Six Years & Still Broken

I wish I had something new to say, but instead, all I can say is my heart is still broken.
I miss my brother and I don't understand. 
I still cry, though it may not be all the time nor forewarning. 
When I'm not crying from missing him,
I am laughing from loving him.

My heart hurts from the emptiness and swells with memories all at the same time.

Oh, how I love him.

Three years ago, I posted this blog post. Hope you had the chance to meet him.
http://brandonandnancybreedlove.blogspot.com/2009/09/best-friend-soul-mate-my-little-boy.html

In case you have forgotten....

I am Nancy!  I am recommitting to the blog.  I love to blog and enjoy documenting our lives and feel as though it's important for us to do so. 
I have missed blogging terribly and I'm glad to get back in the swing of things.

Here is a breakdown of all that's taken place since March, my last post:
March - Lead 140 students, teachers, and parents to Washington DC for 4 days
March - May - Helped coach girls tball team.... Go Fever!
March - May - Completed my first year as a 6th grade teacher
May - Finished my first graduate course
June - Lion King on Broadway for Chloe's 10th Birthday (it was amazing!)
June - July - Lots of Pinteresting :) / Completed my 2nd graduate course
July - World Changers Franklin
August - Back To School & Begin my 3rd graduate course (actually, it starts tomorrow)

Okay, so this doesn't seem like much has been going on, but it has, maybe I forgot a few things.  I don't know.

Anyway, I'm just glad to be back and I'm excited to reconnect with my blogging friends.

I hope you are all doing well!

Weekend with Friends

A few weekends ago, we headed out for the Third Annual Women's Weekend. This weekend doesn't really have a name, but hey, I needed to call it something.

As a group of ladies, we rent a cabin (thank you Brooke for taking the lead on this) and spend some really great time together. So far, we have gone to a different place each year for the weekend.

This weekend originated three years ago as a scrapbooking weekend. It has evolved from a scrapbook weekend to a do-whatever-you-want-to-do weekend. For example, over the course of 2 1/2 days, we had range of scrapbooking, knitting, homework-ing, reading, cooking, talking, and laughing going on.

Regardless to what we do, the company is amazing. This weekend, I couldn't help but to look around and be thankful for the investment that these women have poured into my life.

Operation: Bathroom Makeover

A few weeks ago, we began updating our bathrooms. We haven't really remodeled/updated anything together before, so this was kinda exciting. Maybe it was more exciting than it would have been because we didn't do all the work ourselves. We had lots of help and we are thankful for it.

****

I took a few pictures before all the work began.

The sinks

The lights (the covers had already been taken off by the time I took the picture)

The mirrow/medicince cabinet

The wallpaper

Then, the work began.

Step 1 - Wallpaper Removal - good-bye pink flowers and baskets

Step 2 - Prime the walls - Thank you Sandy.

Step 3 - Paint the walls.

Step 4 - Get Charlie, our friend from church to lay the tile. :)

Step 5 - Install the countertops & faucets

Step 6 - Hang the new mirrors and lights.

Step 7 - Hang the new shower curtain, that matches perfectly. :)

This is the bathroom in my and Brandon's bedroom. The bathroom in the hallway got a new facelift too and it is just as exciting to have "new". I'll spare you from all the steps.

This is the final product in the hallway bathroom.

Overflowing Hope.

Within the last couple months, the verse that has been speaking to my heart in so many ways has been Roman 15:13.

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. "

In Paul's prayer, he prays for a group of Belivers, this time praying that God who gives hope will also keep them happy and full of peace as they anticipate what God has in store for them. Then, the believers can overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. It is by the power of the Holy Spirit that God accomplishes his care for his people—giving them endurance, encouragement, unity (15:5), hope, joy, and peace. Hope comes as a by-product of the Holy Spirit’s work. It does not come from our own senses or experiences.

Brandon & I hope enjoy keeping this blog. It's purpose it to document our lives as well as reord what God is doing in our lives, so that years from now, we will be able to look back and see God's hand leading our lives.

Many times the posts that fill this blog are those of frustration, self-pity, and insecurities. I let so many things around me distract me from what my focus should really be on. This year, the year of 2012, our ferverent prayer will be that we will allow the Holy Spirit to fill us with joy and peace, overflowing our hearts with hope.

Overflowing Hope.