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Wednesday, September 29, 2010

just checking in...

i keep having the best of intentions to record our comings & goings and for some reason it has never been more difficult for me to grab a moment to do just that.

a lot is going on.
a lot of great things {the Lord is good & He is at work}  i am humbled daily by the awesome plans of the our awesome Father.  i am so excited about the way He is changing my heart & about the ways He is moving in the lives of students at lafayette.

speaking of ministry, if you've ever wondered why a couple in their mid-twenties constantly spends time with high schoolers and then insists on reiterating their love for kids over and over via blog you need to watch this...


a lot of hard things are going on.  with family. with friends.  with little girls.  hard things are hard.

*****

my great-grandma  passed away this past weekend at 102 years old.  she was a believer and has a huge family that loved her dearly.  the funeral tomorrow will be a celebration, a celebration of her life and a celebration of the kingdom.

on a much less important note {especially when compared to ministry and the lives of great women} i chopped off all my hair.  i only have a mac pic thus far.  i feel too awkward just to take a picture of myself for the sole purpose of showing you my hair so that's what you get {for now}.

{i'm a tiny bit embarrassed by our messy room in the background but that's real life, just look at my excited face instead}

hope to be back soon...very soon.  what use is a journal that you don't record anything in?
love love-
jen

Friday, September 24, 2010

i can drink so much diet coke.

i am so very excited that today is, indeed, friday.

and it's fall.
and it is so windy outside.  i love when it is warm and windy.  yesterday it was 90-something degrees, and i thought "this is not fall" but today is a different story. it's perfect.  when i was in college  there would be days when i could barely make forward progress walking or open the building doors because it was so windy.  i like days like that.

there's a lot going on this weekend.  i really am thrilled & giddy with anticipation.

tonight we have a LHS football game to attend & homecoming tomorrow with our high school friends.  we don't have homecoming {obviously} but i hope to see some of my sweet girls all decked out & ready to twirl.

uk also has a football game {hooray} saturday

i'm getting all my hair chopped off by my dear friend, doni.  it's been about 2 years since i had short hair so i'm excited for the change & so is benny.  he's been asking for me to go for a chop for a while.  more hair tales {not tails} to come in the near future i hope. snip snip.

we are having our first official book club meeting to talk about 'hotel on the corner of bitter & sweet'.  yes we are all in our mid-twenties.
i have the honor of celebrating my friend mere and her baby-to-come, elle.  i cannot wait.  i want to post what i got on here because is the sweetest, most darling thing in the world but i don't want to ruin any surprises!
{ahhh babies!}

speaking of babies, my good friend ang fooled the world of facebook by putting my face in a hole.  if you are our fb friend and were curious...
no, i'm not pregnant. let me put that rumor to rest.

i look forward to time spent well this weekend.
with friends, family, my hubby & precious time with the Lord.  i want to go outside, rest, run errands and more.  maybe even blog.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

you can learn a lot in prison...

i think yesterday marked the beginning of martha moving to a new network. that or i saw the replay of it.  in the three minutes of the show that i had the pleasure of watching she exclaimed with delight....


that her favorite rapper {she must love more than one} is eminem.

does no one else think this is odd?  just me?  fine.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

2 years down. decades more to love.


i should start out by saying...

to my handsome husBENd-

you're the best.  i'm crazy about you and know {with confidence} that the Lord has specifically called us to marriage.  i am beyond blessed to have you as my partner & you are such an encouragement to me. thank you for showering me with grace.  Jesus in your life spurs me on daily.

your loving wifey-
jen jen

this past weekend ben & i spent our days celebrating our second year of marriage.  i can't believe how it has flown by.  i've basically figured out that we inadvertently picked the most splendid weekend of all weekends to begin our marriage.  on our wedding day is was sunny, warm & beautiful.  not hot.  warm.  gorgeous.  our first year anniversary was warm-er.  hot maybe if you were in the sunshine {rather than the shade}.  still perfect out.  no rain, just sun.  this year {third year in a row} september 6th and all the days surrounding it have been blessed.  perfect for walks, for picnics, for adventures.  perfect for weddings & for celebrating marriage.  my favorite surprise is that we did NOT get married on labor day weekend {we didn't want to take up everyone's holiday}, yet for the past two years we've been blessed to celebrate on labor day weekend.  that means an extra day off work / school at our house.  perfectly unplanned bliss.

i had originally hoped that we could go out of town together for our anny but it didn't really work out in the budget so we had a stay-cation celebration and a weekend-long date {which was also...perfect}.  we get run down being so busy, so cutting out traveling & just spending good ol' quality time was just what we needed.  a gift.

on friday my office had a photoshoot for our website {which i'll share more on later} so i was wiped out. exhausted.  super fun day playing outside with all of our friends, but i couldn't have been more tired when i got home around 9 pm.  my loving hubby picked me up a hot-and-ready {i know we're romantic}, ate together & snuggled.  i love nights like that.

saturday, is already starting to be a blur {i really must start blogging immediately after events...i don't want to miss one sweet detail of our weekend!}  i believe we slept in a tad and began planning for our day together.  we wanted to go to breakfast together.  we knew that much.  waffle house giftcards from my boss who thinks he's funny...check.  waffle housing we will go.  before heading out benny set up a couple's massage for us in the early afternoon.  ahhhhhhh!  we decided not to go to the most luxurious of places but it turned out to be just right for us.  i loved that chunk of our day.  even if the knots in my back ached for days after being "deep tissued".

upon returning home, i snuck in a quick nap {naps were a consistent part of the weekend}.  then we hunkered down to watch the big university of kentucky v. louisville football game. we cheered on our wildcats to a victory & it was great. 

we also had the pleasure of having our dear friend, jenna, watch the game with us / edit a bundle of pictures from that before mentioned photoshoot she shot. {a few shots to hold you over}...
{if you want jenna to take pics for you get at her HERE}

i eventually got cleaned up for the day and got to go to dinner with my hubby.  we didn't go anywhere special, just olive garden, i had been wanting chicken fettuccine for months & it was yummy.  we were surrounded by screaming toddlers which wasn't a highlight but the meal & the conversation were perfect.  it was late but not too late so we stopped by joseph beth {a book store} to wander around.  we love book stores.  we left empty handed but we didn't really need anything in the first place.  while there i also figured out that no one makes a planner perfect for me & that i can easily make my own tutu's.  well, not tutu's for me but for babies.  they had them for sale at the shop and it would be so simple.  someone have a girl!  i will tutu your baby!

sunday was another gorgeous day.  surprise, surprise...i told you it is the most perfect weekend of all the weekend's.  we hopped out of bed and headed off to church.  we really struggle going to church so i was pleased to get to go together.  they had the founding pastor of the church {who preached for 40 years there} come and talk to the congregation.  saying he is hilarious is an understatement.  he looked like the old man from 'up' and this guy had jokes.  he also was humble & has a huge heart for the Lord.  it was really neat to hear from him.

from there we got mcflurries and headed to a local park together.  we sat in the sun on a blanket.  it was sweet.  we talked & laid.  i was dressed for fall so after the sun beat down on me for a bit i was ready to go.  i didn't want to leave but i didn't really want to melt either.


{mini photoshoot}

my parents were having my grandparents over for a late lunch and we were able to go to that too.  i loved getting to visit & that ben was able to be there too.  the evening wasn't so eventful, it was more like real life & less like part of date weekend.  but you gotta do what you gotta do.  ben had a bundle of school work to do & needed to complete his application for the college of education {praying for his up-coming interview!}.  i wasn't feeling all too hot so i read, watched tv & fell asleep on the couch until it was time for bed.  

monday was our actual day o' love!  the 6th marked two whole years of marital bliss.  it's so neat to see how the Lord is growing us through this relationship.  it isn't always easy but it is always a gift.  my heart is so full.

i woke up to donuts in bed, knots from donut days, my favorite.  my hubby knows me & my love for breakfast sweets well.  i could eat a knot a day but i won't.  one of my favorite times that ben & i have together is laying in bed together in the morning.  i truly cherish it.  it isn't often that we get up at the same time or that we don't have to immediately get up & be somewhere.  i love just to be in our puffy covers and spend the morning together.

benny also brought me beautiful flowers.  see beautiful.

after a bit ben started to feel like a dizzy mess, so we took that opportunity to indulge in a giant nap.  yes, hours of napping.  ben was sad that we slept a chunk of the day away but i didn't mind.  i really like naps.  especially naps with my husband.

last year {for our 1st anniversary} we went out for a fancy dinner.  this year we decided that we'd try our hand at our own fancy dinner.  meal made by the brzinski's.  i was a little scared because i really don't cook but ben agreed to be the grill master & i tried to be the queen of sides.  ben grilled steak, scallops & shrimp.  YUM!  the steak was marinated in something that my mom gave to me in a packet.  i don't know what it was but it was good.  and for the seafood i think ben just melted butter, added garlic powder and brushed it on.  he works wonders on the grill.  i made corn, muffins, wild rice & mashed potatoes.  all was a success besides the taters.  it was my first time ever making them and i failed :(  i know what i did wrong though so perhaps i will learn from my mistakes & try once more.  if you just read the above you know we didn't really need potatoes anyway.  we had enough food to feed a party of 6 or more.


we lit candles, prayed & ate together with a smorgasbord of homemade goodness.  it was really a delight to spend the evening with ben.  and i got to wear an apron.  win & win.

to finish off the night we danced together, rented a movie and snuggled up.  the best.


what a great weekend date!  i loved every relaxing, fun, humorous, romantic moment of it.  husband, you bring me such delight.  thank you for treating me like a princess.  i pray that our life together is an encouragement to you too.  i'm so thankful to walk through life with you! HEART.


Friday, September 10, 2010

golf outing for libby - let's do it!

{aren't they pretty?}


hopefully you all have been checking in on libby's blog so you may have already seen this but our / their friends our hosting a golf outing here in lexington with all proceeds benefiting ryder & lib, who was recently diagnosed with stage iv lymphoma.  they are dear friends of ours and we would love to support them with prayer, love and in this instance, financially to help lessen the burden of medical bills.

i stole this info from ang...but here are some of the details of the outing...

"She [Libby] cried when she heard that her family in Kentucky was rallying around her to make things happen. Of course, she appreciates it so much. I hope to be there with you on the links!

Thanks again and God Bless, Justin Ryder"

{Libby Ryder Charity Golf Outing}


Date: Saturday, October 16, 2010

Location:  Kearney Hills Golf Course 3403 Kearney Rd., Lexington, KY

Times: 7:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m.


Registration at Golf Course (same day registration, must come with a foursome)

8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Shotgun Start

1:30 p.m. - ???? p.m. Lunch & Raffles


{Kearney Hills Club House following golf}

Fees: $80 per player. Foursome Scramble Format.
So, $320.00 for a foursome
Includes: Green fees, cart, lunch

Proceeds go to Justin and Libby Ryder

{Sponsorship Opportunities:}
Proceeds go to Justin and Libby Ryder


Hole Sponsor: $200
 
Raffles items are appreciated.
 
If you are unable to attend but would like to contribute that would be amazing!  please do.
 
For additional information, feel free to email me at jenniferbrzinski{at}gmail{dot}com or ryan.fossett{at}gmail{dot}com.  ryan is one of justin's oldest & dearest friends & is hosting the event.  i have a flyer i'd be happy to send to anyone who might be interested or know of others who would like to contribute.
 
i'm so excited to love them well!

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

{anthro}

i desperately need/want to blog today.  but insteady i am at work.  so sad.  there is so much going on that i need to record.  so much i can't wait to write down.  tonight is looking wide open for me {i truly can't believe it}.  maybe then i will have time for my much needed outlet.

until...later...

Thursday, September 2, 2010

last but not least...

surely no one in the history of blogs has had as many installments of individual baby showers...

let the games begin!
since we were recently trying to plan our own little partay i know how useful it can be to hear other people's ideas and search blogland for mixers & games that worked! 

i've seen this particular game played out several different ways and i'll tell you my fave.  all you need it this:
scissors & yarn.  how simple is that?
at sarah's shower, guests cut a length not knowing what it was for.  i think it is equally fun to go ahead and tell them that you are aiming to fit your length of yarn perfectly around the momma's baby bump.  people will still be grossly off and so it is still fun {and funny}!

once everyone has a length of string the momma walks around or you have each person come up and see how their guess lines up with the actual bump.
for the next game we played all you need is a stack of paper plates and some pens!  we keep it simple.

each guests attempts to draw their rendition of the babe but the catch is that you have to draw them with the plate on your head.  i assume you could use cardstock {or some thick paper in this instance but paper plates are very sturdy & will ensure that you wont poke yourself in the noggin}

the drawings all turn out hilariously but just watching everyone draw on their heads is the truly fun part.
.it is very comical.
the guest of honor got to choose the winning artist.
our momma chose a 'go steelers' design in support of her hubby's fanship.

this isn't a game but how sweet is this diaper cake with little roses made out of socks on top?  presh.

after the party was coming to a close we did have an impromptu photo shoot.
would you expect anything less?

{happy hostesses}
momma-to-be & friends
sisterly love
{family}

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

up-to-date

in other news...

we have a new roommate...tay tay.  taylor is one of our dear friends, graduated from high school with me & was benny's best man.  we love to house people.  we love to have him here.

this past weekend marked 1 year of owning our home!  we didn't celebrate mainly because we forgot, but even if we had remembered i'm not sure how you should celebrate a house.  maybe hanging something...ANYTHING on the walls would be a nice gift.  yes, there is not a frame on the wall and most of our windows sit bare.  don't judge.  these things take time for someone like me.  we are so blessed to have a place to live & a place that we hope the Lord uses for His glory.  happy house birthday benny!

this next weekend marks our two year wedding anniversary.  everyday i am so thankful to have ben as my husband but it is extra fun to celebrate our marriage in a special way on a special day.  well i don't actually know that we're doing anything special but i hope that we'll set some time apart for each other, and that will be special!

benny, i hope we get to do some of this:
and a little of that...
this weekend

i feel like the Lord is teaching me a ton.  growing me & my heart.  i need to record it all & hope to soon.

our friend libby has begun her chemo treatments now.  we're still fervently praying for her & invite you to do the same.  she & her family are such an encouragement to ben & i.  we know they will be to you too.  check out there story {here}