) Extreme Makeover Home Edition made its second debut in Louisville, and I spent two nights in a row helping work on that house. My cousin Jared came into town for the second night, and it was a lot of fun taking him and Alex to the house to "look." I celebrated my 21st birthday in November as a bridesmaid in one of my best friend's wedding! I went to Shogun to celebrate with my friends a couple days after, and Alex and I had our own little celebration at the apartment after the wedding. He got me a gorgeous diamond bracelet as my birthday gift, and it was so special coming from him. The boy has just spoiled me with diamonds!! Who can complain? :) We made a decision that each year we were going to visit one state so that after fifty years of marriage we would have visited all states. Wyoming came up first on the list so we are in the middle of planning that trip.

While still working at the hotel (Homewood Suites) and Steak 'n Shake part-time I also started nannying for a little boy (4th grade... it's a sign!!) a couple times per month while his mom is away on business. It is usually for 2 nights although I have stayed with him 3 nights before. It is a really great experience for me because I get to be somebody else's "mom" for a couple of days without having to have children of my own. It's my mommy-fix for the time being. :) It is also a very relaxed environment where I can do my school work and invest in the life of someone else! Clay is a really great kid, and I have fun staying with him each month.

We celebrated Thanksgiving in Tennessee this year. It was such a short trip (sadly), but my mother-in-law AND sister-in-law can cook like none other so I was well taken care of. I've tried cooking every now and then but I don't do it very often... My endeavors usually end up being comical.

Christmas has been so fun this year (even though it is only Christmas Eve morning). Alex and I went out and got a real tree at the end of November. It has beautiful lights and ornaments and makes our little apartment look so "homey!" I love our Christmas decorations, and will probably want to keep them up until mid-January. Alex has also never had a Christmas where his gifts were actually a surprise so this year has been something!! He constantaly begs to open some presents early (for the both of us), but I am staying firm in my position because I want him to have a Christmas morning to remember! Since this is our first married Christmas I am sure traditions will begin and continue to grow over the years. My family has always had a big meal on Christmas Eve and then we buy a birthday cake for Jesus. I wonder if Alex and I will continue these traditions or not... time will only tell.

So this is the life God has blessed me with for the year of 2010. It was full of so much love and peace, and I cannot wait to see what 2011 will bring. Hardships are sure to come, but I rest knowing that my God will take care of all my needs. May 2011 be for His glory alone.

- love, briana -