See you soon!

This isn't goodbye, but just see you soon! The truck is packed, and our house is empty so I will have to wait until we can unpack the computer to post again. (We are spending the night at my parents house!) BUT, when I finally do post we will be in North Carolina! Yay!!

Please pray for Brad and I as we travel tomorrow and as we unload the truck. Satan is really trying to make this as difficult as possible for us, but we know without a doubt that this is what we are supposed to be doing. We also know that God will provide all that we need! I can't wait to share all that He is doing in our lives right now! But for now, I am going to get some much needed rest! Sweet Dreams

Getting Some Practice

We got to babysit our youngest niece, Kayleigh this Saturday! We decided to be brave and go walk around the mall. It was great! I don't know who handled it better, Kayleigh or Brad. She is so precious, and we are treasuring every second we get to spend with her! I can't believe how fast she is growing up. Here are a few pictures of our night.

Uncle Brad got to feed her rice cereal.




She thought he was really funny!


We had to take a bath afterwards.


She got a little cold when we took her out, but this was the only time that night that she wasn't happy!


Uncle Brad is spoiling her by rocking her to sleep!


She is such a precious baby! We had so much fun getting to take care of her together (and we got some good practice)!


We love getting to take care of our nieces! I love these girls like crazy! Ave & AK are at such a fun ages now. I don't want Kayleigh to grow up too fast though! Check out Jaime's blog to see the fun that we got to have with our other nieces tonight!

Is it already Thursday again?

In the middle of packing everything up, I think I have found probably 6-8 unfinished journals that I have started within the last 10 years. I had written a few entries in them for a couple of weeks and then the rest of the journal remains blank. If a stranger would read any one of these random journals they would probably think I had fallen off the face of the earth all of a sudden by the way that I just completely quit writting in them. I tell you this odd fact about me because who am I fooling to think I could keep up a online journal?!? I am trying though! In all honsety, I have had to step over boxes, books, bags, etc. to even get to my computer! So, I have had an excuse not to blog as often. I can't even imagine if I had kids to take care of and do this too! I applaud all of the blogging mothers out there! Anyway, since it is Thursday, here is a Thursday Thirteen to catch you up on the Brocks from this past week!




Thirteen Things I have been doing, other than blogging!

1. Brad and I started a little DIY project this weekend. We found an old trunk in his grandmother's house that was actually his great-great grandmother's. We are attempting to strip it and repaint it. I forgot to take a "before" picture, but I will definitely let you see the "after".

2. We got to go shopping! This was really exciting because in the whole two and a half months that I worked at Bed, Bath, and Beyond, the only thing I bought was a candle and maybe some candy. It was so hard not to buy something I wanted every day! However, I talked Brad into letting me get some new stuff for our new bathroom when we move. The best part, was that I still got to use my employee discount!

3. Packing more boxes. I think I have written "FRAGILE" on every box except for maybe two.

4. Playing with Bella. My parents got a new puppy and I have been taking breaks and going over to their house to play with her.

5. Dinner with the Dales. Stephanie and I have been friends since middle school and we have both been so busy lately that we haven't been able to get together like we have wanted to. So we finally made plans, and had a yummy dinner at their house! Perrin was a doll!

6. My grandfather has been in the hospital, and has now been moved to a nursing home temorarily. I have been trying to help my grandmother in my spare time so we can get the house ready for him to come home again!

7. Packing.

8. Bible study. Brad and I have been doing a Bible Study with our Sunday School class on Beth Moore's Study of Daniel. It has been one of the best studies I have ever done! Unfortunately we won't get to finish it, but I recommend it to anyone!

9. Official moving stuff...trying to plan to have all of the utilities cut off, forwarding our mail, fun stuff like that.

10. One of my good friends from school had a baby this week. I haven't gotten to meet her yet but Lila Moore was welcomed into the world this past Monday! Congratulations Sally & Thomas!

11. I had to rush to Duron the other day to take Brad his contact solution and his glasses. He called me because paint colorant splashed into his eye and had gotten it behind his contact. When I got there his eye was incredibly red and bloodshot and a little swollen. Luckily I came to the rescue and he isn't blind. Yet. He was wearing his last pair of contacts. We might have to go to the eye doctor in the next two days to get more before he is taken off of the insurance.

12. I made oreo balls. These things are heavenly! There wasn't any special occasion, I just wanted to make some.

13. Packing. Have I mentioned I am moving in one week? You're probably tired of hearing about it, but this is my first major moving experience. I haven't compeletley freaked out yet, so I would say it is a success so far.

My goal is to post at least once before next Thursday. I'll let you know how that goes.

I'm Doing a Happy Dance

Okay, so I told you that I started a Thursday Thirteen last week and never finished it. Well, I tried to finish it this morning and I even posted it, but it is showing up underneath my other post. So, just scroll down a little and you can read my Thursday 13! I am going to go get ready for work now. I only have two more days!! You can't see me, but I am doing a happy dance! Have a fabulous day!

I'm Still Here

I promise I am still here but things have been crazy lately! In between working and packing we have been trying to get in our last minute get-togethers with friends and having some family time! Only two weeks, and five days until we move to NC! I even started to do a Thursday Thirteen this week, and got interupted and didn't get to finish it. However, I this is my last week of work...only five more days!!! Not too much has happened lately but hopefully when things settle down a little, I will be able to post more. I do have a few prayer requests though! Please pray for my Papa, he is back in the hospital having more problems with his medication, pray for his doctors that they will be able to get all of this straightened out and that he will be back to his old self again! Also pray for my twin brother Jordan. His plans for deployment have changed several times, but as for now he is leaving October 10th for New Jersey for training, coming back to Charleston on Oct. 26th, and then leaving for Iraq on October 31st. Most of all, pray for his safety!
Thanks for your prayers for him and for my family during this time! I hope everyone has a great week!

Thirteen Reasons I will miss SC

There are way more than thirteen reasons why I am going to miss living sweet South Carolina, but here are just a few that have been on my mind lately (in no particular order)...


1. Our niece Baby Kayleigh. She has only been here for four short months, but man...I love this kid! The thought of not being able to see her when ever I want or having her grow up without me getting to see everything absolutely breaks my heart.


2. Wellford Baptist Church. This church means so much to me, and I am so excited about everything that is about to happen here. We have made so many lasting friendships and this is where we got married.

3. Meadow Street. Brad and I have made our first home here. This house has also come to mean so much to both of us. We have come accustom to all of the sounds that our older house makes, and we can find our way around in the dark if we need to. So many special memories have been made in this house.


4. Mama & Tim. My parents! I am actually the last of the Layton Four to leave home (home, as in the "DLW" area) and it is going to be bitter sweet.

5. FRIENDS!!! Brad and I met so many great friends while we were at Anderson College, and our prayer was that when we moved home and got married that we would be able to find some fun "married couples" that we would be able to hang out with here. We have been blessed beyond belief! We have made so many life-long friends and reconnected with some old friends and it is so hard to imagine that we will be able to find new friends again.


6. Margie, Brad's Grandmother. This is a precious lady who has had such an important role in shaping and raising Brad. She has helped make him into the man he is today. She took him to church when he was a little boy, and I have no doubt that she has helped plant that seed of Christ in his life. If it wasn't for her, we probably wouldn't be on this road that we are on today. She has Alzheimer's and is struggling day to day to remember who we are. She would be so proud to know of the man that Brad is becoming.


7. Papa G, My Grandfather. I have so many fond memories of my childhood playing at my grandparent's house. I love to think of these memories when I think of my grandfather. He is sick and seems to be on a roller coaster ride with his medications. I often worry about us being so far away because it has been so easy for them to just call us if they need anything.

8. Amanda & Josh, Brad's Brother and our future sister-in-law. I can remember being a little jealous of Jaime and Kelli's relationship. I could only hope that I would be able to have a good relationship with my sister-in-law(s) when that day came. Again, I have been blessed beyond measures! They each mean so much to us, and I pray for their marriage!


9. Shannon Forest. This is the school where I worked last year. There are so many amazing brothers and sisters in Christ and precious children here that have made a huge impact in my life! I am sure that my journey will not lead me back here, but it will always hold a special place in my heart. I will always be grateful for the opportunity they gave me and for all that I was able to gain from them.


10. I-85. Ok, so I won't really miss Interstate 85, but I will miss knowing my way around. I am not great with directions, I really don't think I am even good with directions BUT I know how to find my way around, and sometimes, I know more than one way to get there. I am terrified that I am going to get lost in NC! However, I do know how to get to the nearest SuperTarget, so I know I can survive!

11. Niles W. Brock. Who is this you ask? This is my beloved fish. I don't think he will be able to make the trip with us. Does anyone need a darling pet?

12. Football. My husband will laugh at this one! But really, if I think about it, I have always pulled for either Byrnes or Clemson. We can hear the high school games from our yard and the band practicing. It was a little annoying at first, but it has now become the sounds of home. When I move, Wake Forest High School will be in my back yard. They definitely won't replace Byrnes, but I think Nate might convert us to Tarhill Fans.

13. South Carolina just sounds so much better than North Carolina. We have a cooler flag too.

I am tickled pink about moving! We are so excited, so please don't get me wrong when I say this, but dang I am going to miss living in sweet South Carolina.

Not-so-sweet

My sweet husband just called with some not-so-sweet news. We have ANOTHER flat tire on the car! Can you tell that Satan is trying to get to us? God has his hand all over this one though! Thankfully, this time we have an extra tire that we can go get fixed AND its my day off so I can go help my husband (if I had to work today he probably would have been stuck at Duron!) Praise God, we will get through this too!

"Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD."
Psalm 31:24