It is well with my soul!

HELLO!

My oh my it's been a long time! I always feel like I have just blogged, and then life happens and I need to blog again!

This has been a wild few months since I posted last! Welp, you're gunna hear it ALL:

I spent time in Sacramento with my amazing family. I have to say, every time I go home my heart grows and I love my family a little bit more! I got to spend two wonderful days with my ADORABLE niece Evie and nephew Chet!!! We. had. so. much. FUN! We went to the mall, got our pictures taken in the photo booth, shopped for beds, went for a picnic, went for drives... man I just LOVE those two! Brooke and Josh got a night away and I got to play Mom. Wow, was I tired night 1! But we definitely had a blast and I cannot WAIT for summers where Jeremy and I get them for a few weeks!! Brooke posted a great blog about Chet. You can find it here. She has the most ADORABLE pictures of the kids too!

Picnic in the park:

Walk and Park with Sadie :)

Evie receiving her award in Gymnastics!!!!! Chet was her NUMBER 1 FAN!!!!!! Seriously, he screamed and cheered for her the whole time!!

Evie was SO happy to see Grammie at Gymnastics! So was Chet :)

After I came back, I got about 1 great week with Jeremy. Although it was busy and we did lots of activities and erands, it was SO refreshing to spend time with him!!! Something I used to take for granted I do not anymore! He had just gotten out of an intensive training for his work, and I has just gotten done with my summer internship!

After that week we packed up the bags and headed to El Centro with his parents and sister, Liz! I l.o.v.e. that town. I get the most hilarious reactions from people when I say we're moving there! Usually a *gasp!* "Why?!" *looking deep into my eyes for a truthful answer* :)

We have met such nice people there and are excited for the new adventure ahead!! He has started working at his account and is enjoying the work he's doing!! I love hearing his stories and learning all of this medical stuff he gets to do! I'm so proud of how hard he works to be the best he can be!

Trip to Costco!

Assembly party!

TV is purchased and mounted!

Pictures are being hung!

Ah, completed at last :)

It was SO hard to leave him there!! We had set up the apartment, bought some furniture, put my pictures on the wall, and I really transitioned to moving in there! I mean, my teapots ARE in the cupboard! It was difficult leaving him behind, and I honestly did not have a good attitude about it!

I moved into my new house and although everything was wonderful, I felt so discontent. I just wanted it to be January 8th and be moved on. I had a rough transition into this semester, not wanting to be at APU anymore and wanting to be in El Centro with Jeremy. I was bitter about buying school books, sitting in traffic, going to church without him...

It took enough time in a pity party for me to realize (with the help of my loved ones) that I needed to refocus or this semester would be a waste! So, that's what I did! I found my purpose:

• I am living with 5 WONDERFUL women right now in a beautiful home! God has moved in their lives and they are in love with Him! What a great place to be and a spiritually centered home where I get to spend my last semester!
• I am working in a new office on Campus in Chapel Programs! And it is wonderful. What a great way for me to meet new people and have a fun time my last semester.
• Although I'm taking a ton of classes, my day-to-day load is lighter than it's been the last two years and I don't carry the stress of classes on my shoulders as I usually do. My homework is actually able to get done without compromising sleep or conversations! (This is NOT normal!)
• These last weeks before we get married Jeremy and I are able to read books and prepare for our marriage.

The list goes on! Now don't get me wrong... if you asked me where I'd rather be, I would say "With Jeremy in El Centro" hands down! But because I'm not, I've gotten to be PRESENT in the situation I am in! Made new friends, focused on the great friends I do have, spend time just talking to God, eating well, exercising often... trying to live in the now, since tomorrow is not guaranteed.

The biggest attribution, which would be a shame if I skipped over, is that the Lord has been working in me. I really do feel the joy of the spirit in my life. That doesn't mean that great things are always happening or that life is suddenly rainbows... but I really do feel a great peace and reassurance from the Lord in where I am.

Something that has been so wonderful to think about is the view that God sees us outside of time... that when He is looking at my life He is seeing the beginning and the end of time concurrently. That as I type, Jesus is on the cross, Noah is in the flood, and Evie is getting married.

What a reassurance that is! When I am stressed about what career path to choose and if I am doing the path of the Lord, he sees me now, in 5 minutes and in 5o years! Thus, he is able to guide me properly.

One of my favorite professors... scratch that, my FAVORITE professor at APU is Hauge. He teaches Bible classes and really is a great and knowledgable communicator. At the end of every class he says, "Be good sheep." My last class of the semester last year, he finally explained his phrase. That the Lord compares us to sheep. What an insult that is! Sheep! They're IDIOTS! They only know how to eat. They have to be guided. They run away and must be found... and I am a SHEEP??? How reassuring (and humbling) is it though, that God is our shepherd. And even though we wander through a maze of life, doing what we know best, that God is looking out for us, guiding us and knowing the best option all along for us.

Be encouraged friends.

It is well in my soul.

How's your soul doing?

With love from San Dimas,

Paige