How I Got Hired for This Job, I'll Never Know

A few weeks ago, we got a call from Peanut's school. That's never a good thing, is it? The only times I've received phone calls from the school was either a) The Peanut was sick and I needed to come pick her up immediately or b) She had been exposed to some infectious disease {whooping cough, chicken pox, etc} and they were giving us the legally required disclosure.

Well, they called on Peanut's scheduled day off from school, so this worrier automatically assumed she had been exposed to something once again. Nice, right? I have no idea why Hubs calls me a dooms-dayer. No clue at all.

Turns out, we were being invited to a special assembly last week. She had been chosen as Student of the Month for November. Now, because it's a Christian school they choose a student based on the monthly character trait. (I was Student of the Month many moons ago {in public school} and it wasn't based on anything like that. At least that I remember. But it could have been based on being a suck-up, because that is something I excelled in for sure.)

Anyhow, back to November's character trait.  It was loving kindness. Loving kindness. Specifically referenced from Micah 6:8~

He has told you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justice, to love kindness,
And to walk humbly with your God?

Let me tell you, that was humbling. Because folks, that fine quality so did not come from me. That is her daddy through and through. I am all about what is fair, what is right (in my mind!)--what is just. I guess I have the just part down, but the problem is, I don't follow that through with the love kindness part. Ouch. But our daughter? To her teacher, she stood out among her peers in her consistent, kind and loving manner.

Wow.  This was a very much needed reminder, that that precious little Peanut of ours--she isn't ours at all.  She was a gift.  A gift entrusted to us from a very loving God.

Now I know in my heart that God is good and God is sovereign in all things.  But for goodness sakes, in my head I can't help but wonder what He was thinking in trusting someone like me to be their mama?  I am poor, poor example of Christ each and every day. #utterfailure

I am impatient and probably expect far too much from their little six and two year old selves.  As I just said, I like doing the right thing and I want them to do the right thing.  And let's face it, my little sinners don't always mind their mama.  I feel like I am banging my head against the wall on most days.  But that's probably how He feels with me, right? Because I am His little sinner.

In the end, I have to remember cling to that He will work everything for good according to His purpose.  While the loving kindness trait didn't come from me, I have a sneaking suspicion that Peanut is the way she because He knew I could learn from that.


 

Random Thoughts

Just some of the randomness from the last week:

The Peanut has been asking to spend the night at Grandma and Grandpa's house for several weeks now.  I was on the phone yesterday with my mom and Peanut was waving rather wildly to get my attention.  And who am I kidding, she was whispering RATHER loudly too, about her NEED to talk to Grandma as I was getting ready to hang up.  So Peanut gets on the phone and asks Grandma when she can spend the night and I hear an "uh huh.....okay.....love you too, Grandma" and she hangs up.  I ask her what Grandma said.  Peanut tells me confidently, "Grandma said I can spend the night in the next year."

"The next year? Are you sure it wasn't before the end of the year?" knowing full well my mom would never give Peanut a 365 day window of spending the night--and even just as doubtful that she would even give a 60 day window of time.

"Nope, that's what she said."  And she went back to playing.

So I talked to my mom this morning, "So mom, what exactly did you tell Peanut about spending the night?" {We had just made specific plans for her to spend the night this weekend}  "Oh, I told her we've been really busy, but definitely in the next month or so."

While Peanut's concept of time is getting much better than it used to be, I guess we still need to work on terms like months and years.

♥

The Little Brother's newest phrase any time he sees a picture of him and his sister on the computer, a cell phone, a framed picture, etc?  "Ohhhh, that so CUTE!"

♥ 

My roots grow out is something awful right now and my mama (bless her heart!!!) is going to color those this weekend.  Why, yes, I am still trying to hang on to the vestige of my youth (blond hair).  I've never really felt like myself with the brown hair I developed in my twenties.  That said, the silver lining is that my hair is probably close to 25-30% gray now, so I can confidently say that my hair is actually starting to get lighter again.  Or not--at 35, I am not ready to throw in the towel just yet.

♥ 

I have an awful habit of biting my nails.  Yes, I know.  Tacky.  Gross.  SO unladylike {spell check tells me this is all one word.....who knew?}  It's an awful, nervous habit.  Well, I figured out if I paint my nails, I am much less likely to bite them.  So girlfriend has been keeping her nails painted for the better part of two months and my nails look so much nicer!  But of course, then I have to repaint my nails nearly every week, because while I won't mess with my newly painted nails, once that first nail chips?  All bets are off and I start picking at the polish.  See?  NERVOUS HABIT.

♥ 

The Hubs and my dad felled the two large trees in our front yard this past weekend.  Boy, was that stressful to watch.  It probably would have been a good idea to call in some professionals for peace of mind (mostly mine!), but that just wasn't in the budget and the trees sadly needed to come down.  Why, you ask?  Because we hate the leaves.  I am SO kidding!  No, really there were two major factors.  We have a VERY tiny yard and the trees were just getting to be too big.  Like many people, the prior homeowners didn't account for the fact that trees grow and they get bigger.  When that happens in such a tiny little yard, the root systems can start to cause problems with the foundation as well as any paved surfaces.  Just a couple blocks away from our house, our city went through the neighborhood and highlighted (with hot pink spray paint, no less) any damaged sidewalks from tree roots.  You can guess who gets to pay to have the sidewalks replaced--the homeowner.  Well, we are not in the position to pay $5-10K to have the sidewalks around our home repaired.  While the trees hadn't done any damage just yet, it would have happened in the next couple years, so the trees needed to come down while they were still somewhat manageable to do ourselves {you know I use that term very loosely, right?}.
 

The deer on the right was just a little visitor we had this past summer.  SO NOT normal for our little suburbia!

Anyhow, thanks to my dad's help and Hub's cautiousness (not that my dad is an idiot--he's not at all, I just think they balance each other out in some ways) both trees came down just fine.  Of course, I DIDN'T get a nice before shot to give you an idea of just how big the front tree was, but it was pretty good sized.

Enough to make this mama's heart rate sky rocket and palms sweaty during the cutting process and to make my knees/legs like Jell-O for the better part of 15 minutes after the tree was down.  

We live on a corner, so Hubs played the part of traffic control from both directions in case there were any cars coming at any point during the cutting.  The bigger of the two trees was definitely tall enough to lay across our street, so obviously we didn't want any liabilities from the whole thing.  So Hubs was cautiously darting back and forth across the street to watch for cars (and a falling tree!) while my dad was hopping around the trunk of the tree with the chainsaw going full force, doing his best to "expertly" cut the tree so it fell that way instead of this way. 


Yes, I was a little stressed.

But I couldn't NOT watch, because you know I had the full capability to stop anything bad from happening.  Ahem. 

In the end, things went great (even the weather cooperated! PTL!!)  and Hubs has nearly all the debris hauled off.  Now he gets to work on getting the trunks and roots torn out.

And silly me, I thought the hardest part was over!

My Thoughts Are All Over the Place Right Now

I was thinking the other day about our family and our move back to Hometown. Thinking that this coming January, it will have been three years since we've moved back.  It got me thinking even further--that we have actually been back here in Hometown longer than we were ever gone.

If my calculations are correct, and let's face it, there is a good chance they aren't--math was never my best subject.  However, these are just simple calculations and I only started to struggle with math once I got into high school.  Differential equations, anyone?  Anyhow.....I digress.  As I was saying, we lived up in Smalltown exactly 827 days.  Which is 2.27 years OR for those of you who like simpler terms, 2 years and three months.

As of today, we have been back 1,003 days.  It's just shy of 2 years and 9 months, so we have actually been back here in Hometown about 6 months longer than we were ever gone.

Can I hear an amen???!?!  I just can't even believe how fast it has gone by.  Or how God has continued to provide for us.  It was quite the financial stretch for us when we moved back--and as a matter of fact, it still is.  And you know what?  He wasn't kidding about that birds in the air thing:

“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?  And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?  Matthew 6:25-27 NASB

I think I need to do myself a favor and tattoo that on my forehead.  

In case I haven't mentioned it before, I am. a. control. freak.  I like to let myself believe that I (as in me, myself, and I) can control it all.  Yep, I know exactly how much we have deposited in our bank each month and I know where every. penny. goes.  Every penny, I tell you.  And I control that.

But you know what?  I like to think that, but I don't have control.  He does.  He provides Hub's job that pays our bills, He provides our home, and He provides our health and the health of our children. He also provides the food we eat--HE provides everything.

He is the Alpha and the Omega.

But somehow I think I have control. 

Silly me.

It's funny too, because while I like to think I have control, one of the things I always remind myself (and others!) is that He is not a God of coincidences.  (Must be my alter ego??!?)

Things just don't happen.  There was a plan with us moving away when we did.  There was a plan with us moving back when we did.

How we were EVER able to afford for me to quit my job six years ago--in His plan.  

How things with Hub's job have fallen into place--in His plan.

How well things worked out upon our return to Hometown--in His plan.  

And even now, with Peanut going to her sweet little school--in His plan--at least for now.

And let me tell you, that is a huge source of my worry these days.  As in, if I did add hours to my life because of my worry--I'd be living to a ripe, old age!!!   On the worst of my days, I think know we are kidding ourselves in thinking we can continue next year with an even higher tuition payment.

Then, on some of my best days (which are sadly not very often), I think, you know, He already has it figured out.  Whether it be private school, public school, or home school, it will be fine.  It will be just fine.  He can take care of that little girl way, way better than you.

And I have to remember cling to that.  

So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.              Matthew 6:34 NASB

 

First HomeTown Parade

I must confess.

While I have lived in my HomeTown for more than 20 years, I have never attended our annual parade. 

I know.  It's a shame isn't it? 

I have however, been to many a parade in my life.  It used to one of the highlights of the year, where my parents dad took me and my sister to the big city parade at the beginning of every summer.  I loved it so very much.

As we were waiting for the parade to start this past weekend, I was talking with my dear, sweet, husband and it turns out he had never even been to a parade prior to Saturday. 

Talk about so un-Amercian!! 

I mean, I just can't even. 

Well, this last Saturday, not only did he get to "attend" a parade, but our family was actually IN the parade.  For both Peanut's preschool and this upcoming Kindergarten year, we have been blessed with the opportunity to be able to send our little Peanut to a small, Christian school.  With it being an independently run school, it comes the requirement for the parents to put in volunteer hours to help with the school's various functions and any maintenance needed throughout the year. 

One of those functions is needing volunteers to represent the school in the Hometown Parade.  How easy is that, right? 

So walk in the parade we did.  Well, I walked.  They rode the "float."  My biggest worry about being able to log on the required hours is that Hubs works such inconsistent hours and with having a little 2 year old at home, it makes figuring out those details a little more difficult.  So when this opportunity was on the list of events where "help" was needed and it involved the whole family, I penciled that our calendar right away! 

Plus, it was such a fun time for the kids--very much a win-win for us! 

 

Easter Fun!

As I stated earlier last week, I had been stalking the forecast for Easter weekend.  Well, as "luck" would have it, the day after I posted that pretty little picture, the forecast changed to rain for Easter Sunday.

Humph.

Needless to say, I was less than thrilled.  However.  We were extra blessed because that rain didn't materialize.  So not only did we have a wonderful reason to celebrate, but we had some rockin' (by Pacific Northwest standards) weather to celebrate it in.

My cousin, my sister in law, and my friend (who each have children several years older than Peanut) made comments about their kids and this being the first year they have been able to have egg hunts outside.  The eldest of all those children is seven.  So yes, it has been seven years since the weather cooperated on Easter Sunday.

Well, gosh, golly, HOORAY!--we certainly enjoyed it!

We started off the weekend with an Easter egg hunt at my friend's church (which included a very fun "stained glass" craft) and then we came home and made the Resurrection Rolls, as promised.  

However, our three year old daughter is very smart and immediately figured out that roll was empty {symbolizing the empty tomb} because the marshmallow inside {symbolizing Jesus} had melted during baking.  I asked her why Jesus' tomb was empty and her quick response was "Jesus melted!"

However, rest assured, we are getting there, because on Sunday morning as we were going over the Easter story with her again after church, we asked her why Jesus died on the cross and her response was "So He could rise again!!!!"

So, melting marshmallows or not, she is definitely starting understand.  


Following church on Sunday morning, we came home to get a quick picture in our Easter best and then it was play clothes for Peanut as she had fun outside for nearly the rest of the day. When the rest of our family got to my parents, we had an Easter egg hunt for the kiddos and had some amazing food, thanks of course, to my mama, the excellent cook.
 

After all the activities and dinner were over, Peanut let her cousin drive her car.....which Peanut got quite the kick out of, because she has never experimented with the reverse drive.  So her cousin was all about the reverse and they both had tons of fun.

Our family picture with the "entire" family.  

We had splendid day celebrating and hope you did too.....

Moving Back to Hometown: Mission Accomplished (or at least the first part is....)

Life has been a whirlwind for the past week and a half.  First, we are moved back to Hometown!  As if you couldn't tell that already by the title.   

My aim is to be helpful, people.  

Peanut's last play in the snow.....at least in Smalltown.

Let me give some background before I dive into the story.  Smalltown is in a portion of our state that gets a fair amount of snow each year.  MUCH more than we ever did back in Hometown--we even purchased studded tires within a month of moving here.  BUT, we hadn't had hardly any snow this winter season.  We had a small bit back in November and an even smaller amount on New Year's.....but neither lasted long.  So we were due for some snow.  Of course my hope was that it would occur at least two weeks prior to our move so we would have lots of time to look outside and enjoy it, Peanut could play in the snow, and all roads home (aka the mountain passes) would be nice and clear for our 6+ hour drive home with two vehicles and a 26 foot moving truck.
 
Well?  Not so much.  God had other plans.  And isn't that always the case?  

Her FINAL night in her toddler bed/crib.  Sigh. 

 
So last Tuesday (the 17th) it started snowing.....and it didn't stop.  Or at least it didn't seem to.  My Dad, as well as my mother-in-law and brother-in-law, were all to fly into Smalltown late in the afternoon on Thursday.  Well, the major city that they all had to fly in from practically shut down from this ginormous amount (at least by West Coast port city standards) of winter weather, thus making it very difficult for all our family to get to Smalltown.  My Dad's flight?  Canceled within two hours of his original departure time.  My mother-in-law and brother-in-law?  Their flight was delayed for over eight hours.....while they were stuck in got to hang out in the tiny airport restaurant.

With family having already purchased airfare to come help us move, having given notice to our landlords that we were going to be vacating, and with both Hub's current and future restaurants juggling their schedules around Hubs' and our transition, we weren't really in a position to say, "Hey let's put this off for a week while the weather improves." 

Despite the massive number of power lines, it IS pretty, isn't it?

 
 
So we pushed through.  Hubs' mom and brother got in LATE Thursday night and my Dad flew in late Friday morning.  (Where, by the way, in the car on the way home from the airport my Dad informed me he was so glad he was able to make it to help us make the big move home--but that he would have crawled there if that's what it had taken to get there to help us--he was that excited to get us home.  Isn't that just the sweetest thing?!?!?)  We had already got our moving truck early Thursday morning (due to the weather and the rental place closing early) and we promptly went and purchased chains for the moving truck.  At that moment in time chains were required on the mountain passes on all vehicles over 10,000 pounds--which of course would be the case with our moving truck--so $100 later, we were the proud owners of chains for our moving truck.

Hubs, his brother, and my Dad busted their you-know-whats from about 11 am on Friday until about 10 pm Friday night.  With a stop for lunch, a stop for dinner, and countless stops to put salt down and scrape the walk ways and drive way free of snow, they got the truck loaded with *most* of our stuff.   Hubs' mom helped me in keeping the Peanut occupied for most of the afternoon with a trip to the mall and a stop at Costco to pick up pizza for dinner. 

Several days before the move, I left the smallest suit case in Peanut's room to use on the big day--this is what I found when the big day came. 

 

We got up bright and early on Saturday.  Me?  I woke up at 3:30 am and COULD NOT get back to sleep. Ahhh, the joys of being pregnant.  I finally gave in and got up at 5 am and took my time showering and getting ready one last time in our sweet little place we called home for the last two and a half years.

The boys got the rest of the odds and ends loaded in the truck (which seriously take WAY more time than all the big stuff), while Hubs' mom and I busted our you-know-whats cleaning our little home to insure we got our deposit back.  Luckily, I had done the deeper cleaning (windows, light fixtures, etc.) about a week before we moved, so we really were just vacuuming and cleaning bathroooms and floors--but all that stuff takes time.  And my sweet mother-in-law?  She cleaned the fridge.  Inside and out.  Can you say nomination for sainthood?

 

Our landlords came around 1:30 on Saturday afternoon to do the final walk through and exchange a not-so-looking-forward-to, tearful goodbye.  I've said it before, but we are blessed.  I mean, who exchanges tears and hugs and parting gifts with their landlord (or tenants for that matter) when they move out?  People who are blessed to have had very special landlords that took them under their wing, that's who.  I can say with strong conviction that it was no coincidence that our paths crossed with them.  And I am ever so grateful.

 
By the time we got gas for all the vehicles and got potty breaks (mainly for the preggers and three year old), it was 3 pm on Saturday before we got on the road.  Much later than the noon hour we were shooting for, but we wanted to get on the road before another significant amount of snow hit.  (And hit, it did--Smalltown got another 6 inches Saturday night after we left--on top of the approximate 12 that were already on the ground.)  And quite honestly, the roads weren't too bad.  They were really clear until we hit the mountain passes and fairly clear after the mountain passes.  Driving conditions really could have been so much worse--but we took it slow for the safety of all of us.  Hubs and his mom drove in the moving truck, my Dad and I and Peanut were in our car, and Hubs' brother--bless his heart!--drove Hubs truck, all by himself.  And we were all wiped. out. by the time we got on the road.  I was exhausted and I had only cleaned house and packed some boxes--I hadn't been outside loading a 26 foot moving truck in 20 degree temps, like all the guys had.  So yes, Peanut's adored uncle definitely gets a nomination for sainthood as well.

 
We rolled into my parents driveway about 11:30 pm on Saturday night....were I promptly fell asleep in my clothes within a half an hour of stumbling walking in the door. I even abandoned ship and left my mom to get Peanut into bed.   (Thank you, Mom.)

We unloaded on Sunday with the help of Hubs' sister and her family--her husband helped unload while Hubs' sister and mom took all the kids out to lunch.  This was such a big help too, so my mom and I could unpack and get things around the house somewhat organized for our temporary but several month stay.

 
Peanut has already started preschool here and we have been able to share a night out for a birthday party with Hubs' family.  I had my first "doctors" (it was actually the initial visit with the OB nurse practitioner) appointment and Peanut had her first dental appointment here in Hometown.  We are settling in--thank you Mom and Dad!

And the verdict?

It's SO good to be home.

It's Been Awhile

The last two weeks have flown by. Even though it didn't really feel like it on any given day.

If that makes any sense.  I hope it does.  But if it doesn't, I claim pregnancy brain. 

Peanut and I rang in the new year while Hubs was finishing up at work.  His boss had asked them to work on refinishing some of the tables at the restaurant.  Which of course can only happen when they are closed.  And while I appreciate that my husband works very, very hard in providing for our family, I was *a little* irritated when he didn't get home until 3 am on New Year's Day.

They closed at 9 pm on New Year's Eve.  The little over-achiever decided to get a whole bunch of the tables refinished.  Again, while I appreciate his initiative in trying to get as many of these done as he could, I can guarantee none of the other managers would have done this--not on a "holiday" and especially not before their day off. 

So I wasn't thrilled with that little surprise and then I was even less thrilled a few days later when Peanut came down with a cold and an even more nasty cough.  Which of course, she graciously shared with both Hubs and me.  Although I don't think it was the upper respiratory flu, it seemed way worse than the average cold.  I obviously don't have a medical degree, so I really don't know what it was, but I am just happy we are much better and on the mend.  Hubs got it last and he seems to be doing much better as well, for which I am very grateful.  The man never rarely uses sick days (see preceding story regarding the over achiever gene), so he worked 11-12 hour days all while trying to get better.  Fun times.

Ultra sound photo from about 10 weeks.  Yes, I am just getting around to posting it. 

However, in more uplifiting news, I am feeling much better pregnancy wise.  The nauseousness has seemed to subside for the most part, creeping up now only on a rare occasion.  So that has been very nice.  I am still tired, but I think that has way more to do with packing up our household and chasing a three year old than it does with being pregnant.

Speaking of moving, we are moving one week from today!  I cannot believe this day has finally come!  This poor little blog has been so neglected lately.  I keep telling myself that I will have so much more time to devote to blogging once we get moved, but I just don't know.....

We will be living with my parents for a few months until our renters (we have in our home) lease is up and then just a shade longer after that.  We (I use that term very loosely) plan to go in and paint and get the carpet replaced before moving all of our belongings back in.  God willing, we will be getting moved in and settled just prior to the little brother or little sister's arrival at the end of June.  It will be tight, but we are very thankful and even more blessed. 

I am excited to be able to grocery shop at my favorite (read cheap) grocery store once again and even more excited to be surrounded by family and friends.  Despite all the wonderful new changes we will have, I am sad to be leaving the place where our precious Peanut spent her toddler years.  It will be a home she will eventually only remember by pictures and that makes me cry just thinking about it.   I am sad to be leaving a climate that calls for sunglasses 12 months of the year, rather than the 3 months (if we are lucky) I am accustomed to in HomeTown.  I will miss Hubs four mile commute (as will he!) and I will miss our sweet landlord.  I don't question for a minute that God didn't know exactly what he was doing when we ended up renting from her.  She has been so wonderful to our family and most of all to our precious Peanut.  I am so grateful things fell into place as they did two and half years ago. 

I've said this (and reminded myself of this!) so many times:  He is not a God of coincidences.


God is so good.

Big Changes

I've hinted once or twice in the last couple of weeks about some changes happening around here.  It will all be clear in the next few paragraphs as to why all the secrecy around my hints, but no saying of what was actually going on.  

Finally......the big secret?   We are moving back to Hometown!

Can I hear an AMEN?  

When we moved here almost two and half years ago, we knew it would be temporary.  In the fall of 2009, Hubs was going back to work for his former (at the time, but now current) employer, and we were only moving out of the area because SmallTown is where the closest open position was available at the time.  They asked him to make a commitment of two years.  This past spring (in early April) he made mention to his higher-ups of wanting to get back to our Hometown, preferably by the fall--before winter--because who wants to move in the winter?  They said sure, okay, BUT we need to find a replacement for you before we let you leave.  Um, okay.   (This was my response--not Hubs.  He is SO much more diplomatic than I.)  Needless to say I was less than thrilled.....I was ready to start packing right. then. and there.


So fast forward, six, agonizing months.  (No, honestly, it wasn't that bad.  I stopped thinking incessantly about moving sometime in the month of May.)  In October, we started to get hopeful once again.  A gal had interviewed for Hub's position and there was a possibility they would be offering her the position.  Then Hubs got a call from his regional manager asking him what his preferences were for a restaurant back in Hometown.  Unlike here in SmallTown, where this is the only location for hundreds of miles, in Hometown, there are over a dozen locations of the restaurant--obviously some being more preferable than others (distance from our home, etc.).  Hubs told him his preferences and the next day, Hubs was told he would be starting back in Hometown at the end of January.  That quick little turn around was far sooner than either of us had expected, as we thought we would wouldn't hear anything further for weeks and that it would be sometime in the spring that we could be potentially moving.  But of course, we jumped at the chance and started making mental plans of moving right away!

This was all at the beginning of November.  So why wait until now for the big reveal?  Well, because our landlord knows about my blog (although I have no idea if she reads it regularly or not!) and we hadn't given our official notice to her and her husband until this afternoon.  We wanted to give the new hire at Hubs' restaurant a chance to start training and make sure she was going to work out before we gave our official notice.  So finally, after much waiting, today was the day.

Why, no, patience is not something I came across easily.  Why do you ask?

 It is actually starting to feel real now.  We are going down to Hometown next week (for our second annual Thanksmas celebration) and we are going to be bringing a moving truck with us with all of our stuff in our garage.  Remember our two moving trucks last time?  This is all to help in lightening the load next month for the final move. 

My Dad, as well as Hubs' mom and brother will be flying up in January to help us load up and make the big caravan home once again.  What a blessing!

 
As far as the logistics~we will be moving in with my parents temporarily.  We have current renters in our home and their lease isn't up until the end of March.  Legally, (I *think*) we could give them notice to vacate, however we don't really feel that is fair.  We have asked them to make a 12 month commitment to us, so the least we could do is honor the same thing from our end.  We will have a better idea in January as to what their plans are (when they signed the lease, they had mentioned moving south to where her parents are) and God willing, we hope to be living in our house once again by the end of this spring!






























We are so, so, so excited!  God is faithful and we are excited for this transition back to our Hometown where we will live close to family once again.  I look forward to Peanut being able to play with my parent's neighbors little ones and my friend's little ones who are about the same age.  I also look forward to Peanut having a big ol' yard to play in (at least at my parents)--rather than having to pack up and go to the park several times a week, we will just be able to drive over to Grandma and Grandpa's instead, which will be just 10 minutes away!  Finally, I look forward to living in our home once again, the one that Hubs and I purchased together the first year we were married.  The home that we Hubs (as well as my Dad) put lots of work into, making our humble little house a home we were proud of. 

And who am I kidding?  Hubs and I are both excited to be able to have a date night once and a while every week! Hopefully Grandma and Grandpa (as well as aunties, uncles, and cousins) will be willing to oblige!

We humbly ask for your prayers during this transition that is both exciting and uncertain (in some ways) for our little family.



Blessings to each of you during this Christmas season,  

A Surprise Trip

I had mentioned a few days ago that we were able to sneak back to HomeTown for this past weekend.  It just happened to fall on Easter weekend, so it was icing on the cake that we were able to be home for Easter.  The first motivation was to say goodbye to Hubs' cousin and her husband.

They informed us last fall that they were applying to be missionaries overseas--in Haiti, to be exact.  Around Christmas I mentioned to Hubs that we should try and make an effort to go to the farewell event if their church (our church as well back in HomeTown) had one.

So about two months ago I called our old church to see if they had something on the calendar.  She had told me they didn't, but as soon as they did she would let me know.  Just a week after I called the church, another of Hub's cousins emailed me and told us she was planning a surprise party for them and she would love for us to come down and be surprise guests at the party.  The party happened to be planned for the Friday night of Easter weekend {aka Good Friday!}.  Having that much notice, Hubs was able to juggle his schedule so we could make the trip down and stay for Easter as well.

The guests of honor.


We had a great time and it was so wonderful to be able to see his cousin and her husband and say "Goodbye For Now."  This same cousin sent us a very sweet card in the mail just after we made the move up here to SmallTown.  I just thought that little phrase was so appropriate--although not forever, it's still goodbye--but just for now.

Hubs' cousin and aunt (friend of the matchmaker).




















Hubs' sister and her sweet family.























The theme of the party was Minute to Win It, with the soon to be missionaries being the contestants of the game.  My friend (remember her mom was our matchmaker?) told me prior to meeting his whole family back during the early days of our dating that Hubs' family were "big game people."  (We played Cranium the first time I met his family--it was practically the undoing of my shy-introverted-don't-draw-attention-to-me-for-any-reason-self.  Even after that, for some reason, they still accepted me.  At least I think I they did.)   Big game people they are and it was a perfect theme for them--and so much fun to watch, I might add. 

It was good for Peanut too, to be able to be reintroduced to the members of Hubs' extended family.  She had a great time and despite her running around (literally) for three solid hours , the child still failed to fall asleep on the half hour drive home.  This was all prior to the fun packed day earlier on with Grandma.  Yes, I know.




















Peanut's new little friend, A.



Amongst the many activities Peanut had to keep her busy while at Grandma and Grandpa's~

Peanut actually sat still for Grandma to do two french braids (with some credit owed to Shirley Temple) while the family dog looked on.  Grandma did a wonderful job--even without stretching out Peanuts face in the process.  (My mom used to do french braids on my hair when I was little and I still tease her to this day that it felt like she was stretching my face out because she tried to insure the braids were nice. and. tight.  They were.)















































She helped Grandpa mow the lawn.
























And insisted Grandpa pull out Jet's pool for her--Jet--to play in.
























Grandma and Grandpa bought her her very own pink Jeep, which she was quickly learning to drive.  Loved pushing down on the gas....
























....Daddy had to give lots of instruction on steering.











































She got to play fetch with Jet and play out on her swing set, as well as decorate cookies and cupcakes for a few indoor activities. We were lucky enough to have two wonderful, sunny and warm days on Friday and Saturday.


























































































The nice weather even allowed us to get some family pictures--courtesy of my mom.  I set the camera's aperture and shutter speed and told my mom exactly where to kneel in taking the shots.

And Peanut may or may not have taken a tumble just two minutes prior to said pictures being taken and I may or may not have bribed a smile out of Peanut with some Jelly Bellys that were sitting on the counter.

Just sayin'.  

































































I set Peanut's hair in curlers on Saturday night, envisioning bouncy Goldilocks curls, dressed in her Easter best.  Peanut was fine with the curlers all the way up until bedtime.  Then the tears started along with tugs on the curlers.  So the curlers were taken out and I opted for a quick curling iron curl on Sunday morning.  Wasn't quite the same, but as I have to remind myself constantly--it's not about me.

The weather for Easter Sunday brought lots of dreary rain--despite having a wonderful reason to celebrate.















































We went to church bright and early.  Peanut had a hard time going to the nursery, but when we picked her up, she was full of excitement telling us about the singing and stories she got listen to.  We said our final goodbyes to his cousin and her husband at church and came home and got ready for brunch with all of my extended family.



















My uncle and his wife~an eHarmony success! :)




















My cousin and her little doll.
























Peanut had a very fun time with my cousin's little girl.  It is so precious to watch the two because it reminds me of my cousin and I years ago.  The age difference between Peanut and my cousin's little girl is similar to that of my cousin and I, however Peanut is the younger of the two whereas I am the eldest with me and my cousin.  That said, my cousin's little girl has gobs of patience with Peanut--as I did with my cousin so many years ago.  (Wink, wink!  You know I love you, L!)  I just love watching them interact--it's pretty special.

































































The strawberries were a HIT!
























My mom had an Easter egg hunt (indoors) for the girls and they each had three colors of eggs designated to them.  My cousin's little girl was so good about not taking Peanut's eggs, but Peanut just figured all eggs were free reign--however,we explained that certain eggs were her cousin's and she sweetly handed them over.






















The girls also got little combs and mirrors in their baskets and my cousin and I were soon the victims participants of playing hair salon. 






















Peanut took in all the weekend had to offer.  She was wiped each night as we put her to bed.  We all had a great weekend, really.  Bittersweet, as they say--more sweet than bitter though.  

Perhaps sweetbitter?