My sweeties..

Olivia is now 6...I can't believe it. Every year she gets older, I think "Really?! Already?!"....It feels like she's been with us forever and I can vaguely remember life before her, and yet it seems like only yesterday when I first became her mama and she opened up a new world to me. She's unbelievably creative, wonderful, carefree, has a musical ear, super smart, funny and has made such strides in the past year on how she relates to her siblings and us...

Noah is just about to turn 4. Again..wow..Noah's an old soul..he's quiet, super sweet, caring, thoughtful, very helpful and it just blow me away thinking he'll be pre-k this fall. What?? How can this be? You are my sweet only son and you are just as cute and loving and you can be...always willing to offer out hugs and snuggles. He has a quiet strength about him...

Kate. Oh my....I realize now why babies of the family are spoiled. ;) She has everyone just wanting her happy and quiet so she is given whatever she desires and it shows. Although, in turn she is super compassionate and caring...if one of her siblings is crying, she will come and pat them in comfort or bring them a favorite toy of theirs..She has her Daddy and I(and just about everyone else) wrapped around her little finger.  She is still full of snuggles and is getting to the age where she really enjoys playing with her siblings and tries her best to keep up. She and Liv now share a room and they do pretty good together. I was thinking having them together would make it so hard, but its gone surprisingly well.

My last blog...

Was really depressing sorry.....

On to something way way better. Body Life..

We've been part of church's our whole lives but there is just something different about this time around and our sweet group. Its so blissfully wonderful...so new and different and to overuse the term, very organic. Its not something I think man could just do..its so God. Within weeks of meeting everyone(and praying heavily) we just knew this was where God wanted us. All our relationships already feel like family and we've only known them 6 months. Not that you don't notice quirks or frustrating things about each other, but somehow it doesn't matter and you know these people are YOUR body...they are with you IN Christ and everything else pales. We have been loved on SOO much. Its so awesome to see the Lord at work in all of us.

Those of you Gainesville peeps that read this, know we are SOOOO appreciative of all you do for us. From people who help give us stuff, shovel our snow, offer to watch children, feed us, give rides and tons more under the sun. We love you...and I've told people before, its not cause of what you do for us, its because we know you care about us so much and you are offering up yourselves for the sake of Body life. Luke and I hope that we can return all these wonderful favors....

"The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me"- Matt 25:40

No paid vacation/pity party.

I try to stay positive..I'm naturally kind of a pessimist, but I know God is good and I try to remember that He gets final say and not the rest of the world. Having said that....I would say that for much of this January, Luke hasn't been able to work due to different circumstances. It sucks..When you're self employed you have to work when there is work because you never know when there won't be. Today is Sat, and Luke is out working...which is great, but it still feels weird not having him here on a day that is designed for chilling, and when everyone around you has the day off. It also sucks because we haven't been able to get out of our driveway till just yesterday due to all the snow and ice that was on our road(its almost all cleared up now thankfully), so I haven't been out of the house really in a long time because before the snowcalypse we were sick with a cold, and then managed to pick up pink eye and I am a firm believer in keeping germs to yourself, so we stayed home. I missed our church meeting, the sister's group meeting got moved...so needless to say I'm feeling high strung and having a hard time dealing with just even the day to day stuff.

Then we can throw in the fact that Luke not working for almost 2 weeks,which means NO money coming in for 2 weeks. We live literally from one job to the next and so its not like we have stores of money we can use for times like this...its SO amazing how much a lack of money can effect your life, or least your view on life. It also sucks, because there isn't much I can do to help the situation out, and to be honest I feel guilty about it. I know I shouldn't and Luke has told me many many times that I'm doing what's best for all of us by just caring for kids/house and schooling them...but still.

To top things off, I hate being a charity case.  I know that we've paid for stuff for friends and family lots, but there is just something so humbling and hard about being on the other side of that scenario. I never want people to think that when I share how our life is going that we are expecting or looking for people to take care of us. We know that's God's business to provide for us..and we know sometimes He does it through the Body but still, and its not like we mind people loving on us that way, its just hard cause I don't want people to feel that they HAVE to..ya know?  I can't even count the number of times I've asked the Lord.."Can we please be done with this experience....?"...

Anyways, I'm off my soapbox now and done venting.

Luke is considering going back to school to learn a new job not in his field of expertise. Still praying about it and which avenue he should go and we've also been in contact with some people at our local hospital and seeing if they will pay for him to go to school while he works there...interested to see how it all turns out.

Still alive..

I feel like I've neglected my blog recently, but its ok. We've celebrated the new year, had lots of family visits, Olivia and I are back in the swing of school, celebrated and thrown her a 6th birthday party, fought pink eye, and enjoyed lots of snow..we've been busy. All this and enjoying getting to host and have people over who actually live within a short driving distance of us. So wonderful....

Although January has been kicking our butts and I just haven't felt up to blogging because I know that word vomit may happen and I'm trying to be positive..God is good. No matter what and I trust Him.

Blogging will resume more normally I'm sure at some point soon....