Geaux-ing to Louisiana

     From South Dakota we decided to move to Monroe, Louisiana. Parker had applied for some wildlife jobs down here and I got basically a full ride in scholarships to attend University of Louisiana- Monroe, so that just made the most sense because college is an expensive factor to a newly married couple. I have been in their Biology (ecology emphasis) degree program and I am planning on getting a masters degree there as well. My research subject will be on meso-carnivores, especially the gray fox, but I am still a ways out from starting on that project. I became a member of the Louisiana Trappers and Alligator Hunters Association to learn more about the furbearers and especially gray fox and I think that will be something Parker and I will get into very heavily in the next few years is trapping. We will be going to a rendezvous next month to learn more about trapping and meet experienced people.   

    Parker got a job working for Tensas River National Wildlife Refuge which he starts here in about a week. I am very excited for him and Tensas is open to the public for hunting so I will be out there with him during most of my Christmas break. 

    The area where we live is so pretty. Our house is fairly small, but it looks very nice for our style. It has large windows, a small porch, 2 taxidermy deer and some houseplants we have in order to bring the feeling of the outdoors in. Parker made some beautiful live edge tables for the living room and my art is on the walls so the house expresses our talents. We have a 3 acre yard we can utilize. Parker likes looking for reptiles and I shoot archery. I am THRILLED to have a yard where I can practice and I have it set up to where I can even shoot it at 40 yards but for now I am comfortable at 30 just to make sure when I am hunting I have the most ethical shot.

    We live a few miles from Black Bayou National Wildlife Refuge, Russell Sage Wildlife Management Area, D'Arbonne State Park and not too far from Tensas, so we have so many opportunities to get outside and enjoy Louisiana swamps, bayous and natural areas. I can bow hunt for deer at some of these, hunt other things besides deer, too (since I have great wild game recipes), fish and hike etc. It is such a blessing that we have these opportunities! 

    Annnddd, we got a boat! So accessing some of these places got a whole lot better for us. We like to go on Bayou DeSiard and have been on D'Arbonne so far for fishing and cruising around. It is so beautiful with the bald cypress trees and Spanish moss hanging off them. I have gotten really good at backing up the boat trailer and Parker lets me do it every time, while he gets the boat off. 

    During our first few weeks here I attended the Live Original Sister conference here in Monroe and it was LIFE CHANGING. It was three days with sermons, a work shop break out session and worship. Taya was there singing and preaching and LO had their brand new EP and sang the songs there before they were released, They are such powerful songs I highly recommend that you follow this link here to give them a listen. All the preaching was wonderful and on the last day I stood up alone to get re-baptized in front of thousands of girls. I could safely bet that 1,000 girls got baptized that day and proclaimed to accept Jesus as their savior over their lives. It was the most moving thing and the Holy Spirit was all around and moving in that place. We attend church at WFR and love going to Phil Robertson's Sunday morning Unashamed Bible class that came about because of my favorite podcast they run called 'Unashamed'. Parker also got baptized down here at WFR by Phil and it was such a sweet experience just the three of us and the presence of God. Tomorrow we have the one kingdom celebration. There had been a series on kingdom living because that is what Jesus came to tell us about when he spoke to people. We are the kingdom, living right now, because Jesus brought it - it is here. One kingdom in our church has a mission/outreach group called one kingdom (who have awesome shirts by the way and Parker and I already have ours to wear this Sunday). They do amazing work around the world and help here in the states with disaster relief. 

    The verse for this blog is a prayer Paul said, "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God." - Philippians 1:9. Our first Wednesday night church service we went to at WFR said this verse and it resonates in our lives right now. We need to all constantly learn to love each other because love is what solves problems and Jesus's love for us is what covers our sins. This prayer should live in our hearts every day. I don't care who you are but if you fulfill this in your everyday life you will get far and bless other people. I challenge you to make this your verse of the week or even month and try to live by it. 

-Nichole💜