Our First House!!!

Well, I am finally posting pictures of our house!! Yay! :) We are truly so blessed that the Lord provided this home. Although foreclosures are sad- for us it was amazing! We were able to purchase a new construction foreclosed home for much less than it is worth! Lord willing, we will be in this home for a long time! Every time I drive up the driveway, I thank God for this undeserved and very much appreciated house!



The Front Door and Stairway to upstairs:

Living Room and Backyard View...

Living Room and part of Kitchen Windows...

Kitchen...

Our Bedroom!!! (this is my favorite room!)





Office/Library: Huge Basement to finish...currently our workout room...




There you go! There are more rooms but i didn't want to bore you with the mud room and bathrooms! :)

We are completely blessed. We want to honor God with this house every way we can.

October Update!

Hello friends! How are you? Are you enjoying the beautiful fall leaves as much as I am? God's glory is really shown through His creation and fall truly exemplifies it! I have been completely slacking in my "blog duties". I think it's OK b/c I'm not sure anyone noticed. ;) I have been super busy working my job as an Office Manager, working on the Designs by Kate business and going to Jeremy's Volleyball games. We also have had friends visit, Jeremy's parents were here last weekend and my mom comes this weekend! Needless to say, its been pretty crazy. As far as my job goes- I like it sometimes but the hours are really not great. I work afternoons and into the evenings so I usually don't get home until 7 or 8 at night. Regarding Designs by Kate, I have had one Senior Portrait session and have a Children's session tomorrow afternoon. It has been wonderful so far! I really have a passion for photography and then doing various art designs with the portraits. It is fun to enjoy what you are doing and to be your own boss!! I could definitely get used to that! Here are a couple pictures from my first Senior Portrait Session...

She hasn't seen them yet but I will deliver the proofs and ordering packet Sunday night and hope that her and her family love them! I have a lot to learn but I am excited to do so! Other than that, Jeremy has been working 12+ hour days at school teaching and coaching. It is certainly an exhausting job but I think he enjoys it for the most part. We are both looking forward to seeing one another more after the Volleyball season is over. The girls had a great win last week and I have enjoyed being a part of their lives as well. Tomorrow night Jeremy and I are going to the Homecoming Football game. The girl above, of whom I took the Senior Portraits for, is the Homecoming Queen and the captain of the VB team so that is exciting!

In other news, we could still use some definite prayer about finding a church home. We still have not found one that we just love and feels like the right fit so we will keep looking. We both appreciate our beloved church in La Crosse even more now.

Lastly, I thought I'd give a brief health update since it has been awhile and a few people have asked. It has been a year since the brain tumor scare and since I was off of work on bed-rest for three months. I have improved significantly, although am not my normal self and still require an immense amount of sleep. I have to keep reminding myself to slow down because when I have a good day I do too much and then wear myself out. But, praise the LORD I am at about 75% of my normal capacity. I was at about 30% a year ago so I really cannot complain. God has indeed been faithful. I have renewed hope that we can have children and that I can live a pretty normal life. I will probably always require a lot of sleep but if I can function ok, then I am content. Please know that I do need your CONTINUED prayers regarding my health and that it is those prayers that helped both Jeremy and myself get through the last year.

Well, I should get going but stay tuned b/c I will be posting pictures of our house VERY soon! :)

God Bless,
Kate (and Jeremy)

The Completed Logo

Hello! Thank you to all those who voted...it helped me narrow it down to Fonts #1, 4 and 5.

I then played around with those fonts a little and added some design work and here is what I've come up with:

I'd love to know what you think! I've ordered business cards and had my first Senior Portrait Session this weekend and it went great!!! Thanks so much for your help and I'll keep you posted!

Help with Font for my Logo!

Hello Everyone!! A lot of you know I have started my own Photography and Designs Business. Well, I am currently working on revamping my logo and need to pick a new font. Below are 7 choices that I have gotten it down to...but I need your help with the rest! PLEASE take two minutes to look at each font and then vote on the right-hand of the screen for your favorite!
Look just at the font, not at the way the words are placed as that can be changed. :)
This will largely determine which one I go with so take it seriously and remember it is a Photography and Design business when you are voting. :) THANKS SO MUCH!!!!!

To Vote: For your #1 choice: Vote TWO times - For your #2 choice: Vote ONCE.

Font 1:



Font 2:

Font 3:

Font 4:

Font 5:

Font 6:

Font 7:

My Strong Tower

I have today off which is amazing. However, I stayed up until 2am last night watching a documentary about the events of September 11th. To be honest, I feel as if I have rarely stopped to acknowledge that date for years. The documentary was pretty raw...it was rough footage for the most part and was during the first moments of the terrorist attacks. I was hooked. I couldn't look away for the entire show. It was gripping and real. A few things come to mind today as a result of my viewing this 9/11 show. First, watching the planes slam into the most immense buildings of concrete, steel and metal and then subsequently watching these buildings fall reminded me that NOTHING is safe here. Those were built with the best structural integrity known to man, with the best materials available to build with- and yet a few men were able to take those down, (along with countless lives) in a matter of minutes. This helped me remember the increasingly apparent truth that only God will stand the test of time.

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. - Isaiah 40:8

As Americans, we get so wrapped up in culture, finances, degrees, jobs and the like that we completely forget how absolutely fleeting all this is. Which is why it makes so much sense to put effort, time and thought into the only thing that WILL REMAIN: God and our relationship with Him, His Son and The Spirit. So why do we allow these futile things to take priority over our Constant? How often do I chose to watch TV or get a little more sleep over spending time reading His Word or praying? This isn't meant to be a guilt trip- but a written reminder to myself.

Secondly, I started thinking of the importance of reflection. Each year, our nation will create documentaries or specials memorializing the tragic events of 9/11. However, how often do we sit to reflect upon the events of life (both good and bad) that have shaped us? In my own experience, I am either DWELLING on past situations or events or completely IGNORING them. Where is the balance and what is the fruit from true reflection?

Those are some thoughts, albeit mundane, that I have been having lately. Feel free to share your opinions.

ON a personal note, we haven't found a church home and could use some prayer regarding our search.

With love, Kate

Our Beautiful Niece...

It's been a while since we've posted pics of our little niece Emily whom we just adore...enjoy!

Happy Anniversary Gery and Inge!

Today marks Jeremy's (and mine) parents Wedding Anniversary! I wanted to write about the beautiful marriage they have and the gratitude I have for them sharing that with me. They truly love one another and even when they are picking on eachother its adorable. :) They know one another inside and out and show care by putting the other first all the time. The proof of their incredible love is in the three amazing children they raised- I think that is usually the best testimony of a marriage. I know that Jeremy is the way he is today in large part because of his parents love for eachother and for him. I appreciate them allowing me to see a strong marriage that really does stand the test of time. Congrats Gery and Inge and know that we all love you dearly!