Day 11

Favorite TV Shows

My favorite channel is definitely HGTV... I could watch it all day long, every day! I love it!

My current favorite TV show is The Sing-Off. It only lasts three weeks, which is the worst part about it. It is an all "a capella"(no music... just voices). They have so much talent on the show and it is sooo entertaining! Blake and I love watching it... we just wish it lasted longer.

Love, love love... Food network. And one of my favorite food network shows is definitely "Ace of Cakes." Duff (the owner of the cake shop) and all the designers are so funny! I love seeing how artistic they are and how they can make anything out of cake.

Another favorite on Food Network is "Food Network Challenge." If you have never seen one, you should definitely watch it soon!

And last but not least... one of my all time favorites is Gilmore Girls!! Love me some Lorelai and Rory!!

Day 10

Something you're afraid of

 I am going to make this short and simple. Three words sums it all up: all things scary.

Yes, that's right. No scary movies or haunted houses or even shows like CSI and Law and Order. I know lots of these things aren't scary to other people, but I just don't like it. End of story.

So... on another note, I just wanted to share something exciting with y'all. Blake is going to Glendale, Arizona to see Auburn play in the National Championship game!!!!!! He is beyond thrilled. I can't tell you how excited he is about it and how happy I am that he gets to go. Blake's birthday is November 28... always right around the Iron Bowl. So every year since we have been dating, he has always said he just wants an Iron Bowl win and a national championship. I keep telling him that I can't really control either of those things, but he keeps asking. Well this year, his dream has come true!!! So... his birthday and Christmas present from me is a trip to the national championship-- FINALLY! =) Happy belated birthday and Merry Christmas, sweetie!!

 Here is part of the crew headed out for the game... Mammaw, Gigi, Pappy, and my hubs! Also going from the Thaxton crew are Diane, Donnie, Tyson, and Robyn. WARRRR EAGLE!

 

Day 9

A picture of your friends

Meet my nursing school friends... Sarah, Katie, Emily, Meghan, and Abbe

Mallory wasn't able to be there for our cap and gown pics, but she was also a HUGE part of the fun times we all had in Miller Hall! =)

At graduation, we were all married or engaged... except Katie. haha! But that has since changed... can't wait for her wedding in May!

I had some amazing memories with all these girls through college, especially all the fun we had in nursing school. Miss y'all being in Auburn!

One of my favorite memories was our weekend trip to Seaside. The beach house is named "Sea for two"... meaning it is usually used for honeymooners, or just one couple. Well... we had six of us staying that weekend, so we re-named it "sea for six"!!

I forgot to mention... we all just happened to bring and wear polka dot bathing suits. We seriously did not plan. this. haha!

I realized from this blog post that I have almost zero pictures of all my married girlfriends now... so girls, we must change that soon!! =)

Day 8

A place you have traveled to

Today is all about travel! I am going to tell you ALL the places I have been... I'm sure I will forget one or two along the way. In the United States, I have been to Orlando, Colorado, Washington DC, Gatlinburg (Tennessee), New York City, and Philadelphia. One place I have never been to, but would love to visit is TEXAS! We are planning a trip out to Dallas next September for Judd and Amanda's wedding! So I will get my wish soon to see the great state of Texas.

Outside of the United States, I have been to Hong Kong and Ecuador. I lived in Hong Kong in the summer of 2007 for about a month teaching English to teenagers. It was an incredible experience that taught me so much about the Lord and so much about myself. I went to Ecuador this past March with the school of nursing on a medical mission trip. We ran a women's health clinic where we did physical exams, did health teaching, and had a "Bible school" type teaching for their children. I had such a great time last year that I am going again this year!! =) It is the first week in March, and I can't wait to be there! This year will be different because I am going to be in more of a leadership/administrative role. I can't wait to see all the Lord will do and teach me through our time preparing for the trip and our time spent in Ecuador.

I don't have pictures from all the places I have been... but here are a few of my favorite shots:

Me and Dad in Times Square

Me, my cousin Rachel, and Mom in Disney World... one of my favorite places in the world!

Skiing in Breckenridge, Colorado- Bradley, Tom, Sam, Laura, Me, and Chris

I went on this trip with my best friend, Laura, and her family. It was such a fun trip!! Can't wait to go skiing this year after Christmas!

At Code's Cove in Gatlinburg on our honeymoon

We went horseback riding up a mountain in Gatlinburg too... it was amazing!

The girls on my team in Hong Kong

All my students I taught in Hong Kong... miss them so much!

Mountaintop view of Quito, Ecuador

 

 Me, Katie, and Abbe doing some health teaching at the health clinic in Ecuador

Ok, I think that's all I have time to share for now. Hope you enjoyed traveling with me around the world!

Day 7

Day 7: Favorite movies

In the spirit of Christmas season... I think of "Elf" first for one of my favorite movies. The jokes in Elf NEVER get old to me. I still laugh as much now as I did the first time I saw it.

"You've got mail" is a classic in my book. I can quote just about every word. I love Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan's chemistry in this movie. It is so perfect!! Love it!

"Runaway Bride" may seem to be a strange favorite... but it truly is my #1 favorite movie of all time. I think Julia Roberts is so gorgeous, and I love her in this movie. It is such a good movie... go rent it now if you have never seen it.

Day 6

Day 6: A picture of something that makes you happy

This picture makes me happy for so many reasons...
1. I LOVE my niece Tatum. Being an aunt is so incredible. I have been in love with that little girl since before she was even born.
2. Another reason this picture makes me happy is because of my amazing husband Blake. We have been married for a year and almost 4 months now. I love being married and can't wait to see all the future holds for us.
3. This picture also shows how much we love Auburn... War Eagle!!

I can't wait for us to have a picture like this with our own baby one day!! =) I can't even begin to tell you how excited and ready I am for that day!! But for now, I love just being Aunt Katherine to sweet baby Tatum!

Day 5

My Siblings

Here is a picture of my brother, James Robert, and his beautiful wife Leslie at my graduation. James Robert is a little over 2 years older than me. He was three grades older than me, so we were actually in high school for one year together before he moved away to Auburn. Then we got to spend two years together in Auburn. Now, James Robert and Leslie live in Mobile... so we get to see them whenever we visit my parents too. We have had so many wonderful memories together, and I look forward to so many more great times in the future. One of my favorite things about my brother is his sense of humor. I can't even begin to describe him in a few words here.

When I married Blake, I got to add a few more siblings too!!

Wade... Blake's brother and our sweet niece, Tatum

Amy (Wade's wife), Summer, and Elizabeth

The Lord has given me so many blessings... and I am so so very thankful for all my siblings!!

Day 4

My Parents

My mom and dad have been such a blessing in my life. I have always had a great relationship with them and appreciate them more and more each day. My mom, Janice, is the guidance counselor at the high school where I graduated. She is an amazing picture of what a Godly woman, wife, and mother is, and I continue to learn so much from watching her life. She is the greatest prayer warrior and always has the right encouraging word for me. I absolutely love driving to and back from work because this is the time that I get to spend talking with Mom and getting to hear all about her day. Not living in the same town is difficult, but we survive by replaying our days during our talks. I hope I can be as wonderful of a mom as she is!

My dad, James, is such a great father and husband. Many of the qualities I wanted in a husband (which I found in Blake), I saw in watching my dad lead our family. He is a great role model. He also has the best sense of humor (don't tell him I said that...) Haha! He LOVES puns... seriously. You will just have to meet him if you have never experienced this for yourself. In all seriousness, he is the greatest Dad I could ask for.

Day 3

Day 3: My first love

1 John 4:8 - Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

Considering this verse, I did not know what true love was until I surrendered my life to God when I was 12 years old. So at that point in my life, I discovered my first love in Jesus Christ and what he did for me on the cross.

1 John 3:16 - This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

While I can never love perfectly, I strive to love my husband, family, and friends with this type of sacrificial love Christ displayed for us. Blake has taught me so much about love in the 4 years we have been together and this past year of marriage. Marriage has challenged me and taught me so much about what true love means. True love is not always pretty... it's doing the dishes when you don't feel like it, staying up late working through disagreements, loving in unlovely circumstances, and forgiving mistakes. But don't get me wrong, love is also more beautiful than anything I could ever imagine. It gives you those butterflies in your stomach, peace that everything is right because you are together, and anxious excitement about all the future might hold. The best feeling is knowing that Blake will be by my side through it all. That is true love.

Day 2

Day 2: Meaning behind your blog name

Well that's an interesting topic. When I first started my blog, I called it "this.is.life"... but then I decided that was too plain and generic. haha! So I changed it to "The Thaxton Life." Obviously, not so plain and generic anymore. Where I originally got that idea was from my sister-in-law Summer who called our wedding "the making of a Thaxton." Since I started my blog just a few months after we were married, I felt that name was appropriate. So there it is... the story behind my blog name.

I hope everyone has had a wonderful Wednesday! =)

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 1

Hello there!! I have been quite lazy in blogging lately... mostly because I don't know what to write about. So, I have been following a friend's 30 day blog challenge and think that I am going to try it out! I may not be able to blog EVERY single day... but I will complete the 30 blogs (one day!). Well, here we go!!

Day 1: Introduce, recent picture, 15 interesting facts

     My name is Katherine, and I just recently turned 23. I graduated from Auburn University's Nursing School (WAR EAGLE!!!) in May 2010. Since graduating, I have been working as a labor and delivery nurse in Montgomery at Baptist East. I absolutely LOOOOVE my job!! I get the joy of experiencing the miracle of birth every day... who could ask for a better job description?! I work night shift and really love my co-workers!! The best part of my job is knowing that I am exactly where the Lord wants me for this season in my life. 

     On August 8, 2009, I married my best friend and love of my life, Blake. We LOVE being married and just love to live life together. He is currently in graduate school at Auburn getting his masters in Horticulture... so he frequently refers to me as his "sugar momma." =) That pretty much sums up my life!

Me, Blake, and our sweet niece Tatum!

15 interesting (random) facts

1. I love my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ more than anything and strive to live for Him each day

2. I love being a wife and being married to my best friend

3. I am beyond excited about being a mother one day... but am striving to be content where the Lord has me now

4. I began sewing/embroidering this past summer and absolutely love it!

5. I want to be a stay at home mom one day with my kids

6. Blake and I really want to adopt one day

7. When I am a stay at home mom one day, I would love to have a little side sewing/embroidery business

8. I am obsessed with Dr. Pepper (there is one beside me right now)

9. I went to the dentist today to get 2 cavities filled... these were my first 2 cavities EVER!! Half of my face was numb for several hours afterwards and I thought I might never feel the same.

10. I am so blessed to have Godly parents and in-laws

11. I started exercising this week and attempting the "couch to 5K" work-out plan

12. I really really really love Christmas time and Christmas music

13. My husband is an Auburn University and Auburn football guru. War Eagle!

14. I sometimes wish I could see a picture of our life in 5 years to see where the Lord will have us... but then, what would faith be?

15. Our newlywed/young married Sunday school class gets together every week for potluck dinner and games... and that's where we're headed now!! We're taking Taco Soup tonight- yum!

Hope you enjoyed your little glimpse into my life for today!! =)

Sweet Baby Tatum

I am officially an aunt!! My niece, Tatum was born a perfect little bundle of joy!

I had no idea how it would feel to finally get to see her after waiting and praying for her for so long. Obviously, I get to see babies being born every day at work, but it is a completely different ballgame when it is your own sister or other relative. I feel so blessed to be a part of Tatum's life already... and I know that feeling will only grow in the future.


I am sure you are biased to your own family, but I honestly think she is the most gorgeous newborn EVER!

Look at that sweet baby!!! I just love her so much! I am so so excited for Wade and Amy and look forward to seeing them in this new role as parents.

This was my first time holding her... so precious! I had been awake for almost 24 hours at this point. haha! I came up to Huntsville after working my night shift. Luckily, I was able to sleep for a few hours on the way up since I rode with Tatum's Great Grand-Mammaw. =) But let me tell you... holding Tatum for those few minutes was worth it all for me! I will never forget how special it felt to be there and be a part of Tatum coming into this world. If you can't already tell... I am officially in love with Tatum and with being an aunt!!

I hope that all of you have the chance to experience this amazing feeling too. I can't even imagine how it will feel when I am having my own child one day... wow!! I am content with just being an aunt... at least for now! =)

Thankful

Philippians 4:6-7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with THANKSGIVING, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Last night at church, we had a ladies' ministry dinner and dessert. The speaker, Macy Maddox, talked about being thankful in and for everything in our lives. This verse is one of many she used to point us to the need for thankfulness at all times. Beth Moore describes the opposite of this verse in her book, "Discover the Victory of Total Surrender." She describes this as a "no-fail prescription for anxiety." --

"Do not be calm about anything, but in everything, by dwelling on it constantly and feeling picked on by God, with thoughts like 'and this is the thanks I get,' present your aggravations to everyone you know but Him. And the acid in your stomach, which transcends all milk products, will cause you an ulcer, and the doctor bills will cause you a heart attack and you will lose your mind." -Beth Moore

I don't know about you... but that is definitely NOT how I want to live my life. Being thankful is the secret to having peace with God. Macy described going through each activity of our day simply saying thanks to God. I tried to focus more on this today as I woke up, spent time with a friend, washed dishes, made some dessert, washed clothes, folded clothes, washed dishes again, and spent time with family. I have to say, I feel more refreshed today. The challenge will be tomorrow when I have to get up super early and work all day... my thankfulness seems to lessen when I become more busy. I am praying the Lord will change my attitude and give me a true heart of thanksgiving.

One thing I have been thinking about so much over the past week is how thankful I am for my family. Last Sunday, Brother Al spoke on family as a counter-cultural witness. Growing up, I never thought of my family as very counter-cultural, but in the past few years, I have realized how blessed I am to have such Godly parents who have stayed faithful to each other and have fostered a spiritual environment in our home. Here are the basic points from the sermon:

1. Marriage is a God-ordained, life-long union of a man and a woman (Mark 10:2-9)

2. Children are a gift from God to be embraced with gladness (Psalm 127:3-5)

3. Fathers are responsible under God for the spiritual welfare of their children (Eph. 6:4)

4. Mothers are responsible under God to create a home environment where their children can flourish (Titus 2:3-5)

The Lord has given me such a strong desire to be a mother. I am so blessed to work with new mothers each day and help bring new life and blessings into this world. I am so excited for the day the Lord gives Blake and I the biggest blessing of all in a child. (Don't go telling people we are having kids... I'm just talking about the future. Haha!)

Titus 2:3-5 says: "Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God."

Brother Al talked about how many women these days are working outside the home. I understand that this is necessary for some women and their families, but the Lord tells us so clearly here that we, as women, are to be homemakers. I don't think there is anything wrong with working, but I just challenge you to ask yourself what your motivation is. The glory of God should be our main focus in every decision that we make. I have not arrived at the perfect life, by any means. I just wanted to share with y'all what the Lord has taught me and my convictions about family. I hope I haven't rambled too much. Thanks for reading, and I pray something I said will challenge or encourage you today.

Family

This past weekend was the Auburn vs. Clemson game in Auburn. Some of my family was able to come up for the game, and we had such a great time! The game was a nail-biter for sure... we went into overtime and finally won. We got pretty lucky if you ask me! So here are a few pictures from the weekend...

Sorry I haven't been blogging recently. Work has been very busy recently. On my days off, I'm consumed with laundry, dishes, and all my other wifely duties! =) I will be working on night shift in just 3 short weeks! Eeek!! I'm a little nervous, but also very excited about the people I will be working with on night shift. So... I'll have to let y'all know how it goes!

Another thing I have been busy with recently is trying new things with my sewing machine. Here are a few pictures of things I have done for my soon-to-be-born niece Tatum!!

My other project has been working on an Auburn flag! I have to say... it was a challenge but ended as a huge success!! =)

So as you can see... it started out with one piece of plain orange fabric and one piece of plain blue fabric. After lots of pinning, seams, and cutting... it came together!! War Eagle!!

Cruisin' to Mexico!

 I will begin this post with a warning... you are about to see LOTS of pictures. They may cause you to want to be on vacation... so please continue with caution:

Blake's excited about finally being on the cruise ship!!

 

The atrium... it was incredible!

Pool and waterslide... we actually never even got in this pool. haha!

Within a few hours of being on the cruise, we made some new friends and won a "ship on a stick"!! For those who have been on a Carnival cruise, you know how big of a deal this is...

At our first show!

Playing mini-golf with some incredible wind!!

On the top deck of the ship

Our hilarious waiter is the one with the jacket who is posing there for me! haha! His assistant is the one on the left. They were so much fun!

Dressed up for the Captain's Dinner

This is a long story... but the short version is that these break dancers had a show. We innocently went to WATCH, when I was chosen as a "volunteer" to dance in front of everyone. I was a bit embarrassed, but it is a good story to tell now! haha!

In Cozumel!! We went on a sailboat out to a coral reef where we went snorkeling in the morning... it was sooo amazing!

Then we went to the beach!

On the sailboat making our way back to the pier

When we were back on land... we rented this moped and drove around the island awhile!

Eating lunch at Margaritaville!

On the moped in Mexico!

We finished our last night on the ship by singing "Hey Ya" at karaoke! It was a memorable experience for us and for those listening. haha!

So obviously... we had a really great time on the cruise! It was my first cruise, and I LOVED it! We are already planning another family cruise next May! I can't wait!! =) I highly recommend it to anyone thinking about going on one! Hope y'all enjoyed the pictures!