It's official!!!  I passed the NCLEX-RN!!! woo-hoo!Stephanie Cole Puffenbarger, RN

Our newest family member!

Jarrod and I were delighted to welcome our nephew Scott Roger Steyaert to the world on Monday morning at 8:20am!
He is a healthy baby, 8lbs 2.7oz (for those of us who were competing...), and 19 3/4in long! It has been so great being with family as we Praise the Lord for this new life!
I have also really enjoyed spending time with my sister, Rachel, and her sweet kids! They were some of our first visitors in our new home in New Market. Caleb has grown so much in the past few months! Victoria has really enjoyed playing with Uncle Jarrod - and is very impressed that he is a teacher (that can turn 'monster' and chase her around the house! ;)
Both Jarrod and I find such joy in these little children - and are reminded of how they are a gift from our Father above!

Psalm 127

1 Unless the LORD builds the house,
its builders labor in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city,
the watchmen stand guard in vain.

2 In vain you rise early
and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat—
for he grants sleep to those he loves.

3 Sons are a heritage from the LORD,
children a reward from him.

4 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are sons born in one's youth.

5 Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame
when they contend with their enemies in the gate.

sisters

It is not too often that we are all together - but Rachel is visiting Virginia with her two children in anticipation of the birth of Denise's baby... Here we are at Denise's baby shower yesterday. Now we eagerly anticipate the birth of our new nephew in the morning!

New Beginnings

Jarrod started the school year at Community Christian School this past Tuesday. He is the homeroom teacher for the 7th grade, teaches 7-8th grade Civics, 6-8th grade Language Arts and Physical Education, and assists with the Middle School Bible class. Here is a picture from his first day of school - my mom sneaked in and took these pictures while Jarrod was taking his homeroom attendance. After school was over, I surprised Jarrod by meeting him up at the school to see how his first day went. :) Needless to say, the smiles kept coming, and it is clear to see how happy he is in this setting. Some of the other teachers at CCS have shared with me what a natural Jarrod is at teaching the students and what a blessing he is to their school. I know that this year will hold many joys and challenges as Jarrod learns and grows as a teacher, and I am excited for him.

I also began working at RMH this week, but my week was not nearly as exciting as Jarrod's. I am just going through orientation classes - learning the ins and outs of the hospital and my nursing role there. It was so nice to be back in a familiar setting - and I look forward to beginning patient care once again. Until then, I am actively studying for my board exam (which I will take in a week and a half!) and continuing the orientation process.

With all of these changes and our new places of employment - it is important for us to be mindful that our goal is not to please our employer. Yes, obeying institutional rules is very important - but there is a higher authority that we cannot forget. Colossians 3 exhorts us to remember that in "whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will recieve an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." In remembering this, I realize that I not only need to show up for work on time, but to arrive clothed with "compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience", and in doing so - we are honoring the Lord. So, as we start our new jobs, it is our challenge and our delight to be Christ's ambassadors and to share His love through our actions and speech.

Preparing for School!

This past week, Jarrod was "thrown in" to his new job, and has spent many hours in meetings and getting his classroom all ready for the kids to come tomorrow! I even came in a time or two to give my "two cents" or help out as I could in those preparations. :) Here are a couple pictures from last week's preparations for the new school year:

A Puffenbarger Weekend

This weekend was filled with Puffenbarger family events, beginning with the celebration of Jarrod's grandparents' (MomMom and PopPop) 60th wedding anniversary on Saturday.
(They were married on August 17, 1948) What a special time to celebrate their lives and their marriage. It was evident that these two special people have touched the lives of many generations of people who knew they could turn to their door for love, affection, and food. :) Many memories and smiles were shared at this party, complete with the entire group singing "Almost Heaven, West Virginia" (for those Puffenbarger roots), and reciting the words to "The Has Been" by Steve & Annie Chapman - a really cute song about how the husband "has been" faithful and true to his wife :). MomMom and PopPop have passed on a rich Christian heritage to the generations that follow them, as they have prayed for and invested in so many lives. They are truly a blessing and an example of faithfulness to all who know them. After a memorable celebration, we proudly displayed their anniversary banner on their back porch so that all who pass by could recognize their accomplishment as well.
On Sunday, we got together with a large amount of people claiming ties to the Puffenbarger family for their annual Labor Day family reunion. It was the first time for this event to take place in Bridgewater VA, but Oakdale Park turned out to be a fantastic location. I enjoyed seeing and meeting many of Jarrod's extended family, to catch us with some we hadn't seen in a while, and to enjoy the enormous amounts of tasty food! I was even able to learn a bit about the Puffenbarger roots and geneology! :) Who knew all the different ways one spelled our last name back in those German roots - how interesting to see such a progression... and to think were we ended up! :)
Of course, with any picnic, it is never complete without lawn games -- and we had several grueling matches of "washers" with Jarrod's cousin Tiffany and her fiancee Jarid, as well as an extensive game of frisbee golf... in which we watched Jarrod and his brother Joe battle it out for the first place title... the rest of us were just playing for fun. ;) It was sad to say goodbye as the afternoon came to a close - but we hope it won't be for too long.

This was such a sweet weekend to connect with family before beginning the "daily grind" of work that begins this week. As we continue with our lives, we take with us this rich heritage - and hold tight to Psalm 100:5

"For the LORD is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations."