Thankful Thursday

I am thankful for....
1. Chick Fila :)
2. Good friends, who bring lunch and come over to help you pack! Thanks, Nae-Nae!
3. Health
4. The rain today
5. A long conversation with a girlfriend (preferably uninterrupted, but I'll take what I can get)
6. A good belly-laugh
7. Hearing my kids have a good belly-laugh
8. My new Otis Redding tunes that I downloaded last night, LOVE him!
9. Almost being done packing
10. Chocolate...although I am currently abstaining, while trying to shed some lbs.- I still love it! :)

Our Song

B and I have been having this on-going conversation about the fact that we really don't have a "song". You know how you used to do that in High School, or maybe even college? If you were dating, you had a song. Well, since we didn't start dating until after college, and only dated 4 months before getting engaged, I guess we skipped that step. Now, to all of you who know me, you KNOW how upsetting this is to me due to my deep love for all music. I really do have a soundtrack to my life. I was trying to think of when my love for music began, and really my earliest recollection was getting the 45 record of Hall and Oates song "One on One" for my birthday when I was in the first grade. Oh my, that was a song. But anyway, back to B and I, there are many songs that remind us of each other, or certain times in our relationship, but not just one definite song. A few years ago, Rascal Flatts came out with a song, "Bless the Broken Road" and before I ever heard it B came home and told me it really reminded him of our story. Once I heard the song, I agreed, but we never officially adopted the song as "OUR song". I think part of the problem, for me at least, is that it became so popular to the point of it finally getting on my nerves. I don't want a song that EVERYONE else has as there song too!! :) Well, yesterday in our last video session of Bible Study, Beth had Travis sing the song and asked us to really picture the song referring to our pilgrimage with Christ. While I sat there and listened, it was so overwhelming how it does fit my pilgrimage with Christ, and I was reminded again how it sweetly describes my story with B as well. How precious to me...a song that encompasses both of my loves. So, in honor of you B, and in honor of my Christ...this songs for you!!

Who Ya Rootin' For?

Yesterday was a great day! We started off the morning with Jake's Upwards Basketball game. I LOVE watching basketball, besides the fact that my child is playing, it is so fast paced and the kids are so funny. This one kid on Jake's team jacked it up from about half court, and it went IN! The look on his face was priceless. Anyway, after the game we headed home and hung out for a while, then my girl Meredith showed up to watch Ellie so that I could take the boys to a TJC basketball game. I grew up going to their games and have very vivid memories of sitting close to the court and watching every move the cheerleaders made, then coming home and practicing their chant in my mirror..."who ya rootin' for? T...J...C!!" After a mishap at the pulse machine...(sorry Kelli!) the boys and I, along with their aunt Kelli, and cousins headed to the gym. MeMe and Poppy saved us seats so we could sit real close just like when we were little, but this time I was watching the game. The kids were having a blast, thanks to the nachos, peanut m&m's, popcorn, coke, sour straws, and pizza...(can you say junk food??), and between all of the trips to the bathroom and concession stand, I was having myself a good ole' time as well. It was a nail-biter of a game, but TJC ended up pulling it out in overtime! The only thing that would have made it better was if B would have been there, (we missed you!) but other than that it was a fun time for everyone.

After dinner, B and I stayed up late and continued to pack. One more week til' moving day. How in the world have we accumulated so much stuff?!!

Thankful Thursday

Happy Valentines Day!

I'm going to try and bring back "Thankful Thursdays". I loved the idea (stolen from my sister-in-love, the problem has been that by the time I remember to do it, it is already Friday! No joke! :) So, here it is...

Today I am thankful for:
1. The love of Christ, his stubborn, unending, unconditional love.
2. My Valentine, B. He is just one more example of Christ's stubborn and unconditional love for me. I love you B!
3. My three mini-Valentines! All three very unique individuals who brighten my days, keep me on my knees and make my life so rich.
4. My parents, who-after...well, I'm not sure how many years now...let's just say MANY years-are still crazy about each other. They have set the bar high for us, and for that we are grateful. Their example spurs B and I on.
5. Sleep, of which I am running low on! :)
6. My pillows, all five of them!
7. Kathy, who will be cutting and highlighting my hair in about an hour. I love a fresh cut and color!
8. My new house, that I will be moving into in less than two weeks!
9. Meredith, our babysitter, who comes and brings sweet relief to my life!
10. Elmo, he is the ONLY one who can keep Ellie still for more than 2 minutes.

Have a wonderful Thursday and hug your sweethearts!

Three Little Cuties

My favorite picture of Trent...this captures his personality perfectly!! I love this little wild man!



This picture cracks me up because it was HIS idea to go and pose by the tree!



I can NOT believe this little guy is about to be 8 years old. I am so very proud of him!


Ellie in her pink hat! Trying to get her to keep it on and smile proved to be impossible on this day! But she still looks cute! :)


And trying to get all three of them to look at the camera and smile was just as impossible! I love Jake and Trent's expressions!

We Are Not Disappointed!

We found a house!!! Yiiiipppeee! To say I am so excited would be a complete understatement! I am still in a little bit of shock, but it's slowly sinking in that we did find a house and that once again, the Lord has blown our socks off.

I had a friend tell me in the middle of this-finding a home-B's job situation- that once we found a house and B's job situation was settled, we would be able to look back and see how He had it taken care of all along, and that is exactly what we are doing. When we started out, I told the Lord that I really wanted to live like I say I believe. I didn't want to fret and fear that He wouldn't provide us shelter, or take care of Jake, should we have to change schools, or take care of us, should we have to move out of town. I wanted to walk in faith. I think that if I had to grade myself I would give myself a "B". Truly, I did better than I thought I would, but here over the last couple of weeks, my knees were starting to knock and there were more tears than I'd like to admit. However, thankfully, He didn't "fail" me but stepped in just in time and provided exactly what we needed (and more) and took care of everything.

At the beginning of this process I came across Psalm 22:2-5 in my quiet time. It says:
"O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night and am not silent. Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel. In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted you and you delivered them. They cried to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed."
I knew that He was telling me to trust Him and that no matter what the outcome looked like, even it it was completely different than what we had asked for that we would NOT be disappointed.

Over our almost 12 years together there have been many things that B and I have prayed for. Some answers came looking exactly like what we asked Him for, some answers looked completely different-some better-some worse (to our limited human perspective), and some answers we are still waiting for, but in all of them, even if we couldn't say it at the time, and even for the ones we are still waiting for, we have never been disappointed and I trust that we never will. He is faithful.