winter 2010

Its been a while... I feel like not much has happened. We had ALOT of snow this winter.. snow that A and I were not use to. In Feb. A got hired by our church as a ministry intern. The internship is for about 15 months and you may wonder then what???? Well now that are parents know our plans for the future I can tell all of you.. and when I say all of you all the 3 people that read this Ha Ha ha..
This fall A is going to begin the application process to become a military chaplain. We are not sure what branch yet still in process about that but feel that this is the Lord's plan for us and our future. We are excited about the next chapter of life.. I kind of feel like life is in waiting right now cause we know Columbus is temporary but trying to keep those feelings at bay. So A works most of time at church and still moves boxes in the mornings. I am still in the social work field.. I don't believe I fully comprehend what I do for a living. It still takes my breath away of how God has worked in my life to bring me to this point. We had a visit from my parents this month and it was really great. I really enjoyed having them in our home..I felt like a grown up making breakfast for my parents... it was fun!
We are heading for vacation on Saturday really pumped about that... I will have pictures to post when we get back.
Here are some pictures from the winter.. I attempted some new recipes which was fun .. I have many more on my list I am excited to attempt them this spring.
Signing off for now.. blessings to all of you..





I believe this recipe was mexican bbq chicken.. not sure it was really good.. 2 things happen when I cook.. I make a HUGE mess (which you will see below and the smoke detectors go off..)








Finished product!!!!!

paint or not to paint that is the question...

Ok so I have to say that I am a little nervous to post these pictures because my house is a mess but I told my parents I would send emails and since I know my family are the only people who read this.. there is grace. Below are pictures of the current situations going on in our condo. We have finally decided we are painting this weekend..I have officially been put on a home decorating budget and I have over spent already by 2 months... ummm we have a problem Houston.
I will keep you posted on how decorating goes.. I am counting on my mother when she comes to town to help me... so if you are reading this get ready mom!



The living room


Eating area


yes I know it says fat but really it's suppose to say EAT


1/2 bath


upstairs bath


master bedroom

It's been way to long!!!!!

Well well well... it has been too long blogging world. A lot has happened.. decisions have been made, living arrangements have changed, hair color has changed... but at the end of all the change... the Bayers are still here..excited for the future.. thankful for a Glorious GOD who LOVES US!
After living with some dear friends of ours for the past 7 months we moved out the first weekend in Jan. We traveled almost every weekend in December... and decided to just go ahead and move the very next weekend our travel schedule slowed down. It was a long weekend but I'm thankful we went ahead and did it.
Below are pictures I found on my camera I found unpacking boxes. Adam surprised me for our anniversary in July with a trip to Hocking Hills, OH. We had dinner at a local joint.. we both thought the food was ok.. we stayed at a cabin in the woods.. hung out in the hot tub and then went hiking the next day! It was perfect and we really enjoy the time alone.

















More updates to come...
J

Yes... we are still alive

It has been almost 3 months.... I would say life has been crazy but it really hasn't. We have kind of gotten into a routine here in Ohio.. it has been nice. I thought I would have more of a difficult time not traveling but it has been a really easy transition. I don't miss being on an airplane at all... I do miss my blackberry.. but my new job is busy.. it's a different kind of busy but nonetheless I have plenty of work to do.. so it hasn't been that bad. Adam is working a ton somedays I feel sorry for him starting his day around 4am and not ending it until 8 or 9pm.. He is hanging in there. We are still in waiting mode.. waiting for the Lord to unfold His plan for our life. We have had many doors close which has been awesome.. I have been praying for closed doors and a BIG one OPEN. :) I feel some days I have a grasp on contentment in this stage of life others are harder.. I think Adam feels the same way. We use to talk about our future all the time but it got really discouraging.. so now we talk about it very briefly, he usually updates me if he got an email or a phone call and we usually sit down and have a serious conversation every several weeks. This has helped me tremendously not get consumed with thoughts of "what the heck are we going to do".
I am posting pictures from our move, I planned on doing a huge post on the whole move but I'm just going to show pictures. We stopped at my parent's house for a night to see my family it was great to see everyone, especially the new baby of the family Nita!!! She is a doll and I can't wait to hold her this Christmas!

For your amusement

A Million Months Later....

I finally would decide to blog. Trust me I have wanted to sit down and do this for SO long but to be honest it has been a little overwhelming. There has been a ton going on and dealing with a lot of stuff so blogging and writing it all down has been the last thing I have wanted to do. Finally I think I am ready.... so there are so many stories... first we moved... well I moved first...then Adam moved... while moving for the second time with all of our stuff in the 27 ft. truck we rented we hit and killed a dog... yep it was great.. I mean yes I LOVE dogs but it was really funny I mean it was around 4:30am in the sticks of Tennessee. We had stopped at my parents house to see the family and had to leave early in order to make it to OH before it got dark. Anyways.. we made it to OH safe and sound and have been settling in. I am not going to lie and say it is all been great and such a happy time.. it has definitely been the most uncomfortable time of my life. Change is very difficult for me and every aspect of my life has changed within the last 2 months. To make a really long story short.. trying to see the Lord in all of this and I know he is here I know he is, I just have to remember to keep my eyes focused on Him. Is that difficult for anyone else???

there are many more stories to tell oh about how we are living with some great friends of ours.. that were really Adam's friends but have become very dear friends of mine.. I was hit by a cop on the highway who was trying to chase after a horse that had gotten loose..yep and I was found guilty.... Adam and I both passed our driving test in the state of OH, Adam got another article published in a magazine and got paid for it... oh yes and we are still waiting on the Lord to let us know what he wants us to do for HIS kingdom... WOO ok enough talking... til next time...

Peace in our TIMES!!!

Finishing up in Dallas....

I'm just sending a quick update for you all... as of today April 27th I'm finished with Women of Faith, my last day was actually my birthday the 23rd, Adam is finished with school today (we are in the computer lab right now so he can finish a paper), and I move in 4 days. I know I know I know... A LOT is going on!!!! I honestly feel like I'm just being carried through this... sitting watching it all fly by. Amongest all the chaos there has been incredible peace that can only come from the Lord. I am in awe of what it feels like to be lead by Him!
I am sending out today an email updating all of our families and friends of our contact information as some of it has changed.
Here are some things you can pray for us during the coming days, weeks, month.
1. Rest- we have both been extremely busy the past couple of weeks
2. Quality time together before I leave
3. A job for Adam
4. Wisdom and peace for me next week when I start my new job
5. Safe trips to Columbus and Dallas over the next several weeks
6. An easy time saying goodbye to friends here ( I think I am in denial still)
Thank you for all your prayers they are SO appreciated!
We love you all !!!
I will update when I can
A and J

P.S... We just found out Adam has 2 devotionals being published in a magazine!!! Pray that they will be used by the Lord in a mighty way!!!

Update on the Bayer's Future

Well I mentioned earlier that we had a lot of changes... so here is the update. In Jan. right after the holidays Adam and I decided that the Lord was calling us to move back to Columbus, OH after school. There are positives and negatives to the move but we are embracing all the change one day at a time. Positives.... we get to be near friends, we like Columbus, we enjoy Ohio (obviously this is where we both call home), Buckeye football, close to family, and the most important it is where the Lord wants us :). Negatives, we are far away from Jen's family (please pray for them.. this has been very difficult for them), snow, snow and more snow, leaving good friends in Texas, and did we mention the cold weather. As of Feb. Jen's job was ok with Jen working out of columbus... which was really exciting... until oh 3 weeks ago. To make a long story really short, the Lord opened a door for me to work with the National Youth Advocate Program (NYAP)as a family case manager, in columbus. This job is a dream for me, my passion, and I can NOT wait to start. So as of April 24th I will no longer be working for Women of Faith I will be moving to Columbus before Adam and starting my job at NYAP. Adam moves May 23rd after he is finished with school. Oh yes he is finished with school in 19 days (we have a countdown started) it can't get here fast enough! When he is finished the job search will start for him, please pray the Lord will open a door for him to do what he is created to do!

Although life is really hectic right now we are Praising God for his goodness, faithfullness, and blessings He alone has brought into our lives. We could not be more excited to start this new journey together!

I thought I would give you a picture of us... this was taken on our Honeymoon... July 2005.. wow almost 4 years ;)

Girl's Trip 2009

Some of the girls I have worked with over the past 3 years decided we needed a vacation. So we used our airline miles and 5 of us flew to St. Maarten's the end of Feb. My parents were gracious enough to lend us a week of their timeshare... it was an incredible week. Literally my week looked like this.... Get up around 8 or 9, get coffee at the french bakery, lay on the beach from about 9 or 10 until about 3pm, go in take a nap or read Redeeming Love(if you haven't read this you are MISSING OUT!), go to dinner be in bed no later than 10pm. Wake up the next day and do it all over again. You don't realize how exhausted you are until you go on vacation and are in bed every night by 10pm. All in all it was a great week, I loved spending time with my girl friends, and of course getting a tan. Here are some pics of the week!

Clares, me, stenz, shells ... all of my nicknames for them!

Wags and Stenz

Sarah and I

there was a street carnival on the French side of St. Maarten's it was interesting

View of our beach and resort!

Christmas 2008

It has been a really long time since I last posted... ALOT has happened in our life... I begin to attempt to catch you all up! Here it goes..

Christmas 2008, this year was the Cobb Christmas. I was really looking forward to Christmas at my parents, it had been a long time since I had the pleasure of my mom's cooking, plus it was the first time my mom's side of the family was all together since our wedding. So like 4 years... it was a great time! Before we went to Mississippi we had Christmas just the 2 of us. Here are pictures of us on Christmas morning and our tree.

The Last of My Travel Chronicles

Well this is the last entry of my travels.... WOO HOO! It has been over 2 months and has come to an end. I am back in Dallas and really happy! I remember when this city did not feel like home but when I got in my car this past Friday and started to drive on the busy highways it felt like home. What a blessing to feel at home and full of peace, some many times I take it for granted but I think these past months have made me realize to never take "Home" for granted. Here are some pictures of my last 2 trips. First is from Nashville, TN I went to eat at the Pancake Pantry which is this famous place to eat. I got their blueberry pancakes but they are in no comparison with Papa's. I also went to J. Alexander's which is an OH restuarant I love and saw Trent Lott there... pretty cool. Of course I did a little shopping and went to this really cool vintage store. All in all I LOVE Nashville and told Adam Bayer we could live there if we needed to :). My last trip was one of my favorite cities in the USA.... DENVER, CO!!! I can't express how much I love this city. The pictures do not do it justice. I drank about 3 liters of water everyday because of the altitude, yes I get really effected by it and I drank Caribou coffee like it was going out of style. :) I met some amazing people and got to see some old friends. It was a great way to end my 2 months of traveling!

Dessert at J. Alexander's it was amazing!



The last 2 days I was in Denver it only got up into the 20's and it snowed about 3-5 inches... It was COLD!!!!

Although this isn't from my trip, this was taken in Atlanta, it just shows my love for Caribou!

Things we are pondering right now...

Well for me (Jen) it has been a whirlwind of a month, I have been all over the country and have met some amazing people and seen some amazing things. In the next couple of months we are going to have a lot of things to decide on and a question came to my mind today, I am still pondering it now but thought I would pose it to whoever the heck reads this :) mom it's just you and I : ). Do you have the faith to move mountains???? Being in Denver this week and seeing mountains everyday and how massive they are this question came to mind. While I was thinking it this verse came to mind...
"Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain 'move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
Matt 7:20

We have no idea where the Lord is leading us... but my hearts desire is that I will have enough faith in HIM who created us and gave us life that he will lead us in him timing.

Please pray for us during this time, we really need your prayers. Pray for direction, passion, and our families (they are affected in this decision as well). We appreciate it!

Til next time
Adam and Jen

Words that have Touched My life

Today I have been downloading some new CDS Adam had bought me while I was gone and one of CDs was a Shane and Shane CD. If you have never heard of Shane and Shane GO RIGHT NOW and BUY A CD. Their words and music are from the Lord and are so rich in His Truth! They have been medicine for my soul today!
Anyways I was reading their CD jacket and came across these words they wrote. Ponder them, meditate on them, they have met me right where I am at right now! I pray the Bless you!

“Jesus, who seems way too good to be true, is the greatest taste we have ever known. So, may all that we hold so dear leave us appetized, at best, for HIM who created it- the Author and Fulfiller of Life and Pleasure. Who, no matter how shiny “things” become, out shines them, and no matter how cloudy our days become, outlasts them. For in Him, Clouds become glorious!(Romans 8:28) Their rain falls with Grace and we are flooded under the downpour of a Fallen world (Romans 8:20). Wet, Hurt, and ….. Satisfied. Blue skies are no longer our pursuit and sunny days no longer our reward.. HE IS!!! And HE IS BETTER!!!”

Chronicle 3: North Carolina

By far this has been the best week of the trip. I had to drive about 3 hours every day to get to the city I was assigned to and it was by far the most beautiful drive I have ever been on. The pictures will speak for themselves. Although this was the best part of the trip it was also the loneliest time of the trip. The Lord for the last several months has been teaching me perserverance, well this week was all about perserverance in my current circumstances as well as relationships. I am so thankful for the lessons he has been teaching me on this trip... there are too many to write about.

I went to the Billy Graham Training Center and this is the Chapel

The ultimate North Carolina picture! I love this state!

Chronicle 2: Dayton, OH

Well once I left Houston I was able to have the weekend off and travel to Dayton for my friends wedding. Adam got to meet me up there as well as my parents. Although it was basically a 48 hour trip it was really refreshing to be with my family and friends. I got my hair done my the famous Craig, he made me blonde again, which I know makes everyone in my family happy :). I suprised Adam on Saturday and rented him a car so he could drive to Columbus to see our friend's Bill and Amee's new baby Sam! I was really jeolous but knew Adam really wanted to see him. He took plenty of pictures for me so I was content. We then were introduced to the Wii games and I schooled everyone in Bowling, well I didn't come in last which happens most of the time when I play games. :) We had fun, thanks Henry and Cathy for letting us play! After that we got all dressed up and went to my dear friend Brittany's wedding. She looked beautiful and I got to see people I hadn't seen since high school graduation as well as some sorority sisters. It was a nice suprise. On Sunday Adam and my parents left and I got to spend some time with my friend Shannon, it was great Girl Time!!! I love ya girl!
I really don't know why I giving you all a play by play... sorry if you are bored. Here are some pics from the weekend.

Apparently this is my future son-in-law.... Adam says we have to have a girl some day!

This isn't the best picture but this is our attempt at making a picture on the way to the wedding!

Houston Part 2

I completely forgot my favorite part of Houston was getting to spend some time with my family. The past 3 years working for Revolve I have traveled a lot but none of my cities have taken me close to my family so I jumped at the chance to spend some time with my family when I was in Houston. Here are some pics of our night! By the way these guys are very dear to my heart, Houston and Hannah you know you always will have a place at our house! Love you guys!

The Chronicles of My Roadtrip: Week 1 Houston, TX

So I am blessed to be on the road for the next 3 weeks, well longer than that, basically until December 8th. The event I work for the Revolve Tour is trying something new with our team and sending us all on the road together to talk to Youth Pastors and Parents about this great event for their girls! It has been on my heart to blog about my experience, although I am getting to go with the girls I work with there is going to be a lot of alone time which I am REALLY excited about. The Lord has wanted me all to Him self for a long time and well now it is coming true. To be honest I'm a little scared as to what I'm going to learn out here on the open road but really thankful for the experience. With that to say, here is my first chronicle... HOUSTON,TX.

I had a great week in Houston, most of my time I spent in Katy, TX which is a really cool town. Being the history nerd I am I found out that Katy was founded by rice farmers and most of the land in the northern part of town still is owned by family members of the original owners. I love that! Family and history is very important to people in Texas and that is one thing I love about the state. While we were in Houston we also got showered with gifts from people in our office. My favorited was recieving Cheryl and Co cookies... if anyone is from Ohio you know what I am talking about they are the BEST and from home which was a great comfort to me.

My bible study leader challenged me this week to ask God for Holy encounters with Him... well not sure if I had one but still asking for one! Read Exodus when Moses hears from God in the burning bush that is where this came from! I am excited to hear from Him!

Greensboro, NC here I come!!!!

Reading Material

I thought I would share with you some things I have been reading lately.... these books have challenged my beliefs in so many ways which has been really exciting! Enjoy!