We are Family

It's been a while since I've posted... life has been busy, but fun!! :)  My cousin got married a week ago, and family weddings are just so much fun!! We have a blast being all together!! And whenever all my sisters are together, you know it's gonna be a great time!! We kinda rule the dance floor. Basically, if you want to have a great wedding dance... just invite the Brichacek sisters, and we will not let you down!! :)  Enjoy looking at the pictures. My cousin, the groom, was pretty handsome! And his wife... she was stunning!!! She was so so happy!! And their two children, they are perfect!! The best part was when Jesse and Kristen were saying their vows, little Mitchell, laid on the stairs between them, just staring at his mommy and daddy! It was priceless!! 

The best kids!!

Congratulations to the Mr & Mrs!!

Every wedding party has to have a stop at Tiny's!

With the Stunning Bride!!! :)

My Mom's siblings with Grandma, and her cousins. 

Cousins, Spouses, Great Grand kids with Grandma! What a blessing Family is!

Being silly!

Sisters

All of us sisters with the Bride! Dance party ready to start!!

Kristen and Mom

Doesn't our cousin look good!?! :)

The prettiest flower girl ever!

With the groom! :)

Dance Party is starting!!

So happy when in mamma's arms!! :)

Yes.. this girl and myself had blisters on our feet by the end of the night! We know how it's done!! :)

Did I mention that it was Feb 20th... and warm enough for no coat or tights!?! :)

"We are Family...Get up ev'rybody and sing!!"

The "V" day

It's Valentine's Day... And for the most part it was a good day, a good weekend. Spent Friday night with some friends, enjoying a distillery tour. Saturday, had fun celebrating Galentine's Day with some girlfriends! A day made to just really appreciate the friends that God placed in one's life, that will always be there for you. Today I worked, and it was a good day, not crazy like it's been. So, overall it has been nice, fun.  But then I did the one thing I should have not done... I watched a sappy love story movie by myself Saturday night.... Yup... I knew before I even pushed play that I would be crying by the end, but I did it anyway. And to set the scene a little more, the movie I picked was Nicholas Sparks, "The Notebook."  Crazy, right?!? What was I thinking?? :) But I watched it anyways, enjoying a glass of wine, fireplace burning; and then the tears appeared, running down my cheeks by the end.... For many reasons, I can count at least a handful right now. But you know what, it was ok. I was ok. Sure, the day when the world tells you that you are weird if you don't have a significant other. When it's all about romance, about love ... I wouldn't be human if I didn't think/wish I had someone to share the day with. But then I am reminded in so many ways, that God is taking special care of me, and He has not forsaken me. And that my time/journey of singleness is a beautiful time.  This time is helping me grow into the person I am, the person God created me to be. It's taught me so many things, showed me what is really important, given me wisdom in more ways than I ever knew of. And helped me realize that I need to embrace this time, and be grateful for it, and offer it to God to glorify Him in all I do, and in all those I meet. Treasure today, live for today. Live in the present. Enjoy the moment. Share with others the water of grace through my singleness. And thanking God for the love He has for me, for loving me so much, even with all my failures. Jesus's love is the only love that will ever fulfill me completely!

I came across this blog post tonight, and thought it was so beautiful and perfect for all those that are single, and either embracing it, or if you're struggling with it, that's okay too. Don't give up on the deep desires of your heart. I truly believe God placed those deepest desires in my heart, in your heart, and He will answer them in ways we are not able to even dream about. He is a good, good Father. Happy Valentine's Day! xoxoxo

Dear Single Self

Celebrating Galentine's Day! #pinkallaround

"Treat yo' Self" -from Parks & Recreation :)

A fun evening with my sister a week ago! #bigsnowflakesfalling

I Thirst...

Since today is the start of Lent, I thought I'd share this with you. It's a meditation based on teachings by Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta.  A friend of mine shared it with me recently, and I just got around to reading it today, and thought it was so beautiful. And so perfect for Lent... as we take the next 40 days to refocus our lives and heart and soul... looking more towards Jesus each day. A beautiful song was sung at the Children's Mass this morning, with these words... "All I ask of you is forever to remember Me as loving you." .... this is all Jesus wants from us... for us to know how much He loves us... To let Him Love us! He thirsts for us every moment of our lives. He loves us so so much!!

I Thirst for you....  

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock..." (Rev 3:20) 

It is true, I stand at the door of your heart, day and night, Even when you are not listening, even when you doubt it could be Me, I am there. I await even the smallest sign of your response, even the least whispered invitation that will allow Me to enter. 

I want you to know that whenever you invite Me, I do come-- always, without fail. Silent and unseen I come, but with infinite power and love, and bringing the many gifts of My Spirit.  I come with My mercy, with My desire to forgive and heal you, and with a love for you beyond your comprehension-- a love every bit as great as the love I have received from the Father; "As much as the Father has loved Me, I have loved you..." (John 15:9) 

I come-- longing to console you and give you strength, to lift you up and bind all your wounds. I bring you My light, to dispel your darkness and all your doubts. I come with My power, that I might carry you and all your burdens; with My grace, to touch your heart and transform your life; and My peace I give to still your soul. 

I know you through and through. I know everything about you. The very hairs of your head I have numbered. Nothing in your life is unimportant to Me. I have followed you through the years, and I have always loved you-- even in your wanderings. I know every one of your problems. I know your needs and your worries. And yes, I know all your sins. But I tell you again that I love you-- not for what you have or haven't done-- I love you for you, for the beauty and dignity My Father gave you by creating you in His own image. It is a dignity you have often forgotten, a beauty you have tarnished by sin. But I love you as you are, and I have shed My Blood to win you back. 

If you only ask Me with faith, My grace will touch all that needs changing in your life, and I will give you the strength to free yourself from sin and all its destructive power. I know what is in your heart-- I know your loneliness and all your hurts-- the rejections, the judgments, the humiliations, I carried it all before you. And I carried it all for your, so you might share My strength and victory. 

I know especially your need for love-- how you are thirsting to be loved and cherished.  But how often have you thirsted in vain, by seeking that love selfishly, striving to fill the emptiness inside you with passing pleasures-- with the even greater emptiness of sin.  Do you thirst for love? "Come to Me all you who thirst..." (John 7:37).  I will satisfy you and fill you.  Do you thirst to be cherished? I cherish you more than you can imagine-- to the point of dying on the cross for you. 

I thirst for You. Yes, that is the only way to even begin to describe My love for you. I THIRST FOR YOU. I thirst to love you and to be loved by you-- that is how precious you are to Me.  I THIRST FOR YOU.  Come to Me, and I will fill you heart and heal your wounds.  I will make you a new creation, and give you peace, even in all your trials: I THIRST FOR YOU. 

You must never doubt My mercy, My acceptance of you, My desire to forgive, My longing to bless you and live My life in you. I THIRST FOR YOU.  If you feel unimportant in the eyes of the world, that matters not at all.  For Me, there is no one more important in the entire world than you.  I THIRST FOR YOU.  Open to Me, come to Me, thirst for Me, give Me you life-- and I will prove to you how important you are to My Heart. 

Don't you realize that My Father already has a perfect plan to transform your life, beginning from this moment? Trust in Me. Ask Me every day to enter and take charge of your life-- and I will. I promise you before My Father in heaven that I will work miracles in your life. Why would I do this? Because I THIRST FOR YOU. All I ask of you is that you entrust yourself to Me completely. I will do all the rest.  Even now I behold the place My Father has prepared for you in My Kingdom.  Remember that you are a pilgrim in this life, on a journey home. 

Sin can never satisfy you, or bring the peace you seek. All that you have sought outside of Me has only left you more empty, so do no cling to the things of this life.  Above all, do not run from Me when you fall. Come to Me with out delay. When you give Me your sins, you give Me the joy of being your Savior. 

There is nothing I cannot forgive and heal; so come now, and unburden your soul. No matter how far you may wander, no matter how often you forget Me, no matter how many crosses you may bear in this life; there is one thing I want you to always remember, one thing that will never change. I THIRST FOR YOU-- just as you are. 

You don't need to change to believe in My love, for it will be your belief in My love that will change you. You forget Me, and yet I am seeking you every moment of the day-- standing at the door of your heart and knocking. Do you find this hard to believe? Then look at the cross, look at My Heart that was pierced for you. Have you not understood My cross? Then listen again to the words I spoke there-- for they tell you clearly why I endured all this for you: "I THIRST..." (John 19:28) 

Yes, I THIRST FOR YOU-- as the rest of the psalm verse I was praying says of Me: "I looked for someone to console me and I found none..." (Psalm 69:20).  All you life I have been looking for your love-- I have never stopped seeking to love you and be loved by you. You have tried many other things in your search for happiness; why not try opening your heart to Me, right now, more than you have ever done before. 

Whenever you do open the door of your heart, whenever you come close enough, you will hear Me say to you again and again, not in mere human words but in spirit.  "No matter what you have done, I love you for your own sake. Come to Me with your misery and your sins, with your troubles and needs, and with all your longing to be loved.  I stand at the door of your heart and knock. Open to Me, for I THIRST FOR YOU..."

Our Daily Bread

This morning I woke up...to start day four in a row of working 13hr shifts. And knowing it still wasn't done. I had one more after today yet. I was just exhausted still from the last three days. I didn't know how I was going to make it, or where I was going to find my energy from. But time keeps going, so we have to too. So as I was getting ready, I quickly glanced at my emails, and this was what I read.....

Do I believe God will provide? Yes, I honestly say I do. I mean, why else would I pray to Him on my drive in to work each day? Why would I say little prayers to Him for help throughout my day, as I run to a code or RRT or intubation or before having a critical conversation with someone? Why would I emphasize "Give us this day, our daily bread" while whispering the Lord's Prayer to myself? Why would I do all that if I didn't believe that God will provide for me? The truth is, I wouldn't do that if I didn't believe. And you know what... I made it through the day. There were some moments where I just wanted to stop... but because Jesus is with me always, He helped me get through this day.

Then tonight, when I got home, I was catching up on replying to my text messages, and checking out Instagram posts... I came upon this...

It was the perfect words... whether we feel it or not, all we can say is "I did the best I could." And take the good and the bad, and give them to Jesus. And know tomorrow is a new day that God is giving us, and the best we can do is be grateful for this gift, and live it for Him.

So one more day.... I think I can, I think I can, I think I can... I know I can... with the help of Jesus! :)