Musicians Needed!

Hello Everyone!!
Today I am writing to ask for your help! As our wedding day fast approaches (49 days!) ...Kevin and I have got ourselves in a sticky situation. We at this point do not have any musical talent for our ceremony. We are asking that if any of you have any suggestions or know of anyone who would be able to lend us their talent for an afternoon..we would be so very grateful!! If it helps, we will be having a yummy dinner of prime rib and potatoes, with a delicious cake baked by Kathy!! MMMM!!!! We are praying that someone will come forward and save us from cuing someone to push play on a boom box! Thanks so much for taking the time to read this and please if you know of anyone or have any suggestions, please send them our way!
Love you all!!

India 2006

When I was in college one of my instructors Peg Boyce ( who is now a great friend of mine)..mentioned that she had taken a group to India 2 years before to do dental work and to preach the word of God. It was at a time when I was really struggling with my faith and who I was as a person...and something in me was saying "You need to go...." So myself and another friend approached Peg again and said "we want to go"...after much convincing to the parents and fundraising, we were able to go to India for 2 weeks to set up a clinic and provide dental care, as well as travel to the villages where they practice Christianity in India. Only about 2% of the population of India practices Christianity and in some of the villages, non christians still persecute Christian followers. This trip was a life changing moment for me, and I am so happy that the women who were a part of this trip are still in my life and still encouraging me on my journey today. This trip really shaped me as a person. This trip showed me how passionate and hungry Iwas for God, as well as how passionate I was about getting out there and providing oral health care for those fortunate. Here are some of the pictures from that trip. Some are of our clinic and some are just of the villages and people we visited. Click to enlarge the pictures..and ENJOY!!

Job searching...ugh!!

When I decided I was moving here, I was so optimistic about finding a job. I thought in a city of millions that there would be atleast ONE dentist looking for a dental hygienist. If there is, he is not posting the job post anywhere where I can find it. Since I was 13, there hasn't been a time when I have been unemployed. It is a very scary feeling, and mix that with being in a new city with new people and my family 8 hours away..makes for some tearful moments.
I was called last week about coming in for an interview at an office and then two days later they emailed me and told me they had to cancel my interview because they had already filled the position. I was crushed..
I did however have an interview with the Children's Dental Services of MN on Friday morning. I felt that it went really well. I am very compassionate about providing healthcare to children and those less privledged than you or I may be. CDS of MN is a non-profit organization that reaches out to children and pregnant women to promote better oral health and educate. They have a headquarters in NE Minneapolis and many sattelite clinics. Those clinics are usually set up day by day at schools, and head start facilities. The position I applied for is in St. Cloud. It would be full time, with benefits, retirement, paid holidays and vacation time!! Not to mention it is working in public health which has been a passion of mine since I started dental hygiene school back in 2004. I just keep praying and I know God will provide.

Engaged

As of September 22, 2008...Kevin and I are Engaged!!!

We are planning a November 29, 2008 wedding in Brooklyn Park, MN at Waycross Evangelical Chuch. A dinner reception will be immediately following. I think we have planned to have Prime Rib, twice baked potatoes etc........ YUMMY!!!

Being from Illinois I know it is going to be difficult for a lot of family and friends to make arrangements to get to Minnesota on fairly quick notice...so my parents are also hosting another reception on January 17, 2009 in Bloomington, IL. I do believe that we are having Fazoli's cater this one. We are trying to keep both occasions pretty low key..and not pricey. Fazoli's was a lot of yummy garlicy food..for a fair price!!

My Bridesmaids are going to be my two sisters..they are going to be wearing brown dresses from Davids Bridals. The flower bouquets my friend Bridget made for us. Here are a few pictures of my bouquet, Stephanie & Kara's bouquet and the boutaneers(sp?)..Kevin will also wear one that is just white flowers. We opted to do silk flowers. Because of cost. We did all of the flowers for the wedding and church for under $55. I was a little worried about how nice they would look but I am very please with the results. I think they are going to look beautful againsts the girls' chocolate brown dresses and my dress!

Kevin and I are so excited for the future and what God has in store for us. Our journey together is so amazing. We are always laughing and saying to each other "Isn't it so crazy how we ended up together?" God works in the most mysterious of ways and couldn't be happier that he chose to unite the dental hygienist from Illinois and the Soldier from Minnesota. We will keep you posted as time passes about anymore details or journey's in our life together!!!

Moving to Minnesota...Finally!

So after almost two years of dating and living in separate states...Kevin and I have decided to give it a shot in the same state of Minnesota!

It has been something the both of us have wanted for a while now but things just weren't working out. God has presented us both with some amazing changes in our lives over the past 2 months and we couldn't be happier about the future. I am still a little nervous because I don't have a job yet but I'm sure someone is in need of a dental hygienist in the Minneapolis area... I have faith!

Tomorrow is my last day at my job. I couldn't be happier. I have put up with a lot of stuff with this job and it is just a serioius load off my shoulders to be out of there in less than 24 hours! WOOOO HOOOOOO

So thank you for everyone for their support and I look forward to being closer to all of you! I especially look forward to my girls weekend with Ashleigh! yay! haha

Love you all !

Kristen

Trip to Minnesota

This last weekend, I was invited to attend Kevin's Family Reunion in Bemidji. I will have to admit that I was really nervous about going, but I ended up having a blast. I met many amazing people, and I made some very dear friends. Not to mention the food was delicious.

It was so great to see Kevin as well. It had been 4 months since we had last saw each other. Sometimes the distance seems unbearable but I know God has a plan for us and we know the wait will be worth it!! I am so lucky to have such an amazing boyfriend that I am madly in love with ..that has an AMAZING family to boot!

Below I will post some pictures from my weekend..there aren't many but just a few of what I did take. I appreciate all of the pictures that have been passed on to me!

Me and my love

Amy and I at the boys' baseball game

Kevin after their victory!!

Becky & Baby Cara..sooo cute!

waiting game

I am just ready for a change. I'm just blah lately. I have however found a great church to go to and I love it. I'm just really looking forward to maybe a move within the next 6 months. I just wish I knew where it was going to be so I could prepare for things but that won't happen for a while. Kevin and I have been apart for a year and half already. It gets harder every day because I do care so much about him. Especially now that he's busier with work and I don't always get to talk to him whenever I want. I know that God has His plans for us and I trust that he will bring us together at some point. But right now I am just going to be sad because I miss Kevin and it's been almost 3 months since I have seen him..

content

One day at a time, stay positive and always look on the bright side. Blessed to be a blessing... blessings come in adversity sometimes it just takes a while to figure it all out. I completely trust God that even through the tears and confusion, it will all come together!!

Made of Honor

Tonight I met my friend Brianne out for a movie. We decided to see Made of Honor. I really hadn't heard many reviews of it, but Patrick Dempsey was in it, so that was enough for me. I guess if I were a critic I would only give it about 2 1/2 stars. It was definately cute, but completly predictable. Almost a "My Best Friends Wedding"..just the opposite ending. There were a few funny parts and some parts that make you go "awwww".. I definately could have waited to see it on video. I suppose I was just expecting it to be a lot funnier and not so predictable. That's what I get for choosing a chick flick I suppose. I sound like I am being a party pooper or hard on the movie but I just didn't leave with the "THAT WAS SOOOO GOOOD" feeling. I guess it makes me feel better that I had discounted movie tickets and a dollar off my popcorn!! I hope whoever reads this isn't mad at me for basically giving away the ending ..but oh well.. My suggestion is just wait and go to Blockbuster in a few months.

It's about 12:30am and of course I am not asleep. it's probably because I had a Diet Coke at the movies and caffeine always keeps me up. I suppose it's not a terrible thing considering we have some pretty severe weather going on around here. I'd rather be up than sound asleep if a bad storm blew through.
I just read on www.foxnews.com that there have been over 100 people killed already this year from Tornados, 8 of them today in the midwest. Please pray for the families who lost loved ones, and even those who are faced with the devastation of what the tornado has done to their homes and community. Pray that those in the path of the storms tonight and in the future are kept safe.

Well I best be off to bed. Luckily tomorrow is a holiday so I still get to sleep in :) Love you all!
kj

St. Louis Botanical Gardens April 2008

My absolute favorite picture of the day! Such

bold and vibrant tulips!

I am thinking of editing out the date(obviously)

and making it into a canvas print for my walls..

I love the contrast between the colors

and sizes of leaves that were floating

on the pond. Stunning!

Take that Indiana Jones!! I found the crystal skull! ;-)

Simple yet beautiful

Women in kimonos in the Japanese Garden

work in progress..

I have been attempting to get this page up and going for months now. I am not a huge "blogger" but I suppose I will try. I absolutely love photography and I am a little bummed that my computer crashed a few weeks ago and I lost all of my photos from the last 4 years..I was not smart enough to have them backed up elsewhere. I do have some pictures of the Botanical Gardens in St. Louis from the end of April. They are beautiful! They would have been even more amazing if I would have noticed the date was on the screen in the corner of every picture!! I was so bummed. I suppose one of these days I can attempt to edit the date out. I have about 60 pics all together, but I won't bore you! I'll just post a few of my favorites. I hope you all enjoy.