A Year in Review

Well, once again, I have not been that great at keeping up the blog, but I hesitate to get rid of it, because once in a great while I get some inspiration. :)

So for a quick review of 2010.

Aaron worked and worked and worked and when he was done with that he worked some more. I told him that "All work, and no play makes Jack a dull boy":) However, he was busy, and when you own your own business, that is a good thing! Some good changes havw been made to the business and we are thankful for the Lord's guidance in each decision as it is made.
Besides work, Aaron continues on with the Fire department, EMS, and church board. Each presents its own set of challenges and blessings. In addition, he decided to add a new hobby to the mix in October when he joined a karate class being held in our church great room. He has sailed through both the orange belt and yellow belt. He has wanted to take karate since he was a kid, and has thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity.
Then on June 13th, the event happened that trumped it all. Aaron's name changed to "Daddy". I believe that he would agree that it has been the most challenging, scary, best thing that could have happened in our lives. He loves spending time with Forest and will even fess up to changing a few (note a few) diapers.

I feel like there has been a major upheaval in our lives in the past two years: new house, moving, the purchase of our business, a baby, and my leaving the work field in exchange for being a stay-at-home mom. A lot of change in such a short amount of time. I said "goodbye" to the gals at the dentist office in January after a year working as a dental assistant. And "goodbye" to Steve's Video after 8 years. I loved those experiences, but am finally doing what I have dreamed of doing and felt called to do since I was 14 years old: Be a full-time wife and mother. It isn't always the most glamorous job. And it isn't the most appreciated or admired. But I love every minute of it! Since June, my life has been full of feeding, changing diapers, burping, changing diapers, feeding snuggling, rocking, changing diapers reading stories, feeding, playing on the floor, pacing the floor in the night, cooking, cleaning, laundry, accounting, grocery shopping,feeding, helping decorate at the church, spending some quality time with dear friends and family, garage sale/goodwill/ebay shopping, a few banquets here and there, and on the rare occasion that I can find the time (which would be more often if I would stay off of facebook) I read a good novel. I also managed to paint our bedroom, and started on the kitchen cabinets (which may take a bit longer than I had anticipated). Oh, and did I mention feeding? :)
A couple of other big events in the lives of our families include the addition and blessing of a brother-in-law to the Greene family in July, and goodbyes as he and Emily took off for St. Kitts/Nevis to pursue an education in Veterinary School, as well as the announcement of my Uncle's engagement to a special gal, Julie, who will become my aunt in May of 2011.
There have been potential major health scares on both sides of our family, and the joy of answered prayer as those scares turned out to be minor. There have been trials and sadness but the faithfulness and love of Christ to see His children through the rough spots
We give all of the glory to Him and we praise Him in the good times and in the bad because "we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28

Bitter Sweet

Today, I hang up a hat.

Nearly 8 years ago, I was offered a part-time job at our local video rental store. Aaron and I had been married for a few months, and prior to our marriage, had decided that I would not work unless I wanted to, and only at something that I enjoyed. So when that offer came in, we talked about it, prayed about it, and I ended up taking taking the job. I never dreamed that a part-time job and the people that I encountered there would become such an important part of my life
I tried to quit last year, while working at the dentist office, because I couldn't manage both, but I failed at that first attempt, and continued to work through my pregnancy, and thereafter, with Steve allowing me to bring the baby to work with me. I just wasn't ready to say "Goodbye" quite yet. It has been a blast to preview and recommend movies to people and help Steve develop new ideas for the store, but what I enjoy the most is the one-on-one conversations with customers as they walk through the door. I have met a lot of interesting people in the past 8 years. Many of whom I would probably would not have met under any other circumstance.
This afternoon, I turned over my key to Steve on what was my final day of work. I am so excited to have more time at home, with my family. But at the same time, a little sad, as the store has been such a huge part of my life, and Steve has become more like family than a boss. Thank you, Steve and Peg for offering me a job, all those years ago. It has certainly seen me through many of the ups and downs in my life, and I will miss it!

Remembering 9-11

Today I was thinking about how long it has been since the 9-11 attacks. Sadly,it is only a story being told to our kids in school, as they have to memory of that day. Most people have gone on with their lives. People have let down their guard again. The Bible collects dust and the flag has been stored away, along with any need to rely on Someone larger than ourselves. Our country has once again, developed a sense of complacency. That is a dangerous mentality to have.
I can't help but compare this to my walk with Christ. It seems like when things are going so well, I just don't have time to pray or read my Bible. Yet, when life hits me hard in the face, that is first place I turn, and there never seems to be a shortage of time, during the rough patches, to turn to God's Word. I am so thankful that He is there for me, but I know that He wants me to seek Him all of the time...good times and bad. When I get complacent, the evil one moves in and attacks.
Lord, help us as a country to remember where we have been and seek your face as a nation. And as individuals, help us not to become complacent in our walk with you, but rather to draw near to you on every mountain top and down every valley. In Jesus' name, amen.

Vaccinations

Ugh. That word strikes terror in my heart! I have spent time researching vaccines from the beginning of my pregnancy when the H1N1 flu was the big scare, until today, when Forest had his first appointment at the shot clinic. And I have a feeling that my research is only beginning.
I am not completely anti-vaccine. Many of them have saved numerous lives and helped the living conditions in the United States. But there are reports out there that would scare the dickens out of a person. Side effects ranging from mild fever & swelling at injection site to seizures, Guillain–Barré syndrome, even death. There have also been some independent small studies and claims that there may be a link between vaccines and autism...although this has not been proven and could be a mere coincidence. What is a parent to do?
I poured over "The Vaccine Book" by Dr. Robert Sears, I googled each vaccine, read the pages from the CDC and American Pediatrics Society, talked to my doctor, talked to the nurse in charge of the shot clinic, talked to my mom, mother-in-law, and husband and of course, prayed that whatever I decided that God would protect our son.
So what have we decided? Well, because the Whooping cough is on the rise, Forest got the Dtap vaccine. It was called Pentecel, and contains the vaccines for diptheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), hib, and polio. That is a lot of stuff, but one vaccine cuts down on the amount of aluminum and mercury that the individual receives. They also offered the Hep B shot (most hospitals give the first one at birth...I waived this), an oral liquid for Rotovirus (a sometimes more than severe stomach bug) and Pneumococcal vaccine. I am also going to refuse the chicken pox vaccine & flu shot. I refuse all of these for a couple reasons:
1. There are no long-term studies because they are new vaccines.
2. Reports on blogs of various people having bad results because of giving them to their kids.
3. All of the above are rare in babies, with the exception of rotovirus, chicken pox and the flu, which can generally be managed when medically necessary (although there are exceptions, and I do not underestimate the seriousness of these illnesses)
4. I nurse exclusively and will not be taking Forest to a daycare, two things which Dr. Sears highly recommends to those who choose not to take certain vaccines.
5. I want my children to gain some natural immunities, so that their immune systems are strong and able to fight off foreign invaders.
In 1980, infants were vaccinated against four diseases -- diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, and polio. Today they are recommended to get up to 15 shots of five vaccines by the time they are six months old, and up to 5 additional shots of seven more vaccines by age two. These immunizations include diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B, Haemophilus influenzae type b (commonly referred to as Hib disease), varicella, and pneumococcus. That is an overwhelming list of vaccinations!
I am choosing to follow a delayed alternative schedule by Dr. Sears, and even then, am choosing to waive some of the shots that even he recommends. One thing I have learned in my search is that what is right for one parent, is not right for another. I certainly do not push my views onto anyone else. We each do what we feel is best for our children. I do however, encourage all parents to study up on the issue. Know what vaccines your child is receiving, what the possible side effects include and know that you have the right to request or refuse any or all of them!

Cloth Diapers

I suppose most people would call me crazy for even attempting cloth diapers. But I did my research prior to Forest's birth, and filled my changing table with prefolds, diaper pins and a couple different kind of covers. I have Flips: a one size fits all cover that uses a system of snaps to adjust it. Just fold the prefold (an old fashioned diaper) into thirds, lay it inside of the cover and snap it up. Or one can put the diaper on the old fashioned way...pin it, and then put the cover on. I also have covers by Bummies that fasten with velcro, and a few of the good ol plastic Gerber pants (I have not use these yet). I love the Bummies and Flips!
Initially I used disposables during the first month because they fit better and were easier to deal with. I still use one at night, so that I don't have to change him so frequently, and I use them when we are away from home.
The perks of cloth diapers: Fewer leaks, they are nice and soft, environmentally friendly (That was not a deciding factor for me but I suppose it could be considered a perk), and saves a small fortune. I have read websites where women have done the math, including the cost of laundering, and using cloth exclusively until potty trained saves approximately 2,500 (that is what convinced me). I figured that by using cloth diapers and nursing, we would save enough to buy a front load washing machine and dryer in a year or two.:) What can I say? I'm cheap!
The drawbacks: More frequent changes (about every two hours or so) and laundry. I would suppose that any diaper should be changed every two hours, but disposables are so absorbent that they don't get changed that often. As for laundry, I think I am getting a system that works. I wash diapers every two or three days. If they are dirty, I rinse them in the sink downstairs, otherwise, I use a dry pail with baking soda. The night before wash day, I soak them in cold water with an oxygen cleaner like Oxyclean or Sun. Then I wash them in hot water & my homemade detergent, and follow with an extra cold water rinse and 1/2 cup of vinegar. I dry them on the clothes line when the weather permits. Sunshine works like a natural whitener. Back in the day, women used to soak them in a bleach solution. They strongly recommend against that now, not only because of the harshness against the baby's skin, but because it breaks down the material of the diaper, decreasing their longevity. Also, you are not supposed to soak the covers. So stain removal is a huge challenge, and doesn't always happen. But, as long as they come out smelling clean, I am satisfied.
I almost backed out on using them. I reasoned that I could sell them online and get most of my money back (they are hot items right now), but I gave it a try, and have found that it really isn't all that bad at all. And the best part is that with proper care, I can use them for future children, doubling my savings. So, while the use of cloth diapers might not be for everyone, it has been a relatively good experience for me thus far. Best cloth diaper website that I have found: www.cottonbabies.com

Highlights of Parenthood

The first three months of our son's life have flown by in the blur.

Month 1: My mom came up for a couple days during the week to help me around the house. She motivated me to get up and get to moving again, which was probably good for me. Forest slept pretty good that first week, but I got very little rest due to the influx of company that we received. We were so blessed by our church family and community with meals, visits, and baby gifts! So, although I was tired, it was a very special time. The Sunday following Forest's birth was Father's Day, so, while I wasn't feeling 100%, we decided to go to church. Aaron was so excited to take Forest. :)
During the following weeks, we had more visitors and tried to get into some sort of a routine. Forest decided that he wanted to eat every two hours through the night, but when cuddled up next to Mommy, would sleep in in the mornings, so I was able to stay caught up on sleep in that manner. He would have bouts of crying, and I finally narrowed it down to the ice cream that I was ingesting. Leave the ice cream and milk alone and he is a pretty happy camper. Nursing has had its share of challenges, but I wouldn't trade it for anything...even ice cream.

Month 2: When Forest was a little over a month old we attended Aaron's sister, Emily and our new brother in law, Taylor's wedding. I was so worried that he would be fussy, but apparently he quite the people person, and enjoys crowds and noise. He was wonderful the entire time! We did have babysitters lined up during the actual ceremony, and all was well.
At his 2 month check-up, Forest was weighing in at 11 1/2 lb and 23 inches.

Now that we are nearing the 3 month mark, Forest is weighing nearly 14 lb on our home scale. He is smiling, squealing, and grabbing things. Some days and nights he is still eating every 2 hours, although on occasion he wakes every 4 hours. I hope that becomes the new norm! Between short nights and allergies, Aaron and I look pretty rough some mornings. :) Aaron has been so busy and on the go with work, but still manages to help out around the house, and watches him once in awhile so I can work a couple hours a week at Steve's Video. I did not plan to work after Forest was born, but Steve was in a jam, and I figured 2-4 hours out a week would probably do me some good and give Aaron some daddy/Forest time. Because of schedule conflicts, I probably won't be doing that too much longer. In fact, on Friday afternoons, Forest has been going to work with me. It worked well when he slept during the day, but he isn't sleeping quite as much anymore!

Life is busy and flying by so fast. Amidst piles of dishes, laundry, house cleaning, filing, and lots of work that needs done on the house, there is a little boy that needs lots of cuddles, rocking, and love. So I set everything aside, pick him up and snuggle in the rocking chair. I figure that years down the road I will not be saying "I wished I would have done more dishes or cleaned the toilet". More likely I will be wishing I had held my precious little guy a little longer, played piggy toes one more time, and basked in the joy of his smiles.

Birth Story

I am long overdue for an update, and had considered getting rid of my blog in lieu of facebook, but I like the aspect of writing, so here we go again!

So for those who haven't heard our birth story...I feel like I have told it a million times...here it is!

On Saturday, June 12th, I got up and went to several garage sales with my friend, Stephanie. I had been feeling so good during the third trimester...I think I had more energy than I did in the first and second. We were having a grand time, and I was buying up the baby bargains, when I felt a strange pain. Something told me this was a little different, so I told Stephanie: "One more garage sale and then I think I better just go home and rest". She suggested to me to come down to Champion for chili and cinnamon rolls at lunch time, and I declined, thinking that I had better stay close to home. However, after she mentioned chili, I started craving it, and decided to whip up a quick batch for lunch. Got that done, and Aaron and I decided to go have some ice cream down town with friends. After that I came home and made several batches of chocolate chip cookies and a casserole for supper. Some of you remember me making a joke on facebook about nesting that day. :)
That night our then youth pastor, Jared stopped in and had supper with us. During the course of the conversation, he asked if I had been experiencing any contractions. I replied "I think so" (I didn't state the fact that I had had several of them off and on that evening). And he told me that his wife had them days before she went into actual labor. After supper, Aaron, his brother and Jared went over to the church to hang out and watch a movie. Aaron asked me to go and I told him that I felt like staying home. I called him once, and warned him that that I thought I might be in labor but that I would call him if it became urgent. He said he would be home right after the movie. I slept from 11:00-1:15 in the morning, when Aaron got home. At that point the contractions were about 10-12 minutes apart. I started timing them using Aaron's nifty cell phone application. We did not sleep at all between 1:00 and 4:30 AM when we finally decided to head to the hospital. My contractions were 3-5 minutes apart at this point. It was raining out that morning, and decided to grab Aaron's coat on our way out the door, which was a good thing for Aaron, as he was freezing at the hospital!
This was my first time in a hospital, so I didn't have a clue what to expect. We had done most all of the paperwork in advance (or so we had thought). They put an IV lock in my hand, which allowed me to walk around the hospital some. Mostly we stayed in the room, where we watched "Back to the Future" on tv, looked over the few baby names that we had narrowed down, and read the Bible verses that I had picked out to focus on during labor. I was able to talk through my contractions at this point and manage them with breathing. Aaron was so cold, that he was wearing the coat that I had grabbed and called his brother to bring him a sweatshirt. Ryan showed up at around 8:00 with that...asked how we were doing and then headed back home.
At around 11:00 that morning, we heard Ryan and Jane's voices down the hall, and assumed they were coming in to see us. And then we heard a nurse make that most humorous statement of the day: "We have another OB"! Our due dates were about a week apart. Jane (my sister in law) was four days late, and I was four days early. The doctor that we had both been seeing was ironically on vacation that weekend (I had warned him what would happen!) and the OB nurse had headed out of town, so they called her to come back, as they were short staffed. Jane was in the room right next door to me, so although I was unable to see her, our friend, Brooke, was able to walk back and forth a few times to update us on each other's progress. :)
At around 2:30 in the afternoon, I was at about 8 centimeters, and still able to talk through my contractions. At that point, they took me to the delivery room and broke my water. I could no longer talk through my contractions. And breathing wasn't working so well either. :) It felt like I pushed for hours, Aaron says it was only about 15 minutes. At one point I think I was on the verge of passing out...Aaron had to remind me very quickly to take a breath. :) The baby's heart rate started dropping, so they put me on oxygen and told me that I had to get that baby out. Talk about motivation! A few more pushes and he was out! Aaron was so wonderful. He was by my side the entire time, and so encouraging and involved. He had an agreement with the doctor that did my prenatal care to help with the delivery, and thankfully, Dr Nicholson was also very willing to let him assist. Aaron was actually able to deliver our son with the doctor's coaching and assistance and of course, cut the cord. Our son, Forest Dale was born at 4:19 PM on Sunday, June 13th. He weighed 6 lb, 13 oz, and measured 19 1/2 inches long. There is nothing in the world like being handed your newborn baby. I will never forget it, and never take it for granted. There was a time when I had wanted a girl, but the minute I laid eyes on my little son, my heart was altered forever. God knew exactly what we needed.
In the meantime...Jane's water had broke and they were trying to get her to do everything to slow her labor down because...well...I was in the only delivery room that the hospital has! As soon as they got Forest checked over, they had me in the wheel chair and headed back to the room, so that they could clean up the room and get Jane into the delivery room. They had slowed her progress down to the point that they had to use measures to get her contractions going again. Four hours later at 8:00 PM, my beautiful little niece, Loralie Jenae was brought into the world. She weighed in at a whopping 8 lbs! Good job, Jane...I don't think I could have done it! :) Neither of us used any pain medication or epidurals. I praise the Lord for a wonderful labor experience for both of us!
So what are the odds that brothers would have their children born on the same day, four hours apart, at the same hospital, with the same doctor? I am not for sure. What I do know is that it was an absolute God-thing that has brought our families together in a very special way.

Duo Baby Shower

My wonderful sister-in-law, Emily, hosted a baby shower in honor of both Jane and me last Saturday. It was a fantastic day of games, food, and fun times. :) Emily's fiancee, Taylor created a menu of omelets & belgian waffles, with all sorts of toppings...it was delicious! Couldn't have asked for a better day!

Susie Homemaker??

Well, after much discussion with a few buddies, and research on the internet, I decided to try my hand at making my own laundry soap today. It is a little bit different than the lye soap I remember Grandma making when I was little! :) I was suprised that it took me only about 1/2 an hour from start to finish! But I will admit, I cheated a bit on my first time. I bought a kit off of Ebay: 1 bar of Fels Naptha (already grated), 1 cup of washing soda, and 1 cup of borax. The price was right, and this way, I figured I wouldn't be stuck with a whole load of ingredients if I decide this isn't for me! The challenge is going to be finding all of the ingredients around here. Thus far I have found Borax at Walmart, and Fels Naptha at a local grocery store. But I think I am going to have to buy the washing soda online. It is manufactured by Arm and Hammer, but different from baking soda...also different from Arm and Hammer laundry soap! So upward and onward to finding the best deal, including shipping and handling! :) For all those who are curious, here is the recipe I used. If I run across some essential oils, I may add a hint of lavender to the mix. I have a few variations from friends, that I will try in the future! I am also considering doing what my friend, Gretchen told me: use half the water to make a more concentrated version. Cuts out and additional step and you use less at a time. Also, another friend mentioned that she uses Zote rather than Fels Naptha, because of the pretty pink color. I can see her point! This one certainly isn't pretty!

1 Cup Borax
1 Cup Washing Soda
1 Bar Fels Naptha (if using Zote: 1/3 bar) grated. This first batch came pre-grated, but I plan to use my cheese grater next time
5 gallon bucket with lid
5 gallons water

Grate your soap first thing. Boil 6 cups water on the stove. After it comes to a boil, add your bar of grated soap and stir until it melts. Then remove from stove and add washing soda and borax. Stir until all dissolved. This will gell over night. Stir throughout the day and it won't gel up as hard. But the gelling won't hurt anything. Just stir before you put into bottles.
Put 12 cups hot water in the 5 gallon bucket. Stir until all mixed together. Then fill your tucket up the rest of the way with hot water. Stir. Put lid on bucket. It will be gooey and watery. You can mix with a stick blender, or even a wooden broom handle. Put into old laundry bottles and shake every time you use it. Use 1/4 Cup for HE washer and 1/2 for top loading. Use a little bit more for heavily soiled laundry.

We are gonna have a baby!!!

Although many of you already know that we are expecting, we have been waiting to make it public until after the first trimester was up. But after our first ultrasound on Tuesday, I just couldn't wait any longer! It is hard to believe that a year ago on Friday, I was staring at the same ultrasound screen, grief overwhelming me because I knew something wasn't right. I praise the Lord that He is giving me the gift of a new memory: seeing our precious baby move, and hearing his/her little heartbeat at 168 beats per minute. That did my mother's heart a world of good! How precious is the gift of life, at any stage! Our due date at this point is June 19th. I am hoping for a June 18th baby...Aaron's birthday! :)
Last year's experience has taught me that life is fragile. Everything can be going great one minute and changed forever the next. So, we breathe in and breathe out, and treasure each moment that our Father in heaven gives us with the ones we love.

Steven Curtis Chapman
Miracle Of The Moment

It's time for letting go
All of our "if onlies"
Cause we don't have a time machine

And even if we did
Would we really want to use it
Would we really want to go change everything

Cause we are who and where and what we are for now
And this is the only moment we can do anything about

So breathe it in and breathe it out
And listen to your heartbeat
There's a wonder in the here and now
It's right there in front of you
And I don't want you to miss the miracle of the moment

There's only One who knows
What's really out there waiting
And all the moments yet to be
And all we need to know
Is He's out there waiting
To Him the future's history

And He has given us a treasure called right now
And this is the only moment we can do anything about

So breathe it in and breathe it out
And listen to your heartbeat
There's a wonder in the here and now
It's right there in front of you
And I don't want you to miss the miracle of the moment

And if it brings you tears
Then taste them as they fall
Let them soften your heart

And if it brings you laughter
Then throw your head back
And let it go
Let it go, yeah
You gotta let it go

And listen to your heartbeat

And breathe it in and breathe it out
And listen to your heartbeat
There's a wonder in the here and now
It's right there in front of you
And I don't want you to miss the miracle of the moment

And breathe it in and breathe it out
And listen to your heartbeat
There's a wonder in the here and now (here and now)
It's right there in front of you
And I don't want you to miss the miracle
Of the moment

The Transformation of the Office

Here are a few pictures of our office, during destruction and construction. I should add that the red room is before destruction....latest developments are at the top!

My husband's brother and sister-in-law and parents, as well as several other couples from our church are in Tijuana, Mexico this week on a work team/missions trip. We are missing them and are looking forward to hearing all of their stories when they get back. We ask for your prayers on their behalf, for health, safety, unity, and the leading of God in each of their lives.

The blogs posted by Crossroads Wesleyan is our church team! http://www.mexicocaravanministries.com/blogs

Much Needed Update

I am embarrassed by the amount of time that goes by between my posts! I love to blog, but have been overtaken by the world of Facebook. However, I am determined not to let this blog go to waste!

Many people have been asking about how our new house has been coming along. In recent days, it simply hasn't. The business is consuming our time at this point, which is no surprise to us! I have faith that things will settle down a bit and we can throw ourselves into this remodel project. Our office is shaping up with the help of family and friends. The sheet rock is up and mudded, ready for priming and paint. Then comes the flooring and drop ceiling and all the little extras (light switch panels and fixtures, ect). I have gotten one of the bathrooms painted, with the exception of the trim and cabinet fixtures. That is about all that has been accomplished.

I have put my notice in at the dental office where I work, and will be leaving them in January. It is bittersweet for me. I am sad to leave because I have developed good friendships with my coworkers, and have enjoyed our patients. Not to mention all of the new things that I have learned and am still learning. However, I am looking forward to being at home again, and helping Aaron out with some of the organization of Chase 3000. Something in me has this desire to be a homemaker. I know not every woman can or even wants to do that. Some would climb the walls. :) But I generally enjoy the daily chores, cooking and lots of little extras that I just haven't had time for lately. And I look forward to being able to spontaneously take off and go shopping or out to coffee with my mom or friends. Oh how I have missed that!

The Bible study that I "committed" to hasn't been so committed to lately. I have missed several weeks of it and have gotten behind in my lessons, thus my reason for not sharing new and developing lessons. There is another group at our church that is going through the Esther study, and I may have to switch in order to catch up. I have to say, it is nobody's fault but my own. I am bound and determined to see it through...it is an impressive study and well worth my time!

So, not too much to update. I will try to keep my camera close and post more through the holidays. Lots of fun things in the upcoming month. I am looking forward to it!

New Bible studies!

I am so excited to submerge myself in God's Word. In the midst of being so busy with work, work and more work, I am convinced that Aaron and I need to continue to draw close to God. So, I have committed to a new Beth Moore Bible study on Friday mornings with the girls. It is called "Esther: It's tough being a woman". I am loving it thus far, although her studies are always a challenge to keep up with...lots of homework. I just want to say thank you to Sonja for opening up her home and feeding us on Friday mornings. We appreciate you! This last video session was on "mean girls" and how other mean girls bring out our own meanness. It is definitely going to be an interesting week of study. I certainly hope to work through my areas of meanness!
http://www.lifewaystores.com/lwstore/product.asp?isbn=1415865965

The other study we are beginning is The Truth Project http://www.thetruthproject.org/ We have attended one session thus far, and it looks like it is going to be a deep Bible study also based upon history, law and science, that will leave no doubt in our minds that Christianity is truth. I love it! I am hoping to be equipped with the tools I need to be a light to others.

Hopefully as time goes by, I will gain new insights and gain greater truths from the Lord, both for personal reflection and also to share with others. I also want to challenge my friends out there...if you aren't in a small group or Bible study, get plugged in this winter. There is nothing better than the fellowship with other believers while learning out the Lord!

OUCH!

So, there is this manhole (coal shoot) in our soon-to-be office, that leads down to a concrete coal room beneath. We had removed the lid while we were cleaning the coal room, to get some ventilation. Fast forward to the end of the day. It is dark, there are no lights in the office yet, and I was skipping (literally) across the floor joists to go lock the doors. Suddenly, there was nothing beneath my feet. It happened so fast, that I hardly registered what happened. I didn't fall through to the bottom, I think at least one leg fell through, the other leg, and two arms stayed on top. My rib cage caught my fall on the edge of the concrete. Now that I am envisioning this, I want to laugh, but it hurts too much! :) Thankfully the windows were open and Aaron and Rick Elliott (a friend of ours who was helping Aaron out with some tower work) heard me cry or holler or whatever I did, and got me into an upright (or partly upright) position. Took awhile to catch my breath. We are pretty sure I either broke or cracked a lower rib, or tore the cartilage up and I figure since there is nothing one can do about it, going to the dr. will be a waste of time and money. Advil is my new best friend! I am so thankful that I did not fall completely through...could have been a really bad thing! Proverbs 31:25 "She can laugh at the days to come". :) I have a feeling there may be quite a few of those in the near future. :)

Big Changes

Well, I haven't posted for quite some time. We have been insanely busy these days. Seeing as we have been married for 7 years in June, I guess we got an itch for some change. Several closed doors in the past couple years, and new opportunities in recent months have led us to purchase Chase 3000, the internet provider that Aaron has been working for since 2000. Needless to say, the weeks that have led up to this have been a hectic and a bit frightening at times, but the Lord has directed our steps in ways that we could never have dreamed. We are both excited about the new possibilities that are in the works, both for the business, and our lives as well.

Hopefully very soon we will be closing on our own house. It has an awesome location and room with outside access for an office. There will be quite a bit of fixing up to do, but it is very much what we have been looking for for a long time and holds lots of potential. I will post pictures after we close. :)

For the time being, we are living with Aaron's parents. Our original closing date was supposed to have been June 23rd. We gave our landlord notice, and he rented our house out immediately, effective July 1st. The closing date got changed and we had to be out of our old house, so with the help of our awesome friends and family (thank you everyone, so much!) we packed away our belongings (now in various locations across town), and moved in with the 'rents. It is an odd thing, living with another family. Each family has their own ways of taking care of daily tasks. But we have all chosen to make this work, and are getting along quite well. God bless them for putting up with our onery cat! He is out of sorts these days. :) We are hoping to close on the house this month and get the new office set up in quick fashion. I will keep you all updated...hopefully with some pictures soon to follow. We would greatly appreciate your prayers as all of this unfolds, that we will seek God's will and conduct our everyday lives and business in a manner that is pleasing to Him.

Happy Mother's Day to My Moms!

In light of Mother's Day being this weekend I thought that I would take a moment to say something special about our moms. You have both contributed so much to our lives and deserve honor each and every day.

Mom Jacqueline: Thank you for raising three wonderful kids. You have done well! Not only do I witness that each morning when I wake up and see my husband's face, but also through the relationships that I have with Emily and Ryan.
I admire your gift of hospitality and how you are always willing to add a few more unexpected chairs to the dinner table. Somehow, you always manage to find enough food to feed everyone on unplanned occassions!
God has also blessed you with a courage and willingness to witness to and share His word with complete strangers. Something that we all should do, but don't always. Working for God's Kingdom is the only lasting value on this earth. Thank you for the time and energy that both you and Dad put into doing that.
Thank you for accepting us as daughters, rather than daughters-in-law and for always being available when we need you. We love you ! Happy Mother's Day!


Mom Beth: As the world looks on, they do not realize the sacrifice that you made to teach me at home. You put your life and what you wanted to do on hold for 18 years. I appreciate that each and every day and only hope that God will give me the patience and sacrificial heart to do the same. Especially on the days when the math books go flying across the room. :)
Your talent in gardening is so fun to watch through the summer, and even though you are not active in community functions, or traveling here and there, I know that you are walking through your flower gardens with the Lord & praying for people who will never realize it on this earth. There have certainly been many unknown answers to prayer in my life because you and dad are on your knees. Especially on those days when your spirit is willing but your body is weak. Thank you! Don't grow weary of doing good and "being still before the Lord". He has a plan for your life.
Thank you for always being willing to listen, to give advice when asked, but having the wisdom to hold back at other times. Not every woman can consider her mom to be a best friend, but I am blessed to have that privelege. We love you. Happy Mother's Day!

I have gotten so side tracked with the wonders of Face Book that I rarely update my blog these days. Not alot going on. My job at the dentist office is going well. I am falling into a routine, but I must say my house suffers these days. One starts to realize what is important and what isn't. Sometimes that dusting can wait in order to sit down over a cup of coffee with a good friend.

Last weekend we helped out Aaron's family with his Great Uncle Joe's estate auction. The work we put in was minute compared to Aaron's mom & aunt...they have true organizational skills! :) The day went well, despite the rain.

The school season is winding down, and with that there are only two more weeks of youth group. I will be bowing out for the time being. I Will miss the kids, but feel that I am being spiritually unproductive in that area, so on to the next. For now, I will probably use Wednesday evenings to plant and maintain a small garden again. Beyond that, I am not sure what God wants me to be involved with. There are times in life when He calls us to "be still and know that He is God". I haven't been doing so well with devotions and prayer life, so that may be exactly what He is wanting from me at this present time. I cannot minister effectively to others when I am spiritually drained myself.

I do not know what the summer holds this year. Probably work, yard work, a few days at the lake, hopefully a visit to our little sister in Lincoln, church and fire department functions, some good books, and family and friends. I am hoping and praying for a few happy surprises along the way. As Kristy Dupeire wrote on Facebook the other day “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him” (I Corinthians 2:9).

As for today, I am galavanting down town to look for a one year birthday gift for a precious little miracle named Mason and maybe a little something for our mom's for mothers day, seeing as this is the weekend.