Our First Home

As most of you already know, Teaven and I bought our first home! We had been praying about it for a while, and then we started looking around town. We decided that it would be a great option for us to build, and we are so excited about the process! I'm not going to lie, it has been really frustrating at times dealing with paperwork and having to prove to people that we lived off the economy in South Korea! But watching it come together has been so fun and rewarding!

Last week, our framing went up. My dad mentioned going out and writing Bible verses on the framing, and Teaven and I instantly fell in love with the idea. So, Wednesday, Teaven, my mom and dad, Josh and Brittany and I went to the house and wrote Bible verses.

Some we chose specifically for certain rooms.. others were just favorites of ours. So, let's go over the sweet reminders that will be hiding within my walls.

Let's start with the entry way (which I conveniently forgot to take pictures of.. go figure)..

"You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out." Deuteronomy 28:6

"...but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15

In the kitchen:

"My God shall supply all our needs according to His riches in glory." Philippians 4:19 

"Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." Matthew 4:4

"Do everything without grumbling or arguing.." Philippians 2:14 (This one is also in the laundry room for all those times I don't want to do chores.)

In the bedrooms:
"In peace I will lie down and sleep for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe." Psalm 4:8

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17 (This is in the bedroom where we hope to have foster children or adopted children someday.)

In the master bedroom:

"Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together." Psalm 34:3

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

For the fireplace (this was one of our favorites!!):

"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe for our 'God is a consuming fire.'" Hebrews 12:28-29

In the living room:

"How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity." Psalm 133:1

Longing

Some days, I just want to sit at my computer and write. Write about everything that is going on in my life because it's too sweet to forget it. Write about the pain so I can look back and see God's sovereignty and grace.

I wrote a lot in Korea. I took the time to sit at my computer and reflect. Looking back on it now, I wonder if that is one of the many reasons life was so different then.

I think it's important for me to write, important to watch the words travel across the page as my brain tries to sort everything out, important to be honest with myself.

I wish I took more time to reflect, more time to process the emotions, the feelings, the longing.

Each day seems to pass a little more quickly, at a pace I always longed for yet am not quite ready to embrace.When is there even time to stop and write?

That's all she wrote..

Teaven and I have been in school mode for the past two weeks, but today was T's first day with his students. He had a wonderful first day, and we are so excited to see where God takes him this year. My students started school today as well, but they won't come to the GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) program until next week. We like to give them a week in their normal schedule and classes before we take them away from it once a week. I'm super excited to meet my kiddos.

I haven't forgotten the 8 Week Challenge. These past couple of weeks have been difficult for me as far as eating goes. Teachers want to go out for lunch or grab a soda, and I don't hesitate to join them. Although, I probably should. I'm trying to get better... I promise.

As far as exercise goes, I've been doing great! I tried out TurboFire 2 weeks ago and barely made it through the 6 days. Let's just face it, people, I have ZERO coordination, and instead of looking as graceful as everybody else on the DVD, I look like a chicken with its head cut off, trying to punch someone. It's truly sad, and I refuse to let anyone in the room while I do it.

So, since I suck so much at intense kickboxing and the weather decided to cool down just slightly (is 95 cool to anyone else?), I decided to start running again. That's really the only exercise I enjoy doing and can stick with for a while. So, my routine has been to run 3 times a week and do some type of strength/scuplt 2 times a week. It worked out well last week, and I hope to keep with it this week. I'm starting slow, but at least it's something.
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I think I'm going to put the scale away for a while. It just seems to discourage me and make me beat myself up. I want this challenge to be about changing my lifestyle, not a number. I'll be able to tell I'm losing when my pants start to get loose. It's just something I need to do for me.

That's all for now, folks. Hopefully, I'll remember to update later this week about our jobs... and the fact that we are buying couches this weekend (you have no idea how excited I am about that)!

Kick it into Gear 8 Week Challenge

So, the 8 week challenge. What do I love so much about those? I don't know. Maybe it's the fact that 8 weeks seems like a doable time frame. I mean, I just started and only have 7  weeks to go. That seems short, right?

Why am I doing this? Because everything I have done up to this point of being in America has failed. Instead of maintaining my weight, I have gained it back. I'm so embarrassed about it. I have a lot of spiritual and emotional issues to work through during these next few weeks.

I need a goal. One that is doable.

I need to focus on my health.

I need to stop ignoring my issues.

So, I'm going to set this up weekly and follow the same structure I used when I did the BEW Weight loss Competition.

I just finished week 1, so here it is.

Weight Loss Goal by September 29: Lose 15-20 pounds

Pounds lost this week: 0.8

Progress Towards Goal:  0.8 of 20

Favorite thing that I made this week: The Parmesan asparagus I made last night! So easy and so tasty.

Exercising Goal for last week: workout 3 times

Did I do it? Yes! 

Exercising goal this week: start and complete the first week of turbofire

Healthy change goal this week: no soda. No coming home from work and getting fast food.

Recap

Alright, ladies and gents, it has been entirely too long since I have graced you with my blogger presence. I'm sorry, but what can I say? I've been living life. I really would like to think that I will get loads better at blogging regularly in the upcoming months, but who am I kidding? School starts back up in just a few short weeks.

Alas (yeah, I just said that), I will try to update weekly since I have started another 8 week challenge. More on that in a minute.

I'm pretty sure I could write a novel on what has gone on in the Barnums' lives these past few months, but I won't bore you with all the details. Let's just do a quick recap.

I was offered a position teaching Gifted and Talented students with Temple ISD. I will actually be at the same campus as I was last year. Each day my little kiddos (yes, they really are little! yikes!) will be bussed to our campus from all the elementary schools in Temple and then bussed back. I will have 1st-5th grade. 1st on Monday, 2nd on Tuesday, 3rd on Thursday. You get the picture. I am really excited about this opportunity and all that I will learn this year.

Teaven was offered a position teaching 6th grade World Cultures with Killeen ISD. This is exactly the position he had been praying for since he went to the job fair in March! Isn't it amazing how the Lord provides? He instantly formed a connection with the administration, and he is super excited to be working at this school.

Next week, we both start back with new teacher training. We've already been nonstop busy, and it's only going to get crazier from here! But, man, are we excited about it!


In other news, I've started a new 8 week challenge with some of my really great friends. Basically, my goal for the next 8 weeks is to exercise 3-4 times a week, eat healthy, and lose some of the weight I gained back. That's all for another post coming soon! But if you want to join me, please let me know!

That's all for now, folks!

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Salmon in a Bag

So, I was walking through HEB the other day, trying to decide whether or not to buy more chicken, when I passed this beautiful looking salmon. Now, I don't normally care for fish, but my husband loves it. So, I had been wanting to venture out and try something new. Boy, am I glad I did! The inspiration came from this pin, but there weren't clear instructions or ingredients. I'm sorry that the pictures aren't the best quality. I took them with my iPhone because, honestly, I didn't expect to like this recipe so much.

Salmon in a Bag

Ingredients:

-2 salmon fillets

-salt

-garlic salt

-minced garlic

-parsley

-lemon juice

-lemons

-butter

-foil

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

- Get 2 pieces of foil big enough to cover the entire fillet. 

-Slice lemons and place about 4 on each piece of foil. Then, put the fillet on top of the lemons.

-Cut a small cube of butter and put it on top of the salmon. 

-Season with salt, garlic salt, minced garlic, parsley, and a sprinkle of lemon juice. We didn't use specific measurements, but it's about a pinch or a dash of each seasoning for each fillet. :)

-Fold the foil over the salmon so that it is tightly covered, as if in a bag. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the salmon flakes easily with a fork.