2 years

I can't believe that I have known Drew for 4 whole years and married to him for 2 of those years! If you don't know our 'story' here goes:
I was set on not marrying any Moody man for fear that I would give into the 'usual- Moodiness.' I am not sure at the time why I was so set against it, but I think deep down I wouldn't have minded. :) And on top of it, I was not going to marry anyone from the 'bro-sis' ( a system to help in the social aspect of Moody.) So Fall of 2005 rolled around, my junior year of school and I was loving life at this moment. So many solid friends, I loved being in Chicago, and there was always so much to do. My sister had a surprise birthday party for me in September, inviting old friends and my new 'brother floor.' Well, it just so happened that Drew was there that night and was interested a little in me.

then came time for the Chicago Marathon in October 2005. I was running in it, my family came the night before so they could cheer me on the next day. And Drew happened to meet my family that night. Drew and I kind of knew each other but were still just talking, not going on dates or anything. As soon as my sister started walking away she says, "I think he likes you!" I tried not to over-analyze that (yeah right!, I'm a girl!)

Drew started making more of an effort to talk one-on-one with me. We would eat lunch together and linger for awhile, sometimes until we were kicked out of the cafeteria. One Friday night, Drew and I had tried to set-up an outing with quite a few of our friends, long-story-short, everyone backed out except us, because we didn't want to miss this opportunity to be together! We ended up at Mcdonald's (surprise, surprise for those who know Drew) and talked for hours. Then we talked to a homeless man about mysticism for the remainder of the night, we both learned more about each other in that moment.

Another week rolls by, and Drew's birthday is coming up. It just so happens that I am the "birthday-card-maker" for our floor and I wanted to make Drew's card especially good. :) And I was also supposed to let all the girls on the floor sign the card, but kind of "forgot" to let them, oops. So this card was all from me!

Another week rolls by and we finally got a group to go to Dairy Queen. Afterwards I was making a Target-run and asked if anybody wanted to join, hoping only Drew would say he would come. (I am sneaky, maybe borderline bad....) Drew was the only one wanting to come with, he made my grocery list out, shopped, and then he told me that he really liked me and wanted to pursue more of an intentional relationship with me. Of course I was ecstatic!! The rest is history.

We started officially dating December 11, 2005- engaged on February 13th, 2007 and married September 1st, 2007.

Drew is the love of my life, my bestest buddy, and my spiritual encourager. I can see Jesus in him. He is so joyful, loving, warm, lover of people, music-guru, best hugger/snuggler, wins the award for the most-carefully-made-coffee, points his index finger in the air when he's really excited, has to have all his books in a tidy pile on his desk, omelette king, faithful to drive our bomb-car, athletic (I'm not sure of a sport he can't play), and so much more.

And I married a Moody guy from my bro floor, go figure.
I can't wait to see how the Lord continues to transform us to look more like Him in this marriage.

Summer Vacation

I am taking the entire month of August off in between jobs.
It has been so refreshing! I don't think I could just not work for a long time. I need things to do always. Even with these past 2 weeks, I can't help but to make a schedule of things to do for the day. So here is what I have been doing:





1. Reading (this makes me happy)
I have read and am reading and hope to read before September: ( or leafing through)
- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
- Hunger for God - Piper
- Romans
- The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald
- Main Street - Sinclair Lewis
- Giada's Kitchen

2. Cleaning
I have basically deep-cleaned most of our apt. and it feels good! I can walk into our closet now and find dishes in our cupboards.

3. Watching Lost with Drew
So, at first I wasn't so sure about this show. I allowed Drew just to update me each time he watched it but I didn't really get into it until one day. And since then, I have watched every episode wondering what will happen next.

4. Cooking better, more whole-foods meals.

5. Running and exercising
I love running and have seen how out of shape I have gotten over this past year in running. So, I try to run, eliptical, or walk each day. A life-long goal for fitness is that I would be able to still do 5 push-ups (real ones) when I am 80 years old (Lord-willing). So I am doing push-ups a few times a week. And lots of other various types of exercises.

6. I have got to spend 1/2 a week with my family in Toledo and Chicago.

7. Seeing some friends that I wouldn't get to normally throughout the week:
1 friend and I have gone running
1 friend and I did some school planning
Having friends over to watch Lost
Having Drew's family over for dinner and to send Mark off to Moody-chicago

8. Definitely getting to see and hang out with Drew during the day
Sometimes we will go to Barnes and Noble
or hikes or read together or go on drives through the valley
I could never spend enough time with him. We don't even have to be doing the same thing, just as long as we are together or in the same room; that makes me very happy. :)

9. getting to know my Savior better everyday ( some days are better than others)


So I will update in another 2 weeks to let you know of any other things that I am doing while I'm not working. I start teaching September 9th but will hopefully snag a part-time job before then.
May God be glorified in my time off!

deep deep love

I am thankful for a thousand things that God has just given me:
1. an awesome hike that Drew and I went on that turned into an hour longer than what we had planned. (it also included going up a hill that felt like a mountain.)
2. sitting outside and reading everyday
3. not sitting inside, staring at a computer all day, and answering phones.
4. planning curriculum this morning with a girlfriend
5. running on Wednesday morning with a woman I really admire, respect and see Jesus in everyday.
6. legs to run
7. the finances to get our 'new car's' brakes and rotors replaced (I admit, I did worry a bit)
8. getting to watch "Lost' with Drew
9. seeing my sister and her husband here in the States.
10. salvation
11. reconciliation between a holy God and me through Jesus Christ
12. Harry Potter books
13. the joy to do things everyday
14. doing nothing
15. being able to have the time to reflect on God's goodness
16. fresh veggies and fruit from Kriegers (I can just walk in that store and instantly feel healthy)
17. have I mentioned my incredible husband?
18. laughter
19. the beauty of the Violet that I have had for 3 weeks now! (that is a record for me since I'm not so much of a 'green-thumb.')
20. being able to clean my house from top to bottom.

I believe that God loves to give gifts to His children and these are just the VERY FEW that have happened recently.

Natural Health

My latest hobby as of recently is finding out natural remedies that will improve my daily health, thus, improving my long-term health. This book was a good one to skim through. Here is a briefing from the book:

How many of your doctors ask you these types of questions when you go in for a check-up:
1. Do you go outside for exercise of any sort every day?
2. Are you going outside to obtain natural daylight?
3. Do you eat sweets as snacks, dessert, or with some frequency?
4. Do you drink water to quench your thirst, or do you get your liquid from juice, tea, sodas, etc?
5. Do you use a computer at work, home, both?
6. Do you relax with tv or a computer?
7. Do you take any form of nutritional supplement?

None of the doctors I have had recently have ever asked me these questions and they should! Why? Because these are a part of your daily life, what makes you who you are. Instead most doctors treat the symptom not the underlying cause. Maybe you're getting sick more often because you are moved apt buildings and the guy below you smokes like a chimney. Or maybe you switched jobs and you go in so early and leave so late that you never have the time to exercise.

The Basics of Health
1. Light- too little does not allow your body to absorb enough nutrients from your food. Get outside, even on the cloudy days
2. Water- acts as your body's lubricant and flushes out 'the bad guys'
3. Air- fresh unconditioned air is the best
4. Exercise outside- strengthens heart & provides vitamin D
5. Diet- the food you eat will affect you emotionally, physically, and mentally. Choose well.
6. Rest- allow time for recovery, healing, & growth
7. Relationships- God created Eve for Adam 'it is not good for man to be alone.' and this doesn't mean you have to be married; just be with people.
8. Supplements- 1 multiple vitamin per day (check to see if it has at least 50milligrams of Vitamin B to know if it is a good multi-vitamin or not.) And take plenty of Vitamin C & E.

How to Relieve PMS symptoms:
1. ditch the salty stuff, processed foods, fast food, and red meats.
2. eat less dairy
3. avoid caffeine
4. avoid sugar and alcohol (these will cause you to lose valuable electrolytes)

Just thought I could share with you my findings in this book.
I am constantly fascinated by nutrition, how we are able to help our bodies with the foods we eat, but mostly Americans abuse the foods that God placed on the earth and instead have turned into 'processed foods.' I hope I can take small steps to improve my eating habits.
Goal #1: Get rid of eating Doritos except for VERY RARE occassions, if even that.
I will need prayer for that. :)

London-town

This past week was quite a whirl-wind of wedding for my sister and her husband, Roger. God graciously allowed the funds for me to go to London for a week. He also guided the flights there and back safely. After watching too many episodes of 'Lost' before this trip, I was a little hesitant to fly. But I knew that after watching 'Lost', I was better off, with all that they have taught me, just in case that were to happen. :)

My plane landed Saturday, July 11th, and needless to say, I felt like a bag of trash. I had a migraine the day before, having to leave work early and go to the Dr. to make sure it was not anything more serious since I was leaving for London. Then the migraine, decided to develop into a head cold that lasted all week in London. The best part was seeing Jessi on the platform after riding on a train so we could finish the last leg of the trip together back to her apartment. She was beaming, as all brides do the week of their wedding, showing me her ring, which I had not seen before that moment. It was beautiful.

All week, I never felt as if I were in London. Even today, as people at church asked me, "What did you think?" I didn't know, I felt like I was still in America, but people were driving on the wrong side of the street, and Drew was not with me. I hope that I get to go back, with Drew, and get to take in the sights more. Next time, next time, but this time was all WEDDING!!

Jessi and Roger met at their church, St. Helen's pretty soon after Jessi moved to London in 2007. Roger is from England, just outside London, just an hour or less. I was able to meet Roger's family and they were very kind, full of help, and welcomed my family into their home the first day we arrived. And then, Roger's dads' patience and kindness was tested, when I left my purse at their home as my family was trying to catch a train in a hurry. He graciously turned around at the train station, drove back to their home, and returned it to me. I was very thankful!

Jessi and Roger were married on July 17th, 2009 at St. Helen's Bishopgate at 1pm. It was a beautiful ceremony. We sang "How Great Thou Art" as the first song of the wedding. St. Helen's was originally built, I think, in the 1600's. It is a smaller but very typical European church, with very high ceilings, and great detail marking the walls. But as we sang that song, with everyone in the church, it rose my affections for the Lord. Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to thee, how great thou art, how great thou art! The high ceilings of the that church made that song seem ten times louder, as well.

After the ceremony, we had a dinner at St. Andrews, which is just down the street from St. Helen's. There we talked with Roger's family, listened to speeches given by my dad, Roger, and Roger's best man, Andy. From there, we proceeded to Dickens Inn, which is a little pub, at St. Katherine's Dock, where we danced, ate some more, watched the cake cut, and waved goodbye to Jessi and Roger. Side note, I was sitting in Heathrow Airport, talking to a lady headed back to Cleveland yesterday, as I was coming back. We were talking about where we were in the city for our stay and small world, she was staying just across the street from the reception, and she saw the sign that stated "Jessi and Roger Day's Wedding Reception." Small world.

As I think about the "Ralston family", what has now split off onto the Belden and Day families, I do get a little sad. My younger sister, Lindsay, now lives in Texas. My mom, dad, and brother are moving to Kansas City in just a few months. Jessi and Roger live in London. And Drew and I live in Stow, Ohio, where Drew grew up. It's a weird realization that family now is not what I thought family would be as I thought about it just 5 years ago. It's exciting to see what God has in store for us!

But, I hope that this realization of my family being split up locationally will cause me to pray more deeply for my family. I think I often forget about them, taking them for granted, consumed by everything going on in my world. But, I pray, that God will continue to transform us through His gospel, sanctifying us for that day when we will all be joined again, having been perfected because of the blood of Jesus Christ. How can I encourage them more prayerfully, through the gospel, and how can I love them each for who they really are?

I pray that through the marriage of Jessi and Roger that His name would be made great!
I have learned aLOT about God this past week and pray that He only continues to teach and grow me more and more.

Think about this....

"Busyness does not mean I am diligent
Busyness does not mean I am faithful
Busyness does not mean I am fruitful."
~CJ Mahaney~

"In all they ways, small as well as great; in all thy concerns, personal or relative, temporal or eternal, let him be supreme."
~Charles Bridges~

"The early Protestants rightly conceived of our callings as being much broader than our job. All of our roles in life are callings. Being a spouse, a parent, a church member, a neighbor, and a Christian are all callings."

"Most Christians believe they can be a Christian at work. To do so involves being a diligent worker, being honest in one's dealings with an employer, and witnessing to fellow workers. But this still leaves the work itself untouched by one's Christian faith. The original Protestants were right in going beyond this and claiming that the work itself is a spiritual issue and a means of glorifying God. We can be Christians not only in our work but through our work if we view our work as an obedient response to God's calling."
~Leland Ryken~


*****I know that the time I do spend "busy" or not, is not viewed as an opportunity to take it to Jesus. Sometimes I just do the job not looking at Him, not asking Him for guidance or the faithfulness to complete the task He has given me. What if we gave Him every piece of time with our words and our deeds? What would we look like as believers? Probably a lot more like Jesus. "Not my will, but Thine."******

What should I pack in my suitcase?

In 3 weeks I will be in London, England not just as a tourist either. My sister, Jessi, is getting married to Roger Day on July 17th.
I will be there from July11th-July18th. I'm excited to see Jessi and where her and Roger will be living. I'm also excited because I've never been to London, I've been to N.W England (Liverpool & Manchester area) but never London.

So what should I pack? I already have the general items in mind but what are some things that I might never think of that you guys could help me with?

It's only 3 WEEKS AWAY!!!!!!