Ben and I have been married one week shy of a year now. (Woo hoo! Ah yeah!) And during this past year, we have yet to spend a single day away from each other. Until tonight. Yikes! I am going on an overnight women's retreat with our church. It's sure to be fun, but how odd it's going to feel to get into a single bed this evening. All you married folks out there...was it weird the first time you were away from your spouse? Are we just being melodramatic because we are not looking forward to being apart? The answer is probably yes. However, right after we got married, we did move away from all of our friends and family. For the past year, it has just been the two of us. Looking back, I can see that God was definitely up to something there. Being in Ohio has forced us to cling to one another as husband and wife. We have defintely been blessed with a year of what we like to call Ben and Mandy World. God has been wonderful to us in providing the perfect spouse for his son and daughter. And you know what? He knew that we would be weird and want to spend all of our time together...melodramatic or not. :)

Our interview went wonderfully and we were given the green light to proceed!

Is it possible to be inspired by American Idol? Because last night, I believe that I was. Before you laugh, allow me to clarify. Yes, I do watch the show--guilt free, I might add. And no, I do not mean that I'm inspired to sing or anything of the sort. Those who have heard my voice know that I would be one of those they make fun of at the beginning of the show. What I do mean is that I was inspired to remember the big picture of things. I was reminded of my life's calling to love God and to love others...including the lost, the weak, and the impoverished. I think it's been awhile since I have pondered my calling. I've allowed myself to forget here in America. Oddly enough, last night's American Idol reminded me. The show was all about giving back and supporting humanitarian aid projects in the US and Africa. The contestants picked songs that inspired them, and my favorite, Melinda Doolittle, sang "There Will Come A Day" by Faith Hill. I'm not a fan of country, but that song was all kinds of good. Check this out:

It's not easy trying to understand
How the world can be so cold, stealing the souls of man
Cloudy skies rain down on all your dreams
You wrestle with the fear and doubt
Sometimes it's hard but you gotta believe

There's a better place, where our Father waits
And every tear He'll wipe away
The darkness will be gone,the weak shall be strong
Hold on to your faith

There will come a day, there will come a day
Wars are raging, lives are scattered
Innocence is lost, and hopes are shattered
The old are forgotten, the children are forsaken
In this world we're living in
Is there anything sacred?

There will come a day, there will come a day
The song will ring out, down those golden streets
The voices of earth with the angels will sing
Every knee will bow, sin will have no trace
In the glory of His amazing grace
Every knee will bow, sin will have no trace
In the glory of His amazing grace
There will come a day, there will come a day
Oooh there will come a day
I know there's coming a day, coming a day

Lately, I've just been so burdened by...well, everything. Poverty. Homelessness. Racism. Death. The lonely. Persecuted brothers and sisters in prison. I think that I had begun to sink into a bit of hopelessness--almost as if this world was too evil and sad to bear. But last night, the line, "There's a better place, where our Father waits and every tear He'll wipe away. The darkness will be gone, the weak shall be strong. Hold on to your faith," spoke such truth to me. I know it may sound corny, but hey, My Father can use even American Idol to teach his daughter!

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for GREAT is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

Jesus called the very folks that I have been feeling pity for, BLESSED! Amen. Amen. Amen.

"'Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.' Then He who sat on the throne said, 'Behold, I make all things new.'"

Indeed, there will come a day.

A lot has happened in the past week.

On April 15th, Ben's beloved grandfather passed away. He was an incredible man and he and Ben mutually adored one another. I knew him for only about two years and how I wish that I could have known him longer! It was a privilege to hear others speak so fondly of him at his funeral. He was a precious soul who will be greatly missed.

This weekend, my mother and grandma came to visit us. It was fun to have a girls weekend. Grandma had never flown! "Grandma, was it scary?" "Oh no, it wasn't a big deal!" She said she's ready to go anywhere now! The weekend was filled with thrift store shopping, manicures and pedicures, and eating, of course. We had a great time.

Tonight, Ben and I are going to our first of many interviews to return overseas. The process is long, but taking this first step feels wonderful. Please remember us this evening if you have a moment. (We really think this interview is more or less to see if we have any social skills...hopefully, we'll pass.)

I bet it's warm where you are. You know how I know? Because it's warm here in Ohio! Glory! Have a wonderful week.

"I'm dreaming of a white Easter. Just like the ones I never knew. May your days be dreary and dark. And may all your Easters be cold." (Sung to the tune of White Christmas...go ahead, give it a try.) Ah yes, we had a lovely snowy Easter this past Sunday. It confused my sense of time indeed. After church, we joined several of our friends for a traditional Easter lunch at where else but our local Indian restaurant. :)

I cannot believe that in less than a month, we will have been married for ONE YEAR!!! Everyone said that time will fly, but they weren't kidding. Well, all you folks anticipating marriage this summer--please, come to us for marital advice. Afterall, we ARE pros now. Riiiiight. Seriously, I think that all we can offer is the simple fact that marriage is good. Very good. Very worth it. And a tremendous blessing.

Just when we thought these days were over...




...Later this week, they're baaaaaaaaack! Weather.com is calling for snow. Booooo!

Oh well...snow days lead into days like our Valentine's Day---in front of our fireplace wearing our sweet, matching gray long johns.



Even Dakota couldn't resist stealing a kiss on Valentine's Day.

So here's to making the most of snow days in April!

These pictures are old, but hey, it's a beginning...



Outside of The Shoe before the OSU/Michigan game.



Dotting the I.



OSU beat Michigan!



Christmas in Costa Rica! Can you tell that our boat tour was early in the morning?

Not a bad place to visit, eh? :)



Good times in the trees.

Check out the concerned look on my face!



Is it just me, or does Ben look a little "special" in this picture?



Daddy Gat



Handsome Cam



Neither Cam or I made it across the first zip line. We had to turn around and pull ourselves to the plank. Not fun!



These little guys were hanging out in the tree tops just staring at us. It seemed as though they were saying, "How'd you fools get up here?"



Tabacon Hot Springs...oh so nice. This place was something else! The springs were SO hot and there were dozens of them! We made a day of it.



Me and the in-laws.



We really are there, behind the steam. Nice cover-up if I do say so myself. :)



Lastly, the Two-Toe Sloth. Surprisingly, these guys are pretty dang cute.