Seeing and Hearing God with my own Eyes and Ears!!

I think we all wait for the moment when we have NO doubt that God is not only with us but others and truly answers prayer! This past week has been SO revealing to me. This isn't the first time I've "seen" God, but it's so comforting to know he really does reveal himself when we are faithful. We (our MOPS steering team) had to head to church to get the room ready for our meeting the following day when Becky (she's the church liaison between mops and the church) and I were walking into the church and she mentioned one of the childcare workers called and couldn't make it the next day due to illness. OK fair enough we don't want our kids getting sick, but what were we going to do with one person short? Lord knows we need more workers and one called out. Well as we were wrapping up the setting up in walks this teenage girl saying she heard we needed help with childcare a few times a month. Mind you on any other Monday NO ONE is at the church, the church office is closed on Mondays. Thank you God for bringing this girl to us! She's signed on to help out the entire MOPS year!
I had an appointment with my nutritionist yesterday and wasn't sure how I was going to get Sam to school AND be at my appointment at the same time. I forgot Wed. are a late start for him and made my appointment at the same time he had to be at school. So I reluctantly called her and asked if we could make my appointment 30 minutes later. She said it couldn't be more perfect! The person before me called and canceled which she was thankful for. You see her husband was having surgery that morning and she needed a little extra time to get from him to work. So she was actually relieved I called and changed the time. (the person after me called and canceled to, and she had no one for the rest of the day so she could go be with her husband) . Thank you God for having that all work out!
I had a doctors appointment set up for Nov. 3rd, and realized that was the morning of one of my MOPS meetings. Totally forgot about MOPS Tuesdays when I made the appointment. I really NEEDED to have this appointment, but really want/need MOPS too especially since I'm on the mops team it's kind of important for me to be there. So I called to see if I could change that appointment to later on that week. Well come to find out it WASN'T on the 3rd it was on the 4th ! Thank you God for that appointment!
Now I know many people that would call all this coincidence and move on. I however see God working in my life. I have been trying really hard to be more conscience of God and his presence in my life. What more can I say than ... Thank You God!

A Month of Firsts!

I took a moment to sit and realize we have alot of firsts going on this month. Tayler had his first day of 8th grade! He was really looking forward to school, he missed his friends and something to occupy his time. I had my first chat with his principal since kindergarten. NO it wasn't about him! HA It was about his bus route that has been quite the headache thus far! Luckily they were very cooperative and I think we've got it all figured out.
Sam is going to have his first day of Kindergarten on Monday! I have no doubt he's going to love school and have a really great time. I however am not so sure i'm going to enjoy it! I'm definately going to miss him, but at the same time i'll get a few hours with just Jack and I. He will only go for a half day which is kind of weird but may be a better adjustment for ME! yea that's right Me not him.....LOL! He also hopped on the "big kid" bike and started pedaling away! It's been hanging from the ceiling in the garage since we moved here and Jamie finally took it down for him. It was Tayler's bike when he was a little guy too!
Jack took his first step a few days ago! Yes that's right 10 months old and trying to walk. This is all happening just way to quickly for my taste! It's been really hard watching this little guy grow up so fast. He's also learned a new trick... How to blow spit bubbles! It was quite funny, the whole front of his shirt and his chin was wet from him drooling all over the place. He now says Mamma (usually only when he cries). Dadada (alot), BuBye and waves and he shakes his finger and i'm pretty sure he's trying to tell us we're naughty, he's Almost got the nono sound down! His favorite pass time is trying to play with the trashcan and his daddy taught him the drawer under the stove pulls out and well he's figured out how to do that too! He's a smart one that's for sure!
So all in all the kids are good. Jamie is waiting to hear where we're going to go from here! And I am gearing up for a new Mops year and can't wait!!!

Beach Boys!

My friends Hannah, Karen and I decided to head to the beach for the first time this summer. I was a little hesitant about how Jack would do. I was afraid i'd have to chase him away from the water the entire time, but I didn't! He loved the sand and even took a nap! Sam of course was so thrilled we finally went, he loves the beach and would live there if he could. Tayler was happy to get out of the house and get some fresh air. He likes the beach too, but the beaches here in Washington aren't his favorite. He remembers the beaches in Florida when we lived in Georgia and it's not quite the same here, but they will do for now I suppose! So here are a few pictures of my beach boys having fun!

DUCK!!!! There's a curve ball coming!

Here we were sitting pretty not worrying about having to move anytime in the Near future (well at least for 5 or so years) when WHAM! We got hit with a curve ball. Jamie's detailer (the guy that tells us where we have to go next) emails him and tells him that the job he was going to take next summer had some changes and Jamie won't be able to go there. So now we're back to square one. What's square one you may ask, well! Where do I begin? IF he can't get shore duty here we will be moving! Which means we will have to try to sell our house (and more than likely take a huge loss) OR rent it out (which I really really don't want to do). I would have to leave my friends sooner than expected (which I really don't want to do). We/I would have to go house hunting alone (which I don't want to do). If we couldn't sell our house and had to rent it out then we too would have to rent where ever it is we have to move (which WE really don't want to do). On the other hand... More than likely we'd be moving somewhere further south, and that would be somewhere closer to our families (which I would really love to do). We may end up some place we've never been before which would be fun! Think Hawaii??? That would be nice for a few years huh? Maybe we could go back to GA (which I would really really love to do) that would be GREAT! GA is the closest place we could get to home ! So basically our next year of life could either change dramatically or we could end up staying put. I am just going to go with it, leave it up to God and pray about it and what ever happens is what happens and we'll deal with it, work it out and move on..... it's always worked out before why would it stop now?

Coming up for Air!

What a busy month or two we've had! It seems there's no end in sight either. Where to begin??? Tayler is gearing up for 8th grade and is kind of excited and anxious to get back to school next month! Sam really has no idea what Kindergarten means, he just know's it's "school" and really hopes they have show and tell! Sam has lost two teeth now and cant' wait to lose more, he thinks the money he gets is really cool. He got 6 quarters last time because he's 6 now ya know. Jack is crawling all over the place and is into everything. He can open cabinets, pull stuff out, squeeze himself through any crack possible and loves Bailey's water bowl. We've had to cage the lil monster in the living room for now until we can get the locks on the kitchen cabinets, he likes to pull stuff out of there. Jamie is about ready to be done with this duty and ready to move on to shore duty, he has until April or May of next year however, so it could be a long few months for him! He recently finished our bathroom (for now anyway). He textured, painted and primed the walls finally (the blue tape has only been an accessory in my bathroom since October), put up a cabinet over the toilet, and put up a new mirror (I didnt' have a mirror in there either since October). Just over a week ago I had to have my gall bladder out. I had an impressively large, almost record breaking (ok that might be a bit much but you get the idea) gall stone. That was no fun let me tell you. I never knew coughing could be so painful, it felt like my insides were ripping apart. The healing process has been ALOT slower than i'd like it to be. I don't know if it's because i'm older or if that's just how healing from this kind of surgery is, I prefer to focus on the later. We also had an airconditioner put in our house, boy what a difference. It got up to 95 degrees INSIDE our house a few times, it really was quite miserable and even Jack had a hard time sleeping. One day I even packed the kids and the dog up and went for a 5 hour drive just so we could be cooler in the car. We figured that was enough and went ahead and put the a/c in. Ahhh, so much better! The next few weeks are going to continue to be busy for us. I have go to get some school shopping done for both of the boys, make sure they are all signed up for school and the right classes and all, and I'm gearing up for a new MOPS year! I'm SO excited and am really looking forward to being on our Steering team for MOPS (mothers of preschoolers incase you were wondering). So in a nutshell that's us at the moment, we all know it could change any minute now! Thank you God for a wonderful healthy happy family!!!
And now some new random pictures!

Tayler and Bailey hanging out watchin TV!
























Sam being Goofy! as usual

My Sweet Baby!

Something's missing?

On our car ride when it was to hot to stay home

Eating "real" people food

Cute is pretty much all I can say

His 6th Birthday cake

Reading Sam's Birthday Card

This is our thermostat INside

Jack will cuddle with anyone when he's in the mood

Do you think he likes his swing?

Life...

So, it's been quite a while since my last post, but a lifetime of things have happened. Jack now has 3 teeth, those were fun times.. NOT! Sam now thinks he's a professional swimmer and is just about ready to try out for the Olympics. Tayler is an experienced videographer and would love nothing more than a really great video camera. (the one he has will have to do for now).
Sam,Jack and I had to make a heartbreaking trip to Ohio last week for my Grandpa's funeral. Having never been to a funeral before it was really tough. I feel blessed and lucky that I've never had to endure the pain of losing a loved one before now. I don't think you can fully grasp the concept of death until you've been to a funeral of someone you love. I've always known death was among us and happens every single way in every different way but you truly don't get it until you have to attend a funeral. That was one of the toughest thing's I've ever had to do in my life. Something I'm still having a hard time dealing with and can't really understand is how can you be married to someone for 63, almost 64 years and fully go on once the good Lord takes them? How do you do that? I guess it has to be by the grace of God right? I did alot of thinking about life and death for that matter. I came to a conclusion that when it is my time (whenever that may be) I want my family and friends to know without a shadow of a doubt where I'm going. I want them to know I mean really KNOW in their hearts that I have gone to be with Jesus. What a gift to give your loved ones, I can't think of anything better to leave behind. I know I have a long way to go in my relationship with God and I have alot to learn still, but I really want to work on that and grow spiritually so I leave behind no doubt!
God Bless you Grandpa, you will be greatly missed, I'm sorry I didn't' get to say goodbye, but I know you know how we all feel about you and I know you are happy and proud of the way we bid you farewell!

Again I will ask... When did time grow wings?

It seems as though time has wings these days! Jack is already 8 months old and crawling everywhere. He's pulling himself up on everything now too.

I never thought I would feel like I wanted time to stand still for a little while. It seems as though he's growing up way to fast. Faster than the other two ever did. Jack waves bye bye and says it too! He gives big wet sloppy open mouth kisses that are really precious! He has discovered the dogs water is alot of fun! (well for him anyway). I'm not quite ready to let him do all this stuff just yet. I know I should be happy he's healthy and learning new things, but gosh could it go just a tad slower? I'm having alot of fun with this little guy and want to take in every moment!

Speaking of where did the time go... Sam lost a tooth! He came upstairs and showed me his tooth was out. "I just pushed it and it came right out" he said.

I decided to put him in swim lessons this summer, he loves the water! If he really knew how to swim there would be no stopping him. He gets upset when we have to leave or he has to wait his turn with the teacher!

He can't wait till his birthday! He tells everyone "I'm going to be 6 soon". Sam also can't wait until school starts this fall! He really loves Jack, almost to much sometimes! he won't leave him alone sometimes and Jack gets upset because he wants to GO!

Tayler is a handsome 13 year old!

He's really gotten into making his own videos these days. He does stop motion with his legos and is even doing an instructional video on how to do that. He really seems to enjoy that alot. Perhaps that's going to be his fortay! He's a funny kid and seems to like Jack alot too. Sam... well.. not so much! I'm sure once Jack gets older and can talk he won't like him as much either!

Family & Fun!

Jamie's family came to visit this past week! We had a really great time with them. Jamie got to do a few household projects with his dad. We now have a new screen front door, and a new tv in the living room. The old tv decided to wait until family was around to bite the big one! We went to the Zoo,Port Orchard waterfront, and Seattle while they were here. We also got all of the boys together and had their pictures taken (those I will post later when we get them). Jack was kind of grumpy this week due to him trying to get another tooth. He did however start crawling all over the place. He is a boy on the move, he goes everywhere now and likes to follow the dog. Here are a few pictures from the past week!

Aidan,Tayler,Sam and Jacob


Pop & Jack

Pop & Jack at the park

Jamie being the kid he is

Tayler touching the space needle

Tayler and Jacob and their Braces

Lots of Lasts!

I know it's been a while since I've written, but we've had ALOT going on the past few weeks! Sam is done with Preschool, as you know. Now he's on to "real" school, it's really kind of hard to believe! He's really getting into reading these days. He's really proud of himself when he reads an entire book, it's really cute to watch and kind of funny when he sounds out some words, overall he does really well and i'm really proud of him. Tayler has a half day left of 7th grade then he's out for the summer. That's right he's on to 8th grade. Like when the heck did that happen? He is now officially taller than Nana and Aunt Joni now. He's very proud of that and he can't wait to be taller than me! He did rather well this year, I believe he's going to finish up the year with honor roll! I'm pretty proud of him and all he has accomplished. We had a few bumps during the school year this year but I'm pretty sure he got the message that we will NOT put up with bad grades and he did really well! Jack started crawling yesterday finally. After rocking for the past few months he actually had the forward motion going on! It's really cute to watch, but sad at the same time. I really wish some days were longer, he's growing way to fast. Before we know it he's going to be in school too!
I have my last MOPS (mothers of preschoolers) meeting this week and i'm kind of sad I must say. I really have a lot of fun with all of the women there and have really made some really fantastic friends there. I'm really hoping to get together with lots of them this summer!
So lots of lasts these past few weeks, we're moving on to bigger and better (I hope) things! Wish me luck on this journey of motherhood and pray I (and the boys) make it through without to many tears!

Sharing Pictures!

This is Jack at my wonderful friend Hannah's house




Jack's new Highchair I got him ... it was a Steal!




He's All ready for Summer!




Sam and Jamie making a Cake together, this was his "I'm finished with PreSchool" Cake



And My Handsome Teenage Son!!! (that's still really weird to say)

And now the Real school begins...

After 2 years of preschool, Sam is officially done! And now the Real school begins. I have no doubt he's going to do well and have fun doing it! He had a preschool graduation, which I personally think is a bit funny and sort of silly, but the kids seem to enjoy it! Sam was really proud of himself up there on that stage singing songs and doing signing his alphabet! We are proud, for the most part, of him and how much he's grown over the past year. He is now reading just about everything, even when he doesn't recognize words he gives it a try anyway. Don't grow up too fast little man, enjoy every minute of just being a kid, You can do anything you want to do, and always know We Love You!

The day after his graduation we went to his end of the year picnic!

He had a blast!

This is what Jack thought of it!