Learning and Living...

Hi there! 

Happy Wednesday!  So... I've been learning a LOT lately! I haven't been able to figure out how to say it all yet... but I am surely learning.  I guess when you stop throwing pity parties for yourself and start asking God to make your teachable... He does it. Not to say that I don't get sad or just miss my kiddos that live miles away... I'm just trying to learn through the tears and the thrills instead of dwelling in discouragement. 

Anywho... check out what we've been doing...

I love taking pictures that the Bible study girls can look back on and see where God has brought them. So... for the last Bible study of the year... I took pictures of the girls with a verse that they could cling to no matter what the future, or the past, held! Aren't they cool? 

Then... we graduated off some really great people...

And had a really great service to celebrate them...

I'm excited about our next group of seniors movin' on up! They are awesome too! Can't wait to eat lunch with EACH one of the girls this summer... that's my goal! 

Just a reminder... our dogs are ridiculous... Jubi is lounging... on a table... she's weird. She's gotten on the patio table and just laid there everyday this week... strange! 

This is how they greet us.  Yes... the black blob at the bottom is Jubi.

For Memorial Day weekend we got to spend time at the beach with Ashley and Jared.... it was fabulous!!! Love spending time with them... and JOHANNA!!!! 

Life is good. It's good to be taught. It's good to live and learn... to enjoy the moments in the waiting.  To be thankful for the here and now and excited about the future.  

a weekend of together in pictures...

Hi there.

Here's my weekend in pictures. We went to Birmingham this weekend to see family and to get more friends married. 

I got to meet my new nephew, Barett. He's precious! My neice, Ava, is with me too. They are precious. I got to play with Polly Pockets with Ava, hold Barett, and visit with my bro and sis-in-law. It such a sweet time. 

WEDDING FESTIVITIES:

The wedding was at the coolest place EVER. Look how pretty it is! 

Here's me and 2 other Morgan ladies. I love them. 

Ashley... my sis-in-law... she loves Jesus. She has taught me how to be a lover of Jesus, a wife, a mother, a forgiver, and more. 

Here's me and my cute hubby... he was in the wedding.  We are looking good! 

Being at wedding makes me so thankful I married this man.  I wouldn't trade my life in Troy, with him, for anything. God knows what He's doing. 

LOOK... I have on heels! 

Here's my precious mommy. We got to spend lots of time together this weekend - shopping, Olive Garden, Momma G's, seeing family! It was so good!! She is the best mommy ever!!! :)

Jacob and his fellas. 

These boys have been besties for years. I love how God has changed each of them... it's nuts... really. 

The one with the black vest is the new husband! Good luck Matt!!! :) 

Lil' Jo!! 

Jacob adores her!! :)  

And last... as you can see in his eyes... something awful has happened... 

Walt had to say good-bye to his girlfriend... the blanket. 

She went into the trash today... he was devastated. BUT this thing smelled SO awful! It was time to move on... I had to be the bad parent to finally throw it in the can... 

running the race...

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!! 

Hope your day is grand. My Valentine got me some flowers and a card... even though he promised he wouldn't. They are lovely. I love them and him...

One another note...

This weekend we also went to my bro-in-law's ordination service that was held Sunday night.  This is a big deal and we are extremely proud of him! To be ordained means to be set apart, called, chosen... and I promise that Jared and Ashley are both ordained to serve Christ is crazy ways.  The ordination is just the approval of a council of men and the church on what God has already done, given, and said.  We are so honored to be a part of their journey, to see the awesome ways that God is using them now, and are prayerful about the next phases in their ministry together.  They leave in July for full-time foreign missions. PRAY. 

Sunday morning, Jared ran a marathon in downtown Birmingham... a MARATHON people!! he's nuts! That's 26.2 miles!!! That's disgusting! My body wants to literally crumble thinking about running for 4 hours straight!!! AHH!! But... Jared did it! He ran! He finished! He completed a dern marathon!! He ran a marathon and got ordained all in the same day... pretty awesome.  Jared told his testimony and then people spoke into his life and ministry.  The pastor of his church spoke at the ordination service - he said a lot of really good things like:

• just because you are in the ministry, doesn't mean you are automatically filled, you have to continually be in the Word, being FILLED and satisfied with Him.
• Like in a marathon, you have to have endurance.  You will get frustrated and discouraged in ministry. You will want to give up. DON'T! Press on! Remember His faithfulness, goodness, and love so far... and press on. keep running. Jared hit a break wall in his marathon at about mile 20... he wanted to quit... but he didn't.  He pressed on.  His pastor encouraged him to do the same in ministry. If he can physically push his body to keep running, he can press on towards the forever victory! I thought that was such a powerful picture! :) 
• To live with integrity. To live an honest, open, transparent, truth-filled life. Set boundaries. Guard your heart. Set safeguards in your life where you need them - on the internet, TV, music, what you read, etc. Guard your heart and your family. 

This picture is so powerful to me.  After the pastor spoke and other people shared time in the service, there was a time for "laying on of hands." This isn't some creepy thing... just time for other ordained men to speak and pray truth over you.  Jared is kneeling in the picture and the man praying over him is Ernie... our youth pastor. Ernie... God has used him in so many ways. I have typed and erased about 15 times trying to figure out how to explain him.  He's the reason that me, Jacob, Jared, and so many of our friends are who we are today. He poured his life into ours. He prayed for us daily (I have no doubt). He taught us truth. He laughed with us. He loved Jesus first and we saw it and wanted it.

All of the fam (me, Jacob, and the parentals) were a little teary during this moment. It's just so awesome that Ernie had the opportunity to see the fruit of his work and the faithfulness of God. And so awesome for Jared to have the man who led him the Christ praying over him as he is sent out to the mission field. 

I started thinking about our youth and the amazing ways that God is using my husband. I love to see Jacob pouring into, praying for, and loving the students! I don't know what God has in store for the students' lives, but we are so honored to be a part of it. Maybe one day we can be a part of something like this for the kids that we are constantly investing in! Sending them off to speak about the amazing love and truth of Jesus!!! Who knows what God has planned! He's crazy!! 


And... I just love this video and think you should watch it because it's great! 

just another fabulous friday in february

Hello there.  - I don't know why, but I always feel like I need to greet the world before I start vomiting away. So... hello. 


This week has been good. I felt felt very overwhelmed and satisfied (at the same time) by Jesus this week. I have not been afraid of things I have feared even last week. He has assured me. He is just really good. 


Jacob and I are going on a marriage retreat this weekend. I'm pumped... I think Jacob is too. It's not anywhere special... just Montgomery. But I am so looking forward to us time... JANNA time. Janna (Jacob+Anna=Janna) is what our high school friends called us even when we weren't dating (we swore we didn't like each other for like 4 years... but obviously... something was a brewin'). I don't know what marriage retreats look like so it should be entertaining, enlightening, and enjoyable! :) I feel like a baptist preacher when I do that with words.  "The 3 E's of a marriage conference".  Ha! Anywho... I will let you know how that goes... all the awkward moments, the great moments... don't worry I will leave out the Victoria Secret rated moments.  ha! 


Sunday, we are heading up to the Ham to be apart of Jared's ordination service. I am excited about that and so honored to be there for it. I've told this keyboard before (because I don't know who I am actually telling) that Jared has been a brother to me since I was in the 7th grade. I have seen God grab hold of him and never let go. He has impacted mine and Jacob's lives in so many ways!! Excited to share this day with him, Ashley, and JoJo. By the way... here's a pic of me a JoJo... ain't she presh? 

Another thing I am excited about is a video I am making for Bible Study!!! it's FABULOUS!!! It's Valentine's ya know... love is in the air... so we need to have the annual sex talk in Bible study.  I decided to recruit some help this year! From whom you might ask... well, I chose these love experts:

Please note the puffiness of my checks... I had just had my wisdom teeth taken out, had to be driven to school by my mom, thrown up lots, and was determined to dance the night away at BARN PARTY with the BESTIES! :) All worth it.

We are all in different stages in our life and it's just beautimous!!! We have the old married one (even though she's younger than me), ENGAGED one, single one, married one (me), and dating one!!! :) I asked them about making a video of their thoughts, what Jesus was teaching them, and what the importance of purity is to each of them! They were pumped to make the videos, and can I tell ya... they are hilarious! :) I can't wait to show them to the girls on Monday! I am editing them, putting them to music, and adding some sass to it!! I love it! :) I am so thankful for friends that are willing to make crazy videos, talking about Jesus and encouraging girls they barely know! That's true friendship... it really is. I hope you all have a Lindsey Jo (to make you laugh and keep you grounded), a Ami (to pray for you, laugh with, and show you true strength), a Beck (to keep you thinking, determined, and in line), and a Em (for all the in betweens and so much more). It's just good... God knew what I needed when I moved to the UT! 

Something interesting you may not know about me... I LOVE ZUMBA! :) It's so stinking fun. We have a fabulous ZUMBA teacher here in Troy! :) great right? But I just love going, making new friends, looking crazy, and dancing the night away.  Zumba can make a girl feel pretty sexy (minus all the sweat and body odor). I think all women should feel sexy and worth it! It's important. When you feel good about yourself, you feel good about your husband, friends, plans, life, and everything else. So... you should all go to Zumba! If you are ever in Troy... let me know and we will definitely go because Zumba-Master Sherri can make ya feel like a million bucks and ready for the Victoria Secret Fashion Show - okay, maybe not that sexy but... o well. 

I am excited about life right now. I see God moving in VERY tangible ways. I see my prayers being answered... clearly. I see things happening and changing. I see Him making a way. I don't want to miss out. I want to be right in the middle of His movement. I want to hear all about it. I want to be obedient. I want to fight for joy and fight for freedom for myself and for my friends. 

Thanksgiving Picture EXPLOSION!!!!

Last week was GREAT and as promised... a picture EXPLOSION right here for you. Are you ready??? Here it goes!!! 

The First ever Connection Thanksgiving dinner

It was wonderful and made my heart so full!!! 

It was very humbling at the same time. I went to each table and asked what they were thankful for this year. I had asked my Bible study girls this same question a week before and got answers like: phone, car, clothes, family, friends, etc.  - the typical teenage girl answer.  The answers that my friends at Connection gave me were quite different.  Every table answered the same: "I'm just thankful to be alive!"  WOW!! How often do I take that for granted!! I am so thankful for my friends that come every month to eat dinner with us.  I am truly thankful to be alive and trust in a LIVING Savior! 

FAMILY THANKSGIVING!! YUM!!! 

Here's me and my hotty totty hubby!!! :) We are thankful for each other!! He's the only boy that could EVER understand me!!! :)

We had Thanksgiving dinner at my aunt's house (the 2nd from the right). Her house is AWESOME and has a table that can sit 14!!! It was SO awesome to eat lunch ALMOST all together!!! The picture above is a picture of my mommy and her lovely sisters!!!! They are a hoot!! Funny story about the turkey - mom had to go pick it up from my cousin's restaurant.  The guy told her to heat it for 3 hours in the oven and it would be good to go.  So mom, being a good person, followed the instructions. Well, when we arrived at Sue's house to reveal the yummy turkey. Sue unwrapped the foil, stood starring for a moment, and then said "Kay... did you not take the plastic off?"  Ha! :) Mom cooked the turkey, lovingly named Tom, in the plastic!! It was still yummy... just look at him! 

Here's the famous mac!!! It was SOO GOOD!!!!!! I want more now! 

Here's my precious grandparents!!! I love them! Nanny and PawPaw! 

Here's us with Nanny and PawPaw!!! Please note... I am turning into my Nanny - I hope I'm as cute as her when I'm 80!! Jacob has a lot of entertaining coming with me! 

Me and my mommy!! :)

Please notice the cute little one in the pic... he wanted to be in every picture... so of course we let him.  His name is ClayTON.  He's my cuzzy's son! 

Here's ClayTON - PRESH!! 

Here's the Morgans and the Wombles!! My cuzzy and his cute wifey, Ashley!! Love them! 

On to the Morgan Family Dinner: 

Walt was forced to watch the festivities from the backyard. He was heart-broken, but o so cute! :)

Me and lil' Johanna!!She was so cute in her gobble gobble outfit!!! :) 

The Morgan brothers!!! :) 

Father and son!! 

I'm upset we didn't get a big family picture at the Morgans.  Jacob's Nanny takes a TON of pictures at every event, but I don't have a copy of them. 

NASHVILLE and ISAAC HENRY!!!! 

I MET HIM!!! He's perfect!!! He's soo tiny and lanky and I LOVE HIM!!!! 

Me and my BESTIE Em! :) I love her a lot! 

Some of my FAVORITEST people in the whole world!!! It was so good to see them, love on them, hear about life, and enjoy a new cutie!! Lindsey Jo and Bryant are SUCH good parents. It warmed my heart to see them love on their son... love love love my time with them!! 

This is my favorite picture from the visit!!! Isaac Henry SCREAMING and Em laughing!!! That's usually how our life is!!! I LOVE IT! 

I want you all to know that I am a closet expert diaper changer!!!! Ask Em or LJ or my mom!! They'll tell ya!! I impressed myself! 

Saturday, me and Em went out with the moms shopping!! It was a joyous time and I thought we should remember it with this lovely picture of us and the HUGE ornaments!!!! 

I am so thankful for my Thanksgiving break!!!! 

Tales to Tell

Things are going good. I have lots to tell about what has happened - in no particular order - here they are:

1. Jacob and I have become Uncle Jacob and Auntie Ann to our new niece Johanna Annette Morgan!!! She was born YESTERDAY, Aug 3. She weighed 7 lbs. 7 oz. and is 21.5 inches long! As our good friend Barrett put it... she's a surf board - TALL and SKINY.  She's beautiful and has red hair - I'm still the only Morgan with dark hair. What's up with that? We are so excited for the story God is writing for Johanna. Join us in praying for her.  She will be a missionary with her parents starting next year in a foreign country. Lift them to Jesus.

Da Baybay! 

The happy parentals!!! 

Don't get ANY ideas! 

Auntie Ann! 

2. We took the youth to the beach last weekend - it was a blast. it wasn't filled with sit-down Bible study lessons, curriculum, or a worship set list - it was just all of us enjoying our church family... it was good. We stayed at a family friend's beach house in Gulf Shores - YAY for knowing people and them being crazy nice enough to let 14 youth take over for a weekend! Here's a re-cap:

The boys bought these beautiful shirts for the trip and were nice enough to buy my hubby one... AND THEY WORE THEM! really cute... umm... I don't know what else to say.

we hunted crabs!!! That white thing hanging off the net is a crab!! It was a blast. 

p.s. i love these girls. Mer was also there but isn't too fond of crabs - by that i mean she is hysterically scared of them.  but i adore Mer too.

we took lots of jumping pictures because that's what we do! 

The boys lost a bet wanted to put on the girls swimsuits (which the girls could only wear tankinis anyways...) and walk around on the beach.  The people next to us just so happened to have hula-hoops with them so the boys put on a show for us on the shore!! HILARIOUS... and creepy!! 

We went put-putting. These fellas spotted some lady put-putters and showed me the manly flirting stance that is sure to work on all ladies!!! Take note men!!! Make sure chest out, chin up, eyes focused, and playing it cool...

Here's our group. We ate at Tacky Jack's 2!! It was yum and then we got this beautiful pic! 

3. My hubby is wonderful. He ministers to my heart all the time. Yes, we get in tiffs and get on each other nerves and are different people, but he is a good husband. He speaks truth to me. He is transparent with me about his heart and feelings and I appreciate that more than anything. I have talked with MANY women who don't have husbands who will do devotionals with them, talk about their relationship with Christ, or pray with them. I do. I have a thankful heart. :)

4. So... I had to say good-bye later to one of my favorite people I have known in Troy. She has accepted me as a teacher, listener, and friend from the beginning. We have shared with each other our fears, victories, and goals. I am going to miss her dearly as she leaves to follow her dreams! She is wonderful. She is one of my Bible study girls. God has given her passions, talents, dreams, boldness, and direction.  I'm  eager to see how God continues to use her in her destination. She is wonderful and I will dearly miss her. Don't worry - there's Skype, texting, and roadtrips!!! But i'll miss her face. Here she is with her cutey bag i got her:

 

5. July Connection!! Woot Woot!! We fed families, passed out school supplies, school uniforms, and spread the love of Jesus all over some people!!!

That's all for now.