Ruts

Lately...Life has felt like a rut. I have had such a great year of marriage but the year for myself, has left me dissappointed. It's almost been a year since I graduated from college. In this year, I got married, started my first job, got a puppy, moved, started training for a marathon, and learned ALOT about being a wife. Jeff and I have taken some amazing trips, seen friends in different states, made amazing new friends, and really established some great traditions in the Douthit house.

I am so grateful for all of those things, but dissappointed that I have grown luke warm in my time with the Lord and my dedication to it. It has shown in my friendships, my marriage, and even my life. I am normally this organized person, full of systems, lists, clean clean everything, and lately I can find any of that. I think God took me through this for such a great reason, and I love learning all that he has for me in this rough season of my life. Its starting to unfold, and I am so excited to share this when it all pans out but until I am praying for the Lord to give me strength to get out of this rut. Blessings are all around me, my husband being the biggest one of all. He has the biggest heart and leads me to desire the Lord. He has such a passion for discovering God's plan for us and I cant believe I get to spend my life with him.

I am finding joy in this struggle because for the first time in a year almost I am truly seeking the Lord's plan for me, Dana, wife, and child of Him.

Guns and Hoses

Well Police won Guns and Hoses Boxing 2009 and I am so proud of him! Of the discipline, the strength and the will. He is so inspiring and just makes me smile to think about.

It was just such a great weekend. God really revealed so many blessings to me this weekend. I had one of those wierd, "is this really my life" moments at the fight. We were surrounded by our amazing family, but also our new friends and community group. I prayed so hard for friends, real true God-given friends as we entered married life, and God showed up in ways I couldnt have imagined. Not only did our friends come, but they stayed for the whole event, and talked late into dinner in the middle of the night. Time is such a precious thing, especially when you are married and learning to balance it. It meant so much to me.

Thank you to our friends who came...you are our biggest blessings!

My Husband teaches me so much...

So I have been so discouraged lately about things in my personal life. Its been a hard season for Dana Douthit. I have been trying to acquire some skills to do some things I really love. I am so in to creative things and have been needing a creative outlet....well my friend at work and I have been setting some goals to make these things happen and the money it would cost....alot lets just say.

So I tell my husband about it and find out he has been saving his own money for me.

So I know that is all very fague but basically Jeff has such a giving heart.He isnt material and doesnt get caught up in stuff- SO GOOD for me. Someone who can build my life in stuff....thats unfortunately me. and he is just so giving- he had plans for that money and saw importance in it for me so he gave it to me- just like that. Life is short- dont store up treasure on earth- that is jeff in a nut shell- and he reminds me of that importance every day! I am so glad I married you Jeffery Charles! 10 whole months ago! Wow the time flies!

Just Maui'd and life is good

Last day in Maui..tanned.cultured.and blissful
A Maui Sunset makes everything beautiful

Our last dinner. Fancy. By a cliff dive ceremony

Just looking at this picture of the westin lobby makes me smell the white tea...

Jackie and Aaron's last night in town at Moose's

Jeff's birthday present- a 3 hour horse back ride down the mountain to the coast and back up

Jeff's 24th birthday and our HUGE dinner at the Ono Bar and Grill

First full day in Maui enjoying the beach with Jackie and Aaron

I dont know why, i just love this picture- pale and on the plan to our honeymoon just so excited to be together after a long few weeks with little time alone....we embarked on our honeymoon.

So I made this entry from the bottom up...mainly because I am still a little unclear about the whole uploading process- but blogging is expanding my computer tech skills.

Maui was perfect. Beautiful and just the best time of my life. Not because we were in Maui, although it was beautiful and I am a blessed lady to get a trip like this at such a young age. but really it was because I was with my husband, my best friend, and the man who surprises me every day by loving me more. I really fell more in love with Jeff on this trip. We laughed so much and really learned alot about each other. We woke up and slept the same time and cuddled and got tired at the same time and it was well...normal. This may seem strange but being a police officer's wife makes those things and those moments priceless. God has grown me so much in the past 10 months but no matter how independent God makes me- I still love the man I married and its so fun to get a whole week to cultivate it and season our relationship. It was priceless- ill remember every second for ever. We made some big dreams, and some great plans. Jeff brings a great adventure to my life and isnt ever afraid to make things happen that he deems important. I learn so much from him, I am so proud he leads me.

Our week: horse back riding.a bad time share shpeal expierience but we got $125 cash.dinner at bubba gumps.run.awesome breakfast every morning.jeff scubaed.dana layed out on the beach for 3 hours unmoving.great lunch. choclate monkeys and pinas when ever.kayaked and saw a sea turtle that almost killed me.spa.spa.spa.massage.lavender biscotti.white tea smells every where.dinner by the harbor.tree park.candles.LOTS OF LOVIN.beach beach beach...perfection

Being married isnt easy...but God is cultivating a wife in me. And not the wife I was trying to be. You know the proverbs 31 woman who got up before dawn, made her clothes, constantly had perfect patience and respect...that one. No I am not her. But God is showing me my strengths in my support for Jeff and how I love him and also my weaknesses. But most importantly he is making me a better disciple of him. I love that being married is helping me follow Christ. So all in all a trip to Maui is a must for everyone!

Lubbock always feels like home..

Kimmy, me and megs- college besties doing meg's famous, "buzz face"
Kelli got engaged and we love it!

Minnie and I having a girls day...she is kinda like my child

I loved getting to take care of sissy Gu when she got her touncils out and had several malfunctions! She is all good now!

Fun date night with officer husband!

Family photo!

Jackie and Abe's wedding!

Oh man...i have had a really great first summer as an adult and in a real job. It hasnt been easy, and this has been one of the most challenging seasons of my life. It has been a time I hope to look back on and see so much growth, but right now i just see a very tired, worn out me. Its very frustrating to look in the mirror and see a very tired version of yourself....but i am learning and jeffy and i have gotten to do some really fun things. So as I am packing for our first move into a bigger, better apartment, i am taking a moment to point out some of the highlights of my summer, and my daily life. What a great summer! Now we look forward to Tech football, moving into our apartment, and of course- our honeymoon to HAWAII!

the power of prayer

Today my aunt had brain surgery to rumor a tumor. She made it through flawlessly. I was just realizing how God allows the success of a surgery and how often we just assume a surgery will go flawlessly just because.

Prayer is powerful and I am so thankful God is showing me how important it is. So many things have been going on that need prayer. Prayer is the only thing I can count on, talking to God revealing my heart, and my hopes, and my fears. Things might not go how I planned, but sharing it with my savior means giving it over to him, finding rest, finding a road to understanding, and learning to live faithfully not fearfully.

Jeff and I decided we are going write a bopok together about our life as a cop and a regular ole'civilian like myself. It is something that is going to take years, i am sure will have a roller coaster of emotion in it, but it has also made me think about my bucket list for our life. I used to have this huge list before i would be even a little ready for kids, but now, besides a few big spots, its about living my life, long or short with my wonderful husband.

I want to:

Run the 1/2 marathon at White Rock
Run the New York City Marathon
Go back packing in Colorado
Travel to Greece and France
Buy a house
Being in a job that i am happy

=bE MERRY THIS WEEK AND PRAY!

the life with the badge

Jeffery has now been a cop, out of training for over a month. We have developed a schedule of getting things done and getting to seeing eachother that has worked out really good. I think we are the biggest planners now, which may annoy people, but it comes a point where you realize its just the way things are for you!

Its hard sometimes though, like this weekend, working so much but I have a husband who loves his job. I really couldnt ask for more in that. He loves working hard, and helping people. He is as considerate as he can be, and always makes time with me a priority, but that doesnt always mean it happens. Times can be lonely, even surrounded by family and friends. Spending weekend afternoons running errands for the house, packing (moving in two weeks), and watching tv with minnie trying not to wake him before he leaves again for work is hard. Sometimes I get so annoyed but I know we are just paying our dues like the rest of of us.

God is showing me a very testing side of marriage, and i completely understand why the divorce rate for cops is 75%...it can be so hard and require so much selflessness. But i am finding joy in these trials because we are getting down and dirty with the tough stuff now.

I love Jeff so much and love his heart for the public and for the people he works with. But sometimes, its hard to understand, but i pray that i do or that i let love conquer it all. I know marriage is hard no matter what job people have.