Happy Fall Ya'll!

It is finally here! Today was the first day of FALL! Living in Mississippi, you sure would not know it since it was still 94 degrees today! I love the Fall, and will be quite happy to say goodbye to these hot summer days. Oh, how I long to sit on the porch at Square Books balcony with the cool breeze blowing while I enjoy a cup of coffee!

Here are some of my favorite things about this season:

• PUMPKINS...you can probably tell by these pictures that I love pumpkins. I love to decorate with them, especially the white ones!
• SEC Football...not loving it so much this season, those poor Rebels. Guess the old saying rings true, "We may not win every game, but we never lose a party!"
• State Fairs...I grew up at the MS State Fair and have such fond memories of going to the fair each year.
• Pumpkin Spice Lattes...Starbucks has my favorite, but here in Oxford I have to settle for one at High Point.
• The leaves changing color...usually during the fall I go to visit my sister in Louisville, KY and I love the drive from Nashville to Louisville. All the different shades of red, orange, and yellow are just stunning.
• Halloween...even though I no longer dress up, I still love this holiday! How can one turn down all that candy!
• Anything flavored pumpkin, but particularly Pumpkin Pie Spice Muffins. If you would like the recipe click here.
• Mums...I love to decorate with these too!
• Mistletoe Market...my mom and I have attended this even since I was a little girl, and she would check my sister and I out of school for the day. I still love shopping all the booths, and sampling the food!
• Boots, Jackets, and Scarves! What girl doesn't love to accessorize?!?!

Hope you enjoy the Fall!

Not Forgotten

My former discipler sent this to me today to bring me some encouragement. What a sweet reminder! During this trial Kyle and I are enduring, the Lord has often sent me reminders that He has not forgotten about me. Whether it is through a note from a close friend, a word of encouragement from a friend who is also struggling with infertility, or reading stories of those who have gone before me like Hannah, the Lord is constantly saying, "Amy, I have not forgotten you!" I know God will remember me, and I trust that He will bring us a child at the right time. Hope this may bring you some encouragement too, and remind you of how much God cares for you!

God always comes through. He never fails. He always keeps His promises. Maybe you have forgotten that, or maybe you don’t believe that anymore. Doubts have crept in about His goodness, and your faith seems to be growing weak. You feel like Noah must have felt when the storms and waves were flooding over all the earth, but the Bible says that, “God remembered Noah” (Genesis 8:1).

• Pray for a reminder today of God’s care over your life.

God remembered Hannah, too. She couldn’t have children for some reason, and year after year passed by without her conceiving and giving birth to a baby. But, God didn’t forget her, and she finally had a little boy named Samuel who grew up to be one of Israel’s greatest prophets. And God hasn’t forgotten you, either. He will show up at just the right time, you can count on that. Keep the faith... it will be worth it in the end.

It's A Cupcake Kind of World

For several weeks now, I have been meaning to post about our vacation to the North East. It will take me quite some time since I took over 1,500 pictures. Guess I got a little camera crazy. Pictures aside, any of you who have been on a trip with Kyle Cole know how much he can squeeze into one day. Kyle Cole Tours went above and beyond on this trip, and we saw it all. Post to come, so check back soon! As for today, I will post about one of my highlights of the trips...CUPCAKE BAKERIES!!! This seems to be the new phenomenon across the states, and I am rather obsessed! It would be my dream to own a cupcake bakery in Oxford (seriously, if you are interested in this please let me know). I have fully thought this one out, there is just one slight problem...money! I will just keep dreaming.

On our vacation, we visited 5 different cupcake bakeries, or I drug Kyle to these bakeries! It is hard to pick a favorite because each one had various qualities that were unique to the bakery. Hope you enjoy the tour, and if you are ever in one of these cities you should definitely drop and in have a tasting. I had to go eat a piece of cake after looking at all these pictures! :)

D.C.: Georgetown Cupcakes

This bakery is unbelievable. Every day there is a line out the door and up the street. It's about an hour wait or longer on the weekends. Luckily, we visited on a Monday. This bakery was started by two sisters, and their business grew so quickly that they have a television show on TLC now! It is a fabulous bakery, and if you are local they tweet a daily special, and you ask for the secret cupcake, you get it free! This is a must see in the world of cupcake bakeries!

Look at that line!

Christie and I waiting in line.

Cupcakes galore!

Such attention to detail...even the packaging was cute!

Christie and I, so excited to be there!

Yes, we left with 6 cupcakes!

Red Velvet was my favorite!

First bite...yummy!

Philadelphia: Philly Cupcake

Kyle happened upon this bakery as he was walking back from the parking garage. We quickly ventured over to check it out. The bakery was simply gorgeous! All the cupcakes were displayed in a lovely Victorian cabinet, and the decor of the cupcakes was extraordinary! This bakery takes cupcakes to a new level!

BEAUTIFUL!

Aren't these the prettiest cupcakes

you have ever seen?

Those are pink lemonade on the bottom.

Peach Cupcake

Check out those Oreo Cupcakes!

Creative packaging!

NYC: Magnolia Bakery

This bakery is very famous, and know for a variety of baked goods! In fact, they have a cookbook that I was very tempted to purchase...maybe Christmas! Of course, we went just to sample a cupcake! The architectural design of this bakery was very chic and classy. I was very impressed, and left with a t-shirt and cupcake in hand!

NYC: Crumbs

This bakery is among the favorites of those in New York City. The cupcakes are massive, and most all of them are filled with cream...quite delicious! Very creative decorating too...one cupcake looked identical to a hostess cupcake, and they also had one that looked like a baseball! Definitely a bakery worth checking out!

Look at all those cupcakes...hard to choose just one!

The Colossal Crumb...that is one big cupcake!

Happy girl leaving with my cupcakes!

Boston: Sweet

This bakery was "simple but Sweet." It is the favorite among Bostonians! Very delicious cupcake with lots of icing on top!

Check out those cupcakes with the tiki umbrella!

Looks Good on Paper...

It is always very obvious when the students get back to campus, because my posting becomes less and less. I really am going to try to get better about posting more often! I have lots to catch you up on, but first I want to share with you what is going on in our fertility journey.

On Monday, we had our fourth IUI. This is the last IUI before we have to move on to IVF. I had very little expectations going in to the process even though my body seemed to be responding well to the treatment. From the first IUI to the third one, our scenario had worsened each time. Naturally I was expecting things to be even worse this time. The Lord certainly did exceed my expectations! I had 3 follicles that looked really good, and all the numbers were as good, if not higher than they were with the first IUI when I did in fact conceive. Kyle and I were very excited to receive this news, and as the nurse said "everything looks great on paper!" Now, we are just waiting for two weeks to see what happens.

Throughout this week, the Lord has given me such a peace about this round of treatment. I sometimes wonder if I have this peace because I have become numb to the situation through one difficult thing after another coming our way. I truly believe though that the Lord will indeed bless us with a child, but it will be in His TIMING and in His WAY. That is what gives me a peace. David Platt says, "When our goal in our lives is to grow in the knowledge of God, and to be transformed in His likeness, no matter how how deep and dark the trial is, we can know that our goal is going to be achieved." This quote has had a profound impact on me as I walk through this trial. I can experience peace, because I know the Lord is growing me in the knowledge of Him, and transforming me into the image of His Son.

I feel I cannot say this enough...THANK YOU so much for praying for us, and walking down this road with us. We are greatly encouraged, and feel so incredibly loved. You are dear to us. Please continue to pray for us in this time of waiting.

ARE YOU READY?

We just finished an amazing week of ministry here at Ole Miss! It's now time to relax, and enjoy the weekend. We have one thing we are most excited about at the Cole House...OLE MISS FOOTBALL!! I just have one question for you....Are You Ready? WE ARE!!!

He is SO Good!

"And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." Colossians 1:9-13

Tuesday night we had our second weekly meeting of the semester. There were around 450 students in attendance! Praise be to God! We ask that you please pray for these students as they begin the fall semester at Ole Miss. Our hope is that they would come to know the Lord during college, experience an intimate relationship with Him, and be a light amidst the darkness!