ya baby nostnose!!

Christmas and New Years are now over....December went by REALLY fast!!! I really had a hard time getting into the Christmas spirit, and by the time I did, it was over. :( I think I had so much on my plate, with the move and all. But, it was so much fun!!

The best part of Christmas, is family time. Last year, Adam had to take vacation to come up to MI for Christmas. All the years before that, he had to take a week vacation for Shanty Creek. This year, Adam was blessed with an amazing job!! He actually got the week off paid!!! No vacation time required!! So, we did nothing, we spent the week at home. Well, of course we did something...Adam is awesome and spent the week tiling our downstairs bathroom!! He did an amazing job!!!



During his week off, Adam and Casey, our besties from NC, came to visit. They spent New Years with us & they were here for my 35th birthday!!! I can't believe how much I miss them and their little men!!! It was great seeing them, and I can't wait to take a trip to NC to see them and all our other friends down there!!!

So, with the holidays over, life moves on. Many milestones in this year...Bryson turns 10 this month, and Meghan turns 5 in September. I'm looking forward to this year. I'm looking forward to how God will work in our lives. I'm also hoping to stay in 1 place this year! :) Lord willing!!!

The Grinch that is stealing my Christmas cheer....

I have no idea what my problem is! I am happy to be back in Michigan, but every time I think about Christmas, I just get irritated. I get irritated at the list of things I have to buy, at putting up the tree (that the kids have been nagging me about)...at just people in general. I have not been my normal happy self, and I hate it!!

Christmas is the best time of the year for me...it's the celebration of the birth of my Lord! Why am I in a funk? I think I'm losing the real meaning of Christmas and making it more about the actions having to do with the holiday. I'm stressing because my 9 year old hasn't told me what he wants for Christmas...really!?!?!?!!??? How far off the mark am I? Lord, please forgive me for my thoughts and actions lately. Please help me focus on the miracle of this special day that happened so long ago in Bethlehem!! Thank you for sending Your Son to this earth to be the sacrificial lamb for us!! Thank You for Your neverending love!!

My God Moment

Lately, I've been thinking about the moment I really feel that God revealed Himself to me. It's sad to say, but I had never had one of those moments before. I've had moments where I know that God has answered my prayer, or was totally leading the situation, but never a moment where I felt I could just reach out and touch Him, or feel His arms around me.

Back in June of 2009, Adam and I were considering a move to NC. As you know, we did move there, and God really taught us a LOT while we were down there!! But, that June, we went down there for an interview. We made it kind of a mini vacation for the family...which was nice!! On the way back, Adam and I talked about the logistics of moving and leaving our family, friends, and the CrossRoads class. I remember Adam distinctly saying "my heart is torn" when he thought about moving.

Well, it was a perfectly sunny day driving thru the mountains in WV. First off, I HATE driving thru the mountains....had a panic attack once...and up ahead, I saw that there was a big storm...lightning flashes and all. I remember saying to Adam that I didn't want to drive thru that, to which he responded that we had no choice. I immediately started flipping thru the radio stations, looking for something to get my mind off what we were about to go thru. I found K Love, and they were playing a Jeremy Camp song. I settled on that station as we started going thru the rain. At that moment, "Praise you in the storm" came on by Casting Crowns. Before the first verse was over, I was sobbing. I looked over at Adam, and he was crying as well. (don't tell him I said that part though!!) I half sang/half cried the entire song. The entire song, the rain was coming down HARD...like sheets of rain. We probably should have pulled over, but we didn't. As soon as the song ended, so did the rain!!!! We drove into sunny skies again!!! I couldn't do anything but laugh!! Adam and I were cracking up!! I totally felt as if God was saying to us "no matter where you go, I'm with you too!!! Get that thru your thick skulls!!!"

I laugh when I think about it now. Moving to NC was the best thing for us at that time. We grew closer as a couple, family, closer to the Lord...AMAZING!!! He knows what He's doing!!

I was sure by now

That You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away, stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say, Amen and it's still raining

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear Your whisper through the rain, "I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls I raise my hands
And praise the God who gives and takes away

And I'll praise You in this storm and I will lift my hands
For You are who You are no matter where I am
And every tear I've cried You hold in Your hand
You never left my side and though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry, You raised me up again
But my strength is almost gone
How can I carry on if I can't find You

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear Your whisper through the rain, "I'm with you"
And as You mercy falls I raise my hands
And praise the God who gives and takes away

And I'll praise You in this storm and I will lift my hands
For You are who You are no matter where I am
And every tear I've cried You hold in Your hand
You never left my side and though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth

I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth

And I'll praise You in this storm and I will lift my hands
For You are who You are no matter where I am
And every tear I've cried You hold in Your hand
You never left my side and though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

Thanksgiving...

Yowzers....tomorrow is THANKSGIVING!!!!!!!!! Where did this year go? I swear it was just my birthday, and we were counting down to 2010...now, it's almost my birthday again! (we won't talk about that right now though...) This year has been a doozie!!! We started out the year in North Carolina, where I thought we would be for a while, and we're ending it back in Michigan!! God is good, and really funny!!!
I am super excited to be spending Thanksgiving with my family...my mom, dad, brother, sister, my Mr. and my two bundles of joy (mostly)!!! I'm excited to cook and host it as well...well, not the turkey...we don't want to ruin Thanksgiving!!! :)
There is so much to be thankful for this year!! There is every year, but this year I have a new found closeness of my family!! My marriage is better than it has been in a LONG time, my kids are doing well, thriving and getting HUGE, and I'm home...literally! The home I grew up in is where we are living now!! It's great!! God is great good all the time...and all the time, God is good!!!

Happy/Sad

Sometimes, I'm still in awe that we moved back to Michigan. Of course, when I start thinking like that, I usually just go outside and remember VERY quickly that we are indeed back in the mitten!!! It's so strange at how normal, but at the same time, how different my life is now. Sure, I'm back in Michigan, back in Wyandotte, and back at Beacon, but, I'm in a different house, different Sunday School...no longer with the CrossRoads gang...different. I'm living in the house I grew up in...that in itself has it's own frustrations, but I'm really happy. I'm really happy to be so close to my parents and in-laws . I'm happy to be so close to my brother and sister. I'm really happy to be able to see my nieces and nephews more often. I didn't want to completely miss out on their lives...

At the same time that I'm really happy, I'm really sad too. I really miss all of the amazing friends that we made in Greensboro!!! I miss my Life Journey Family, much more than a Group...I miss the Garants...I miss my MOPS steering team....I miss my softball teammates...I miss Lawndale...I miss the Lawndale Praise Band...I miss choir practice on Wednesdays and watching God move in that 90 minutes....

I know God has a plan...He has brought us back to Michigan and back to Beacon for a reason. I'm really excited to see what that reason is....God is good all the time, and all the time, God is good.

Hello October!!

Well, it's that time again...post season for baseball. Once again, my Tigers fell apart and didn't make it. It's really sad to once again have to say "maybe next year"...so sad. On the bright side, at least I can root for many former Tigers....Placido Polanco (yay!!), Curtis Granderson (don't really care about Thames that much), Omar Infante, Carlos Pena, Matt Joyce...just to name a few...hopefully one of them will win the World Series. Or Josh Hamilton....he's one of my faves too!!!




So, once again, I'll say "maybe next year Tigers"...but this October I say Go Rangers, Go Phillies, Go Braves!!!!!

Gosh, I love baseball!!!

My baby....

she turned FOUR!!! I can't believe it!! We had a great weekend and celebrated her birthday with our NC family!!! She had a blast and received many nice presents!!! I can't believe she's so big!!! FOUR!!!! WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!