Where we are now....

What a ROLLERCOASTER my life has been these last few months...I have struggled to accept unforeseen changes in my life. I have seen God move three of my five BEST FRIENDS to all sorts of different places. Then, my sister-in-law was promoted and her job moved her, my brother-in-law, my niece and my nephew four hours away. Just when I think I have a grip on all that is taking place, something else is tossed at us.

2011 definitely brought CHANGE, HEARTACHE, and GOD'S PRESENCE in the most TANGIBLE ways possible.

In November, Lydia turned one and what a great celebration I had planned.

We had a sweet cupcake party for her, and everyone brought items to donate to our church's compassion kits. The "bigger children" decorated their cupcakes, I read "If You Give a Mouse a Cupcake" and everyone enjoyed the candy bar items. We sang "Happy Birthday" with great joy. She giggled at all the attention, but she couldn't eat her cake...Sigh....Of all things, this shouldn't really bother me. I wasn't surprised at all, but somehow that represented one more thing she wasn't able to do and I WANTED her to be able to eat her cake. It was HER party. We held it together. Nonetheless, we had a great time celebrating HER!

Our Thanksgiving was spent in a tropical paradise with some of our dearest friends that moved away from us a year ago. They have left the busier schedules of our society and are living on island where they have started a home church that is GROWING weekly. I am in awe of how God has placed them exactly where they are, maybe I can share more about them later! We just took our two older boys, and did we ever have an adventure! We snorkeled, we cave-tubed (with bats!), and we enjoyed some fun in the sun. It was a nice break from our daily routines and hectic schedules. We couldn't have been MORE THANKFUL for our time with our friends and time away. (My husband rarely takes time off, and we soaked in as much QUALITY time as possible! The picture is a snapshot of our adventure!)

The month of December brought Christmas, a couple of FUN, Festive parties, some FAMILY time, and more turmoil in my life! My DEAREST friend and her family packed up and headed to the Northwest to plant a church in Spokane, Washington. Talk about FAR AWAY! Ugh! It was almost too much to take. God truly had blessed me with her friendship for the last 4 years, but as a pastor's wife and born missionary, I guess I always knew I wouldn't have her for long. What a great friend she has been, a true example to me of a SERVANT WIFE and Christian friend. I am sure she has strengthened my faith and my family. HER FAITH CHALLENGES ME....It is, in fact, one reason I have decided to open myself up here and share my GOD STORIES with each of you.

I am definitely a "WORK IN PROGRESS", imperfect person, still trying to make meaning from all the unsettling chaos in my life....You will not find one of those people who have it all together here. AND, I will try not to bore you with SO MANY personal details of my life, and begin to blog more about daily insights that I believe may relate to ALL of US, as I strive to be the AUTHENTIC kind of person I believe God wants me to be.

I say bring on 2012! "WE can do all things through Christ who gives US strength." Philippians 4:13... More to come on my thoughts and goals for a great new year...