tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20972251472689814522024-02-06T23:07:44.491-06:00Confessions of a Chosen OneSharing the lessons I learn and the hope I have...Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04162508696242003776noreply@blogger.comBlogger315125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2097225147268981452.post-77283834143639594912013-02-20T22:00:00.000-06:002013-02-20T22:01:01.586-06:00And, She's Home!Today was the big day!! After only 23 days in the NICU, my little peanut got to come home. Considering the initial estimate from the doctors was a 5-7 week stay, three weeks seems like nothing! That is not to say that it was an easy three weeks, but by God's grace, provision and strength, and some truly wonderful people supporting and encouraging us along the way, we made it through.<br />
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<b>And now she's home.</b><br />
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And she's so unbelievably perfect! I would have been 36 weeks pregnant today, which is still incredibly early for her to be going home, but ever since week one, she has refused to believe that she was an early and tiny as she actually was. All the nurses would joke, "She must not know how young she is, because she's acting like a full term baby!"<br />
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She is coming home weighing four pounds and twelve ounces, about the same size that her sister was when she came home! (Although she did not have a NICU stay). Thankfully, because she is so strong and healthy, she is not coming home with any medical equipment or medications. Just milk and vitamins!<br />
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She is already very much loved, and is blessed with three wonderful siblings who will no doubt spoil and dote on her everyday. At least until she gets old enough to talk back or steal their toys ;)<br />
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Thank you for your prayers and love. I am so completely in awe that my daughter is sleeping soundly in the next room. God has truly blessed our family! <br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/203/5442AD2858575B1ED212A092139B147D.png" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a>Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04162508696242003776noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2097225147268981452.post-91017073871799817452013-02-06T22:06:00.000-06:002013-02-06T22:15:46.436-06:00Her Birth StoryAlthough a surprise early birth was not in our plans, I rest in the unfailing truth that it was always in God's plan, and that His hand was divinely orchestrating every detail. <br />
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I had every reason to be confident that this baby would be a healthy, full term baby. I waited a "normal" amount of time before getting pregnant again. I took my vitamins and drank water. Every test and measurement for everything was normal: weight, blood pressure, glucose, baby, etc. I was checked and measured almost weekly by the doctor and was cleared by the high-risk specialist. There were no problems, no complications, no concerns. <br />
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And yet, on Sunday, January 27th, I began to have contractions. I changed positions, walked around, laid down, anything to try and make them go away, but it was no use. They were coming and they were starting to get painful. These were clearly not braxton hicks pains, and so we headed to the hospital. Even though I knew it was still too early, I was surprisingly calm. I told my husband that I was in labor, and we may very well be having the baby that night. You see, with every other pregnancy I just did not feel contractions at all until I was very far along. Way too far along to try and stop things. This has led to very fast and dramatic births. I was trying to prepare for this, as I feared I may be too far along by the time we got to the hospital. <br />
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This was not the case, however. By God's grace, I was only 2.5 centimeters when we arrived, and I began to hope that maybe we could get the medicine in me in time and stop whatever was going on. So that is exactly what my doctor tried to do. Slowly, we began to see the contractions get further and further apart. By Monday morning they had almost disappeared completely. <br />
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And so, I spent all day Monday drugged up in bed, so nauseous I could not sit up or even roll over. I was not allowed to eat, so I did my best to sleep and remind myself that if this worked, it meant more time for the baby to grow and develop. <br />
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Unfortunately, early Monday evening, I began to feel contractions again. I could tell they were starting to pick up and I began to suspect that labor was going to continue regardless of the medication. I tried to tell the nurse about the change, but she didn't seem concerned. I don't think she really understood what I was trying to tell her, which could be completely my fault considering the medicine I was on! <br />
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About an hour later, alone in my room and feeling miserable, I felt something that I feared was my water breaking, so I once again called the nurse. To my (and her) shock, I was covered in blood. Everyone immediately set out to determine the cause and see if there was an infection or a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Placental_abruption">placental abruption</a> (very dangerous for me and the baby). As my doctor did tests and watched my symptoms, one thing became clear: we had to deliver the baby. And so, still unsure if we were dealing with a placental abruption or not, we began to prep for delivery and (if necessary) an emergency c-section. <br />
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Thankfully, as labor progressed, it became clear that there was not a placental abruption, and at 10:21 p.m. on January 28th, I gave birth to our beautiful daughter. Even though we did not want to deliver her so early, it was the easiest and calmest delivery by far! And she came out breathing and crying and healthy, so we were incredibly relieved. <br />
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After she was born, we discovered that the placenta was insufficient and no longer functioning properly. The doctor showed me how it was completely worn out and beginning to calcify, and described it as more of a 41 week placenta than 32 weeks. Because of this, it is likely that our baby girl was not getting the nourishment that she needed, and so, for her good, my body went into labor. Although it was not ideal to deliver early, it was actually the best decision for her. We also discovered that it had begun to separate and tear, but thankfully had not led to a complete placental abruption. <br />
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It is so clear that God's hand was in every moment of my labor and her birth, that I am still in awe and praise Him everyday for His kindness to us. The fact that I was able to get to the hospital as early as I did, the bleeding that led us to deliver and stop trying to delay the inevitable, and yet preventing a complete abruption that could have been fatal for me or the baby, as well as knowing that her early birth was actually for her good, remind me that He protected me and our baby throughout. <br />
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It is still difficult spending everyday in the NICU. It is still difficult coming home and trying to explain to my four year old that her baby sister is still in the hospital. And it is still difficult seeing families happily leaving the hospital with their newborn babies while I head home, yet again, without mine. <br />
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But I am able to endure and persevere, because of His great love for me and His loving, sovereign control of all things. And because I have been so unbelievably and richly blessed.<br />
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And one day soon, sweet girl, you will be home with your family, where you belong. </div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/203/5442AD2858575B1ED212A092139B147D.png" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a>Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04162508696242003776noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2097225147268981452.post-13586063130103360572013-02-03T13:50:00.000-06:002013-02-03T13:51:33.223-06:00Introducing.......our newest addition!<br />
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It has certainly been awhile since I contributed to the blogging world, (quite intentionally, as many other areas of my life took priority), but I believe now is a great time to start writing and sharing again!<br />
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On Monday, January 28th, we welcomed our third, precious daughter into the world. She is beautiful and perfect, but was born almost 8 weeks early, so we are once again waiting to bring a baby home as she spends her days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.<br />
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But praise God, she is strong and healthy (just very tiny) and showed no signs of respiratory distress, so she is not even on oxygen. This is a HUGE praise and a huge step toward bringing her home. <br />
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It has been an incredibly long week juggling three toddlers at home and trying to spend as much time at the hospital as possible, as well as pumping around the clock for her, but the Lord is sustaining me and giving me strength when I need it, patience when I feel I have none, and the energy to make it through another day.<br />
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Plus, we have a truly remarkable church family who has not only lifted us up in prayer, but organized childcare, brought us meals, snacks for the hospital, etc. We could not have made it through this first week of chaos and uncertainty without them.<br />
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Today is day six for our little peanut, and there are still many more NICU days ahead, but I know God's love and provision will carry us through and she will be home before we know it. Thank you for your love and prayers!<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/203/5442AD2858575B1ED212A092139B147D.png" style="-moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a>Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04162508696242003776noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2097225147268981452.post-20856721074048779212012-09-05T19:46:00.001-05:002012-09-05T19:48:12.717-05:00Better Late Than NeverWell, so much for keeping up with my blog during the lazy days of summer, huh? I'm not really sure what happened to July, seems like I just looked up one day and it was over! Then, because school starts crazy early here, it was back to the grind before we knew what hit us. <br />
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And yet, while we were greatly enjoying our fun summer days, I have to say, this time of year I am always ready for the heat to move on, and cool refreshing fall weather to set in, and for us to get back into a routine. So that's exactly what we've been doing. I am teaching part time this year, so the kids and I are up, fed, dressed and out the door at 8 am. I drop them off at pre-school and then I head upstairs to teach. I am only teaching two classes (and they are all seniors), so it is really a fantastic schedule. I am done at 10:45, wrap things up, get ready for the next day and then go back downstairs to pick up my sweet babies.<br />
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And believe me, although they aren't there long, they LOVE going to pre-school! And I love that they get time with friends, have a routine that they can count on, and are learning SO much. Including scripture. First thing Wednesday morning, they go to chapel, where they sing songs and then a speaker teaches something about the Bible. Then they go back to class and do a craft related to the lesson and discuss it more. And then we discuss it at home! They also have music class, Spanish class, visits to the library, and everyday get to go outside for recess. <br />
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So all in all, I'd say it's been a successful few weeks! Now, I know we're a little past the "first day of school" photos, considering we have been back at school for, oh, three weeks now, but better late than never, right??<br />
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<b>So here they are, all ready for the BIG day!!</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/203/5442AD2858575B1ED212A092139B147D.png" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat repeat; border: 0pt none !important;" /></a>Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04162508696242003776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2097225147268981452.post-18447182686668810682012-06-21T17:01:00.001-05:002012-06-21T17:02:16.065-05:00Fun In The Sun!I am loving this summer weather! After being in Texas and New Mexico for so long, with 100+ degree days being the norm, upper 80s feels great! I mean, it's still stinkin' hot, but it's actually really nice under the shade of a large tree. There was no such thing as trees or shade at our house in Texas or New Mexico, so for three long months, we didn't even think about going outside. <br />
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Here, however, we go outside almost every single day. Plus, it is hot enough to go to the pool or play with water guns and feel incredibly refreshed! :)<br />
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So here are a few things we've been enjoying so far this summer...<br />
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I hope you are enjoying summer as much as we are!</div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/203/5442AD2858575B1ED212A092139B147D.png" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a>Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04162508696242003776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2097225147268981452.post-82226195645992189312012-06-16T10:28:00.000-05:002012-06-16T10:28:41.646-05:00It's Been Quite a Year!Although the last ten months have been some of the hardest of my life, and although a full time teaching job was not at all what I had once envisioned, I can honestly say that I am completely thankful for it, that I would not change a moment, and that I learned innumerable lessons along the way. Today, I just want to share a few of those lessons with you.<br />
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<b>God's grace really is sufficient.</b><br />
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In the midst of complete and utter chaos, God carried me. I began the school year one week before school started, with virtually no supplies or direction. I had nothing. No lesson plans, no materials, and for awhile, no computer or copier! And to top it off, for some reason the school did not have a teacher edition for one of our textbooks. So I had literally the exact same thing as my students. It was a struggle to stay on top of it all. I constantly felt like I was only a few days ahead of the students, and then had to come home and take care of three screaming toddlers who were trying to get used to the fact that Mommy was not at home with them any more. <br />
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But slowly (<i>very slowly</i>), I learned to stop trying to do it all and to focus on the things that mattered. I did the best with the time and resources that I had, and relied on God for the rest. And He carried me. And revealed Himself to me over and over again. And I think, for the first time in my life, I am beginning to understand Paul's explanation of true contentment in Christ (Philippians 4:10-13). And for this, I am eternally grateful. <br />
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<b>You cannot show God's love and forgiveness if you are never around people. </b><br />
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Yes, when I am home, I can show God's love and mercy and forgiveness to my children and husband, but I should be doing that anyway, right? Being out in the "real world," with cranky, moody and sometimes difficult teenagers (whom I love dearly!) <i>forced</i> me to put my faith into practice <b>each and everyday</b>. I was constantly challenged to exhibit the fruit of the spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control) because, like it or not, they were watching me! <br />
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If I am constantly preaching the gospel of Christ to them, and sharing scripture, and learning together what it means to be a Christian, and yet I behave in an utterly un-Christlike manner day after day, what does that say about my faith? What kind of hypocrite does that make me? And more than not wanting to be hypocritical, I did not want to give a bad name to my Savior and His power to change lives. Not that I lived out my faith perfectly, (or even close to perfect, really), but it was at least in the forefront of my consciousness everyday. And I am grateful to God and my students for the ways that I have grown in my faith this year as a result. <br />
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<b>I <i>relearned</i> the value of hard work.</b><br />
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Obviously, being home with three small children is hard work. But I think, over time, because of the lack of deadlines and external requirements that school or work will put on you, I had become lazy. Because there was nothing pressing, things always seemed to get put off until tomorrow. <br />
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But I quickly learned that juggling a full time job with being a full time mom required hard work and discipline. Because I was so busy, things could not simply get put off until later. When I was at work, I had to get ALL my work done, because I couldn't (and wouldn't) do it at home. When I was at home, I had to clean up, wash dishes, put away laundry, etc. because I was gone all day at work. I learned to be disciplined with my time and to plan ahead as much as possible. Eventually, I realized just how much I could get done before 8 am! <br />
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And I realized that there was a peace and joy that I experienced when I was disciplined and hard working <i>because I was doing it for God</i>. Anything that is hard or challenging will become a drudgery if I work at it with the wrong heart attitude or the wrong motivations. But if I realize that everything I am doing can be a way to glorify God and show my thankfulness and devotion to Christ, I have a whole new passion and willingness to get the work done! As Paul states in Colossians,<br />
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"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ." </blockquote>
I have been incredibly blessed this year and had so many valuable experiences. But I am also looking forward to a fun, yet productive summer with my babies!<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/203/5442AD2858575B1ED212A092139B147D.png" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a>Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04162508696242003776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2097225147268981452.post-37353078894641030852012-06-14T16:16:00.000-05:002012-06-14T16:16:11.243-05:00Wednesday is Project DayMy husband has a pretty good work schedule. Most days we get to eat breakfast and dinner together. But one day a week he gets home late. Wednesday. And that means dinner, baths, story, and bed are all me. But it also means that <b>Wednesday is project day</b>.<br />
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After the kids are in bed, what am I supposed to do? Well, hopefully, it means tackling my long list of projects that I want to get done around the house. :) Last night was incredibly productive, if I do say so myself!<br />
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It all started with a closet. I think it was intended to be a linen closet, but we don't have much, so I really only needed one shelf for all of our towels. And so, because I had commandeered all the other closets for myself (don't judge!), the remaining space was left to my husband for all of his clothes. Suffice it to say, he did not have a lot of room to work with. Therefore, what was once plenty of space, neat and organized, turned into this monstrosity: <br />
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So last night, I happily set to work. I pulled everything out, sorted and packed away winter clothes. Then I organized what was left and placed it neatly and orderly on the shelves. Now his clothes are not piled in front of my towels! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3FmIoz0TmdsspE-TU3_QYr-TUi-M9lTvKmj8u9VMiRSlHGEKXstsxxvK7S1aekg3J1bUSGw9NGXTTA51uoNroYGxFATlhfkp7LKjLDECVZK-VfGVruCzRyldT-vGpFao0htCi-bWURM5i/s1600/DSC05899.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3FmIoz0TmdsspE-TU3_QYr-TUi-M9lTvKmj8u9VMiRSlHGEKXstsxxvK7S1aekg3J1bUSGw9NGXTTA51uoNroYGxFATlhfkp7LKjLDECVZK-VfGVruCzRyldT-vGpFao0htCi-bWURM5i/s400/DSC05899.JPG" width="298" /></a></div>
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Ah, the beauty of living in a small space and the necessity of simple, organized living. I love it!<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/203/5442AD2858575B1ED212A092139B147D.png" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a>Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04162508696242003776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2097225147268981452.post-72683308962341809622012-06-12T13:17:00.000-05:002012-06-12T13:17:02.088-05:00Joshua 1:9This summer, Punkin and I (and Bubba, to some extent) are working on memorizing one bible verse a week. Last week, we learned Joshua 1:9 and I was truly AMAZED at how fast my baby girl learned it! And she did not just learn it for a day...she still knows it and will recite it from time to time. She even recited it for her sunday school teacher. AND, a few days ago, when I went to get my babies up for breakfast, she was <i>teaching</i> it to her brother. LOVE THAT GIRL!<br />
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So, without further ado...here she is reciting it for YOU:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwZNCN2vSMLZCJxrqIlEaUtQvPaXHOb3daD-6Qda2plc0RAiM28Jvf38LHqD-JQbl8YCCcjGvDo-8WtxJBFng' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/203/5442AD2858575B1ED212A092139B147D.png" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a>Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04162508696242003776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2097225147268981452.post-8238024113153817502012-06-10T21:38:00.000-05:002012-06-10T21:38:57.721-05:00Settling InWell, summer is in FULL swing around here! I am officially done teaching for the year, and my husband got a new job, so our roles have been reversed once again. As hard as it was going back to work last year, by the end, we had finally figured out a routine that worked. But then, school was over, and my husband went back to work, and so here I sit, back home with the kids. <br />
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Now, don't get me wrong, this is <i>right</i> where I want to be, but after an entire school year of working, being home with three small children all day while daddy goes to work took a little adjusting to. But I've been home for two weeks now, and I think we are settling into a wonderful routine. And although it is <i>still</i> crazy around here, and I am <i>still</i> exhausted, it feels, somehow, less chaotic. And I am getting to spend SO much time with my little ones, and do all the fun things that I have been missing out on all year long. We go the the playground, read stories, have water fights with their neighbor friends, and memorize scripture together. <br />
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I'm really looking forward to spending the summer home with them, and cherishing the time I have while they are still so little. But I'm also looking forward to getting some projects done around here that have been sorely neglected for the last ten months! <br />
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<b>A few of my goals for the summer:</b><br />
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<br />
<ul>
<li>Potty train Bubba! (Not really a goal...more like a necessity!)</li>
<li>Learn how to use my (<i>a.k.a my mom's</i>) sewing machine!</li>
<li>Fix the ever growing pile of stuffed animals that have been torn (so that my house will no longer be covered in stuffing)</li>
<li>Organize my husband's closet (seriously, piles of clothes fly out at you when you open the door...)</li>
<li>Clean/learn to use my new (<i>meaning used and FREE</i>) bread machine! </li>
<li>Read at least one <i>just for fun</i> novel (any suggestions??)</li>
<li>Develop a consistent quiet time/prayer time (working on this...it's difficult with three kids...)</li>
</ul>
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Now I realize this may be an overly ambitious list for one <i>short </i>summer, but as hard as I worked this year and as much as I accomplished, I feel like I can handle anything! :) So, we'll see how it goes!</div>
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What are your plans or goals for the summer? Any fun travels planned?? I would love to hear!</div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/203/5442AD2858575B1ED212A092139B147D.png" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat repeat; border: 0pt none !important;" /></a>Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04162508696242003776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2097225147268981452.post-42200466248097930502012-05-20T14:45:00.000-05:002012-05-20T14:45:56.528-05:00Do I Have the Cutest Baby, Or What??Wow! I am entirely overdo for a post/update/pictures of babies/proof that I am alive! But no worries, we're all still here and doing fantastic!<br />
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It has been a very hectic couple of months, but only one more week and the school year is over! (And thus, my full-time job will be over, at least the one I get paid for anyway, ha!) I hope to get back in the routine of regular posts once that happens. :)<br />
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Anyway, until then I will leave you with this precious video of my baby doll. She's pretty much the <i>cutest</i> 18 month old I know. Wait, she's 18 months old?? I know, I know, I'm way overdo for some updates!!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyOPqnQ-i-LlzqTHrEVNJL3RkujPG6GeaOQci8I-2RCPZjUOqRJ0VNgfmsVgWJLiyUtC5qOXIqf5g83bj87tA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/203/5442AD2858575B1ED212A092139B147D.png" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat repeat; border: 0pt none !important;" /></a>Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04162508696242003776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2097225147268981452.post-4391104396627969132012-03-09T20:12:00.001-06:002012-03-13T19:01:22.264-05:00Have I Mentioned Lately...That I absolutely LOVE how close my children are in age?<br />
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Or that I am so <b>stinking</b> proud of the way they play together and that they have an amazingly good grasp of the concept of sharing? (At least, for a two and three year old...)<br />
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Or that Baby Doll just <i>decided</i> one day that she was giving up crawling cold turkey, and is now walking like she owns the place?<br />
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Or that some days, having a full time job and being a full time mom is more than I can handle in my own strength?<br />
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Or that everyday before class starts, we pray for the <a href="http://www.persecution.com/"><b>persecuted</b> church</a>, <i>one country at a time</i>?<br />
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Or that, for a three year old, my lil' Punkin draws incredibly detailed pictures of people, flowers, clouds and the sun?<br />
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Or that some days I am tremendously <b>humbled</b> by something one of my students says, does or prays, and that I thank God for the influence they are having on my life?<br />
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Or that <i>then</i> there are days that I feel incredibly <i>old</i> because they can text, tweet, chacha, and update their status, all while playing Draw Something or Words with Friends, <i>in the middle of a math lesson?</i><br />
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Or that I am so <i>very</i> <i>much</i> in love with my husband, and appreciate him all the more now that I am the one working?<br />
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Or that my students make me laugh every single day?<br />
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Or that Jesus Christ <i>died</i> to save and rescue His people, and <b>that I am left speechless by the love and grace and mercy I have been shown</b>?<br />
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Well, if I <i>haven't</i> mentioned it lately, now you know. Praying you have a blessed weekend!!<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/203/5442AD2858575B1ED212A092139B147D.png" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a>Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04162508696242003776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2097225147268981452.post-7804835971745467462012-02-20T10:18:00.000-06:002012-02-20T10:18:49.856-06:00A Post In Which I Brag a Little...or a Lot...In the busyness of life, I have completely neglected to acknowledge the various little milestones my sweet baby doll has been reaching these last few months. Which is truly a travesty, because she is SO stinkin' smart, and I hate that I have not kept a better account of her genius! Haha!<br />
<br />
So now that she is 15months old, I will share with you what she has been doing for the past two months. (Better late than never, right!?)<br />
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First, around 13 months, in her stubborn, refusing to be the "baby" way, she decided she was too big to be spoon fed by Mommy and Daddy. And so she began feeding herself. <i>And I'm not just talking finger foods, people</i>. <b>She began feeding herself with a spoon</b>. Granted, we still end up with a mess, but to be so little, she's pretty darn good at it! Actually, sometimes she makes less of a mess than her brother!!<br />
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Second, she said her first word ("Daddy") around 13 months too. Since then she has been picking up words all over the place! She can probably say 5-6 words now, but she repeats words and sounds that she hears ALL the time. You may not find this all that impressive, but considering my other two did not utter a single word (no, not even "Mommy" or "Daddy") until at least 16 or 17 months, I am AMAZED to hear the things that come out of her mouth! Some things she can say: "Daddy," "uh-oh," "ball," "hello," "baby."<br />
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Third, she loves to play with her toys. If she is playing with a baby doll, she hugs it, rocks it, and feeds it a bottle. If she has a toy phone (or anything she wants to pretend is a phone), she holds it to her ear and says, "Hello." I don't know where this type of pretend play falls on the list of developmental milestones, but I'm definitely impressed! :-D<br />
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Fourth, about a month ago she started walking. She has taken her time, much like her brother, in this. Although she can walk and stand (and climb up and down on the sofa), she still chooses to crawl more often than not. She can get around so much faster when she crawls, it's just too much trouble to bother wobbling unsteadily on her feet. But one day she'll realize it's easier to walk, and before we know it, she'll be running after her siblings!<br />
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Her is a video of her first wobbly steps about a month ago. She is walking much better now, but I haven't gotten anymore video. This is not the best quality, but it's cute nonetheless!!<br />
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Well, I could seriously go on all day long, but I'll stop my bragging there. :) Happy Monday!!<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/203/5442AD2858575B1ED212A092139B147D.png" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a>Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04162508696242003776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2097225147268981452.post-45635160485630937742012-02-10T19:45:00.000-06:002012-02-10T19:45:17.456-06:00Being SillyI'm hoping to write a more elaborate post soon, like with actual thoughts and updates. But for tonight, all I can muster is a few pictures of my precious love bugs just being their silly, goofy selves. <br />
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But I thought that might be ok with you, because they are just SO cute! ;)<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Well, that's all for tonight. Have a great weekend!!</div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/203/5442AD2858575B1ED212A092139B147D.png" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a>Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04162508696242003776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2097225147268981452.post-19556847304247319742012-01-11T20:42:00.000-06:002012-01-11T20:42:24.310-06:00Day by DayIt used to be difficult finding purpose in the day to day, mundane life of a stay at home mom. There were so many days spent covered in spit up, picking up cheerios and cleaning dirty diapers, that it was easy to feel like I was "missing out" some how. That I didn't have a "real" job or ministry, and therefore wasn't serving God's kingdom because, let's face it, I rarely even left the house!<br />
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But as I go through various seasons of my life I am learning (and <i>re-learning</i>) that it doesn't matter whether I am out working in the "real" world, or at home with the kids; out on the mission field or in the church nursery. What God expects of me <b>does not change</b>.<br />
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God's word states, <b>"</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><b>So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."</b> 1 Corinthians 10:31.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">"...whatever you do..." Whatever you do in your family, in your job, in your church, in the world, in public or in private, "do it ALL for the glory of God." </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">All of God's actions end in HIS glory, whether it is His creation, His providence, His judgement or His mercy. It is the same with His son, Jesus Christ. All that Christ did and does has the glory of God as its end. His life, His sacrifice, His suffering, death and resurrection all bring God glory. Therefore, everything that <i>we</i> do, every word, every action, every deed, ought to be singularly focused. To the glory of God alone. </span></span><br />
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Now that I am teaching full time, I face new challenges. New frustrations. New discouragements. But the reason I am there is to love my students and share Christ with them. To honor and glorify God in how I prepare and how I teach, in how I speak and how I (try) to show patience. <br />
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No matter what situation I find myself in, or where I am working, or what I am doing, God still calls me to live and act in a way that <b>brings Him glory</b>. I love the song "Do Everything" by Steven Curtis Chapman. It is such a great reminder! I hope you are blessed by the song and the truth of God's word today!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/FEqdDdvFXZ0" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/203/5442AD2858575B1ED212A092139B147D.png" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a>Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04162508696242003776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2097225147268981452.post-31128336680756728682011-12-24T21:58:00.000-06:002011-12-24T21:58:22.899-06:00Three.Merry Christmas Eve! I hope you all had a wonderful day filled with joy!<br />
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<i>Our</i> day was filled with presents and CAKE. Yup, we have celebrated yet another birthday at our house today. My beautiful, sweet, smart, giving, precious first born turned THREE today. <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">She's growing up so fast. I can hardly believe how smart she is, how caring she is, how much she loves her baby brother and sister, and how encouraging she can be. </div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">The other day, I was trying to open something for her and was having a hard time. She said, "You can do it Mommy. You're strong like Jesus!" Sometimes I cry just because I love her so very much. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5K4BqjYZqMgMCTblDuJ5ad21FPrbJDZNBgqbpNbqSj9fNrChxG-T9hKLdIjJkpR2MeKr0bucQZrsMVsr36Gr0gB3TfM66p6jS7asHAyYMnebFJ1sbLrr-xZQxos00SaAa6ZiU37MhN3ut/s1600/DSC05619.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5K4BqjYZqMgMCTblDuJ5ad21FPrbJDZNBgqbpNbqSj9fNrChxG-T9hKLdIjJkpR2MeKr0bucQZrsMVsr36Gr0gB3TfM66p6jS7asHAyYMnebFJ1sbLrr-xZQxos00SaAa6ZiU37MhN3ut/s320/DSC05619.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">She loves to cuddle on the sofa with me, and she LOVES to sing. That's the only thing she ever tells me about pre-school-what songs they sang. I love hearing her sweet voice as she sings all her favorites. </div><br />
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I'm so blessed and thankful for this precious girl God has brought into my life, and although I am happy and thankful that she is growing big and strong, sometimes I wish time could stand still for just a little while. That she would not grow up <i>quite</i> so fast. <br />
<br />
But I guess since that is not possible I will just try to enjoy<b> every single moment</b>. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">HAPPY BIRTHDAY BEAUTIFUL GIRL! WE LOVE YOU! </div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/203/5442AD2858575B1ED212A092139B147D.png" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a>Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04162508696242003776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2097225147268981452.post-66357540901506405782011-11-19T20:11:00.000-06:002011-11-19T20:11:02.361-06:00My Baby Doll<div style="text-align: center;">November is a busy month at our house! It's crazy hard to believe (at least for me, anyway...I was not really ready for this day yet...), but my sweet, easy going baby doll girl turned ONE yesterday. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGc45_QQblblhBAFiCOAcG_qASmsmBzrrfuGLzCLMY2epnly-66EnaUxJfVESAIk9Vrm_wF0Khmhbmn6bjv2do5E-7RAo1AfM2NIT4sPIxHyOMRJeLEi95wmLg0Fb6gT-SWg5U0Wxqm8Rr/s1600/DSC05281.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGc45_QQblblhBAFiCOAcG_qASmsmBzrrfuGLzCLMY2epnly-66EnaUxJfVESAIk9Vrm_wF0Khmhbmn6bjv2do5E-7RAo1AfM2NIT4sPIxHyOMRJeLEi95wmLg0Fb6gT-SWg5U0Wxqm8Rr/s400/DSC05281.JPG" width="298" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">WHAT?! I cannot even believe that an entire year has gone by...she used to be so tiny, and now it seems she is just moments away from running and chasing after her brother and sister. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEDOcyxP8jf5AZHqdtrMUQ1qUYSDB53D6VI3P4GcXFCoHnGWunpPxfwn5NrmzlvNKo1CyIMA8J4f2ghC8DzJagoZfZlu4Lc3rbcCX8zeecp55zn9mzkU-Rc_gEm5qoEpt2banDMNER8JLu/s1600/DSC05290.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEDOcyxP8jf5AZHqdtrMUQ1qUYSDB53D6VI3P4GcXFCoHnGWunpPxfwn5NrmzlvNKo1CyIMA8J4f2ghC8DzJagoZfZlu4Lc3rbcCX8zeecp55zn9mzkU-Rc_gEm5qoEpt2banDMNER8JLu/s320/DSC05290.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Ok, so she's not even walking yet, much less running, but she is a fantastic crawler, and cruises around the furniture. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxUAuwrIwFiW0XQJTDki6j-ayx1PDIqgvL4woghBpTXxONh_wB9H-SRKwVbRR-7PaY6qe_kk7GikKK-JfKLS5aJT8gkht7Ya8obVTAmZ2HUnX9cpRb2gyy1WkBEd9Nkt_tmtevJ2T_eyXf/s1600/DSC05285.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxUAuwrIwFiW0XQJTDki6j-ayx1PDIqgvL4woghBpTXxONh_wB9H-SRKwVbRR-7PaY6qe_kk7GikKK-JfKLS5aJT8gkht7Ya8obVTAmZ2HUnX9cpRb2gyy1WkBEd9Nkt_tmtevJ2T_eyXf/s320/DSC05285.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">She is very vocal and loves to make fun sounds and imitate the noises that we make. She also loves to clap her hands and wave "hi" and "bye."</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0BqSNtXm2PslC9uis8TkwJe5AXoln2uhlbP3POS6KEruwHWBCPJ_6spJKF3pGjfhPjS8u9XlgvgsQndLydOAow5vcJe_t9yx_zx40Saebjne5s_TbKjmJFf0Sh-GyfJZoZei9Hw-Y3wZ1/s1600/DSC05284.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0BqSNtXm2PslC9uis8TkwJe5AXoln2uhlbP3POS6KEruwHWBCPJ_6spJKF3pGjfhPjS8u9XlgvgsQndLydOAow5vcJe_t9yx_zx40Saebjne5s_TbKjmJFf0Sh-GyfJZoZei9Hw-Y3wZ1/s320/DSC05284.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">She's still pretty petite as far as one year olds go, weighing between 19 and 20 pounds. And she has just started to get her third tooth (first on the top). </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6MpfkZF1IpjtQAsGJ0uBh99eFhnHHosxMTvShWWt23l_IvUbJRN_eYmfag9p2cnHqXjcCBHY9laWT5k4kEXX9HZuA1W7Wumw_ck9gBDVsj5Pf3LYl-9xB2Ah6hyxLKNh-9We1iA0FQMqO/s1600/DSC05283.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6MpfkZF1IpjtQAsGJ0uBh99eFhnHHosxMTvShWWt23l_IvUbJRN_eYmfag9p2cnHqXjcCBHY9laWT5k4kEXX9HZuA1W7Wumw_ck9gBDVsj5Pf3LYl-9xB2Ah6hyxLKNh-9We1iA0FQMqO/s320/DSC05283.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">I still can't decide if her personality will be more like her brother or her sister, but one thing is for sure...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNG5m48udR2kLiHP9Zlef_ZM2Y6TMDyHs40z5Ig7d_hjgjhZBUL-YQqtShzywgyrG0Djvz_mIPdHaKpV6nJMo47p_91e2KIB-moWQzrkRwtxl12CsXsiRtpIS9DgFgOuYUcWNRR8Dg67ci/s1600/DSC05282.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNG5m48udR2kLiHP9Zlef_ZM2Y6TMDyHs40z5Ig7d_hjgjhZBUL-YQqtShzywgyrG0Djvz_mIPdHaKpV6nJMo47p_91e2KIB-moWQzrkRwtxl12CsXsiRtpIS9DgFgOuYUcWNRR8Dg67ci/s400/DSC05282.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">she's pretty much the cutest, sweetest, most precious one year old I know, and we love her SO VERY MUCH!!</div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/203/5442AD2858575B1ED212A092139B147D.png" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a>Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04162508696242003776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2097225147268981452.post-23183883966415667092011-11-11T19:57:00.000-06:002011-11-11T19:57:46.179-06:00On This Day...<div style="text-align: center;">Two years ago, our beautiful, amazingly strong baby boy was born, and our lives were forever changed. I can hardly believe two years have already gone by. After his birth, it felt like our time in the neonatal intensive care unit would never end; time seeming to move in slow motion. And yet now, it is merely a distant memory. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7AyR4Ac_lDzapl7rJCKjMhNqBeis2F9zs4h7KK0ggJX96wjHIwe5ncI_SS-WtGmmtnWZz_77WDSMpqpbQvePND42oy4sBETYdocXcDbzD9_JfDHvVuYXBXvYqGkByuqE0Z2ykqrgcANeQ/s1600/DSC05075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7AyR4Ac_lDzapl7rJCKjMhNqBeis2F9zs4h7KK0ggJX96wjHIwe5ncI_SS-WtGmmtnWZz_77WDSMpqpbQvePND42oy4sBETYdocXcDbzD9_JfDHvVuYXBXvYqGkByuqE0Z2ykqrgcANeQ/s320/DSC05075.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">I am so proud of the boy he is becoming. He acts and talks and runs and jumps [and screams and cries] just like any normal, healthy two year old does. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpG2vM7qyouKlvD2Shrt0500SB4FFj7VZfFODJjVu2Q0JxpZZSNxwwOpezBSSyGHZ8SfyrfsAbC4sR2F155q7uxkbQmk0ahASwvhM6Tqbu4wBirs6IYiuF2BjZRh_X2bHnKczOnZkLDsmr/s1600/DSC05080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpG2vM7qyouKlvD2Shrt0500SB4FFj7VZfFODJjVu2Q0JxpZZSNxwwOpezBSSyGHZ8SfyrfsAbC4sR2F155q7uxkbQmk0ahASwvhM6Tqbu4wBirs6IYiuF2BjZRh_X2bHnKczOnZkLDsmr/s320/DSC05080.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">To see him interact with other children, or to watch as he thoughtfully cleans up his toys, or to hear his excitement about the plane in the sky or the train driving by, you would never know the difficulties he faced in his first 97 days on earth. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ7NubjPqCbdiSx-dcZHsrVJjo0TTQx6m27IenW3Ys5J11qy5Mb6_evpYp2aaVMk_oGeVDZjxuHKuj1B5t2x5d5XInZJoecXRJw37wsYFSxCCpEmjqPV4uOEVCn-ElPMWNFDt-M0dfo5Wx/s1600/DSC05170.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ7NubjPqCbdiSx-dcZHsrVJjo0TTQx6m27IenW3Ys5J11qy5Mb6_evpYp2aaVMk_oGeVDZjxuHKuj1B5t2x5d5XInZJoecXRJw37wsYFSxCCpEmjqPV4uOEVCn-ElPMWNFDt-M0dfo5Wx/s320/DSC05170.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">He loves to follow his big sisters lead, and he loves to dote on his sweet baby doll. One day, they will know just how blessed they are to have a brother like him.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGev-gh2TAxLDmGsilx8GoxEIVgfAHiMbAEpH6OIpaM6GxYmRkxOGzD1PcJAvX6T-IP4mGsPX0bckhqNE_m1SGJB2tDXSw8Z6YDY3-VDZcfAOJ54a82xcJT4LstrGU30sxwj_u_tFm2STh/s1600/DSC05217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGev-gh2TAxLDmGsilx8GoxEIVgfAHiMbAEpH6OIpaM6GxYmRkxOGzD1PcJAvX6T-IP4mGsPX0bckhqNE_m1SGJB2tDXSw8Z6YDY3-VDZcfAOJ54a82xcJT4LstrGU30sxwj_u_tFm2STh/s320/DSC05217.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">I am so blessed to be his momma, and we are so very proud of his endurance and strength!!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/203/5442AD2858575B1ED212A092139B147D.png" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a>Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04162508696242003776noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2097225147268981452.post-48886421267841554842011-10-16T21:36:00.000-05:002011-10-16T21:36:31.942-05:00Fun on the Farm!The weather here has been absolutely FABULOUS, so yesterday we headed out to the country to go on a hayride and pick out pumpkins. It was a really fun (although tiring) afternoon!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFP8WFz5uXg1nPuAFfFTpdrcRgFHeayMuDEVYv_nuqHxETdCSGdxkqONPeoHFrdHu5eEPhEdAC8Ur3DMRlvDifLMu4CuL0urROSSxN4XQWNLtcA3ttIp07Qn2_TEsYx6xp1qPHhxrJbQwp/s1600/DSC04991.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFP8WFz5uXg1nPuAFfFTpdrcRgFHeayMuDEVYv_nuqHxETdCSGdxkqONPeoHFrdHu5eEPhEdAC8Ur3DMRlvDifLMu4CuL0urROSSxN4XQWNLtcA3ttIp07Qn2_TEsYx6xp1qPHhxrJbQwp/s320/DSC04991.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Admiring the pumpkins!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOvj0Go_ZKDIKiZ3eikKNKPHj_4EYg59EKrQsuIOYd6NF_APGha0_0DIBf3wj9n5AR2f-wblswDdKbke_v4Tcr2o8IbxBePVoX9tKm56y1m-PGRGAAxU4MFiDqoGnRfF1nV4VZL2LjR3Fi/s1600/DSC05016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOvj0Go_ZKDIKiZ3eikKNKPHj_4EYg59EKrQsuIOYd6NF_APGha0_0DIBf3wj9n5AR2f-wblswDdKbke_v4Tcr2o8IbxBePVoX9tKm56y1m-PGRGAAxU4MFiDqoGnRfF1nV4VZL2LjR3Fi/s320/DSC05016.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready for the hayride!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waving to the cows!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Calm and laid back as usual :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everyone was so tired by the end, I couldn't get a smile with their new pumpkins...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj47G_NjVeHPWL50KOztJez2-Ml0n4ml66BQYKgT4PS8t-IEj1tmlmD35UdNwlghSZ0V45aet50EtcR4c2hDmihRO2khs2OPlHCvaAcQAlGsqRQ9OkFzVApM_i2-d3_0PfP4g_l3o7qI-R/s1600/DSC05052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj47G_NjVeHPWL50KOztJez2-Ml0n4ml66BQYKgT4PS8t-IEj1tmlmD35UdNwlghSZ0V45aet50EtcR4c2hDmihRO2khs2OPlHCvaAcQAlGsqRQ9OkFzVApM_i2-d3_0PfP4g_l3o7qI-R/s320/DSC05052.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But my baby doll was happy to oblige! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>I just love fall! And now we're looking forward to some delicious pumpkin recipes for these freshly picked pumpkins!! Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!! :)<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/203/5442AD2858575B1ED212A092139B147D.png" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a>Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04162508696242003776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2097225147268981452.post-9605894693293692802011-10-03T08:00:00.001-05:002011-10-03T08:00:11.803-05:00One Reason I Love My JobLet me preface this post by saying, <i>I do not always love my job</i>. Some days, I am so exhausted, I can barely get out of bed. Some days, I am so tired of <i>repeating myself,</i> I think I might snap. And some days, my high school students act more like two year olds than my <i>two year old</i>. <br />
<br />
<b>But.</b><br />
<br />
Then there are days when God uses one of those students to bless me and encourage me in ways I have never been blessed before. <br />
<br />
I have a senior who is a refugee from Nepal. He is an amazing, Godly leader, and I am learning a lot from him. He recently came to class and explained to me that during his quiet time, he prays for a handful of students and teachers specifically, and by name. For the past few days, he had been praying for me and wanted me to know. <br />
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He then handed me a piece of paper that said:<br />
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<blockquote>"So thankful that God has given me teacher and sister in Christ like you. I always feel bless to be in your class. Let you know that you're in my prayer...</blockquote><blockquote> This is how I pray for you...</blockquote><blockquote>Numbers 6:24-26 "The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace." </blockquote><blockquote>1. I pray that God give you wisdom that you need to teach high school students! For His glory!</blockquote><blockquote>2. I pray that you would grow closer to Christ each day to become a better mother, wife, teacher, sister in Christ for His glory.</blockquote><blockquote>3. I pray that you heart would be right before God, and that you will be faithful to study God's word each day. </blockquote><blockquote>4. I pray that God would grant you wisdom in the decisions that you need to make each day.</blockquote><blockquote>5. I pray that you will be blessed and a way of blessing to others each and every day of your life.</blockquote><blockquote>6. I pray that God be with your family and make your family a blessed and happy family."</blockquote> I am so grateful for the opportunity to meet so many wonderful youth, who encourage me, strengthen me, and challenge me in my faith. Please pray that I can be a Godly example to them, and that I will have opportunities to share the things that God has taught me through my life experiences so far. <br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/203/5442AD2858575B1ED212A092139B147D.png" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a>Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04162508696242003776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2097225147268981452.post-65962113564410828522011-09-30T20:22:00.000-05:002011-09-30T20:22:38.512-05:00How God ProvidesWow, having a full time job seriously takes everything out of me, and I can never seem to find time for blogging! It seems I have more things that I want to write about than ever, yet never have enough hours in the day, energy to write, motivation to focus, or to do lists done to get to it. <br />
<br />
But in the craziness that has become my life these days, there is one thing that I truly want to share, and that is the many, MANY ways I have seen the Lord bless and provide for my family in the past two months. <br />
<br />
As excited as we were to move here, and as ready as we both were for my husband to go back to school, it was somewhat a leap of faith. We felt that this was were God was leading us, but we had never been here. Never visited. Never looked at apartments or seen the campus. We had no friends or family here. And we had no jobs. Once we made the leap, however, we secured an apartment close enough to campus for my husband to ride a bike to school. It was the very last apartment available in this complex. (This meant we could sell one of our cars, and I have to say, it is pretty fantastic having only one car!). We then waited patiently and trusted that God would continue to work out the details, and provide income as well as other odds and ends that we needed.<br />
<br />
After moving in and trying to get settled, I was offered 4 different jobs (including some I did not even apply for!) and God made it clear where He wanted me. As hard as it is for me to be at work, I am learning a little more each day why God has me there, and I feel incredibly blessed.<br />
<br />
But then there are other things that God has provided, that I was not even prepared for or expecting. For example, when we were moving in, it was just us and all our stuff in storage. Through a mutual friend in a different state, God provided a man who grabbed a few of his friends to help us unload all our boxes, beds and washer and dryer into our new home. At the time, it didn't even occur to me that we would need help moving in, but looking back, I have no idea how we would have done it without them. <br />
<br />
And then, God began to provide tangible things. Our plan was always that we would have the one car for me to drive to work, and my husband would ride a bike to campus. Great plan, except that we didn't actually <i>own a bike</i>. Well, after moving in, we mentioned the need for a bike to some new friends here, and they said, "Oh, there's a guy! He repairs bikes, then gives them to people who need them!" They made a call, and two weeks later, he had a bike ready!!<br />
<br />
And then there's "The Attic". It's a ministry on campus for seminary students and families. People make donations (clothes, household items, furniture, TVs, etc.) and everything is organized and available for families to take <i>for free</i>. So far a few of the things we have gotten at the Attic include: a microwave, a (very nice, like new) printer, a wicker basket, some dishes, two storage bins that we use for toy boxes, some clothes for the kids for winter, a couple of clothing items for me and my husband and some other odds and ends. <br />
<br />
In addition, God has provided the most wonderful and supportive neighbors. Their children are all around the same ages as ours, and they love to play together. We are greatly enjoying getting to know them, and have been blessed by them, even in our short time here. One friend even made us dinner one night because she heard I was sick! <br />
<br />
Honestly, I could go on and on with stories of God's provision, but I'll stop there. I'm looking forward to sharing more of our life here, and of God's plans for our family! <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/203/5442AD2858575B1ED212A092139B147D.png" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a>Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04162508696242003776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2097225147268981452.post-8990089401528733692011-09-19T20:17:00.000-05:002011-09-19T20:17:48.668-05:00Fall Fun!I was informed by one of my students today that it is not <i>technically</i> fall yet. Not until September 22. Well, that's ok, we are having tons of *Fall fun* already!!<br />
<br />
Last weekend, my husband's seminary hosted their annual Fall Festival. This is a HUGE deal, and I don't think we could have really prepared for how big it is if we tried! They go all out, down to the very last detail, and everything was FREE. :)<br />
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The theme this year was Narnia, so everything was focused around the characters and stories from the Chronicles of Narnia. We even walked "through the wardrobe" to enter the festival. <br />
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There were tents surrounding the quad filled with all kinds of yummy treats, as well as thirty-plus bounce houses for kids and adults of all ages. The only thing that got my kids out of the toddler bouncy house was telling them that we were getting some sweet treats, haha!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Bounce House Fun!!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">There was also free Chick-Fil-A! That's all I needed to know, ha! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUjjleiRXRy2k5uke_U7zPp5NuNCrZNSnl5Uq4slhzIOhe5tRWuuTcdfzyyuqBogAAImhOb-bTPjF7-5yixTUN2DUxk6bedixcjQzs-tQU6rZQIhkZlmDG6RTHXNyF0HBYK-CQAxIZ3hF9/s1600/DSC04938.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUjjleiRXRy2k5uke_U7zPp5NuNCrZNSnl5Uq4slhzIOhe5tRWuuTcdfzyyuqBogAAImhOb-bTPjF7-5yixTUN2DUxk6bedixcjQzs-tQU6rZQIhkZlmDG6RTHXNyF0HBYK-CQAxIZ3hF9/s320/DSC04938.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is this not the CUTEST picture you have ever seen?!? She's so laid back, she just hung out while we ate our chicken. :)</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">After dinner, there was and face painting and crown making...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">And after dark, there was a Narnia-themed jousting show. We only saw a little, because it was already <i>way</i> past the kids' bedtime as it was, but man, it was spectacular! Here is one of the horses that we got to see...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">And on our way out, my daughter got a magic wand and my son got a sword. I can't even tell you how much fun they had! We had planned on having dinner and then heading out, but the kids were so good and having so much fun, we didn't leave until almost 9 pm! Plus, I saw several of my students, <i>and</i> we saw a girl that we knew in college with her husband who is also a student here! It's such a small world, and we are loving it here so much. :)</div><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/203/5442AD2858575B1ED212A092139B147D.png" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a>Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04162508696242003776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2097225147268981452.post-2230040715234687882011-09-15T20:52:00.000-05:002011-09-15T20:52:46.061-05:00Where We Are Now...After spending some much needed time at home, and after my kids were <i>sufficiently spoiled</i> by their grandparents, we were finally on the road again and <b>back to real life</b>. It was time to unpack, get settled, and start finding our way around <i>yet another</i> new city. <br />
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And where exactly is this new city? Well, after much prayer, we felt like the time was finally right for my husband to go back to school. So we are now living in <b>Kentucky</b> so he can attend seminary. For so many reasons, and in so many ways, we are a perfect fit here, and although it has not all been easy (what move is??), we are completely confident that this is where God wants us right now. How long will we be here? I have no idea. I have given up trying to figure out God's plan, because just when I think I know it all, He throws me a curveball. So instead, I will walk in faith wherever He leads us. <br />
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There have been so many changes and adjustments that have come with this move and this new phase of our life, that it was a little overwhelming at first. Because my husband is now in school, we made a lot of changes to how we live and where we live. Before we left New Mexico, we sold a HUGE amount of stuff, including most of our furniture. That has helped us settle in here, because we are living in a 980 square foot apartment. It's tiny. Really tiny. But there are a lot of closets, and we totally make it work! And I have realized that we often think we "need" things and space that in reality, <b>are not needs at all</b>. <br />
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Another major life change has also come as a result of my husband going back to school. With him being a full time student, we had to figure out how to pay the bills. All summer I applied for jobs, but mostly heard nothing. We finally moved in and got settled, and <i>still</i> we were both unemployed. About a week after settling in, however, I began to receive calls, and had four job offers in about 48 hours. <br />
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After being home with my kids for almost three years, <b>I did not want to go to work full time</b>. I fought it, and wrestled with it, and came up with a hundred reasons why I should still be at home with my kids. But ultimately, God made it clear that He had a place for me, that He was providing for our family, and that my babies would be taken care of. And I truly want to support my husband, and give him the opportunity to grow as an individual as well as a follower of Christ, as I know he will while we are here. <br />
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And so, probably the biggest reason for my lack of blogging the last two months is that I have been teaching Algebra 2 and College Algebra to juniors and seniors at the most amazing Christian school I have ever seen. They are truly focused on seeing kids come to know the Lord, and it is so nice to be in a work place who shares my focus and priorities. I love that we can share prayer requests with each other, and if I want to, we can set math aside and pull out our bibles to study God's word together. <br />
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<i>Plus</i>, they have a wonderful preschool, so on Tuesday and Thursday, while my husband is in class, Punkin and Bubba come to school with me, and Baby Doll goes to the babysitter <i>right next door</i>. The preschool director went out of her way to shift classes around to make room for my kids, <i>and</i> found a babysitter for Baby Doll (you know, since I know <b>no one</b> here). And then on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, they get to stay home with their daddy. :) <br />
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It was really <i>really</i> hard to get used to being back at work (and getting up and out the door on time every morning), but things have settled down a bit now. We have all gotten into a routine (as much as possible, anyway), and my kids are absolutely LOVING school. As I knew that they would! <br />
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So that's <b>where we are now</b>! Whew. I have so much more to share, but I think I'll just leave it at that for now. After all, I have to get up early tomorrow, and Baby Doll is still not sleeping through the night! <br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/203/5442AD2858575B1ED212A092139B147D.png" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a>Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04162508696242003776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2097225147268981452.post-84987501877632297392011-09-13T21:14:00.000-05:002011-09-13T21:14:48.164-05:00Things...Are...Happening...PART 2!So after leaving Little Rock, we headed into Tennessee. Tennessee is a very long state, and we have a lot of friends and family there, so we took our time driving through. First stop, Nashville!<br />
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The Parthenon and playing in Centennial Park:<br />
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After we left Nashville, we were able to spend some wonderful time visiting my family. My kids had SO much fun with GiGi and my cousin's son Luke! When we were at the mall, Luke decided to try a bungee trampoline jump thing (what is the <i>actual name</i> for those things??) so of course my daughter had to do it too!<br />
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She was so proud of herself. After she got started, she said, "Mama, look at me! Look at me, Mama, I'm jumping and I'm not even crying!" :) Such a big girl!!<br />
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After we left my Grandma's house, we went to visit our friends in east Tennessee. We were able to spend some much needed time together, and were shown such tremendous hospitality! Here are the highlights:<br />
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Riding the rides at Dollywood: <br />
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Playing at the park:<br />
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After we left, we <i>finally</i>, at long last, 12 days after our journey began, crossed the border into Virginia. We took a slight detour on our way home to visit our beloved alma mater, <b>James Madison University</b>. It had been so long since we walked on the campus and ate a delicious Dave's lunch, we just couldn't pass it up. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj26_pn8LCsp7WzKTVr970ePRnPpdjl-L46Yepa2tFj3wDsIFvPX0pUpM9_wlyiIjU74s86q3x1bWlph3BuqQc3u7HBhdono50z23Xkn5fHAXVcqOCtyWJnXJSec7kSjl9cQc_cUMcMy7uo/s1600/DSC04770.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj26_pn8LCsp7WzKTVr970ePRnPpdjl-L46Yepa2tFj3wDsIFvPX0pUpM9_wlyiIjU74s86q3x1bWlph3BuqQc3u7HBhdono50z23Xkn5fHAXVcqOCtyWJnXJSec7kSjl9cQc_cUMcMy7uo/s320/DSC04770.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When I told my kids this is the "Kissing rock," my daughter bent down and kissed it. HAHA!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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**Side note, if you are in Harrisonburg, I am very sorry we didn't get to visit with you. It was really just a walk on the quad while we eat some lunch and then get back on the road kind of stop.**<br />
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So then, we finally made it home. Where we spent the better part of July. It was fun and relaxing, and I read a book (beginning to end!) for the first time in years. (Well, maybe not years, but it has been a REALLY long time) :) So where are we now??<br />
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Come back tomorrow for the <b>exciting conclusion</b>!!<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/203/5442AD2858575B1ED212A092139B147D.png" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a>Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04162508696242003776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2097225147268981452.post-32432818287078304122011-09-12T20:41:00.000-05:002011-09-12T20:41:52.248-05:00Things...Are...HAPPENING!Oh my goodness gracious, friends!! I cannot believe I neglected my beloved blog for so long. There we were, right in the middle of one of the most fantastic/crazy/joy-filled/INSANE road trips ever, and I just stop posting. Leaving you all completely hanging.<br />
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Rude, huh?<br />
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To give up this blog was never my intention. What has happened in the last 2 and a half months, however, is a <b>very long story</b>. So I guess I better start at the beginning! :)<br />
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Obviously, our road trip was off to a shaky start (to say the least). But rest assured, the remainder of our journey was significantly better! We learned what works (<i>and what doesn't</i>) when driving cross country with three babies under three, visited with tons of family and friends, relaxed as a family, did lots of sight-seeing, and eventually (a week and a half later) arrived home in Virginia. <br />
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And all the while, I was taking pictures and preparing to relay one fun and hilarious story after another here on my blog. Unfortunately, after leaving Texas, we were without internet access. And THEN, I left my computer at my Grandma's house! And THEN, when I finally got my computer back and accessed working internet, well, I got lazy. Hey, I was on vacation! Lots of things have been happening around here since our cross country adventure, so if you want to know what ELSE is up with my life (and where we have finally settled <i>this time</i>) you will have to tune in tomorrow for PART TWO! :)<br />
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Until then, here are some highlights from <i>part one</i> of our vacation!<br />
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Fun times in the backseat:<br />
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Impromptu afternoon in the park:<br />
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Birthday dinner with some of our favorite Texans!<br />
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Picnic lunch, somewhere in the middle of east Texas (and boy, was it HOT!):<br />
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Texas is such a HUGE state, I feel like the majority of our trip was spent just driving across Texas! Slowly but surely, we made our way and eventually said "good-bye" to Texas, and entered the state of Arkansas. Our next stop: <b>Little Rock</b>.<br />
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Visiting my Aunt and Uncle:<br />
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Exploring one of the COOLEST places for little munchkins that I have ever seen, "The Wonder Place":<br />
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What comes next?? I will share the rest of our <i>trip in pictures</i> with you tomorrow... woohoo!!<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/203/5442AD2858575B1ED212A092139B147D.png" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a>Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04162508696242003776noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2097225147268981452.post-36055051952733444682011-06-27T23:08:00.000-05:002011-06-27T23:08:29.898-05:00On the Road At Last!Well folks, we are officially on the road, heading across the country! I'm not going to lie, things got off to a pretty shaky start, but we are definitely having fun, and everyone is sleeping soundly now, so tomorrow should be better. :)<br />
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So far we have made it to our first destination, <b>Fort Worth, Texas</b>. The drive from New Mexico to Texas was the longest of our trip, so we had the GENIUS idea to drive through the night so that the kids could sleep the whole way. Then we would arrive in the morning, and everyone would be happy and wonderful. <b>This was possibly our worst idea ever. </b><br />
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We left at midnight Sunday night (Monday morning?), and let's just say that our kids apparently are not able to get good sleep in the car after being awakened in the middle of the night. There was screaming and stopping and nursing and crying and stopping and whining and...until about 4:30 or 5 in the morning. They finally did fall asleep, but by 6:30 a.m. it was time for us to stop and get breakfast, so then everyone was up again. <br />
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After breakfast, we were still about 2.5 hours away, but we thought it would be an easy drive. Everyone was so wiped out, we thought for sure they would go back to sleep and we could just head straight there. Well, no such luck. We must have stopped four times in the first 30 minutes on the road. But eventually we made it, safe and sound, and had a good time getting some things done in Fort Worth. We then had a picnic lunch, and headed to the hotel to unload, wind down, and take a nice afternoon nap. <br />
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I will have more pictures to share for sure, but here is a peak at what my kids are up to when they are not running wild in Target, chasing ants out on the lawn, or throwing a temper tantrum from their sheer exhaustion:<br />
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Yes, they are indeed playing the piano <b>in our hotel room</b>. They were SO delighted to "play" and sing all afternoon. And I'm sure the other guests are just as delighted, haha! Can't wait to see what other fun surprises this adventure holds!!<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/203/5442AD2858575B1ED212A092139B147D.png" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a>Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04162508696242003776noreply@blogger.com1