been a while...I know

I am so thankful I have recorded some of the things I have because to be able to look back and see the different places we have been in our lives, in our marriage..it's amazing!

I have to start by telling you just how very thankful I am for what God has shown me, us..in the last 6 months. He is so SO right here with us, you just don't KNOW. (as Dane Cook says) I wish I could share with you all of the amazing details, but there are far too many to even count. Every day, God shows me something new. Every day I am in awe. It never fails and it never ends. We have met some of the most amazing people out here, in our LahIVES! Seriously, it's not them, I know, it is totally God IN them. But amazing, nonetheless. I mean, some of the kindest, most gentle, humble, loving and selfless people you would ever hope to know. It just doesn't seem to end. One after another, I am blown away by the blessings that we see and know are taking place all around us. The opposition is there too, let me tell ya. So, that's how we know there's something really cool going on here.

ANYWAY, a few cool things of note going on here soon are:

*Matt and I are being officially Baptized this weekend as we become members of our amazing church. I am terrified. I have been before as a child, but I am terrified to do this in front of all these people! Terrified. So much so, I ALMOST said no way. I actually asked my pastor in a really whiney voice, "Do we realllllllyyyy hhhhaaaaaaavvvvee tooooo?" He asked me what the bible told me about it. I said, "AlRIGHT.." defeated. Let me throw in as a disclaimer though, it is truly an HONOR to bare witness to what I believe in. Truly. I'm just skeeered. That's all.

**At the end of this month, the kids (including Moriah!) will be going to the beach to spend a few days with my brother and my soon to be, SIL! I am excited to connect with her and develop a relationship, since you know-she's about to be my new sista! I don't have any real sisters, so it's kind of a really cool thing. I always wanted a sister...hmmm

***Matt is going on a men's retreat with some folks from our old church in NC. I know it is going to be a great time for him to really relax and have a good time. I am so glad he has decided to go, against much current opposition!

****I had lunch with my daughter today, after not seeing her for over a month. We had only texted each other. God has done an amazing work within my heart. A verse, if you feel so inclined, please read this, it is for her: Psalm 106:4, 6-8! One day, I will share this with her.

*****We are traveling to PA next month for a week to see Matt's family! We are so excited to see them. I can't wait to eat some peanut butter pie, I have only ever seen it on his grandmother's table! I must know where she gets it and can they ship it to me in bulk. Monthly.

******After going on a crazy chocolate chip cookie binge that lasted about a month and gaining about 10 lbs, I am back on my stupid, awful diet and it is almost gone! Got self control? Me either. One literally leads to whatever two packages is, a night. Seriously, I have a problem. I am controlling it, but it is eating me ALIVE! I just want a cookie... or forty. :(

*******Our house sells at the end of JULY! I cannot tell you HOW thankful I am. You just don't KNOW. So, we are looking around. Knowing we will live her as long as we are able..we may go on and buy here. Small budget, but who cares?

That's about it, but it's all good stuff. I am so thankful to my God for loving me enough to let me know each day, just how much. He loves you that much too.

By the way.
I share.

Also, may want to check out http://www.the52project.com/

It's pretty amazing.

Taste and see...

Kudos to our mailman!

I just opened the door to check my mail (which is on my front porch). It is cold and rainy, sooo yucky and I see our mailman across the street, dutifully walking house to house in a thin raincoat. He must be freezing!

I feel for the person in that job anywhere! Thank you mail man, for delivering my mail so close I can reach it without my feet leaving our warm floor. Now, only if you would deliver my tax refund..but thanks just the same!

Altered Plans and Poop

I should say, Altered plans BY poop. We had a big day planned for us this beautiful Tuesday..however...

Today was Madison's school day which begins at 9am and then I was to head over to the church for my very first bible study class with a bunch of really wonderful ladies. I was so excited to go and they even had child care for Drew! They knew I was going to be late and I had confirmed my attendance as late as last night.

• -Madison woke up this morning having cramps and "tummy issues" or "hiney issues," I should say.
• -By some miracle, I woke up ON time to get showered and get the kids up with NO crying involved, by me or them-which is a huge plus!
• -They ate their breakfast with minimum spillage.
• -Got them both changed and their hair just so.
• -Drew LOVES to taunt me by soiling his fresh diapers, and so he did.
• -Poor Madison was victim of cramping and "stuff" at the precise time we would have had to leave to get to school on time. It took a while, and included squished faced looks of misery.
• -I still considered taking her and loaded them up in the car, a little late-but hey we could still make it!
• -Buckle Drew into his seat and he looks up at me with his precious eyes and says, "Poo Poo Mama. Poo Poo."
• -I feel my entire countanance droop in that defeated way it does when nothing seems to go quite right.
• -I unload the kids and all their stuff and come back inside.
• -I blog about it, because somehow sharing it with you makes me feel better.

no name

Here is a disjointed post, because I don't have the mental ability to create a more coherant post right now.

*Spent all night in the ER with a croupy Drew night before last.

*We are all sickies, poor Matt has to go to work that way.

*I want to crawl back in bed under the covers.

*As soon as I realized our tax refund was in, I made it dissappear just as quickly as it came, simply by paying some bills.

*It is a relief to be able to pay those bills.

*Credit is just a trap. Avoid it at all costs.

*Our gas bill is GI-NORMOUS.

*The back of the house off the kitchen is NOT insulated, causing much heat loss in the home. Our thermostat was set on 73 or 74 and it was still cold down stairs.

*Problem remedied by simply hanging a thermal backed curtain in the doorway, the thermostat is set 3 degrees cooler and it is just as warm. I am hoping my gas bill reflects this change in a BIG way!

*Drew just turned 2 and I feel like I missed it, even though I was there.

*My head feels foggy, and it isn't because I am sick.

*I have clean laundry in the basement that I really need to bring up and take care of.

*Today is Wednesday and there aren't any good deals at food lion this week.

*I am making hamburger helper for dinner.

*I cheated on my diet for Drew's birthday. I ate pizza for the first time in a year. It wasn't worth it, but the chocolate chip cookies we made and ate that night sure were!

*the end.

You know what's cool?

Getting to watch God work in your life or in the lives of others. There have been so many clear things that could only have BEEN God in our lives, here lately, cause we could have never done them ourselves!

Last night we had dinner with some new friends who live on our street. Some of the most genuinely kind and humble people I have ever even had the privledge of getting to know. I am thankful for the connection and the chance to claim such wonderful people as friends. It all began with a delivery of chocolate chip cookies, so you know God was in it all the way! I jest, but it's truth. I just wanted to celebrate such a lovely thing with you, because I am simply thankful and truly overwhelmed that God would concern his mighty self with the small details of our little lives. But He does. He will. I promise.

The more Matt and I focus on where we are and talk about things..it seems we really like it here. Though I am a bit leary of buying again, for fear of being cemented somewhere, I too fear having no tax deduction! Same year Moriah turns 18 and will be claiming herself, we will be selling our home (which is another-both actually-provision we prayed about). So, we are thinking and considering maybe the idea of purchasing here, even this home? We'll see what God does, I'll keep you posted. You know I will!

In other news, Drew is about to turn 2 years old! Hard to believe time has passed so quickly. He's an angel of a boy and I adore him so so much. I am thankful. Simply. Thankful.

We'll be going down to NC to have a little party for him with Matt's fam. Mine came here to celebrate a week or so ago. Rather than have everyone try to mesh and drive all the way here, where I would stress and anxiety over cleaning and cooking..and entertaining, I'd rather have mine here and his there. Simple. None or little stressing. My parents still have to drive, but it's more relaxed having them here.

I will be putting a montage together soon for my Drew man, so be on the lookout for it. I am limited in the pictures I have easy access to, so it may not be quite as wonderful as I wish..but it'll make me cry and that's the point, right?

Hope ya'll have a fab weekend! Heal quickly Kimmyk :)

ugh

So, apparently-we have a new neighbor. It's a dog. A dog who barks. At night. A lot.

Matt saw him tied out back today, said it's a chow. Oh How I love to know I live next to a chow with my two small children who love to play in the unfenced back yard. I'm so paranoid, I know, I can't help it. Come on, it comes with the territory. Whadaya want from me, people?

Glad this is a rental.