The first time...

Last Wednesday was the first time I met my father inlaw!

He came down the escalators to greet nick and I with a hug and lots of tears.
Nick hasn't seen his dad in almost five years so this was kind of a big deal.

If anyone keeps up on world news you all know how bad Greece is. So it looks like Nicks dad, step mom, sister, step brother and half sister will be moving over soon!!

We had great dinners the whole time he was here and I learned how to cook more Greek dinners!!

Opa

Christmas

I am only two months late...

She is just priceless!! 

Christmas was a really great two weeks for Nick and I! We started it out with a Christmas night with the family I nanny for. Tuesday December 20th was my last day working for a two week vacation. Nick came over after work and Ting had a Thai dinner for us and we distributed gifts! Austin the seven year old even spent his own money on a horse book for me and a Iowa shirt for Nick. (Sweet boy)

That Wednesday, and Thursday Nick had to work so Nyador and I were able to spend a lot of time together. We had such a great two days, we woke up and chilled around the house, went shopping for last minute gifts and worked on her school projects. We then took her to HuHot my favorite restaurant and had such a fun dinner.

Friday night we had Nicks family over for a low key Christmas. his aunt, uncle, little cousin, our little brother from BBBS, Nyador and his mom and step dad. We had pizza, played games and did presents! It was so nice for no one to cook and just actually get to hang out and spend time together.

Saturday we left and headed for Michigan, we made it in time for Uncle John and Aunt Maries house. Sunday we had dinner at my Uncle Toms, stopped by my Grandmas, then made it to my sisters inlaws to play games with them.

Monday we woke up and went to Christmas at my sisters for breakfast to open gifts with my dad and the kids. This has been what we have done for the past 7 years however Josh preached on Sunday and they had to be up and at it early so we switched it to Monday! This was so fun because I got to give my sister a pinterest project I made! It was also sweet to finally have Nick join us for our ritual family Christmas!!

The week home was so relaxing and nice for Nick to get to be around my family more. We woke up and had coffee with my mom every morning, met my dad for dinner most nights and had a date with Jen and Josh to Greek town and made countless trips to animal shelters with Chelsea to pet all the puppies!

Friday we had Christmas at my Grandmas and Grandpas house with my moms side of the family! With a surprise visit from my cousin Adams family! Always nice to just relax and get spoiled at Grandmas house! I am so thankful for this Christmas to be able to have it with my Grandma after her stroke in December!

Saturday, New years day Nick and I headed back to Iowa and had such a fun night together! We went to a hotel in Chicago, ate some good Greek Food and sat in the hot tub and pool then watched the ball drop together! I loved kissing my husband when the ball dropped (first New Years married)!

Highlight from the week was my Christmas present from Nick, a wedding band!! :-)


I just loved this time home!

Elyse

One Year

Loved every guest at our wedding fully embracing the Greek Dances!

NICK AND I HAVE BEEN MARRIED FOR A YEAR

I can't believe this!!

I seriously have been so blessed by this man in my life!

I am blessed by his daily sacrifices, his love for others and myself, his determination,his patience with me and his hard work.

My friend Haley and I have gone through the Help Meet book by Debbie Pearl and I have enjoyed learning how to be a good wife and love my visionary man.

Nick and I went to Lincoln Nebraska this weekend to see the Gatlack kids and take Nyador back to her mom. We then dressed up and went to a cute part of town called the Haymarket and had Mexican dinner. We decided to have Mexican so we could pretend we were back in Mexico! It was soo fun!

I have been told your first year is always the toughest but I must say I have loved loved loved this past year so I am pumped to see how this next year will go!

-Elyse

Far Away Family

When Nick and I were home over the Holidays we left in a hurry because my mother was convinced there was a huge snow storm coming. My Brother inlaw was preaching on Saturday and so we were unable to say goodbye!

We love skype though!!!!!!

We don't usually chat over Skype but use it as a time to have a funny face contest and for the kids to stare at themselves on the computer!

Some Special People

Many people know that a month ago Nick and I had decided to take in a 17 year old girl. She is the eldest kid of the Gautlak family that we adore so much. Her family like I said back in June moved to Lincoln Nebraska to be by family but are stuck in a homeless shelter indefinitely. Nyador is a junior at Lincoln High school and is a rock star athlete. She wanted to finish out her last year and a half there where she has great team mates and coaches. Nick and I prayed about it and decided this would be a great opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus. So a month ago we became house parents to a seventeen year old!! I am sure I will be blogging a ton about how fun it is to have her live with us in the future but with her living with us I have been thinking and praying for ways to serve her and get her through that scary place called high school with knowing she is loved. I just remember when I was in high school, I didn't see beyond the school walls and only could see what this world has to offer. My hope for her time living with us is that Nick and I can teach her this world has nothing to offer her and high school will end, the boys, the girls, the sports, and all the hurt that comes along with those crazy hormones!! Anyway the point of this post was I have been thinking about all of the people in my life growing up that invested so much time in my life. I had many teachers, family and friends who loved on me but these few people that come to mind went above and beyond that.

Nancy Caruso

Nancy was my horse mom, I met Nancy through a friend when I was eleven. I had been in horseback riding for a few years and could never have my own horse because they are sooo expensive. So when I had met Nancy who lives one minute away from me, I had asked if I could come ride. Nancy whose only child just moved away wanted me to come ride to give the horses exercise. So for the next six year I would walk to the barn and ride, for three year I used their horses to give lessons to tons of young kids. Throughout those six years Nancy had taught me what it looked like to be selfless. Her and her husband Pete made me feel like I was part of their family, from coming to many of my horse shows to allowing me to use their camper at my equestrian team meets to just inviting me in after a ride to eat some homemade cookies. I think what I learned most from my relationship with them is they had a constant "Joy" or zeal for life. Their joy was not shaken by outward circumstances. I have grown up with alot of "Christians" in my life that I have never seen or heard them have joy in their life. Nancy and Pete were Christians who had a Joy they found through Jesus Christ. Their speech was Joyful, always speaking highly of people and always excited about what the Lord is doing in their life. Nancy now serves with a nonprofit that gets girls out of strip clubs and human trafficking. I am sure the Lord placed them in my life for a great purpose but I am forever grateful for their selflessness and Joy they showed me throughout so many years!

Bob King

Bob was a leader in our youth group who had started when I was in ninth grade. I could tell so many stories about how Bob served all of us at Faith but I wont because it would take days to write. One thing I do know is what he has taught me, he has showed me what a father, husband, leader, and servant looks like who fears the Lord. With so many messed up broken families in our lives I have appreciated Bobs influence and model of what I want for my own life! I have now chosen to merry a man who loves the Lord, not just a "Christian" man,(that word is lightly used) but a man who fears the Lord. Bob has taught me to not be judgemental, to love, serve and open your home to anyone and everyone. I know many people "Christians" who are so knowledgeable and really know the bible but do not live it out. Bob knows the bible and he lives it out in his own life. He truly serves as if he is the hands and feet of the Lord and has inspired me to do the same. He has four kids of his own, is a foster parent, serves in Haiti every other week(maybe not that much but it feels like it) and we use to joke and say he had 10 other teenagers. Another quality that many people say of Bob is he is humble. He may be the coolest guy in Texas but he sure doesn't know it! The people in his community are truly blessed to have the King family there!!

I have been thinking about these people a lot since Nyador has been living with us because I want Nick and I to be able to display these qualities that Nancy and Bob showed me growing up to her. Something I have heard recently and I cant remember where but "Your children may not always listen but they are always watching" I know I may not have listened or made the greatest choices in my past but I was watching and now realize why these two individuals lives were different and had such a great impact on my life.

The Wonderful Life

Thursday Novemeber 17th Nick and I had went to dinner and he kept asking me if I could meet him for lunch the next day, I wasnt sure why because I am a nanny and I have never had a lunch break. I have also never missed a day of work working for the family I work for. Then Nick dropped the ball, he said "She is going to kill me, but Chelsea will be here tomorrow at noon!!" I could have jumped through the roof, I was thrilled. He couldnt pick her up because he had a work meeting and didnt want her to sit at the airport for two hours until he could pick her up. Everett the two year old I nanny for went to pick her up and we spent the day together. After work Chelsea and I went to the womans coffee house at my church. It was so good to get together with 500+ woman and hear their stories of struggles and victories. I really identified with every women who spoke. Their was one woman who spoke, who was so encouraging to me. Struggles with something I struggle with daily, Anxiety. I also loved being their with Chelsea because she was able to see all of my closest friends. The rest of the weekend was filled with dinner at Olympic Flame, games and ice cream at Java Joes, and a visit to a creamy in Parrie. I had worked until seven on Sunday, so Chelsea and my wonderful husband made me dinner. Tuesday Chelsea, Nick and I were headed to Michigan for a ten hour drive. We made it to Iowa City and we got a flatt tire. We then ended up staying in the ghetto of Chicago, in a hotel. We all ended up leaving with bites all over us so we think we had gotten bit by bed bugs, yes it was ghetto! Good thing I was with Nick and Chelsea the funniest people I know and it was quit commical. We made it home safely the next day and I was thrilled to visit with family especially my Grandma who had been in the hospital for two weeks and had given us a scare with her stroke, it was so nice to be able to hug her. Friday I had a date with the kids and their Aunt Leone, Angel and baby Saydee at chucky cheese. Saturday I went and had a massage with my sister and mom than had a day at grandmas with Amy, Aunt Deb, Aunt Sharon, Anna, Mom and Sister. Nick was able to go watch football with my dad at Ford Field and had a mans night! Sunday I was able to go to my friend Jessicas baby shower for her new baby Hugo, he was adorable. Then Nick and I headed back home Monday!

Thanksgiving

I decorated my house for fall and even hosted our first thanksgiving. Nicks family came over last Sunday for a huge thanksgiving meal. We have Thanksgiving with his family early and it has worked perfectly the last few years because it allows us to go home for mine! His Aunt Beth started it because she goes to her Inlaws in Florida during actual Thanksgiving, but now she recently moved to Florida and someone had to take over the task of hosting and preparing thanksgiving dinner. So I thought I would try, I was super nervous to make my first turkey and googled every way possible to make one and looked up anyway something could go wrong. I had nightmares the week before about not getting up early enough to start the cooking or we wouldn't have enough food and so on. So Saturday night we went and bought a second turkey to ease my fear of not having enough. First thanksgiving and I make two turkeys!! Everything went smoothly and better then I had hoped, we had about twenty people, ate until we couldn't anymore and played games! Here are some pictures of my house decorated for fall, Halloween, Thanksgivingish! .....

Oh I forgot to mention Friday at 7:00pm at night our friends Bryson and Molly asked if we wanted to join them for the Michigan/Iowa game in Iowa city, seats on the 50 yard line and awesome parking for the day before our thanksgiving! I had two options be a horrible wife and say nooooooooo I have to clean, do homework, cook/bake and grocery shop to prepare for Sunday or love my husband and have a positive go with the flow attitude! I choose the second and I am so greatful I did because we had sooo much fun! I stayed up until 1:00am cleaning Friday night and went grocery shopping at 2:00 in the morning (not a bad idea no lines!!!) then woke up at 6:00AM to start are trek to the game(anyone who knows me well, knows I love sleep and I need 8 hours a night, so this was very difficult for me)! It was soooo cold but a great game to be at! Thanks Bryson and Molly for thinking of us!!