My deployment bucket list: a heart never ceases to yearn for adventure

Instead of moping around (not every day, but some) and waiting for the clock to tick by on this deployment (i was 'timing' my students as they ran a lap around the play ground today and thought, 'i just got 8 seconds closer to deployment being over')......I've made a bucket list.


Things I want to will do during deployment:

-take Theo to a farm and let him run around
-finally finish the crafts I've been dying to try (wooden door hanger, painted palette, Texas Rangers dress)
-Take Theo to a Rangers game
-go out of state
-go to Canton
-plan the wedding of my dreams
-go to the San Marcus outlets
-throw Theo in a pool and see what happens
-do the Jillian Michaels 30 day shred
-stay out so late that i see the sunrise 
-go thrift store shopping in Arlington
-go swimming at the lake...in a bikini
-have the in-laws over for dinner
-go on a mission trip to Mexico
-build Joel a tiny little wardrobe for him to have when he comes on leave
-play the guitar at least 3 times
-dig up the time capsule my sister and I hid under a tree in my dads backyard
-teach Theo to sit, stay, drop, roll over, and something funny (my dad once taught his dog how to 'pray')
-make at least 3 of the recipes i have pinned on Pinterest
-learn a few solid phrases in French

i feel like thats a pretty hearty list for now.
more to come perhaps.

Itty Biddi Brittney

Bitten by the craft bug

Guys, I seriously don't know where this bout of CRAFTINESS has come from. But I'm rolling with it and hoping it doesn't stop. Here are a few things I have done this week:

 I bought a 3 cent. THREE CENT! Letter D from HobLobs yesterday. it had a chip in it but some quick wrapping with yarn in my favorite color green and HUZZAH... a new D to add to the wall.

 Just bought this bookshelf at one of Denton's handiest Thrift Stores. The ever amazing Hollye Cody helped me spray paint it black today. Im excited to go pick out some fabric to go behind it. Some burlap, perhaps?!

 bought this also at said Thrift Store. it was originally a bow tie. I put it around my bun as a joke and then was like, "oh no wait...this is ADORABLE!"

Mason Jar soap dispenser. I got the Mason Jar from ANOTHER thrift store (when you're crafty, you know where every thrift store is in town!) for 95 cents. They (i bought 2) didnt actually have lids. So instead of buying brand new ones, I just used the lids from 2 cans of vegetables, punched a hole in the top, inserted a pump I got for $1.29 at Sallys, painted the whole top a brassy color and SHEBANGSHEBOP SOAP DISPENSER! The ONLY bad thing though, as you can tell, is that the jar is SO big that I dont have enough soap to fill it up! I'm thinking of getting different kinds of red colored soup..perhaps a striped look? or a little ombre?

 

We've all been there. You're most comfortable v-neck says Victorias Secret across it. Your favorite tote or, in this case, umbrella has it PLASTERED right where everyone notices it most. Now, i L.O.V.E. me some VS but for some reason broadcasting it on my clothes or any other accessory makes me feel weird. So my sweet friend, Jill, and i found a solution. We got a shower liner from the Dollar store (we chose a shower liner because it was the most water resistant yet could-be-made-into-something-cute material we could think of) and I cut it into little rosettes. and then BAM, no more annoying label!

 The project that started this crating craze! I had a few boxes left over from moving in and thought, "i bet i can do something with these!" So Im writing out the verse "Come to me all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28) above my bed. I'll post a bigger picture when its all finished!

 This is did not make. I found it at Goodwill for 95 cents. A little Honeybee frame for me and my Honeybee.

Hoping it all continues! I have some big, big dreams of:

-making my own printed pillow

-painting on glass for some Bathroom decor

-making a frame out of thick poster board to go around the mirror above my sink

-and finding a way to put "My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun raises to where it sets" (Malachi 1:11) next to our big map of the world''

AND!!!!!
I want to start a wardrobe experiment. Something similar to "A dress a day" but a little different. It will be a test to see how much of my wardrobe i ACTUALLY wear. But more on that later

Yay! 

Itty Biddi I-love-having-hobbies Brittney

Let me tell you why my God is good...

...a few days ago I got to thinking, "I haven't really shared the gospel with anyone in a very long time."  In working at a FBC Pre-K everyone knows about Jesus. Spending time around my sweet friends...and they know about Jesus. Random acquaintance here and shared life experiences there...but no back to basic, this is who Jesus is, and I want you to know him.

This coupled with a sweet reminder of truth today...and shabang, shebop, first blog post in nearly 3 months.

Let me tell you what Jesus does for me:

He tells me that I am never alone. And I'm not.

in Deuteronomy 31:6 we are told
"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

and again in Hebrews 13:5 we are quoted again that verse from Deuteronomy in regards to worrying about money. The passage goes on to say "Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.  Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."

When I think of the women (leaders) who really taught me the attributes of God, sweet sweet Michaela, and i look at her and her husbands missionary journey and their great faith in him. I am so encouraged to have more faith in God's nearness. His son is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Yesterday, when it was so nice to have a day off, clean, get errands done, and relax as a huge thunderstorm blew through North Texas, I felt God's peace. His nearness was so sweet.

And today, when finances go wrong, family drama raises up, and I'm reminded of the distance that separates my husband and I....God's peace is still available to me. If I would only acknowledge it and claim it. He peace and nearness is always available to me, should I decide that those things are better than worry.

Verse after verse could be quoted about how great God is and saving is his son. All accounts of other men and women that have been affected by the Creator.

So let me give my account. My God is near to me when I feel alone. He gives me strength to move on when I don't want to or feel like I can't. My God gives me a sweet and gentle peace in times of trouble. And his Son died that I could have that closeness with him.

I hope you choose God's peace and nearness this week.
Itty Biddi Brittney

Happy New Year!!

     Well I hope that your New Years Eve and New Years Day was fun and fabulous!  As people begin their new years resolutions (people still do that right?) I am reminded of the one love that is constant in my life, one that doesn't change as the years do. My God has brought me through 2011.  He has blessed and adorned me with so much joy. I look forward knowing that God is faithful.


     And for your viewing pleasure, here is a little snip-it of my NYE. Dinner with sweet friends, viewing the ever amazing Southlake town square Christmas lights (I always like it when people let Christmas lights linger a bit after the actual Christ.mas.day.), stumbling upon a Rockabilly pub (which was full of military paraphernalia, thats where the picture of the U.S. Army flag comes from, I blew kisses to it at midnight so its like Joel was there!), convincing a group of people that we were Spanish exchange students (my tuition dollars hard at work), meeting a group of Zambians and then proceeding to speak the few phrases I knew in Bemba to them, and an inprumtu dance party for three in an empty parking lot.

     That picture on the bottom would definitely be me dancing on the roof of my car. I saw it in an N*sync music video and have always wanted to try it. Oh but dont worry, Lauren tried to slide across the hood of my car, Bo Duke style, MULTIPLE times yet to no avail.  So I wasn't the only one.

Hope yours was equally as fun!
Itty Biddi Get-down-wit-ya-bad-self Brittney : )

The thoughts of an Army wife

Sometimes a month can feel like a day. When I look back on this summer I feel like it flew by with such Texas furry. And sometimes a month can feel like 2 years.


A month and a half ago I said, with the most pathetic attempt at strength, "see ya later" to the love of my life. We hugged the last hug we would have for a long time. His face squeezed so tightly against the side of mine in my last efforts to remember the smell of clothes, freshly washed hair, and ,what had been annoying up until now, stubble against my cheek.  I stood there, forcing myself with every ounce of Proverbs 31 strength I could find in my body and tearlessly blew kisses to him as he disappeared behind security.

A month ago I excused myself from a dinner in progress with my closest friends to take what, at the time, was the hardest phone call I'd ever forced a smiled through. We had an hour to talk.  An hour to tell him how much I adored him.  How proud I was of him. To pray over our marriage and the safety of the one man on earth I love with my whole heart.  It's surprisingly difficult to think of what to say when you only have one hour to talk to someone.  All the sudden "listen to this hilarious thing Kelsey said today" or "oh my gosh, this person cut me off today" seem like the silliest topics.


And then away he went.

Undoubtably, being an Army wife is THE hardest thing I have ever done.  I will not lie to you.  It. is. hard. I cry. I cry all the time. I pray that my God would calm my fears. And he does.  I pray that God would bring us peace.  And he does. I pray that God would remind me of his promises and undying love.  And he does. But I still miss him.  Every. single. day. I miss him.

I fall to pieces when I can't reach the bowl on the top shelf. When I (stupidly) try on a bathing suit in the dead of winter and I don't have my husband to say, "whatever baby! you're hott!". When I browse the Victoria Secret catalog and remember, "oh wait, am I going to wear this...forr...myself?" (sorry, mom). When I don't know how many miles its been since my last oil change, how to do the simplest things on a Mac, or am up to my eyeballs in paperwork about something I have NO idea how to handle.   When I try and fill the extra space in my bed with pillows or anything to not make it feel so empty.

Those are the hardest.

But I have hope.

We are not alone in this. God knew, before the creation of the universe, that he would bring Joel and I through this journey.  Like Paul, he has already set up for us a wellspring of strength for where he will take us. Like the Israelites, he provides for us every. single. day.  His mercies are new every.single.morning. Like a fellow military wife once commented, this is only thing that we are battling right now. We are healthy. We are very much in love. We are provided for.  We are financially taken care of.  We are able to eat.  We have a good place to rest our heads at night.  Those we love are provided for. The distance is the one thing.

So I continue to pray. Every. single. day.  I pray for Joel's protection.  In Jesus' name, send your angels to cover him from head to toe. May they spread out their wings and shield Joel physically, emotionally, and mentally from harm.  May not even a hair on his head be maimed. I pray in Jesus' name for a swift return.  In Jesus' name, may you give us both strength to survive every day. Build us up that we may conquer this with Your strength.  May this not overcome or overwhelm us, but make us stronger warriors of Your army of truth. Be the rock we stand on in the storm.  In Jesus' name, continue to bring peace among the nations so that the soldiers can come back. Jesus, he was Yours long before he was mine.  You are in control. You are on your throne.  Not a single day of this have you not foreseen or foretold.  Continue to bind us together in Your name.


May the Lord refine me through the fire,
Brittney Dumas

Hi, My name is Brittney Dumas...

...and I graduated from the University of North Texas with a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and Development and Family Studies. Nice to meet you.

Itty (Not-so-bitty-anymore) Brittney : )

-as always, photo taken by the lovely jillianzamora.com-

It’s time to remind Hobby Lobby who’s boss

Thats it. I did it.  It’s allll over. At 1:55pm I completed the last test I will ever take for the University of North Texas.  My homework chains are gone.  FOREVER. So in true Molley fashion, Kelsey and I wasted no time in getting back to what we REALLY like to do: Craft!  As soon as I walked into Hobby Lobby it was like they were welcoming me back with soft, furry, hand-knit scarf arms.

My first order of business, make Joel and my “Our First Christmas Ornament”.  Now let me tell you, this semester has been, without a doubt, THE MOST demanding semester. With that said, I haven’t used my tiny biddi fingers to get’a’crafting in awhile.  So this ornament was NOTHING but trouble. First the letters, then the yarn, then the glue, THEN I wrote:

“Our First Christmas 2001” in huge letters.

Story. of. my. life.

Well if there’s one thing I’ve learned its that a bow can cover a multitude of crafting sins.  I doctored my sweet Christmas baby up and am extremely pleased with the result.  I think Joel will just love it too.

I also decorated my cap for graduation TOMORROW. But more not THAT later!

Itty Bidd (a’craftin-we-will-go) Brittney : )