Day 154 and Killing Nemo

Bailey and I came home today from class to find that we had a new pet fish. Katie is a student teacher and brought him home from school where they used him for a science experiment all day. Bailey thought we could use the fish for 365, and we agreed to take a picture with him before she left for her Muster meeting. At 5:45 he was happily swimming in his cup, and by 6:15 he was floating dead on the bottom. We killed him! (It was an accident I promise!) Poor little Nemo, we didn't even have a chance to name him until after his death.

Day 153 and the Snow-Morning

We didn't get a full day off from school due yesterday's snow, but the 8 and 9:10AM classes were canceled. Yippee! In honor of this snow-morning, we turned on the television to watch early morning cartoons and sat down with a bowl of cereal like we would have as kids. Conclusion: Mickey Mouse just isn't the same as he used to be.

Day 152 and Snowfall

I must not have paid much attention to the weather man this morning, because I was shocked to see it snowing outside around lunch time.
Campus came alive today in a way I've never seen before; grown men were sticking out their tongues like little boys trying to taste a snowflake, while others went crazy with the snowball fights right in front of lecture halls. Nothing like a drastic change of weather to change an otherwise ordinary day into something quite special.
Bailey and I were both pretty bummed that we couldn't take our picture then right then, the snowflakes were light and fluffy and magical, and we were nowhere near each other. However, my last class of the day was canceled and we were able to share the experience of today's snowfall with each other before the day was over. Yay!

Day 151 and the Planners

Monday, February 22, 2010

As you can see from our planners, life has become very full these last few weeks. Jessie is balancing her teaching classes, work, and church and I have entered the world of wedding planning (did anyone else know this was a full time job??) along with my usual responsibilities of school, work, and Muster.

So, bare with us as we continue Project 365. We know it's not going to be easy and it will stretch our creativity...but we are up for the challenge!

Day 150 and The Rough Week

Honestly, I don't even remember what day we took this... what a let down for Day 150. ha
It's very representative of the week we've had, though.
Bailey has been really really busy, and I got sick with a virus.
We've done a pretty pitiful job of keeping up with the blog, and for those of you who follow us, we apologize. It's going to be a crazy semester.

Day 149 and "Take a Quick Pic Before We Walk Out the Door" Pose

Thursday, February 11, 2009We were both leaving College Station for the weekend Thursday afternoon and wanted to get in a picture before we left in the morning. I had my bags packed, and Bailey was almost done getting ready for the day. Macie and I bought these purple flowers for the engagement party because Jeff bought them for Bailey on his first trip as her boyfriend to College Station (See Day 9 of the Project) We wanted to pay homage to them once again in our Project... yep, that's about it...

Day 148 and Reflections

Wednesday, February 10, 2010


It was a rather late Wednesday night after LIFE group, and Macie came over to take all of the decorations from the engagement party home. Thinking about how Jeff insists that there's this unspoken competition between him and Macie on who makes more appearances in our project photos, I said aloud, "Macie, we need to mess with Jeff and add you in our picture today."
As we stood there for a minute in the kitchen, all trying to come up with an idea, I saw our reflections in the mirror. This will work I thought, and we struck a "Charlie's Angels" pose of sorts.
Do we have a running tally, Jeff? haha

Day 147 and "We're Planning a Wedding!"

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Flowers...

Dresses...

Napkins...

Cakes...

Obviously, we've got a lot to learn. Good thing we have Martha Stewart as our teacher.

Day 146 and the Engagement Party Decorations

Monday, February 8, 2010

Macie will be by later this week to pick them up, but they are just too fun not to play with :)

Day 145 and "We got Engaged!!"

Sunday, February 7, 2010

"We got engaged!" Jessie exclaimed last night to some friends.

Did Jeff know that he got two for the price of one?

This special day was the orchestration of not only my fiance :) Jeff, but also of my closest friends, family, and of course....Jessie. Remember that call this summer I made to you Jessie? "So...there is this guy, Jeff..."

This past weekend, I had been on our Spring Muster Retreat while Jeff had been at the Sky Ranch COR Leadership Retreat. I had not talked to him all weekend except for a brief conversation on Saturday morning, so I was so excited for the phone date we had planned for 2pm, as he drove back to Ouachita.

When I got back at 10:30 from my retreat, I took my usual weekend trip to the grocery store and then came home to begin my homework for the week. I was very overwhelmed at all that I had to accomplish and wasn't very excited when Jessie said she had a great 365 idea to get dressed up and take a picture on campus. We would be meeting Katie and Emily at 2pm.

I had Spanish homework. I was tired. I already had a phone date planned with Jeff at 2. I did not want to go.

I asked Jessie if we could take the picture somewhere closer, and when those words came out of my mouth she looked devastated. I began to tear up. She walked back to the room and until 1:15. She came to the kitchen table and in her best mom voice said:

"Bailey, we are taking this picture today. I have a dress laid out on the bed, and you will be ready to go at 1:45."

There was no messing with this tone. At this point the thought of a proposal did cross my mind, but I quickly dismissed it because of all the factors that would keep it from happening.

He was (supposed) to be in East Texas, he was (supposed) to be working that night. I talk to him all the time and I know that he hasn't been ring shopping, much less taken a trip to Dallas or East Texas to ask my parents.

Little did I really know....

When we arrived to meet Katie and Emily, they were standing on a bridge at Spence Park on the A&M Campus. Jessie proceeded to read a letter from Jeff that described what was about to take place, and the journey that we were about to embark upon. They each spoke of our friendship and the encouragement that I have been, then they prayed over me.

Then they asked ..."Can we take this walk with you?"

Next, they brought me to two of my co-counselors from Sky Ranch this past summer, Alana and Amy. They repeated the same process and then asked..."Can we take this walk with you?"

We then walked to two of my dearest friends, Macie and Kaitlyn. They, too, spoke of our friendship, read a letter from Jeff, and prayed over me. Finally they asked..."Can we take this walk with you?"

They then took me to the top of Rudder where I was greeted by the Green family. A nine hour drive they took to support us and welcome me into their family. They also wanted to know "Can we take this walk with you?"

I saw my mom and little sister, Abbey, and lost it. As we cried together, they spoke of how excited they were for this day and how happy they truly were for both of us. What a sweet moment as we prayed as a family and they asked..."Can we take this walk with you?"

They brought me to Academic Plaza, where he was waiting. As our friend Chris read aloud the final letter, based on Hebrews 11, we were surrounded by our own "Great Cloud of Witnesses"; They were friends and family that have walked this journey with us. They have prayed for us, encouraged us, and guided us since we began our relationship seven months ago. They have been the biggest blessing, and will continue to walk with us as we enter into marriage. They each said a prayer, blessing us as we begin our own walk together.

Jeff asks to take the final walk with me as we walked to the Century Tree. He gets down on one knee and asks..."Will you marry me"

"Yes!," I said. Then he proceeds to put the ring on the wrong hand. :)

As our first act of being engaged, we thanked God through prayer and remembered Him and what he has done for us by taking the Lord's Supper.

While Jeff was proposing, everyone else had gone back to our house to set up the wonderful engagement party that Macie planned (thank you, thank you, thank you!).

Friends and family came to celebrate with us. There was ice cream cake, food, punch, beautiful decorations, and presents!

As I sit here at the kitchen table staring at my ring, I am still amazed at this journey God has brought us on. Eight months ago I didn't know him and now....I can't imagine life without him.

We've got some exciting changes in store and a lot of 365 pictures to take, capturing each moment.

I still can't believe it! "We got engaged!"

Day 144 and Greeting the Sun

After a whole week of dreary weather, Bailey and I were able to walk outside and say to the day, "Hello Gorgeous!" It was so good to stand in the front yard and greet the warm sun's rays with open arms.

Day 143 and Lollipops

Someone gave these to me as a gift, and in honor of Valentine's Day being a few days away, we decided to open them up and use them for 365.
Next time I'll remember to stand on my tip-toes and not open my mouth so wide.

Bailey, you look cute.

Day 142 and The Word

Thursday, February 4, 2010

I promise we don't normally stare at our Bibles like this.

Bailey and I are both in a Bible study called Her Hands this semester, and this week we've been learning about how Wise Women Delight in God's Word.

Have you ever read Psalm 119? All of it?

David says in it that God's word preserves his life, it allowed him to walk freely, it guided his paths and he could put his trust in it. David valued the Word of God, more than silver or gold, more than the taste of sweet honey, (and he didn't even have the New Testament!) He asked for help in understanding his need for God's Word and he put his faith in the eternal, boundless, unfailing truth of the Scriptures.

Isn't it crazy that ALL that of what we know of God comes from the Bible? Sure I've learned a lot about Him from the teachings of other people, but they learned it from somebody, who learned it from somebody, who learned it from somebody, etc... who READ IT IN THE BIBLE! (the list doesn't even have to go this long, haha) Sara Groves puts it nicely.

I've done every devotional,

been every place emotional,

try to hear new word from God and I think it's very odd,

that while attempt to help myself,

my Bible sits upon the shelf,

with every promise I could ever need.

A knowledge and understanding of the hope, the freedom, the salvation, etc... of God all come from the Word that He breathed to life! Isn't it awesome that we have a God who loves us enough to not leave us without something tangible to run to and cling to in our time here on earth? The Bible and its ability to withstand time and the generations before and after us once again reveals the power of our Mighty God! He is so good.

Your word, O Lord, is eternal;

it stands firm in the heavens.

Your faithfulness continues through all generations;

you established the earth and it endures.

...To all perfection I see a limit;

but your commands are boundless.

Psalm 119:89-90,96

Day 141 and the Winter Hats

You might remember this post about hats a few months ago...

It's amazing what a hat can do for your day. I got oh so many compliments today on how the yellow-orange gave me crazy eyes (That's a compliment, right?). And, I know when Jessie puts on one of her hats she looks so hip and cool (jealous? maybe.)

Take this as inspiration and you too can conquer that fear of hat hair...

Day 140 and the Bedtime Story

Lately, right before we set our alarms and turn off the lights you can find Jessie and I curled up in bed reading a book.

I have always complained "I just don't have time to read for fun!" Well, I decided to consciously turn off facebook and open up a real book before bed. Just so you know, it's amazing how much time has appeared...

Day 139 and No Impact Man

We read about this documentary on Heather's blog post.

She said that after her husband watched it, he "walked away deep in thought about life, what it looks like to live radically different from the world around us, the importance of community and how incredible it is to see anyone living out their convictions."

Intrigued, Bailey and I went to watch this movie with friends about a man who tried to live a life with little to no impact on the environment. No paper, no plastic, nothing not locally grown, no cars, no television, etc... for a year... A compost growing in his apartment, living by candlelight and growing closer with his family, developing an appreciation for the earth and for people and community. Though he may never recognize them, nor title them as such, it was awesome to see how this man "unearthed" so many God-centered truths in his year long project.