Hi

I am still around, with the best of intentions to post each day... But instead I have been spending any rare spare moment with these two :



And this one (when she feels like it of course):



A few things I hope to write all about soon (of course this list is more for my memory than for you):

--- one my bestfriends being a nun
--- more thoughts on this whole baby thing
--- the Justin bieber concert
--- the 90 day challenge
--- college
--- new business ventures

That's alot my blog peps! ; ) Hope to get to it soon...


- Mrs.Pate via my iPhone

I just need somebody to love...

Whew! I feel like this summer has been on steroids!! The last few weeks have not brought the slower pace I was expecting, but they have brought some great quality time with loved ones. A quick summary:

- Sheldon, the little Pate brother, came to visit for awhile! I sooo treasure our time with him, and this time even more bc we will be moving him into college next week! agh!!

- Last weekend I went to Nashville and got to have a sleepover with some of the bff's. That was wonderful!! We were altogether bc on Sunday one of our best friends from college became a nun. Yep you read right, a nun. Crazy crazy. It was really good to get to see her and I will share more about that later.

- On Tuesday I got to hangout with Becky and Cam, which had been a longtime coming. It was great.

- Wednesday I left work a little early and headed down to Nashville for.... A Justin bieber concert! Ha! (hence the post title) It was livvi's bday present and I had agreed to go so my sister didn't have to beat it alone, then I forgot all about it till she called me this week! It was fun to have a night out on the town with them, and the concert was actually pretty good. But the screaming!!! Ahhh!!!! I couldn't hear for two days.

- And this weekend I headed to Lexington to hear Beth Moore teach the word of God with the ladies fom my church. So good and I have more to share on this soon too, but for now I will say that I was an emotional wreck and cried several times!!

So that's a quick recap for you. I am hoping to go more in detail with you about several if these things soon, but until then lots of love!!


- Mrs.Pate via my iPhone

Wow--- UGH!

So I came across these before and after shots of me for work and thought I would share.

This is me in October 2009 (right after I started at WKU). I know its a horrid picture in lots of ways, why am I so white??? Ugh! 

And this is me in April I think?

I still look the same, just not so swollen looking and white. A side by side for you:

Ugh... just thought I would share....

Nutshell

Sorry I have turned into such a  bad blogger this summer. I just can't seem to find/make the time to update you on my life. So for those that are afar and this is all you get of me- my apologies! Anyhow here is me:

• I have been spending my weekends mainly with my Youth girls, family, and friends. Now that our summer break is coming to an end I can look back and say I really have tried to cram as much into as I possibly could! And I am exhausted but happy.
• This summer has been such a fruitful time with our youth girls. (I say girls because we dont have many boys, and the ones we do are MIA in the summer. Sad times.) I have had quality time with each and every one of my girls, and they are all sooo night and day different! But I am beyond humbled at the fact that they see me as a guide and a person they can confide in. When I was their age and looking into my future, I would never have dreamed this is where I would be. With a past like mine I sooo dont deserve to teach anyone anything about the Lord or living a life to spread His name, at least thats what my worldly brain thinks. But the Lord uses the foolish things of this world... and I am soo in that category. We have spent the summer at camp, in bible study, hanging out at amusement parks or water parks, at my house, at Dustin's house, at VBS and in our youth house. And every bit of it has been a huge blessing to my soul. 
• All that being said, I always hate when they go back to school. This summer I got them to myself- not very many distractions. Now they have homework and friends and all kinds of distractions. Please pray for focus and continued unity. 
• This summer I have seen some of my closest friends more than I typically do in a year. The only bff I havent laid eyes on this summer is Kris (Miss you!!). I have had short visits, day trips, showers, and one on ones with some of my most loved girlfriends. It has been amazing. Amazing. 
• I wish I could say i have had tons of family time, but thats not the case. I have had some great moments with my and mr.pate's family, though, and its been much needed. My fabulous nieces spent a few days with us. And I have seen my family in lots of quick and short visits- which is better than nothing! We had a great 4th of July in Louisville with Mr.Pate's family and it was one of those almost perfect laid back days. It is hard to believe that Mr.Pate's Grandma passed away only 3 short months ago. 
• And Sheldon (the twins little brother) is here for the week now. He goes to college in only 2 weeks!!! Ahh!! I am loving our time with him right now. Loving it. 
• And I have not done a great job of losing any wieght this summer- in fact I have gained and lost the same 2 lbs all summer. But I havent really been trying either. I am just trying to be healthy but also enjoy myself. And often that includes somekind of chocolate... haha! 
• Some random things about me from this summer: I have totally fallen back in love with Food Network and Top Chef and watching people cook. In college I was obsessed but then I just kinda got tired of it. I have totally done a sucky job of taking care of my house this summer, it is always a mess. I hate grocery shopping and havent really wanted to cook much (hence the lack of MPM posts). I havent read much except I am doing the 90-Day right now and that takes all of my energy (oh Leviticus!). And I was thinking of growing my hair back out, but decided against it so i am going to get it cut tomorrow maybe?? 

Thats me in a very big and long nutshell! Ha!

hungry

Hungry I come to you
For I know You satisfy
I am empty, but I know
Your love does not run dry

So I wait for you
So I wait for You
I’m falling on my knees
Offering all of me
Jesus, You’re all this heart is living for

Broken, I run to You
For Your arms are open wide
I am weary, but I know
Your touch restores my life

So I wait for you
So I wait for You
I’m falling on my knees
Offering all of me
Jesus, You’re all this heart is living for
......…....................................................

We sang this song this morning at church, and it brought back alot of memories for me. This was a popular worship song the summer after I graduated high school. It was a rough summer for me, I had lost a great friend in a tragic gun accident that had scarred me pretty bad. I was also getting ready to leave all the familar and head off to college, a pretty intimidating thing for sure! But despite all the craziness that summer, it was a huge summer of Spiritual growth for me. I remember being in the middle of a field in Guadalajara, Mexico and singing this with all my heart...I meant every word as much as I absolutely could. I also remember being in the middle of the large room at fbc on a wednesday night singing it just as passionately.

And today, nine years later, I stood in my little old church and sang the same simple but powerful words. It amazes me that God has been this faithful to me. I made so many mistakes and detours along the way, I was tainted and stained with sinfulness, but God still chose to keep me in His arms. He has restored my life sooo many times when I have run to Him broken. He has satisfied when I was beyond empty.

It's almost comical to me to look at who I was and the mistakes I made and then look at how God has blessed me with a godly man and amazing girls to minister to. Really??

... Jesus you're all this heart is living for...

[Mrs.Pate posted on my iPhone]