Happy New Year Everyone! Last year at this time we were in Nigeria, and now we are settled in Texas with our own home, Aaron in the thick of basketball season and the big boys thriving in school. They both claim to "hate it" but they are doing great and love their friends. We have been blessed with wonderful teachers which makes all the difference.

Elisha has an appointment at the end of the month to get his tonsils removed and we are looking at putting tubes in Lydia's ears. Judah is especially enjoying Grandma and Grandpa's visit from their post in Tanzania and Caleb started a two morning a week preschool last week. His best buddy, Grayson, is in his class.

The intensity of life with four children seems to continually increase! I posted a few Christmas pictures, but I didn't get many. I keep telling myself I will do better about taking pictures. We have albums of Elisha and I am way behind with Lydia. My Aunt Carol will be so disappointed in me! I will try to do better with my new camera mom gave me for Christmas.

I would love to blog more regularly, but I can never think of anything clever or entertaining to write. My friends are so creative and intreguing. I can't compete, but wanted to update those of you who just want to know about our little family. God has blessed us abundantly and we pray that 2009 brings us and you closer to Him.

 
Our Baby Girl is ONE! Lydia's birthday was yesterday and we celebrated at mom and dad's. Elisha kept saying, "this is the messiest birthday ever, isn't it?" My mom continually tells me that Caleb and Lydia have different parents than Elisha and Judah, and enjoyed reminding me that Elisha got a "bran muffin" for his first birthday. Oh, how things change. Elisha also said, as Lydia was covered with icing, "Oh no, Lydia has rabies!" Thankfully not. Go to the picture link on the right if you want to see more birthday pictures of our princess.

Current News and Random Thoughts

Aaron has been playing basketball with kids at open gym three nights a week for a few weeks now. He loves it but his knees don't! He is making great connections. I love how he loves kids.

We "redecorated" the living area in John and Pat's house and Aaron got me a dishwasher. . .I am the "queen of his single-wide trailer" you know. We are trying to make this very small space work for our very big family until we get a better idea of where we need to put down roots. I love this little house and being so close to GG and Poppa.

We are putting the boys in public school after much prayer and discussion and searching. They have gone to VBS all this week and love getting out of the house. I think school will be a great solution to all of our stircrazyness. Yes, I made up that word. Those of you who are like I used to be, and think I am doing the absolute worst thing in the world for my children can use that burden to pray for them. . .please!

I owe a certain friend much thanks for helping me see that I don't have to please other people. I spent so much time trying to look right and do the perfect thing and be the perfect example that I alienated the people who need to see Jesus in the first place. My goal was pleasing the amazing godly "above rubies" women in my life. I have realized that as long as I am pleasing my husband and my God nothing else matters. How freeing is that!?! If I am going to woo people to Jesus, it doesn't' matter if I wear a dress and make my own bread and homeschool my children while using cloth diapers. What matters is my joy in the Lord and His love and grace flowing through me to this lost and hurting world.

I am excited about the one on one time with my little ones and hope to give them an opportunity to be little. (My beautiful Lydia Rose will be one on August 8th!) Up until now they have just been along for the ride. I heard recently that your children are the age of your oldest child. Just think about it, would you ever have allowed your oldest child to do or watch some of the things that your youngest child does by default?

I love my friends and our life group. We are so blessed to have real fellowship with believers.

I got off my antidepressant and was literally crazy for over a week. Praise God it is finally out of my system and I am getting back to normal. Whatever that means. The drug was helpful when our lives were so up in the air, but I felt like I was in a haze and the Lord seemed so far. Just since I got off the meds I have already seen a huge difference in my relationship with Jesus. I didn't realize how much I missed that intimacy.

I have the best (so don't argue with me) husband in the whole world and he handles me, my moods, my selfishness and my Shellyness so well.

Have you ever noticed how time consuming TV and internet is? I could stay completely caught up with everything if we lost those two luxuries. Not that I want to loose them!

I am on a quest to be content with today and stop looking and striving for what is next. I want joy in the now, no matter how crazy it looks.

One more thing: I am reading an amazing book that any parent would greatly benefit from. It is so practical and helpful. "Say Goodbye to Whining, Complaining, and Bad Attitudes in You and Your Kids" by Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller. EXCELLENT, I promise!

FINALLY!

I am so thankful to announce that Aaron got a job! Next year he will be the Alvord High School boy's basketball coach. Our boys are so excited and we even went to visit the elementary school today. Aaron hopes to get his keys this week and our boys are chomping at the bit to check out the gym. We have felt so lost for so long and now God drops something in our laps that is better than we could "ask or imagine." I guess that is how He promises to work, huh? So, when you think there is no hope, just wait because our Father really does "have plans to prosper and not to harm us, to give us hope and a future." Sometimes we just have to wrestle with Him for a while, to stretch us and grow our faith. Thank you so much for all the prayer and encouragement you have given through this hard season. Now maybe we can start returning the favor!

Just an update that the job search is finally moving forward. Please keep praying with us, especially for wisdom to know what the best choice is for our whole family.

Lately the Lord has been really showing me a lot about love. Love. Read the love verse in Corinthians. If we really walked that out, think about the peace we would have in every relationship! Satan hates relationships and he stays busy trying to wreck them. Lord, help us love like you love so we can walk in peace and bring you glory!

wow. life is such a pain sometimes. i am not where i want to be and this season of total confusion is so hard. all i have to do is praise and focus on all the good and i'm fine. why do i usually choose to wallow in the bad? i was sitting on the front porch of this tiny house where we currently live. the grass was super green, the cows were lazily grazing in the field next to our yard and the breeze and shade were perfect. It was, for lack of a better word, glorious! caleb came out and asked me what i was looking at and i said "just all the stuff Jesus made." he came out again later and i was reading a book and he said "are you looking at what Jesus made in the book?" I love his little brain. life is so simple for him. that is how God wants it to be for me. just trusting Him for everything. my food, my comfort, my life. instead of embracing that and being joyful always, i fret and stew. life will never be perfect. I am amazed at how truly blessed i am, when i take the time and energy to think about it. . .instead of feeling sorry for myself.

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...

It's about learning to dance in the rain."

Well, we made it home at 4:00 a.m. Monday morning, after a grueling 20 hour drive from Savanna, Georgia, through Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. It felt so good to get back into Texas, but just going from the edge of Texas to our home took longer than going across any one of the other states! When we were in Africa people would often joke about how proud every Texan is. I think they are just jealous.

Aaron is still waiting for a job in this area to open up. We covet your prayers concerning this. It is so very hard to wait! Please petition the Lord for us, that He will provide something. . .the perfect something for our whole family. . .very soon. God is faithful!