one year later...

I just realized that it's been just a little over a year since I started this blogging process. It's funny when you go back and look at a year's worth of writing and see how much you've changed and how differently you view the world around you.
For me, I realize that I have a much more realistic view of life than ever before. There have been several things happen in the last year to make me realize that life is definetly what you choose to make it. You can either decide to lay down and die, or pick yourself up, dust off and move forward.

Choice is a difficult thing. When I was a kid, I couldn't wait to be able to make my own choices and do my own thing. Little did I realize that those years were the golden moments of life. Choices were made for you - no deciding where money was coming from and to whom it was going to. You lived life freely - no constraints of time, money, cell phones, children, mortgages, etc... What a life!

As an adult, hindsight is 20/20. I long for the days of childhood. Somedays I would like to just ride my bike outside for hours - without the pain on my knees! HA! But I do see that being able to make my own choices is one of the greatest teaching tools I have ever had in my life. I don't regret my choices, because I have either learned something from the results, or they have shaped my into who I am today.

I have recently been challenged with a choice in my personal life. It has pushed me to the brink of who I am and what I believe about life and loving others in general. Never before have I had to dig so deeply into myself and press into God as I have in this situation. But through this challenege I have come into a new awareness of what choice really is. It is obedience. It is sacrifice. It is giving up control of what YOU want and viewing the situation through God's eyes. Agape love...look it up...live it for a week....my challenge to you....

In other news....we are moving right along! We qualified for the house and now we have to figure out how to pay for it! HA! Pray for us as we seek God's will in this. Going back to work is looking like the only option, so pray that God will provide the right job with the right schedule for me. Will probably start looking after Christmas.
We are getting ready for Halloween on Tuesday. I'll post pics then - should be cute!
Hope all is well where you are. I'm so looking forward to the holidays - my favorite time of year. Remember....Phoenix is beautiful in the winter....come visit!

TV Observations

Grey's Anatomy - Meredith should definitely be on drugs more often! That was hilarious. Although I was disappointed she ended up picking Derek, the drug scenes were worth it. 8 million for Izzy? Who knew Denny was so loaded?

ER - If you did not watch this last night, you missed out on one of the funniest scenes I've seen in awhile. The Mommy and Me class fiasco was so funny - I could totally identify....I have one of those Snuggli baby holders and have encountered the same stupidity in regards to it.....made me glad I never went to one of those classes......Abby's comeback was priceless!

Anyway, just a couple observations from someone who was FINALLY at home for an evening!

Vindication?

I heard on the radio today that in a study of over 5500 kids that breastfed kids are no smarter than formula fed....HA! Vindication?!?!?!?
Sorry - I just had to include that......

Anyway, here is a quick update.
We are doing fine. The church is so wonderful - Ben has been challenging and stretching J and I to think beyond our small circle and so we have been trying to reach out to others in our neighborhood/school/soccer games, etc... Really trying to love others with God's love...which means EVERYONE, no matter how needy or weird or irritating they are! HARD!!!! We are really starting to feel a part of something amazing. Everyone has been so welcoming and encouraging. It so reminds me of what we had in Heber....
Kids are great. This picture is from Crazy Hair day...Sam had a mohawk (which you can't see real well) and Cais had pigtails all over her head. It's Spirit Week at Destiny, so they are having fun. A whole week with no uniforms! They are looking forward to Halloween and Fall Break (next week). Wil is doing great too. He so wants to be in school like his brother and sister. So, I think I'm going to try and get him into the Gilbert Park and Rec. program like I did with Sam.
J's job is going well. He has won a couple of bids, so that is encouraging. He has worked so hard, it's nice to see it pay off finally. He is really getting involved in church, with men's group and helping with set-up/tear down.
I'm doing good as well. Doing a little work for Amadeo as well as helping with the women's Bible study. My mom started working a couple days a week, so I have been using those days to get all my housework done. BSF is great - we are studying the book of Romans this year and it has been really interesting. I'm so busy, I can't sit down for two minutes!
We are still looking for a house. We really would like to live in the neighborhood where we have church. Please pray that God would lead us to where HE wants us to be. We want to be effective witnesses in our neighborhood! Luckily, we have a couple months before we have to make any decisions.
Anywhoo....that was a longer update that I expected! Hope all is well with all of you!