Here are a few pics from the stuff we had going on first week with RUF. Mike and I are pretty exhausted and have felt pretty busy with having stuff most nights of the week and at least one day of the weekend. It has been fun to have the students back though and we are anticipating the rest of the semester. I really have not done very well at taking pictures so sorry I dont have more.

On a whim Saturday morning, Mike and I decided to go garage saleing (I dont know if thats a word, but I hope ur okay with it) and we found a beautiful table like one I had looked at earlier this year and almost bought. Since our current table is a loner from a family in the church, I have always been keeping my eyes open for a good deal. It took a while to decide but we finally decided to buy the table and we would just shop around for chairs to go with it. The table is in excellent condition and was refinished about 2-3 years ago. I am not quite sure if the woman knew what she was thinking as she gave it to us for 25 dollars and I have seen tables exactly like this selling for 225 and they werent in as good condition.

We found these chairs at an antique place in Versailles (a town over from Lexington) today. We liked them because we thought they did not look too dressy like some antique chairs can and they are really comfortable (they are also a good size-- older chairs tend to be smaller). I dont particularly care for the fabric on the chairs, but yet again another project for another year. I think this will be the last of our furniture buying since we spent the last of our Christmas money, but we both feel very satisfied with our furniture and how our place looks. Although the table looks a little out of place in a more white accented kitchen. Hope to talk to each of you soon!

The Craigslist find....I had seen these chairs a couple of weeks ago on craigslist and thought they were pretty but he was asking to much for a used chair, but then he came down so Mike and I decided to go check them out yesterday. They guys was very nice and he even came down more in price for us (I think he felt bad for us because we are a young, poor married couple) and then I asked him ab the antique harp table because he hadnt advertised it yet on craigslist and he basically gave it to us, so I was super excited and Mike and I are both glad we got it because we think it looks better between the chairs than the round table I was going to put there. The chairs need recovering but I think we will tackle that in another yr or so once we are more settled. I was afraid they would look to dressy but I think we will be able to make them still look welcoming and they are comfy.

Mike and I went to an Arts and Crafts fair at a park down the street from us this past sat and enjoyed walking around and seeing everything. We got this little painted Scarecrow gourd to have around the house because we thought he was cute.

My mom also sent the new yellow skirt for out table and I put that pic up because it looks much better than the khaki colored skirt (thanks mom =o). I am also in process of making another horse pillow to go on the new chairs.

From the top of some famous statue in B-ham (sorry I cant remember the name rt now)

I didnt realize it but I had these few pics from Scott and Jessica's wedding the weekend of the 11th. We had alot of fun this weekend and really enjoyed being back together with our old friends and hanging out. It was a busy weekend but at the same time refreshing. I got to go shopping with girl friends and Mike had 2 guys nights and played some poker. Rob and Tiff were nice enough to open up their house for us and let us stay for 5 nights, even though they barely saw us except to sleep. We did get to see them on Sunday though and really appreciated their hospitality.

The new microwave
The new pillows =o)

This will eventually have a yellow skirt underneath it

Playing boche ball
Rob and Tiff on the new boat
Mike Sking
My extened realtives from Cal and Col (we saw them in atl)

So after almost a month away from Kentucky we are finally back! We really enjoyed our time away though and got to spend sometime at the beach and the lake with my family, at the Caldwells house and celebrating their 50th bday, in Atlanta for training, in clemson visiting friends, and some good old support raising. I am not posting many pics though because I dont really take any when we are with our families because our siblings/ parents also are taking care of it. If you want to see more pics of the lake check out Tallons blog as it has a ton.

We did buy a new microwave this week. I have been searching about a month now for the perfect microwave and we finally found it at home depot...it was my last stop before I gave up looking in a store and just ordering off of the internet. It was a great deal and is big enough to rotate a whole 9x13 if we ever wanted to. It was great and I am really enjoying being able to just fit a pyrex measuring cup in it!

I, thanks to my mom and her awesome find of fabric, have been recovering the pillows and small table (and I changer the lamp fabric) in our living room this weekend while Mike has been studying hard for the DAT. I have really enjoyed doing this and I am getting much faster and better at sewing things. The colors really brighten the room and just update the look. I am one pillow short of being done and probably would be right now if it wasn't for my freak accident with the sewing machine (the needle hit my finger instead of the material--I am okay just a little pulsing of the finger and probably a week or so to heal and thankfully the needle did not break off so I didnt have to go to the ER, but it did penetrate through my finger nail--please dont ask me how I did this I am not sure) I am hoping this will be the end of terrible things that happen to me since this is the third in a month period (poisin ivy-which I am highly allergic too, I still have it and I got it 3 1/2 weeks ago, a scorpin sting while trying to go to bed, and now the needle incident).

Well that is all I have for you now, but please be praying for Mike as he will be taking the DAT on weds from 12-4 and also as we are just figuring out what God wants Mike to do.

View from the Hancock building
Dessert at Ghiradellis (sp?)
The water tower we had a view of the first night (except we were like 4 stories up)

Eating a Chicago style hot dog
The yummy chocolate lounge
Dinner at the Italian restuarant
Mike cleaning windows (we needed a little extra money =o) J/K

Free, live music in Grant Park
Dinner on Sat night
Riding bikes (notice my pink bike)
Navy Pier (well actually beside it)

Doesn't this look like it could be in a movie!

Looking out the periscope, you could see outside
Mike and I in front of the submarine

Chicago

Mike and I went to Chicago from Friday to Monday this past week. We have both realized how much we enjoy traveling together and seeing new sites and since RUF is all over we have people that are usually willing to give us a bed. It was not to far of a drive and this was the only weekend we could go, so we went and stayed with the campus minister and his wife at Northwestern, Jason and Ashley Harris. Ashley is an intern with Mike and I and I have always gotten along with her really well. We really appreciated them opening up their home to us and showing us around the city. Friday we arrived at about 5 and headed straight to downtown, we parked and walked around for a while until the Harris met us for dinner at Pizzeria Uno (the first place Chicago style pizza was made). Dinner was really good and then we headed to this really cool bar type place downtown. It was very cozy and upscale with sofas and a great view of the water tower. Saturday we got up and headed on the "L" (subway system for Chicago) to the Museum of Science and Industry. We didn't realize how much in the bad part of town we were until I walked into a KFC to go to the bathroom. There was bulletproof glass from the floor to the ceiling and little things like they have in banks to put the food through. It was quite funny but thankfully God protected us and nothing happened. There were so many neat exhibits there, but not enough time to see them all. We did go to the genetics, U-505 (Real German submarine captured in WW2), the fairy castle, old time city, circus, farm, and rode(sp?) segways. I think there were a couple of others we quickly went through but I cant remember them right now. Then we headed back downtown and walked around Michigan Avenue and State street. I needed more time than we had here. Most stores were at least 3 stories and had a ton of clothes. Mikes feet got tired after I spent an hour and a half in the first store. We then headed to Grant Park where they had free live music and dancing. We danced for a bit then went dinner. After dinner we tried to make it to the Navy Pier to see the fireworks, but missed most of them sadly, thanks to public transportation. I have decided that the Subway system in NY is much better done.

Sunday we went to Jason and Ashley's church. We enjoyed their service and we met a girl that was invovled with RUF and UNC. After this we drove downtown and yet again got an amazingly good parking spot for free!!! I woulod have to say this next thing was probably my favorite thing we did. We rented bikes and took them all throughout the parks in Chicago (not all but the main ones). We stopped for lunch at the Navy Pier and found a Christmas ornament there (My mom always got Christmas ornaments from the places they visited and I loved looking at them as a child so I thought this would be a neat thing for us to do). We always went to a fancy street near Lincoln Park and stopped in the little boutiques. There was an actual Chocolate store there that had comfy sofas to sit in and eat chocolate. Talk about an Adams family heaven (since Tiff says we all like Chocolate so much =o). You could also try in truffle form any of the chocolates you were interested in. Mike at first didnt want any but then I gave him some and we were both hooked and had to buy some. Later that night we went to dinner at this fabulous Italian restuarants. It is rated one of the top 15 Pasta restuarants in America but suprisingly cost the same price as Olive Garden. The food was so good and Mike said it was the best lasagna he had ever had. After dinner we went up the John Hancock building and saw all the lights and then went to Ghiradelli for more dessert.

Overall we had a great trip but were alittle worn out afterwards. I think I am such a checklist person that we both just go and go so we can see everything people tell us to see. We are glad we were able to go and are hoping to maybe go back again next summer for the taste of Chicago and be able to stay downtown.

Brittany and Seths Wedding was a blast yesterday. Mike and I really enjoyed seeing several of our friends from church and our students in a relaxed setting. We left our house at 2:45 and did not return until 10, needless to say it was a long day. I enjoyed dancing but I couldnt persuade Mike on the dance floor too much, he enjoyed taking pictures of everyone else and hanging out with some of the other non-dancing guys. The reception was beautiful with all of the tables having unique flower arrangements and the delicious food from an Italian restuarant here. It was at the Brides parents house which could basically be called a wild animal farm with there being a zebra, alpacha, buffulo, longhorns, and miniature horses all in one pen together. I figure they are probably some extremely confused animals. The kids loved it though and I did try to pet the zebra but he would not come to me. We had a great time though and I hope you enjoy the pics.

Mike and I went to Nashville this past weekend to keep my cousins. They were alot of fun and I really enjoyed seeing their new baby kittens. I wanted so bad to have Oscar living with me again, but another time. We were able to go to the pool the first day and I forgot that when you go to the pool as a kid you dont just lay, read, and sleep, but you spend all your time in the water. It was fun but Mike and I were exhausted after 2 hours. The next day we found out Lauren (the oldest) had the chicken pox. She did great with it though and had the best attitude and never complained, I almost forgot she had them. The rest of the weekend was spent at home so that we did not expose other people to the virus, but we still had fun and watched movies, played games, and played outside. We really enjoyed being able to spend time with them just hanging out and relaxing and hope to get to see them again soon.

Memorial Day...so I know this is a little late but I decided to post it anyways. We went strawberry picking with Karen and Lee, who are in our married couples Bible study and we have been hanging out with more. I was really excited because I didnt think that people grew fresh strawberries in Kentucky. They were really good and I was able to freeze up some for smoothies. There is also a picture of our new little cutting board cabinet that we got from Blake and MaryAnn Johnson when they moved back to Tuscaloosa, Al. I have really enjoyed having it as it has given me more space to put things and to cut up things. I will post pictures sometime next week from our trip to Nashville.

UK Students... these pics are from the week when our students were there. It was alot of fun having them with us, but it was alot different from being a student. Needless to say we stayed so busy that I did not get one nap on the beach and when we left Saturday I did not want to leave the beach yet. Mike played lots of volleyball and basketball with the students and they got pretty far in the competition. Everyone had a good time though and seemed to learn alot from their seminars and from our main speaker.