Birthday Blessings

Today is my dear husbands birthday. What comes to mind when I want to tell people about him... servant leader. Honestly. He works SO hard for our family, and rarely takes a break. He is solid, ALWAYS there for me. He laughs at me a lot, and I think that is a good sign. He is my best friend, my closest confidant, the one who challenges me to be better, we pray together almost every day, and he means what he says with all his heart. We watch movies together that make him cry and hug me really hard, I get pouty when I don't get enough time with him actually staring at my face when we talk. I discovered that when he is gone I literally cannot sleep. Not because I am scared, because it is now completely unnatural for me to sleep without him right next to me. We go on dates a lot now that we have a child- I know that's backwards. He has beautiful blue eyes that really stand out in pictures and yay for us, evy got them too. He smells good, I love hugging him and smelling that smell that only he has- its home to me. He is one of the most patient people I know, with me, evy, riley, we all test his patience at one time or another. He tells me he loves me every day. He says good bye to me every morning and gets evy for me every night when she wakes up. He does dishes, he loves God, and isn't afraid to show it, even in front of a lot of people, like when he is leading worship at our church. What job is more important than leading others in worship? When I think about my life before him, I laugh because he has made me the happiest and most fulfilled I have ever been. He gave me a lifetime commitment, a child, a marriage that points others to Christ (I hope) a life of service, and so much more. He is my provider and protector and everything that God intended him to be. Even when things are hard with money, or time, or whatever it is, when I look at it from the right perspective I can't help but be at peace because- get ready for it- I really am beyond blessed!

Some News

So in this race to do the best you can at life. He he. We are making a change (hopefully) in that direction. We own our townhouse in Hugo, we were not planning on selling it any time soon, and we couldn't even if we wanted to, it is worth far less than what we bought it for. Not a good feeling, but it's ok. We have planned on renting it out as an investment, maybe for quite a few years, depending on the economy.

In order to have the money to move on to something else, we need time to save up, which we haven't done while living here. So... we are going to move in with my Dad. In Lindstrom. My sisters think that I am crazy, but I am just thankful for the opportunity. Not many people have this option, and we are excited to see what happens. My Dad is single, living in this big house alone, and we will fill it and keep things hopping. No more meals in front of the TV Dad!

This is a scary step for us in leaving the only home we've had since being married, but we know that the future is open, that anything can happen at this point, and it is exciting to see what will!

I feel like there are so many areas in our life where God is stretching us to learn to trust, and it has not been easy. But we didn't ask for the easy path, did we? Bring the rain... Sometimes it takes being brave and saying, "Lord, do what you want with me, I'm willing to go through the storm, so that I can be closer to You and help others be closer to You." Sometimes there are things we go through and it's not even for us, it's for other people to learn and grow through our trial. I know I've been that person, learning from others, and that is why it is so important to share what God is doing, don't waste those opportunities. Okay. Back on track. :)

So I think that we are aiming for September, and that is if we can even find a decent renter and get packed up before then. But if it's supposed to happen... it will! My Dad is not happy about us bringing Riley with because of his shedding... but I just can't bear to think of pawning him off on someone else for a year. He is part of the family. So we're not sure how that is going to go...

Now you are updated. On that. But there is so much more! It will have to wait for another time :)

Evy with her first cone, she loved it of course!

Time goes on. It is so interesting to me as I get older, I understand more and more what "adults" go through, where they are coming from, and why they do the things they do. It used to be hard to understand them. I used to think, "When I'm in that place in my life, I will be so much better, I'll do things differently." Well, now I'm in that place, and it is hard to be different. We struggle with a lot of the same things my parents struggled with. Sure, I've learned from their mistakes, but life is life, and we are all going through it.

As I continue to enter into this "adult" stage, with responsibilities and children depending on you for everything, I realize more and more how important it is to redeem the time, to keep the big picture out in front of you. Too many days go by and I feel like I was so bogged down with getting things done that I didn't play with evy or I didn't enjoy the gorgeous sunset.

I understand now why people put so much weight into making the most of every moment. I am striving to rise out of the mundane, every day sameness, and make memories as much as I can. Sure, you have responsibilities, and yes, I let my laundry go sometimes, but the challenge is making sure that I am laughing with my husband, that I threw the ball for the dog, that I taught evy a new word.

I hate that feeling of just going through, doing what you need to do, and not making memories while in the midst of it.

ps this is leading into another post, later :)

Thankful for Family

Last Monday I got a dreaded phone call that you never want to get. "Hi, I got in a car accident and I think I broke my jaw, the ambulance is taking me to the hospital" my mind travels back to the other calls in my life with someone rushing to the ER. My husband cutting himself with a saw blade, another time thinking he had broken his ankle, my Dad with kidney stones, Grandma with heart trouble, the list could go on. This time it was my Dad. I don't panic in these situations, immediately I am calm because I need to be strong for this person who is in the crises.

I make a few phone calls and get down to the ER as soon as possible with my husband beside me, afraid of what I will find.

He is in a bed, but no one has come to help him yet, face clearly swollen with a definite disjointed jaw. 10 hours and another ambulance ride later, we are headed home from a different hospital with a diagnosis: broken jaw, will be "fixed" tomorrow, try to sleep tonight.

The cop had come to the hospital while we waited and talked about how "lucky" my Dad was to be alive, that most people don't walk away from this kind of accident. We know he isn't lucky, God wants him here for a reason.

His jaw is now wired shut and he can only "eat" through a straw, this should last for 6 weeks. He is discouraged and I don't blame him.

On Wednesday we went to get the rest of his things from his totaled car, and what we saw was unnerving. He could have died. Easily. I won't allow my mind to go there, it would be too hard. To lose both parents before their "time"? Not fathomable. All I can do is be thankful. And continue to reassure him that he is here for a reason. His work here for the Lord is not over. And you can't argue with that.

I'm thankful for my family. I'm thankful that I didn't receive a different call that day, and then have to call my sisters with worse news. I'm thankful that my daughter will grow up knowing at least one of my parents and see at least half of who I am through Grandpa. Have you taken time to Thank God for your family today?

I'm back!

It's been a long time, I am not going to feel guilty about it, because I feel like every blog I have read has had a "guilty author" at some point or another, and to be honest, I wasn't feeling that inspired. I felt like I didn't have much to share with the "world" or in my case, anyone who happens upon this little hidden journal.

I will give a few updates. Evy is doing so wonderfully. I just can't believe how much I have to be thankful for. We are starting to get to know more and more of her personality, and unlike her looks, she takes after her momma in this department. She has been so talkative lately! She can say about 7 or 8 words already and it has been so fun to witness. She is not walking yet but she is pretty fast at scaling along all the furniture and human/dog legs that she can find. We are just enjoying every minute with her and at this rate we are just going to keep going. Ha ha! I keep kidding that I want to be just like the Duggars, it isn't completely true but I like to see people's reactions. I do just love that family!

Alex is doing well, he is so busy right now with so many things and I am thankful that we have had some time together as a family. He is going away for a long weekend golf trip with my Dad. He definitely deserves it. I'm a little nervous about being alone that long with Evy but I think that my sister is going to stay with us so that should help a lot.

We have been enjoying our summer so much it was really busy with my sisters wedding and we had a great time but I am glad that it's over. Be back soon!