Life is...

The last few months of our lives have truly been an adventure. We have experienced more in the last 3 months than I have in a long time. So to break it down a little for some of our long distant readers I will do so by the month...
MARCH
* On Josh's 31st birthday, we found out the sell of our house had fallen through, only 1 1/2 weeks from closing, due to the falling through of our buyers house sale.
* Praise the Lord! Only one week later our buyers house went back under contract and a new closing date was set.
* One week after all these events, we got the exciting news that Samantha Grace was going to be a BIG SISTER! The amount of excitement cannot be adequately explained, especially to our readers who know how much we have prayed for this baby.

APRIL
* Only 1 week before we were to close on the house that we thought we were going to be purchasing, some uncontrollable circumstances from the seller, Josh and I decided to let this home go and go back out to the searching field.
* The Lord opened so many doors for us to look and we found and locked down our current home in Trinity, AL. It has moved us out a little more in the country but still in the neighborhood community. We love it! Our town feels like Mayberry. (No joke!)
* One week after finding our new home, my favorite sister-in-law gave birth to precious Hadley Elise 7 weeks early! She is beautiful and doing awesome!
* In the same week that we found our house, we survived the dramatic tornado adventure.

MAY
* Sadly only a week after we welcomed Hadley into the world, we sad goodbye to SG's great-grandfather.
* A few weeks later, we closed on our new home (we had to wait for the construction to be completed). We are loving every minute!
* Unfortunately, the day we closed on our home we said goodbye to precious Aunt Libby. We miss her sweet disposition everyday!

JUNE
* This month we have been very busy...hosting guests...My mom came and visited for a week shortly followed by Mimi and Bobo.
* Just a few days after hosting our guests, the 3 of us went to Atlanta to Reach the Nations in Atlanta. Wow! What an amazing mission experience! Some pictures to come in a later post.
* Mommy and Daddy also visited the dermatologist since Ama's recent surgery to remove skin cancer. Mommy had to return for some minor basal cell removal recently. So thankful that I went when I did. Recovery is good practice for when little bit arrives for SG since I cannot lift her for 2 weeks.

I know this is a lot to share. I am 15 weeks along in pregnancy. Little bit is due to arrive around December 5 unless s/he decides to make an early arrival like SG did.
Hope this update finds you and your family doing well! Would love to hear from you!

The House that Built Me

Personal thoughts from Mommy:
I don't know if any of my readers are familiar with the song by Miranda Lambert called "The House that Built Me" but basically the whole idea behind the song is that the person is journeying back to the house where she grew up as a child. I have, for some reason that I am now understanding, been drawn to this song for the past few weeks.
The last few weeks have been quite an emotional journey for us. As I previously posted, we sold our home in Montgomery. After the realization of this fact finally hit home, I for some reason began thinking a lot about the home I lived in as a child in Knoxville, Tennessee.
(Note: To my mommy and daddy you might want to grab a Kleenex.)
This home meant a lot to me...Just like the song says (paraphrased) the people that now occupy that home will never know what happened in each room, but I do. I remember where I was for each special event. I remember very vividly trying on my mother's wedding dress, sliding down our dual staircases with my brother in sleeping bags to see who was the fastest, and I remember sitting on those back stairs numerous times to "just think about it" after crossing the line. I remember where the piano sat and I spent many a hours practicing various instruments with music leaned on the piano. I remember making chocolate covered cherries with my precious Ama and drying homemade noodles with my strong, yet gentle Papa on the large kitchen island. This was and still is "The House that Built Me".

I believe that the reason so many of the memories are flooding into my mind at this time is because Daddy and I have recently purchased our second home (since being married) and are getting ready to pretty much re-do 80% of the home cosmetically. I commented last night that I have never bought so much paint and supplies as we did at one time! But the main thing that I think about are the amazing memories that SG will have of this home. What will she be writing 20 years from now about the house that built her.

I also believe that another reason that I think about our home in Knoxville is because my immediate family is facing some big medical trials right now. About 2 weeks ago my Mommy was diagnosed with Melanoma found in the shoulder area of one of her arms. Knowing that this can be pretty common, I have to admit that I pretty much shrugged it off at first. However, her surgery to remove the rest of the cancer from that area and further, if necessary, was Monday. I have to admit that the reality of it began to set in around 2:00 PM (at which time she was undergoing surgery). Then when I got the report from her that the area in which they removed measured 6 inches long by 3 inches wide...I got worried. So a flood of memories began to flow because I wasn't expecting it to be this much of a removal. I honestly thought that it was "contained" in the small area where the original biopsy was performed. So the house that built me now was transported from the physical home in Knoxville into the spiritual home of God.

I knew right then that God had destined me to be studying the first book of James this week, not only for that reason, but for many circumstances combined. For in James, and I leave you with this, it states

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,whenever you face trials of many kinds,because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything...Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. James 1:2-4,12

Our God is So Good

Just a short little update on our family...
We are all doing great! We are thoroughly enjoying getting to know our new home. It feels like we have been here forever...everyone is like family at Westmeade and in Decatur for that matter.

As many of you know, our biggest prayer request during our transition was for our home in Montgomery to sell. Well, despite having 15 listings with the same floor plan and around the same price range, God again showed up and showed off because we have officially sold our home in Montgomery. Might I add that there had not been a home sold in our neighborhood since November and there is new construction going on right now in our neighborhood. God is so good...all the time!

This is a bitter sweet time for Daddy and Mommy because this was the first home that we purchased. And as many of you know, several monumental memories were made in that home. Thankfully Mimi has placed the memories of this home in all of our future homes with the pen and ink drawing she made of our home a few years ago. THANK YOU!

We covet your prayers as we discern where our new home in Decatur will be soon. We just thank all of our prayer warriors again for earnestly praying for God to send us a buyer.

I leave you now with a few pictures of things we have been up to lately in our new home and while visiting family in Tennessee.

We took SG to see Cinderella with Mimi and Bobo at a local high school in Franklin, TN. She loved it to say the least!

We went camping at Mount Sano in Huntsville, AL. This was SG's first camping experience!

Daddy and SG at one of the overlooks on our hike in Mount Sano! Best hiking buddies!

This is one of Mommy's favorites. SG wanted to play airplane during our hike, so we did. Mommy will cherish this forever!

This, That and the Other

We can't believe it but it has been almost 3 weeks since our move to Decatur. As the old saying goes..."Time flies when you're having fun!"

These past 2 weeks have been quite humorous to say the least. During our 2nd week in Decatur the city found sediments in the water so we began to feel like the colonial people having to bring water in to bathe, flush toilets, etc. It was quite interesting seeing Chick-Fil-A pour our drinks out of 2 liters and limit us to only a small handful of ice chips. I told Daddy that I was going to start collecting 50 cents for each person that walked by our table checking to see if the restrooms were open. Quite hysterical to say the least. After recovering our water the next wave of "unusual Decatur behavior" began...

You got it! SNOW!

We had somewhere between 10-12 inches fall in our neighborhood. It was great packing snow. SG requested a snow princess castle, which Mommy attempted to build using an empty mop bucket. I had much more success with this snow than I did with the sand in Gulf Shores in October. However, I think SG enjoyed devouring the snow more than she liked playing in it. (We had to tell her to only eat the snow in yard that didn't have foot prints because we caught her a time or two while walking to our friends' house down the street trying to stop for a bite to eat.



Since we couldn't really go anywhere all day Monday due to the snow AND ice on the roads...we spent a lot of time with our friends the Echols. SG has really taken to their daughter, Reagan. They could be sisters if you look really fast. Peas in a pod!

After the snow finally subsided enough for the schools to reopen, SG had her first day of school at Church Street Academy (thanks Christy for the recommendation!). SG loved it! She loves school so much that I couldn't hold her from it at all. She will be in an older 2's class, but the neatest things are the "classes" that they go to throughout her time there. She will be going to a science, social studies, art, music, gym, and Bible class. The greatest thing is that she will be able to stay there, if we choose, through Kindergarten!

First Day of School

Daddy has had a busy week as well despite the snow. We had an impromptu choir practice on Thursday evening for an hour. Then...about 100 music ministry participants descended upon our home for a dessert social. It was sooo much fun! Mommy loves hosting people at our home so this was right up her alley. We loved the great fellowship had by all! Then this morning we had a packed house in the choir loft! We are looking forward to adding more chairs next week!

The Lord's blessings have been too numerous to count over the past few weeks. We are so thankful for the people that have been helping and loving on us! All we can say is...THANK YOU!

Off and Running!

Today is Daddy's 3rd day at our new church in Decatur. We are loving getting to know the community but most of all the people are so sweet!

SG and I spent this morning running a bunch of errands (without getting lost I might add). She is still trying to grasp the whole concept of this move. This afternoon she asked why we are living in a new house and where our otherhouse had gone. So I tried, in my best Mommy explanation, to explain it all to her.

I am enjoying having some extra time to really sort through all my to-do list that I had in Montgomery but never felt I could completely get it all done. I am learning, after finally cleaning out my e-mail box and reading my favorite frugal website about rearranging my schedule and making it actually work. I have set some pretty lofty, yet obtainable goals, for myself in the coming year.

The big news of this week is two fold:
1. SG had her quarterly Diabetes check-up yesterday and got a rave review from Dr.L in Birmingham. YEAH!
2. We have found a preschool for SG to attend and Mommy does not have to go too! This is a HUGE thing for all of us. We will make our final visit on Friday (prayers please) and SG will, hopefully, begin attending on Monday. She will maintain the 3 day schedule she had in Montgomery to try and keep some consistency with her former schedule. I am so excited to have Mommy time!

We cannot thank all of our sweet friends both in Montgomery and Decatur for all your prayers and support during our time of transition! We have seen God's hand at work in so many ways every step of the way! We give Him all glory and honor!

Saying Goodbye

Today is our last day in Montgomery. We packed and packed and packed. A HUGE thanks to our family and hired friends all their help. We got all...I mean almost all...of our stuff packed into a 26 foot truck and one of our vehicles. There is just enough room for SG to ride along on the roof...Just kidding!

Earlier today, around lunch time, some of SG and Mommy's friends came by to say good-bye. At first, the kids just enjoyed running back and forth in the empty house. Then out the blue SG came up to her little friend Cooper and said, "Cooper...I am going to miss you." Mommy thought she was going to melt into the floor. Mommy has done really good about holding the emotional side in until today.

Mommy and Daddy really didn't know how much of the whole "moving" thing SG was grasping, but I think today really explained it all. Below are just a few pics of what our house has looked like the past few weeks and what our yard looked like this morning. New pics of Decatur to come later.

For now...please pray for our safe travel and smooth transition.

This Grand Adventure

I am sitting in the peaceful quietness of Panera Bread at 3PM in the afternoon enjoying a late lunch (by myself), so I decided now is the perfect time to play catch-up for all our friends and family.

Just so you know how technologically I fell behind, as I write this entry I have over 200 pictures finally downloading off of my camera into my Shutterfly account. I have not downloaded since MAY! This is not like my personality, but many of my readers know that our family has been through quite the rollercoaster ride personally since this past July.

As Beth Moore spoke last night at my Bible Study (on DVD of course), I finally put all the pieces to our puzzle together. Once we stopped trying to stack the bricks of our life and just let God do the writing and "stacking" then things will all work out for the betterment of everyone involved.

I am learning slowly not to "stack my bricks" too high. The Lord has taught me, especially over the past 3 months, to slow down and that I cannot conquer everything alone.

Now that I am done with my sermonette (I need to remember what I tell my husband all the time: Less is more.)

SG's update: She has been in outstanding health. We are still struggling, at times, trying to find a regulatory range for her diabetes but she is handeling everything like a CHAMP! She has even gotten to the point now where she helps Mommy and Daddy change out her site, which tends to minimize some of the tears. I have a co-worker at school who also has Type I Diabetes, and she has been such a blessing and HUGE help to me and SG at so many times throughout the year!

Mommy and Daddy are getting ready to begin final performances for their last Living Christmas Tree in Montgomery, Alabama. Yes...I did say last.

As many of you know, the Lord has protected our family at many times throughout the year when we felt he was calling us to one church or another by firmly closing the doors. However, we have felt the call of the Lord and he has open wide the gates in more ways than just for Daddy's calling to serve to move to Decatur, Alabama.

Daddy will begin serving as Minister of Music at Westmeade Baptist Church. Our entire family is SO excited to see how the Lord has and is going to use us in this wonderful body of believers. Throughout this transition I have been easily reminded through SG's child like faith how Christ showed his love to us and how we should extend it to others. She has been so flexible and adjusted so easily in all situations that we have put her in over the last 3 months.

We are looking forward to see how God works through our Daddy and Westmeade Baptist Church. Please pray for us during this time of transition.

May God bless you and your family during this Christmas season!