A Walk Down Memory Lane....

Today one year ago.....

2 Years Ago

3 Years Ago4 Years Ago

What we did today....

1. Went to the zoo which is such a treat right now with the kids. They loooove the animals. (Sorry no pics)
2. I mowed the lawn and even weed-eated. Impressive huh?
3. The kids and I took a bath in our 1980's 3 person heart-shaped bath tub.
4. We got to see a beautiful rainbow. Yea for the sun!
5. Brian and the kids played their usual 20 rounds of "Angry Birds". (We learned about this game at the church service in Jasper.) It is a big hit in this house.
6. The kids made yet another mess of the guest bedroom bed (while I am typing this).
7. And now off to bed.

PS...Don't you love Sissy's carpet nose burn? I picked her up from bible study and my little rudolph was standing there waiting for me. She really burned it good.

Our future home....

So, if all goes as planned, here is a picture of the house we are going to build. It is a one-story with a basement which is what we've wanted for a long time. We mailed off the check on Monday to secure the lot (which is highlighted by the purple arrow) and all we have to do next is sell our house....which might be rather difficult considering this is my children's idea of fun. Taking all the covers and pillows off the bed, throwing them on the floor, and rolling around and jumping on all the "fluff". Oh the joys of selling a house with 2 young children.

Sweet 33!

So, I am officially 33! Crazy to think I am 33 years old with a husband, 2 kids, and a dog. I don't think 33 sounds old but I certainly recognize I am no spring chicken. I have graduated more to momma hen status but I am ok with that. I am just thankful to keep having birthdays and to be able to share them with Brian and my two chicks downstairs.
And just look at what I woke up too.....flowers, sweet cards, gift cards to Forever 21, and even e-bay. I am so grateful for all the love and thoughtfulness and am looking forward to lots of fun shopping in the very near future.
Now off to to my yummy birthday celebration breakfast at Jen's house with Panera Cinnamon Crunch Bagels and cream cheese. Hope your day is a sweet one too.

Fresh Perspective....

Reasons to be joyful about our upcoming move....
1. God does not work just in Louisville. What He has in store for us in Indiana could be even greater than what he has given us here.
2. I am taking with me the two most important things in my life...my faith and my family.
3. I am only an hour and 20 minutes away. It is an easy day trip to come back and visit the church, eat at our favorite restaurants, or visit friends.
4. My friendship with Jen will go on. I will miss not seeing her and the boys everyday but now we can have fun sleep overs and will really cherish our time together. Again...we are a car ride away.
5. I now have best friends in Louisville, Lexington, and Bowling Green. At this rate, in about 10 years, I will have wonderful friends all over the state.
6. It is a golden opportunity for Brian and his career. I am so happy for him and will do my best to support him and make this new town a home for our family.
7. I am only an hour away from mom and dad.
I know I will still have moments or even days of sadness but not despair. I will miss life in my little bubble but I know there is much waiting for me in our new city and I (along with God's truths and help) and going to try to keep looking forward with a fresh, more eternal perspective.

You are more....

A very dear friend of mine called me up one day and told me about this song by Tenth Avenue North entitled "You are More". After I listened to it, I had one of those moments that I often do after listening to a sermon where you feel like the message was written just for you. It was as if God told my story to a super popular Christian singer/artist and he wrote the song just for me..just so I would hear it. (He did do that just for me right?) Here is part of the chorus but I highly suggest listening to the entire song. It is so beautiful and is such a wonderful reminder that God does not define us by the choices we've made and we must look to Him to find forgiveness and to determine our value and self-worth.

"You are more than the choices that you've made, You are more than the sum of your past mistakes, You are more than the problems you create, You've been remade. 'Cause this is not about what you've done, But what's been done for you. This is not about where you've been, But where your brokenness brings you to This is not about what you feel, But what He felt to forgive you, And what He felt to make you loved. "You are more than the choices that you've made, You are more than the sum of your past mistakes, You are more than the problems you create, You've been remade."

Good-bye.....

As I write this post, I am already telling myself "do not cry, do not cry" because after 2 days of non-stop crying, my poor eyes are in desperate need of a break. Today my eyes finally look somewhat normal and I am going to try my best to keep them that way (plus Vicki and the kids are coming to visit so that is a little extra motivation as well).

So, yes...we are saying good-bye....and moving to Indiana. It was a very emotional very tough decision but in the end it was an opportunity that Brian just couldn't not pass up. The town we are moving to is VERY small (think no mall, no Target, one grocery store, 2 schools,..etc) but it does put us an hour closer to my family. Everyone seems very nice and has nothing but good to say about the town, the schools, and raising a family there. Even with all its potential, it still makes my heart ache to think about leaving life as I know it. Every time I think about saying good-bye to Jen I burst into tears (and the flood gates are open), the entire T family, our church, Will's school, BSF,.... It is so very emotional for me and I haven't been handling it too gracefully. I know that God laid this on Brian's heart. He is so confident about this decision and I need to accept his leadership and God's plan for our life. I need to refocus so that I can see God's hand at work and be thankful for all that he has done and is continuing to do for us. I wrote this scripture down this morning and I am going to put it in my pocket and carry it around with me for a couple days. It is one of my favorites...

Isiah 41:10

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

I know I must put my hope and trust in God. I must find my joy in Him and not in my circumstance, in people, or in things. This is certainly going to be a journey, a test of my faith, and an opportunity to allow God to do some mighty things.

A Love Story...of sorts

Hi Low Tuesday....

I have a friend with a blog that does Hilo Wednesday and it is neat getting to see a little part of her day. So, I thought I would follow suit and do the same but instead of Wednesday, I am doing Tuesday. :) So, 2 highs from my day... 1. I bargained with the roofer and got his estimate reduced by $85. 2. Spent the afternoon with Jen and the boys and later enjoyed a long walk around the neighborhood. Now, 2 lows... 1. I didn't have two necessary ingredients to make the home made bar-b-que sauce I had hoped to make. 2. We have pesky birds making their homes in our ventilation ducts. The flaps on the outside of the ducts broke off and now the birds are flying right in. Lovely. I feel like we are living in a bird house. I couldn't get the roofer to agree to get the birds out or their nests so I got the next best thing....Brian. Just call him the bird man. He is not too excited about his newest task. So, there you go. I suppose it is a good thing that the highs are much easier to remember than the lows.

Spring Break Fun...

Last week was Will's spring break. We had such a nice time. It was so nice to sleep in, lay around in our pajamas, watch our favorite morning cartoons, and not have to go anywhere. We all enjoyed it. Will and Abby created a new game over the break called "strong guy" which is composed of wearing only underwear and running around and acting like pro wrestler's. They had the biggest time and the game is still going on even as I type at 7:24 in the morning. The kids have already stripped down to underwear and are running around like over-sugared, over-stimulated crazy kids. It is so sweet to hear their laughter (and a few screams every now and then). We left for Maw-Maw and D-D's house on Wednesday and had a big time. We went to the park, played outside, and ate lots of yummy food (too much food which is a reoccurring theme every time we go there). Our dear friends Jennifer, Houston, and Edie came to visit us on Thursday and it was such a treat. The kids had a ball. I don't think my parents' house has seen that much activity...ever. Four kids...ages 4 and under...you can only imagine. My mom fixed us all dinner and then we went to DQ for dessert. It was so much fun. We love our St. John family. Brian joined us on Friday and we left on Saturday. It was a great mix of family, friends, and fun. Here are some pics from our week. Will's self-created game--roll,roll,roll the ball; throw-throw-throw the ball. He made us all play.

Jennifer and me. She is so tiny she makes me look like jolly green giant.

Houston and Will in "strong guy" mode playing the DS.

Abby and Edie being silly. These two girls love each other. They just play and laugh and have the biggest time. It is the cutest thing ever.

An act of obedience...

I wanted to share that I made a decision...a good one..in obedience to what I knew God was asking me to do..over and over but this time..I finally listened. Season after season, I have stared at my daughter's budding closet and I knew I was enjoying shopping for her a little too much. Everything for girls is just so cute and so fun. I never would have imagined that there were tights to match the skirt, a skirt that matched a top, a top that matched a hair bow. I could go on and on. There is so much. And my one big splurge....Matilda Jane. Oh it is my very favorite. I love how Abby looks in all the ruffle pants, knot dresses, ruffled leggings, peasant tops,.... It is so darn cute. I like it all...want it all...and became a member of a couple forums so that I could get it for much cheaper than retail and e-bay. I can also sell it often times for more than I pay for it. So, I rationalized this little hobby (browsing, chatting, shopping) a million ways. And every time I would log on to those boards, I would feel justified in what I was doing because I would see a 1000 other mom's just like me..doing the same thing and I would feel ok. But in the long run, it wasn't ok. The time, the energy, the money....it was all an investment. An investment put in to something so unimportant. An investment that often times came at the cost of spending quality time with my family. It was not just a physical consumption (sitting at a computer chatting and shopping) but a mental consumption as well (because I was always thinking about it). My little hobby had become more than a hobby. So, I cancelled my membership on both forums and have decided to step away for a while. I am reprioritizing my day and it feels so right. I know I am doing just as God has asked me to do and the reward has been so worth it. I start each morning with my bible study and instead of my kids waking up and seeing me piddle on the computer, I am reading and studying God's word. What an impact that must have... I know I will always enjoy kid's clothing...and there is nothing wrong with it in moderation. I know one day I will spoil my own grandkids rotten with cute clothes, shoes, dresses,..you name it... but that's not what my children need from me right now. They need me to parent and live by example and teach them about what is important in life. So, now I am not only teaching them about what is important but I am showing them as well.

Weekend Fun...

Will had his 2nd t-ball practice on Saturday and did a great job. It was so cold and so very windy (not the most fun playing conditions) but he did so well and really enjoys it. It makes such a difference having a friend on the team. It is funny how we are wired that way even at such a young age. I, too, enjoy activities more if I participate with someone I know. God certainly ingrained the need for fellowship in all of us. And speaking of fellowship, Sunday was such a nice day. It was beautiful outside which brought everyone out of their homes. People working in their yards, kids riding bikes and running around, and neighbors standing around talking to one another. It was so nice and throw in a trip to Yangee Noodle and it was a near perfect day. Here are some pics from our weekend.

And she got it...

Yep...Sissy got pink eye too. Luckily, giving her the drops weren't too bad because she is smaller thus easier to hold down. After the first few times, she didn't even throw that big of a fit. She was a little trooper. Unfortunately, with little ones, pink eye is typically accompanied with an ear infection and so she got that too. Another ear infection...double ear infection...BIG sigh. It is her 4th ear infection in 4 months which is leading us to the ENT tomorrow to see about getting tubes put in. She has had such a tough time with her ears and if the truth be told....we probably should have done tubes a long time ago. I will keep you posted.