A shoutout from the Hubby just when I needed it!

A total God thing happened to me this weekend.

Everyone... I'm serious!

 

Over the past two weeks I have only talked to Scott twice, a total of twenty minutes. And that's like torture for my wife mind & heart. I have a million things I want tell him, including the really important things that I NEED to tell him.

So to say the least, this past two weeks have been hard(er).

I have been trying to be all positive about it, but I just couldn't muster it the last few days. We had some family activities and

 I just missed my Husband and wanted him there.

 

So then Sunday came and the message my pastor, Mr. Marty, had

God used to really speak to me.

"God is in control."

 

As Christians, we know that in this life we will have trouble. Jesus tells us that in John 16:33. But the rest of the verse tells us to, "Take heart! For I have overcome this world."

Put simply.. Jesus is awesome! He is our comforter during all of these troubles, and He also tells us to rejoice during our trials. Maybe that is why the flash mob that I was apart of was during church this weekend, Thanks Megan! (check that out on my instagram or facebook!)

 

One of the parts from Marty's message that stuck out to me this morning was from Acts 12:6-11.

God is in control... "Even when it's midnight (the last minute). It's never too late for God."

 

I have been praying this past week for God to just let Scott call me, get a hold of me... even if it were for just ten more minutes. I just need to hear his voice and let him know some of the stuff that has been happening on the home front.

BUT GOD did something so much better!

(Mr. Marty-- see what I did there, I used our challenge!)

This morning I woke up with a facebook message that I was tagged in from my Mama-in-love and a call from my Daddy.

Scott is the sailor of the week on his ship!

{a big deal}

There was a little interview & a picture of my hott Hubby!

And he looks amazing and so happy in his picture.

I am extremely proud of him!!!!!!!!!

 

And another part of this miracle, whoever on the ship that put it on facebook added it at midnight thirty Utah time!

 

 

 

If you look on facebook, of course I shared the whole thing, you can read the interview of what he said and then when asked if there is anything you would like to say to friends and family back home, he answered, "I miss my wife Kassidi, my family, and my dog, Mallow."

A SHOUTOUT FROM MY HUSBAND!!!

*Butterflies! I feel like I just got a telegram*

God did it better than I could have ever thought of.

A shoutout, a picture, & his accomplishments!

One proud Navy wife right here!

 

Seriously, this week couldn't have started any better!

Thank you Scott for working so hard for our family, living out your dreams, and making me the proudest wife in the entire world!

I love you.

 

Now let's just hope that he can see my shoutout for him.

 

 

 

A little sad, but good story?

I was trying to show Mallow Scott's picture as I was telling her, "Mallow! Look, it's Daddy!"

She got all excited, but kept going to the door to look for him..

Broke my heart, but I am so glad that Scott mentioned her! 

 

{Jeremiah 29:11}

 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

 

A Jazz win & a shared elevator, Channel 2 News, and the Dead Sea Scrolls.

This past weekend my family headed to Salt Lake City for the weekend.

For Christmas our parents gave us all tickets to a Jazz game, in a suite!

 They served us dinner and dessert as we watched the game. It really was such a blast.

For those of you who did NOT watch the game... we won in the last TWO seconds!

 It was crazy and yes, I am the Jazz fan who is jumping up and down screaming!

And then! And then!!!  As we were waiting for the elevator, I noticed a familiar face inside.

Jerry Sloan.

It took me forever to let my dad know and then we all squished into the elevator.

Breathing in the same air, and my dad did get his handshake!

*I, however, have already met and taken a picture with him on my 19th birthday! My mom and I went to a Jazz game where we had FLOOR seats and a meet & greet with the players.*

My mom was SO EXCITED that her name was at our Suite!

The family with my brother's girlfriend & adorable son.

We shared our Suite with the Tarbells! Here are the sisters!

Looking at all of the people & the big buses.

My Daddy showing Kohen his straw trick.

Ever since I remember, going to Jazz games were precious times for our family. My parents made sure that we all went at least once a year, forever Jazz fans. And normally, after we enjoy the game... we head over to Channel 2 News.

Okay seriously, if you haven't done this.. You are missing out.

As they are filming the news, they are sitting in front of a window. A window in which you can stand behind and be apart of the news!

So... My mom LOVES to go and tells everyone at home to watch us. This trip was probably the most fun we have ever had--- and had about 30 minutes of show time!

{We might have been those three crazy ladies in the background if you were watching on Saturday night} 

My mom, Sister, & I died laughing as we came up with crazy dance moves--stay tuned to that later! And my dad just casually filmed us.... Sorry Scott, embarrassing you from the home front! ;)

No autographs, please.

Oh, oh, oh! Can you see us?!!?

On Sunday, our plan was to go to see the Dead Sea Scrolls.

They truly are amazing and was a once-in-a-life-time experience!

More proof that the Bible is true and accurate.

I love being a Christian!

But really, if you can go--- you need to go! It's incredible and unfortunately, you aren't allowed to take the pictures that I wanted to take.

But one other neat tidbit is that my sister and I both wrote prayers that are going to be taken to an ACTUAL wall of the Jerusalem temple!

And then as our parents were taking forever their sweet time going through the exhibit, my Sister & I headed upstairs to play. They have crazy inventions and things that Disney uses to make their movies. We had a lot of fun there and took some pictures!

Had lunch with my best friend, Amberteen!

and

I also got new Pandora charms!!

My Mama-in-love gave me a charm for my birthday that didn't fit on my Pandora bracelet,

so I had to go exchange it.

A cute plane because I love to travel.

A letter because of this deployment and all of the other times writing letters were the only communication my Love & I had.

And an awesome pink crystal to add some elegance & color!

Living in Utah---Without Scott & with my family.

When I was a little girl dreaming of being married--- I never imagined being married to a man in the Navy who could possibly be deployed. Saying that, I would NEVER take that away. I love being married to my Navy man & being a Navy wife,

 but it does have its challenges.

The challenge that I am facing this season?

A season of living withOUT Scott...and staying with my family for four [blessed] months. Both are completely different challenges, but putting them together is the challenge of this season.

LIVING IN UTAH--without Scott & with my family.

I am such a family girl, so given the opportunity to live with my family after getting married is actually a huge blessing. As much as I feel completely blessed, it also comes with it's own set of challenges. Just a few,

1) Not my house anymore.

Scott & I have a beautiful home in NC that we have decorated our own way, our own rooms, our own chores, our own schedules. Now I am living with my family who also has their own sets of "own ways" that things are done. *And they are very different from even when I was growing up in our home* It's been a challenge from going from being a wife of my own home, back to a daughter of my parents' home.

2) I am working as a substitute teacher.

I never, ever thought that I would be working as a teacher (Art teacher). It isn't what I studied at college and so it's been challenging being thrown into it. The kids are great (K-5th grade) and it is making the time away from Scott more bearable.

With us moving every few years, my resume is going to be very colorful!

3) Not being able to communicate with my Husband.

I knew that I wasn't going to have the luxury of seeing, calling, or texting Scott whenever I would like...but I never thought that it would be this complicated. We have overcome long distance in very many different situations during our relationship, but that was either through dating or through our engagement.

Being married and not being able to talk to each other? Now that is tough! Even without all of the romanticness of hearing from each other, it is hard to deal with the business side of being married (bills, taxes, income, spending, etc).

Those are a few of the challenges of this season.

BUT with challenges comes blessings.

Here are some of the blessings that I have had since I have been able to be in Utah with my family.

 Going four-wheeler riding.
I am a mountain girl, I just love everything about it!
Going ten minutes from my home to the mountains are something that I just don't have in NC.

My mom and her friend started up a teenage girls bible study called C4. One of the main focuses of this study is service, and I helped them make cards to send to Scott & his guys! Our hero's. 

I am so blessed to be able to be apart of this!

 One of my best friends is getting married this June (YAY!) and I am so blessed to be able to be here with her to help plan...and make decorations such as these gold candles!

Another blessing is to be able to spend time with friends that I haven't been able to in a very long time. Catch up and remember everything about sixth, seventh, & eighth grades together!

 One of the things I was looking forward to the most about being able to go home--- My sister's SWEET SIXTEEN!
For her friends party, we decided to do an "Evening in Paris".

There she is ladies & gentlemen---

My baby sister with her DRIVERS LICENSE!
Everyone in Vernal, Utah--be careful on the roads!

"The joy of the Lord is my strength."

Thriving---even though I'm fragile.

I was going to title this post "Surviving", but really... I feel like I am thriving through this deployment. Don't get me wrong, I literally HATE being away from Scott and I would actually love to be able to be married to my Husband AND live with him. And well, it really only has been a month. BUT that means only seven more months to go! {Hopefully not any longer} So I have my "bad" moments, but as a positive person, I can't dwell on those pesky negative thoughts or I would go insane! 

But more on the thriving part, I had a great last couple of weeks in February. Of course it is my birthday month and Scott wasn't here to celebrate it with me [we still haven't been able to celebrate together for one of my birthdays---next year though!!] but my friend Breann came and stayed with me for ten days and we had a blast. We traveled up to Virginia Beach and celebrated my birthday with my second family! They sure do know how to spoil a birthday girl! (They love me WAY more than they love Scott ha) Twenty-three will be an exciting year!

 

Then we had down time in Jacksonville (showed her a little of how it is being a military wife), traveled to Wilmington, and then Southport. Traveling to Southport was a spur of the moment trip because we found out that is where Safe Haven was filmed and we just HAD to go check it out. We definitely did find most of the big locations in the movie! *insert giddy girls who definitely attracted some greaaaat looks from the locals*

Mallow got into my flowers and got pollen all over. Needless to say, this is how she looked on our trip to Utah!

And now?! Now I am living in Utah for four months, working as a substitute art teacher (K-5th) & loving the time that I am blessed to have with my family and friends. After living outside of Utah on different occasions, I never take advantage of time I am able to spend with everyone in person.

Mallow's first 4-wheeler ride--she absolutely loved it!

It's already been an adjustment, I am fragile, and I am sure going to miss my home and friends in NC {and my Lucee Bug}... But how better to spend the time apart from my Husband than with my loving family!? Exactly.

So--all of my family, friends, & strangers, please keep praying for Scott and I! He is having a great time traveling the different countries, being immersed into the different cultures. He has loved being able to help train the different militaries, but he misses home & would rather be with me in Vernal {Husband points!}. If anyone wants to send care packages, I can definitely let you now his address and I'm sure him and his guys would LOVE to have more care packages sent with love.

Back on the fragile part, this is very true. I'm only strong because God is helping me be strong throughout this deployement, but I am still a wife without her husband. I might need an extra minute to explain myself, a moment to cry on your shoulder, or just a moment to be completely distracted. Thanks again to everyone who is helping me be strong throughout this! 

Here are some of the military pictures Scott & I were able to take before he left, all thanks to Hearts Apart. 

Enjoy--and no crying!