On Jan. 2nd we were married at 7 O'clock in Greer. There we said goodbye to our families and friends and headed to New Orleans. That night I said goodbye to two of the most important people in my life my sister and niece. It's been almost a year since we have since them and miss them so much. That missing has lead to Kris dealing with some crazy breakdowns.
Janurary - brought NEW- We found our selves in a brand new world. We spent more time with family that Kris use to only see every once in a while. Keisha and E.J became more than family but friends.
Februray -brought in laws and friends-we got our puppy Cocky Wallace (my dad would hate to admit it) but he is one of the family. That same week on Valentines we got a surprise visit from Billy and Bonnie. It was good to see family, we had missed them.
Mardi Gras came and with it, it brought my brother (the last time I saw him in person) and two very dear friends April and Ashley. We had a ball. No we didn't do any wild parties or crazy things like that but just enjoyed the fun, that people who don't live here miss out on and judge.
March- brought who knows- I stayed forever 21 in march. We got settled in and the dog was semi-potty trained
April- brought South Carolina- our first time going to South Carolina. As being from South Carolina I missed it dearly plus my family and we got to see them and we loved seeing them :-)
May-brought injury. Kris hurt his knee and had to have surgery. It was hard, I didn't have a job and man did God provide. The day before Kris got hurt I got offered a job and the day after he got hurt I was to go in from training. We made it through with help from the church, family and friends. God had a plan through it all.
June- brought how in the world are we gonna- Kris had his surgery. The Saturday before he did our cousin's wedding. He prepared for Centrifuge. He showed how much he loved the kids cast and all. But I wondered how are we gonna pay rent, go to the beach with youth, and so many more questions.
July- brought a job offer for me. The semi-dream job. To teach fourth grade. We both agreed that I should take the job. Nervous as can be I took the job. I spent that last two weeks in July buying supplies and decorating to have the best environment to offer those children.
August- brought a nervous teacher and another job offer. Kris was now able to work and he found a new love. He was offered a job in aftercare. Thanks to the wonderful Robin ( who we spend a lot of time with and her two daughters whom we love so much.) Have you ever walked into a room of fourth graders and wonder if they will like you? Will yes of course you did when you were in the fourth grade but being 22 (or forever 21) might be a little odd. I knew their names and where each one would sit, I knew what handed they were, what they wanted to learn, and their favorite subjects. But I didn't know them.
It also brought 3 years of knowing and loving one another ;-)
We also made new friends from, the seminary, church, and the school
September- brought love. One of my kids asked me if I had any children and I said yes 15 of them. They all looked like wow and then I started naming their names. These 15 kids have taught me more than I think I could ever teach them and they will forever hold a special place in my hear. Kris found a new love for working with the middle schoolers and helping them in making better graders. We love our jobs :-)
Kris and his friend John also found love for a new group of people the Muslims. They both went to D.C. for the Muslim day of prayer. Their Kris and John were able to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with a lot of Muslims. They were able to show them that Christians love them and don't hate them. There was a group of protesters across the street yelling hateful things at the Muslims. But here were John and Kris helping pick up their trash, prayer mats, and just telling them that Jesus loves them and so do they.
October- brought birthdays and trunk or treat. Kris's birthday just happened to fall on the same day as the Trunk R Treat at church. We had been preparing for this day Oct. 28th for two months now. He came dressed as the cookie monster. We didn't expect many kids. But all in all we had over 300 people there. Everyone one of them heard the gospel. It was a great success. God is so Wonderful and we could do nothing but thank Him because it wasn't our great advertising( I use that word loosely considering it was a huge poster board on the side of a road) but His greatness that drove people there.
November- brought Thanksgiving and frustration. We had a wonderful thanksgiving in the Dell with the wonderful Crippins and my daddio. But with the fried Turkey and all the trimming came frustration. The kind of frustration can only come with fried turkey and the trimmings, the fact that you weigh to much to eat those things. On top of that Kris dealt with my break downs of not having my whole family with me. My random looking a pictures and breaking out in to sobs that my sister nor my brother wouldn't be home along with my precious niece for Thanksgiving or Christmas. We were thankful that God has allowed us to go through what we had and have the wonderful people that we have in our lives. Yes, we may not make a lot of money, we may not have the nicest apartment, or nicest cars but we did have a wonderful family and each other ( yes sappy I know) but more than that we had Jesus Christ as our all in all.
December- brought us back around again. Someone once said " that you can never go back home again." I believe that to be true. We have spent a year making a life for Kris and Jessi (and Cocky too) in Louisiana with things far from where the would be in South Carolina. Eight hours separates us from the life we use to know. Things are different: the food, friends, family, the ta rain, the weather, and so much more. They aren't bad different just different. Our apartment is on a harbor with a pier to fish on, not something that is normal of SC. The food is cooked with a lot of garlic and spices, not fat back. The family well they are our friends, that one might not be so different. But here we have spent almost a year making this life for us. So South Carolina as much as I hate to admit it isn't my home anymore. Its the place were our families are, where we grew up, made mistakes, meet each other, got engaged, and where almost a year ago got married.
It's amazing where a year can take you. In a year God has taken us so far and made us more of whom He wants us to become and what He wants us to become apart of. It seems like yesterday that I said "I do" to my best friend and now today we are back in South Carolina where it all start, about to head to see our favorite team for our anniversary hopefully win for a bowl game and then it is back home.
