Fall is officially here! I love this time of year when leaves change colors! That's my favorite thing about fall, actually. I've always been a fan of this season! I love getting out the hooded sweatshirts & my jeans. Actually going outside to get fresh air, not muggy air! It's one of those times where you dread what's around the corner (winter), but know that everything will be fresh & new again. I guess it comes with living in Goshen. Winter can really be the pits, but I remember loving it when I was young. My girls can't wait to go sledding with Dad again & that means alone time for Mommy, too. When Nova is old enough, I will actually buy winter boots & go sledding with them, but for now, she is a good excuse to snuggle where it's warm!
Just an update on my girls... Lexi & Petra got to go to Grandma Ruth's house for the night. I love having a break, but today as I babysit a 2 month old baby boy & play with Nova, I realize how quiet the house is without them. No one telling me every 10 minutes "I love you Mommy" or giggles coming from their bedroom. No fighting (that's a plus, I guess) & no one needing me to kiss their ouchies. Also, no tripping over toys in the living room (another plus). I miss 'em like crazy right now. The best part of them going away overnight is having them come home! It really makes me love them more!
I haven't done much updating on Chris & I. We are doing well. We have ups & downs every week, like any marriage. We are looking forward to celebrating our 7th anniversary on Monday. That seems like such a long time, yet so short when I think of a lifetime together. With so many major bumps in the road these past few years, I wonder how we ever made it this far! God is so gracious & forgiving. I read an email yesterday that perfectly describes God's protection in our lives. It is from the verse Malachi 3:3 "He will sit as a refiner & purifier of silver". The email talks about the process of refining silver as a very tedious job. The refiner sits in front of a very hot fire until the silver is done. He doesn't leave the silver & go do something else. He doesn't watch from a distance because he knows if he leaves it a second to long, the silver is destroyed. A refiner of silver knows the silver is done when he can see his image in it. It is a great reminder of how God tests & refines us. He doesn't take his eyes off us for even a second when he is refining us. He will not let us be destroyed by the fire, because he is perfecting us. He takes us out of the fire in perfect time! So, in this time of transition, searching & healing, God is perfecting our marriage & refining us until He & others can see His image in us! Please continue to pray for us.
That is all for now! We love you & hope you see God's greatness & blessings in your life!
9.30.2008
9.21.2008
Education...
Okay, so taking classes wasn't so bad back in the day! Let me tell you, though, I don't know how parents of young kids do full time school, full time work, and still find time for their babies! Chris & I took a 20 hour pre-liscensing class yesterday & today. Granted, it was only 2 days, 10 hours each, but it was hard! I haven't taken a class since Rosedale in 1997! Now, we have to study & take a test on life insurance. For those of you who don't know, we started working with Primerica, a nationwide business with a base office in Goshen. We are really excited about helping people with their financial plans & security for their future. That is not all we will be doing but it is hard to put into words as we are still in training. We are working with great people & making a lot of new friends.
After such a busy weekend, I'm ready to be at home as much as possible with my little beauties. They were all such good girls this weekend for everyone that took care of them! That is such a proud 'mommy moment' to know that it was enjoyable for their babysitters! Look below for a picture of what Lexi & Petra got to do at their friend, MacKenzie's, house! They love going there to play with kitties & jump on the trampoline! Boy were they tired last night! See the picture below of what they got to do! MacKenzie's cousins have a mini horse!
That's all for now! God's blessings to all!
After such a busy weekend, I'm ready to be at home as much as possible with my little beauties. They were all such good girls this weekend for everyone that took care of them! That is such a proud 'mommy moment' to know that it was enjoyable for their babysitters! Look below for a picture of what Lexi & Petra got to do at their friend, MacKenzie's, house! They love going there to play with kitties & jump on the trampoline! Boy were they tired last night! See the picture below of what they got to do! MacKenzie's cousins have a mini horse!
That's all for now! God's blessings to all!
9.15.2008
Travel. . .
Thought I would try to get this updated for all our fans (ha) as I have a quick minute! We got home last night around 8:30, after a weekend in Ohio. Shekinah Christian School, where Chris graduated from, had their annual festival & auction this weekend. His brother, Lonnie, led worship for part of the Friday night concert, so he wanted to be there for that. We had a relaxing weekend with good friends, Brian & Brooke Miller. Their daughter, Mabri, is such a doll & we had so much fun watching her interact with Nova!
Nova started her first cold around midnight on Saturday. She is so sweet most of the time and you could see her really try to be happy even though she was feeling miserable! I felt so bad for her. It is so hard for her to eat or keep a pacifier in her mouth with her nose so stuffy! I think she is working on a tooth, so we have started the next stage of growth. She had her 6 month checkup on Friday & is 18 lbs 1 oz. She has officially doubled her weight! It is so hard to see her grow & she is starting to become more interested in doing things. My baby isn't going to be a baby much longer :(
Petra also had her 3 year checkup. The doctor says she is what they call a square. She is 41 inches tall & 40 1/2 pounds. That is a tall 3 year old! She is still off the chart for height and according to her weight last year, is estimated to be about 6' 2" as an adult!!!!! I always knew she will pass me up! It is fun to watch her grow. She is starting to develop & express her own interests, rather than just following Lexi all the time. She is very active (go figure) & loves to run. She tends to enjoy being alone when we are around other people & this weekend kept wandering off to play while the cousins were together. She does have her moments though when she wants someone to be with her.
Lexi is still herself! My social butterfly. She is the one that cries when we have to go home, because she has so much fun with cousins or friends. Home is so boring!!! This weekend, I didn't have to worry about her once. I knew that if I found a cousin, I would find her! It is important to her to have fun with people she loves! Just like Daddy! When we are at home, she constantly asks to play with the neighbor kids or wants us to call someone & ask if she can go there!
Chris & I continue to work at our marriage & family. Sometimes, as most of you know, marriage can get tedious & routine. We are trying to spice up the routine of everyday life & continue to spend time together. Marriage is about constant sacrifice & during our 7 years we sometimes forget that it needs to happen everyday, not just when we get what we want first. This is even more challenging when things aren't going well! We are trusting in Christ to walk with us through the hard times and we know that God's mercy is new every morning. I encourage all of you to read Jeremiah 33:6-11 if you are going through trials in your marriage. His promises are for each of us!
Well, that is all for now! It is good to be home in my own space with my routine. Trips are nice to break up the routine a little. With a baby, it's nice to see her happily fall asleep in her own bed, where she knows she's home!
Love you all & hope you see God's blessings today!
Nova started her first cold around midnight on Saturday. She is so sweet most of the time and you could see her really try to be happy even though she was feeling miserable! I felt so bad for her. It is so hard for her to eat or keep a pacifier in her mouth with her nose so stuffy! I think she is working on a tooth, so we have started the next stage of growth. She had her 6 month checkup on Friday & is 18 lbs 1 oz. She has officially doubled her weight! It is so hard to see her grow & she is starting to become more interested in doing things. My baby isn't going to be a baby much longer :(
Petra also had her 3 year checkup. The doctor says she is what they call a square. She is 41 inches tall & 40 1/2 pounds. That is a tall 3 year old! She is still off the chart for height and according to her weight last year, is estimated to be about 6' 2" as an adult!!!!! I always knew she will pass me up! It is fun to watch her grow. She is starting to develop & express her own interests, rather than just following Lexi all the time. She is very active (go figure) & loves to run. She tends to enjoy being alone when we are around other people & this weekend kept wandering off to play while the cousins were together. She does have her moments though when she wants someone to be with her.
Lexi is still herself! My social butterfly. She is the one that cries when we have to go home, because she has so much fun with cousins or friends. Home is so boring!!! This weekend, I didn't have to worry about her once. I knew that if I found a cousin, I would find her! It is important to her to have fun with people she loves! Just like Daddy! When we are at home, she constantly asks to play with the neighbor kids or wants us to call someone & ask if she can go there!
Chris & I continue to work at our marriage & family. Sometimes, as most of you know, marriage can get tedious & routine. We are trying to spice up the routine of everyday life & continue to spend time together. Marriage is about constant sacrifice & during our 7 years we sometimes forget that it needs to happen everyday, not just when we get what we want first. This is even more challenging when things aren't going well! We are trusting in Christ to walk with us through the hard times and we know that God's mercy is new every morning. I encourage all of you to read Jeremiah 33:6-11 if you are going through trials in your marriage. His promises are for each of us!
Well, that is all for now! It is good to be home in my own space with my routine. Trips are nice to break up the routine a little. With a baby, it's nice to see her happily fall asleep in her own bed, where she knows she's home!
Love you all & hope you see God's blessings today!
9.02.2008
Autumn Is On Its Way
Here we are. . . Labor Day weekend is past and that means Fall is almost here. We had a perfect weekend to go camping with the Schwartz's. We left for Plain City, Ohio on Friday & got back yesterday around 5. We enjoyed the beautiful 80 degree weather during the day with wading & canoing in the "river" behind the campsite, kickball, cornhole, & sling-golf. The nights got pretty chilly, but not unbearable. Chris' mom brought her fiancee along with one of his daughters, so it was great to get to know them better. It was his first camping experience EVER in his 71 yrs. I think he thoroughly enjoyed it, as well as spending 4 days with his bride-to-be! He now knows what he's in for after spending time with 20 grandkids! We are so glad he is joining our family! The wedding is in October & Lexi & Petra are looking forward to being flower girls. Lexi can't wait to go shopping for a pretty dress & get her hair done! She is such a girly-girl. Petra really doesn't have a clue what it means, but she gets excited when Lexi talks about it. She's always up for new clothes or shoes, too!
Some of you know that I have dropped the Coordinator position for TeenMops. Some of you may not remember that I was even doing that! I decided a few weeks ago that it was too much for me with the things going on in our family. I know that my first & highest calling is my husband & children, and anything else is second. TeenMops is a wonderful ministry and I am blessed to have been a part of it for the last 2 years. I loved knowing all the beautiful, young women that were looking for support & friendship, love & encouragment from us & am sad that I need to step down. Hopefully, God will see fit to bring me back, but for now I know he has a plan for my family & that anything outside of that plan will only interfere. I will miss being involved with the ministry, but will hopefully still be a part of the lives of the girls I have grown to love!
Chris still has a job at Keystone. We are going on faith for that one on a day-by-day basis! It is so hard to watch friends get layed off from their jobs at other factories & not know what tomorrow may bring for us. Chris is thankful for his CDL's to fall back on, but even then we never know! We have started looking into a business called PriMerica that seems to be a door opened by God to improving our finances. We are really looking forward to being part of a group of "go-getters" & can't wait to see what He has in store for us!
As our schedule has opened up in so many areas, we are enjoying every day we have together, as well as learning to wait on God through the trials we have experienced. Some of you know the struggles we have had lately, some of you don't. We are hoping in Christ to give us strength, patience & courage as we go through fire. Our prayer is that we will grow stronger in Him & that our family will be able to look back & see what God has brought us out of. We know He has our best interest at heart & only He knows what is ahead!
Hoping all of you are living for Him as you go about your day. He is the only one that knows what we need, even better than we know for ourselves! Love you all!
Some of you know that I have dropped the Coordinator position for TeenMops. Some of you may not remember that I was even doing that! I decided a few weeks ago that it was too much for me with the things going on in our family. I know that my first & highest calling is my husband & children, and anything else is second. TeenMops is a wonderful ministry and I am blessed to have been a part of it for the last 2 years. I loved knowing all the beautiful, young women that were looking for support & friendship, love & encouragment from us & am sad that I need to step down. Hopefully, God will see fit to bring me back, but for now I know he has a plan for my family & that anything outside of that plan will only interfere. I will miss being involved with the ministry, but will hopefully still be a part of the lives of the girls I have grown to love!
Chris still has a job at Keystone. We are going on faith for that one on a day-by-day basis! It is so hard to watch friends get layed off from their jobs at other factories & not know what tomorrow may bring for us. Chris is thankful for his CDL's to fall back on, but even then we never know! We have started looking into a business called PriMerica that seems to be a door opened by God to improving our finances. We are really looking forward to being part of a group of "go-getters" & can't wait to see what He has in store for us!
As our schedule has opened up in so many areas, we are enjoying every day we have together, as well as learning to wait on God through the trials we have experienced. Some of you know the struggles we have had lately, some of you don't. We are hoping in Christ to give us strength, patience & courage as we go through fire. Our prayer is that we will grow stronger in Him & that our family will be able to look back & see what God has brought us out of. We know He has our best interest at heart & only He knows what is ahead!
Hoping all of you are living for Him as you go about your day. He is the only one that knows what we need, even better than we know for ourselves! Love you all!
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