Back at it....again!!

Well, I am once again going to try and stick with updating the blog! We are finally settled in Bakersfield, and have much to update! So, after the boybarians are in bed, I will begin again!

Happy Birthday Owen!

WOW!! My firstborn boy is 4!! 4! I cannot believe that he is 4! How many times in this post can I say 4?? :) It is so true that our little ones grow up so fast. I feel like it was yesterday that I was holding him in my tired arms and feeling so full of love and so incredibly thankful that he was finally here and was healthy. Owen is a tremendous blessing to our lives. He has made it fun, exhausting, crazy, eventful, precious, scary, happy, and purely wonderful. He is not always easy, but he is always worth it. We were truly blessed by God to have been given such a full and vibrant gift! We love you Owen!

The First Week!

So, we have been in our new place 1 week now! A very long week! It has been good. Better than I thought actually. I was really worried that the boys would have trouble adjusting, but they love it here! It helped that we had their room totally unpacked and decorated before they came home from Grammy and Papa's house. Thank you G &P!

As I am unpacking and getting things organized in our new home, I have been making a mental list of things I love and don't love, and miss and don't miss about our old and new homes and area. I think I am actually surprised about some of the things!

Things I Miss About The Old House:
Mandy
Carrie
Lynn
Marie
All the kiddos
The close parking spot
The courtyard
The borrowing system! :)
The close mailboxes

Things I don't miss:
The Roaches...yes, I said roaches!
The loud hoodlums...not sure if that is how you spell it!
The laundry room
Cigarette butts
The lack of storage
The kitchen

Things I Love:
The washer and dryer!!! I think that I have done almost 15 loads!
The kitchen!
The master bedroom!
The storage!
The kiddie park!
The paint colors!
The newness of the unit and complex
Basically the whole house!
Winco!
How friendly the people are!
That John leaves 1 hour later, and is home 1 hour earlier!

Things I Don't Love:
The far away parking spot
The far away mailboxes
The far away rent drop box
The large amount of people
The pantry...there isn't one!
The stairs...my legs are killing me!
The gate system...you have to have a landline to buzz someone in!

I think that for the most part, I am going to really like it here! Thank you Lord for this blessing!

The Final Week!

This is the final week in our small, but special home. The place that we have brought all our boys home to, the place where we have gone through many trials and many blessings, the place that we celebrated 4 anniversaries, 3 1st birthdays, and 3 1st Christmases. It is the place where Owen, Asher, and Knox learned to walk, where Owen learned to ride a bike, the place that we have made lasting and wonderful friendships, and the place that we have fondly called home. I am sad that we are leaving the place that the boys have only known as home, and yet there is an excitement in me that we are adventuring into the unknown. Where will we be in 1 year? Who will we be friends with? How will we be involved in our new church? Who will we bless? Who will bless us? What trials and blessings will we go through? How will we grow spiritually? What children will we bring into the world, and who will they be? It is exciting and yet scary thinking of the future and our new home. But one thing that is constant, has not changed and will not change is our Lord! What a comfort that no matter what city we are in, or how our lives wane and wax, God is unchanging! He is the one constant and unfailing rock in our lives! My friend Sarah was encouraging me that no matter where pur earthly home is, we can say that God is our dwelling place. So, no matter where we will be in the future, and how many special events occur in our new home, my dwelling place is in heaven with Christ! What a comfort!

Another Attempt!

So, here I go! Yet another attempt at keeping up with blogging! Hopefully this time I can stick with it!

I know, I know! It's been a long time, a very long time, in fact it's been 4 months and 10 days to be exact...a really long time! There is so much to catch up on and tell, but it might be better to recap and begin with a fresh start! But, I think that I will do that tomorrow, I hope! Maybe I would post more if my blog was pretty and I knew all the ends and outs of working it...anyone volunteers?

Crazy Life

Well, I haven't blogged in a while due to a huge wedding order for my business, Scarlet Oak...nice plug, heh?...three sick children, two with sinus infections, a sick mommy, and piles of laundry! What a crazy month it has been!  Here are some updates on the kids:

Owen is still growing like crazy and says anything and everything he hears!  The other day while we were driving in the car, he said was very concerned because he could not see the moon as it was raining and cloudy...my favorite kind of day!  He kept saying "where is the moon? I don't see it."  Then the clouds broke a little and the following dialogue happened...

Owen: I see it!  I see the moon!

Mommy: Yay! You found the moon Owen!

Owen: The clouds covering the moon...Hey moon!  Where are you?  Moon?  Moon, come here right now!

It was pretty adorable!

Asher is still our sweet, happy boy that leaves the talking to Owen.  He can now sign All done, and More.  His words consist of down, wow, hi, yay, and woah.  He loves dogs and barks like them too!  He also loves music, and raises his hands in the air and directs...it is so cute!  

Knox is growing up so fast!  He loves to be held, smile and talk, and he is so bright eyed and alert.  Although he has been our most difficult baby, he is such a blessing and we can't imagine life without our little man.

I have been reading Phillipians...not as much as I should...and I have been so convicted and encouraged by it. I see the recurring theme of Rejoice, and it is such a great reminder that even in the hardest of days, I can rejoice in knowing that Jesus Christ is my Saviour and King, and that he will give me the grace and strength to press on.  It is a wonderful book and I would encourage all of you to read it!  Here are some of my favorite verses: 1:6, 2:3-8, 3:14-16, 4:4-8, and 4:13.  Enjoy!