The longest 7 minutes of my life

So, Clint and I have a Golden Retriever that we love more than anything in this world (OK that may a stretch... But Reynolds is up there). So, here we are on Goldsboro celebrating Christmas with all the Rouse family! Reynolds in a rare dog that he needs no leash, fence, electric fence, he just stays right in the back yard in the patio. He loves to be near people, so he normally just curls up on the door mat keeping watch on his family. So, the whole family was down in the basement watching the Wolfpack play basketball while Reynolds kept the patio down. It was half time so I decided to make my Mary way upstairs to check on our 4 legged son. Expecting for Reynolds to be in his normal spot, spooning the straw mat. But, he was not there! I stayed calm an just began calling his name.. No answer! I grabbed his treat jar and shook it (this is usually the best "Come" command) but still no R-Man! I freaked! I ran down stairs and told the whole family "Reynolds is gone! Call the cops! Call animal control! Call all animal shelters!" I freaked! Then our sweet family got in 3 cars, hannah and Charlie took Ridgewood, Clint took the back woods and I stood in the back yard crying and shaking the treat jar. Yes, I freaked! Every possible thought went through my head... He has been hit, he has been abducted, a deer has attacked him... All I could do was shake this little plastic jar. At this point I am by myself sitting in the back yard shaking this treat jar whispering "Reynolds!" 

.......

Then all of a sudden the bushes parted and here comes the happiest little 4-legged boy smiling with his tongue hanging out like he was saying "mom, I love hide and go seek!" Oh I was so happy he was home, but I also wanted to  spank this little boy for leaving his beloved door mat! 

So we called in the search committee and celebrated the coming home of our lost pooch!

 

So, this is what I learned through this lost and found saga of Reynolds! We probably have all heard the bible story of the prodigal son! Luke 15 says it like this:

¹¹ Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. ¹² The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.

¹³ “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. ¹⁴ After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. ¹⁵ So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. ¹⁶ He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

¹⁷ “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! ¹⁸ I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ ²⁰ So he got up and went to his father.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

²¹ “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

²² “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. ²³ Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate.²⁴ For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

²⁵ “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ²⁷ ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

²⁸ “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. ²⁹ But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. ³⁰ But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

³¹ “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. ³² But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

So often I feel like I have related to the younger son who leaves home and is shown grace by his father! Daily I stray from Jesus, squandering all the gifts he has given me, but I am always welcomed with those words saying....But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

But with Reynolds leaving, I totally related to our father and it gave me a new perspective... Why would I ever want to leave the care and the comfort of our Maker and Masters grip. I don't know about you guys, but I am going to stand firm on my "door mat" on my Masters "patio" being told "Welcome home Mary, lets celebrate because you were once lost, but you are now found!"

Welcome home Reynods!

My Best Friend is getting MARRIED!

The day that Leigh Kellerman and I been dreaming about since we were little girls came true on Saturday, December 21st! Her sweet boyfriend proposed in Myrtle Beach! I cannot wait for Leigh and Brently to be husband and wife! Let the wedding planning commence! Clint and I will get to spend Christmas Day night and all morning Thursday celebrating Brent-Leigh's new engagement! We couldn't be more excited for y'all! Can't wait to walk beside y'all in this season of life!

Brently and Leigh's first official picture together while dating!

Then their final picture together while dating and newly ENGAGED! 

Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Let the 12 days of Christmas begin! It came so fast! Yesterday was thanksgiving and tomorrow is Christmas! 

Clint and I have had a lot of fun preparing for Christmas in Ktown and starting new traditions. We cut down our Christmas tree. 

I decided to be crafty and make a new burlap tree skirt. For a not so crafty person it was a crafty afternoon. Here was the final product...

It was so easy, literally no sewing required just a hot glue gun! 

It is December 15th and have already been to 4 Christmas parties with friends and family. So, the celebration has begun!

I love this season of Advent, building up and anticipating Christmas! I have been reading a devotion by She Reads Truth all about Emmanuel: God with us! That Jesus was always the plan to come and be the God among us! This is one of the nuggets I loved the other morning...

I love that truth that we are imperfect vessels set to be filled with a perfect God! Just like how God used Mary to full with Jesus to be brought into this world! Mary was no princess in this world, but was seen by god as a princess of the most high God!

And a little sneak peek to Christmas card pictures!

Just walking through this life together! There is no other human being in this world I would want to spend all my time and nights with.

Scotty McCreery in K-town

So, I think I am officially feeling at home in K-Town. Kinston's slogan is "We are on the way" and I am believing it now that Scotty came to so a concert here. We were given tickets through work on the Tuesday before the concert and you would have thought I had won 1 million dollars. I was thrilled! So excited! Okay.., if you don't know who scotty is, let me clue you in. He won American Idol, from garner, and went to garner high school while we were leading Young Life there... So we kind of know him, Clint def does.  Okay, so now you know! We received these tickets for Clint and I an then my boss, his wife, and their 2 sons. And we made an event out of this concert! We had a good ole fashion tail gate... With bojangles (yes, kinston chick-fil-a was eating Bo's.. We called it BYOB... Bring your own bojangles!) we played corn hole, through the football, and hung out! Then we made our way into the show thinking we were just going to be standing in the back, but nope! Our friends at the woodman center had reserved VIP seats front row and center! Talk about a surprise and the best day ever. Scotty put on a great show, he really is a great performer! We had a blast! Here are a few pictures of the night....

Our tail gate

Yep... A little excited!

Garner represent

Thank you kinston for proving we are on the way by bringing scotty to k-town. 

My Bunkle Buh

My Bunkle Buh went to be with Jesus this past Sunday morning! And today we celebrated 55 years of his life. His funeral service was so beautiful and so Bunkle Buh. He has been driving a Ready Mix Concrete truck for the past 10 years and he LOVED his truck, so they brought his truck out to lead the recessional from the church to the cemetery. They had a big cross hanging from the top balcony. It was a beautiful site to see it leading the way! The preacher(s) did an incredible job  telling stories of Bunkle Buh, encouraging us about heaven and the kingdom that Jesus has prepared in advance for us, and talking about the grace and forgiveness Bunkle buh has received into his heart from Jesus! Here are a few pictures of Bunkle Buhs truck today! 

You will be so missed Bunkle Buh! I will always remember you at your favorite place that I have grown to love, Cape Lookout! I will never forget the way you say "Hey Maary." I will love every dog with your loving heart! I will try to love my Nieces and nephews half as much as you loved yours. I will tell my children about their great Bunkle buh who looks over them and wishes he could play with their toys on Christmas morning, how he is laughing in heaven when they are scared of the boogie man at night. I love and miss you so much Bunkle buh!

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=in9-6IxQbzk&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Din9-6IxQbzk

There is a song on the radio...

There is a country song on the radio right now that I think was written about Clint Rouse. And it just so happens to be the Chevy truck song on commercials! So, this blog post and song is dedicated to the one and only Clint Rouse! My STRONG husband and best friend!

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HItiJYwAPGQ&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DHItiJYwAPGQ#/user/Chevrolet

He's a 20-year straight get to work on time
He's loved one woman for all his life
He's a shirt off his back give you his last dime
He's strong.

He's a need to move something you can use my truck
He's an overtime worker when the bills pile up
Everybody knows he aint just tough
Hes strong.

Strong,
Hell pick you up and wont let you down
Rock solid inside out
Somebody you can trust
Steady as the sun
Aint nothing gonna knock him off the road hes rolling on
He's strong

It aint what he can carry, what he cant lift
Its a dirt road lesson talking to his kids
Bout how to hold your ground and how to live strong

He's strong
Hell pick you up and wont let you down
Rock solid inside out
Somebody you can trust
Steady as the sun
Aint nothing gonna knock him off the road hes rolling on
Hes strong

Strong, like a river rolling
Strong, gonna keep on going
Strong, when the road runs out
Their gonna keep on talking about how he was

Strong, strong
Hell pick you up and wont let you down
Rock solid inside out
Somebody you can trust
Steady as the sun
Aint nothing gonna knock him off the road hes rolling on
He's strong

Everybody knows he aint just tough, hes strong

Have a great day! 

Love,

 

The wife who loves chevron and the husband who loves Chevrolet 

So, it's been a month...

Where did October go? Man! Well, folks! A lot has happened in the Rouse House in the past 4 weeks! Where to begin?

Go ahead and clear the air... We are not pregnant. Were you expecting for me to announce that? Well nope

Okay for real, we still are in K-town getting more and more settled in our little town! We have made great friends who are intentional and super embracing. Clint and I both have found older men and women to pour into and to disciple us. Very thankful! We have joined a House Church (like a Bible study), we go on double dates, we eat a lot of chicken, and do a lot of Young Life! A typical week looks like this for us:

We work 9:30-5 Monday-Friday

Monday night we have Young Life Club!

Tuesday night we date each other! (Or have committee meetings)

Wednesday night we have House Church

Thursday night we date or are intentional with friends our age or high school friends

Friday night we are either traveling or at a Parrott football game.

That is a pretty typical week, but the past couple of weeks have been a blur on the weekends!

I went to Colorado with 4 of my best friends on this planet! Kelly Odom lives in Buena Vista, CO and works at a Young Life camp their (Trail west!) Anna, Becca, Stacey, and I flew out to be with Kelly for the best fun packed days! We laughed until we cried and laughed some more. I love these girls ALOT! The 5 of us lived together through out college! We tried to hike and the snow was too deep, we went to a pumpkin patch that had 4 pumpkins, we stayed in a home that could be on MTV cribs, made up hash tags, said sayings with the same inflection as "hump day!", sang some Celine dion and Gavin degraw! it was a fun filled weekend! And it wouldn't be us with our an impromptu photo shoot....

(This last one is the most natural!)

Here is the shot from our .2 mile hike... A foot of snow in capris...

Then...We did program at Windy Gap for Raleigh Young Life!

This weekend was such a blast! We were the silly people leading skits and making 600 high school kids laugh (hopefully) we were Bill and Faye Tomlison who were duck hunters with some SWAG trying to make it platinum. We served on program alongside of Leigh Kellerman (my BFF) and Brently (my bffs bf). SO fun!

Here is Leigh and I as the jeans! Ha! RIDICULOUS!

Then....the very next weekend Clint and I turned around and went to Carolina Pont with 86 Kinston high school friends! Such a blast! The Lord is so cool! For real! Carolina point is REAL far from K-town. To break it down we were on a bus for 16 hours and at camp for a total of 36 hours... But SO fun! Here are some pics:

The whole big group! For real! Goose bumps looking at this pic! K-town rolling deep!

This was the cabin I had the privilege to lead! All the jr and sr girls from APA! Love them! For real! These girls make me laugh so hard! 

And in all of this craziness my Bunkle Buh has been very sick. Bunkle buh is my moms little brother who is known as Uncle Bill by some, but I had a speech impediment as a child and coined his name as "Bunkle buh." He is the sweetest man who never had his own children, but loves me and my 2 big brothers as his own. He is the uncle who taught us the Boogie Man is real, would be at our house every Christmas Morning, never missed a birthday, bought Clint and I everything remaining on our wedding registry! To say the least, I love this man more than words and brings tears to my eyes while I type. His birthday is Monday and he will be turning 55. He has been fighting an infection in his liver for almost 9 months and he has been placed in Hospice this week. We are beginning to grieve the loss of our Bunkle Buh. Clinging hard to the truth that The Lord has a beautiful plan for his children! That He is calling this loved man home.

My Bunkle Buh

So... That was October and beginning of November. 

Very thankful for y'all!

27th Birthday Celebrations

27... Am I really already 27? On the inside I feel like I am 15. My voice makes me sound like an 8 year old. 75% of my friends are under the age of 21. So, am I really 27? Sounds so old and mature... 

Well, if you didn't know this about me. I love birthdays! Growing up my parents always made our birthdays a big celebration and event, so I always get so excited when October 1st comes around!  And this was a fun year of celebrations!!! It all started with a home state game last weekend where Mom, BD, Thom, Margaret, carter, Clint and I tailgated and celebrated. This was so fun, great weather, and just great to be together! 

Here are a few highlights! Saw sweet college friends! Carter met a real cheerleader! And the Pack won!

Then on my actual day Clint and I went to dinner in Greenville to a Japanese restaurant! SO good! That night some new kinston girl friends took me to desert at the Chef and the farmer!!SO good! This is a really nice restaurant in K-town! They have a new TV show on PBS you should all watch, The Chefs Life! Any ways, the chocolate cake was incredible! Here are a few pictures from that day:

Bojangles for breakfast, Japanese for supper, and The Chef for desert!

Then this past Thursday night hannah and Charlie took us out to dinner to celebrate in Kinston. K-town has some great restaurants! We ate at the new Asian place, Ginger 108... So good! Biggie and Betty came as well and were so sweet! So thankful for this family that has embraced me so well!

Thank y'all so much for making my birthday so special! I really felt so loved by your cards, texts, posts, etc! 

And... If you need a laugh... Check out this photo from the face juggler app!

Yes! This is biggie and Clint's face on each others bodies! Many belly laughs this morning at breakfast!

20 Years!

Happy 20th wedding anniversary to Mom and Bigdaddy! Mimi and Pop-pop! Y'all are so loved! To celebrate this special occasion Thom, Margaret, Carter, Stewart, Karla, Phoebe James, Clint, and I had supper in Cary! It was such a sweet day to celebrate a day we all remember! Here is a photo for your viewing enjoyment!

 September 12, 1993

Stewart, Thom, Mary Kathryn, Mom, Lee, ben, and Matt 

Life in Kinston (take 2)

2 words: Dove Season! Clint has done some dove hunting. We have about 30 little birdy breasts in our freezer. I was VERY skeptical of eating these peace symbol birds for supper... But wow! They were DELICIOUS!!! Clint can cook! He wrapped these little puppies in bacon, put some cheese, and a jalepeneo on it... Incredible! So, I have encouraged Clint to dove hunt as often as he can. Seriously..contact work? Dove hunt! Donor care? Dove hunt! Date night? Dove hunt! no just kidding not date night! I would I have never thought I would be craving some fresh shot dove... I guess it is official: I am an ENC girl!

Here is a picture time frame of the birds!

Eat More Dove!

And then the prettiest bird dog out there who sleeps at Clint's feet while on the hunt:

Reynolds!

Women's weekend 2013

For 7 years my mama and I have been traveling to Windy Gap for Women's Weekend. This is such a sweet weekend to be together and to be refreshed by Jesus's sweet grace. This years theme was all about our stories and that our little stories are a part of the lords much bigger story! It was so fun to discuss with mom and Mary Jane how all of our stories are intertwined together, that our stories have influenced each others. Mary Jane and mom are sweet sweet soul sisters that live behind each other, so it is so fun to be on this retreat with them! 

Windy Gap is a special place with so many memories and it is so fun to think of the stories that are left to be told at this sacred place. Bring it on!

So, a few highlights from the weekend:

-feeling like little girls with mom and MJ (taking jumping pictures)

-ELLIE HOLCOMB (aka: my girl crush)

-surprise friends at the retreat that I didn't know would be there, Ashley Ramsey who just moves to georgia with her hubby!

-solitude all day Saturday to sit by the pool and REST!

-cold mountain air and being able to wet sweaters!

-sweet Raleigh friends on work crew!

-eating lunch at the grove park in

-visiting with Stewart, Karla, and Phoebe James on the way home!

Here are a few pics from my phone, more pics from camera will be uploaded later!

The Bunk Monkeys:

Ellie! Love how genuine she is, she is the first to say she doesn't have it all together! Her heart for Jesus is so evident in the way she performs!

I love the program for women's weekend is always slightly inappropriate and 100% directed towards women. Theseare the   Jeans!

Lauren Richards! I love her!

The Grove Park Inn!

 

The Kincaid Family!

From where I sit

This is where I have been sitting all morning. What a gift to sit in this beautiful place, listening to the waves, and reading. With Clint being a young life area director we are invited for a staff conference at Ocean Isle and while Clint and the other staffers are in a meeting I have chosen to be a little introvert and sit. Just sit! And it has been a gift to just sit and be present. It has hit me that we have lived in K-town for a month and a half, and we have been going hard. Between moving, unpacking, YL trips, beginning new jobs, making new friends, taking every chance we get to see family, saying yes to every opportunity in town to meet new people, it has been awesome, but also exhausting. So, sitting this morning has been relaxing, refreshing, and I have been reminded of whom has called me. One of my favorite books is Love Does by Bob Goff, such a great book! A fun quote this morning that got me thinking was, "will you take what you think defines you, leave it behind, and let ME define who you are instead." What a great thought to sit in and be reminded that I am not defined by what I do, why I have, or WHERE I LIVE! Jesus is the defining thing of my life, of our marriage, and of our residency! I hope that is an encouraging thought for you today!

I have also been sitting in Psalm 103 as I sit here, this is a hefty copy and paste that is about to happen, but it is SO GOOD!

Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s! The Lord gives righteousness and justice to all who are treated unfairly. He revealed his character to Moses and his deeds to the people of Israel. The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust. Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die. The wind blows, and we are gone— as though we had never been here. But the love of the Lord remains forever with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children’s children of those who are faithful to his covenant, of those who obey his commandments! The Lord has made the heavens his throne; from there he rules over everything. Praise the Lord, you angels, you mighty ones who carry out his plans, listening for each of his commands. Yes, praise the Lord, you armies of angels who serve him and do his will! Praise the Lord, everything he has created, everything in all his kingdom. Let all that I am praise the Lord. (Psalms 103:1-22 NLT)

First Home Wolfpack Football Game!

Fun fact for you today, the Rouse House loves the Wolfpack! Specifically, Carter-Finley Stadium! Almost 3 years ago we became engaged in the Carter-Finley stadium! Flash back for you:

It is so fun to watch the Wolfpack play and remember this fun moment!

So, today was the season opener for N.C. State football! It was beautiful and it was HOT! 

Clint and I invited our sweet friends Kelly and Eric Hovis to go with us to the game! We tailgated and enjoyed time with our friends.  The Hovis family is preparing to leave in 5 days to live in Central Asia!I So thankful for their obedient hearts! We are praying for y'all as you prepare to leave! You should follow the Hovis family blog: http://ericandkellyhovis.blogspot.com/

Here are a few fun pictures of our afternoon with Kelly and Eric!

Pre-sweat shot

SO thankful for this friend! You will be the Tammy Taylor of Central Asia!

Go pack!!