God Planting people in our path

Just wanted to share another family God has put in our path. After being in Arkansas for awhile we were wondering why here. We had left the most awesome Church and Church family one could every ask for... Westover you are forever in our hearts!! We knew that God brought us to Arkansas for a reason and we are still waiting to see more reasons. But one I know was to meet the Jacksons. They are a military family and just passing through as well. It was such a blessing to meet them. I had forgotten how hard it was to find family friends. Where 2 families could hang out together and everyone be happy with a playmate! Having 4 kids, 3 boys and a girl at just the right ages. I love being able to share my family adventures with Emilie and her share theirs with me. Not very often you find a family with a similiar adventure streak. I am better for knowing them and cherish the adventures we have shared together and the ones we get to share in the future. They are heading to Japan this month and have been on my heart and in my prayers. Just remember that great friends are hard to come by and I cherish all mine.

Hope the picture posts! learning as I go along :)

How has God Blessed your socks off

I know cannot believe I am writing twice in one day. I know it amazes me too. The last few months when we moved to Vincennes we very quickly got involved in our community, but did not find a Church we loved. WE settled on one the kids liked, but we really weren't connected. I believe that God places people, places and events in our lives on purpose and sometimes just picks us up literally and puts us on His track. So many times in my life when I have wondered why the most... He has blessed us the most. See my last post to see the most recent time, but there have been many!!!! So I thought that I would start sharing them with you. I will start with 3 that happened in Lincoln, IL and share others as God places them on my heart. One was the First home we found to rent in Lincoln... I was soooo against renting a house, it was just the 3 of us and I thought that an apartment would do. With Caleb not yet born some of the house responsibilities scared me. But as usual Rob talked me into it. Little did I know that God had great plans for us in that house. We met lifelong friends because of that house. Some were our neighbors and other because our neighbors took us to Church with them. Amazing how a simple house selection impacted not only my life, but my kids have some of their most cherished friends from the people we met by living there. And to come full circle one of the same neighbors moved near us when we lived in Arkansas and we got to reconnect with them there.

Another time I did something crazy while we were still in Lincoln and answered an ad for someone wanting part time child care. I thought sure some extra money and it would not hurt to meet them. But who really answers an ad like that and who places an add, those things are done by word of mouth right?!? Again God brought another life friend into my life.

Lastly I want to share another life Friend I met through God's hand. WE moved into a house we were planning to buy before closing... I know big mistake. It had some huge sewer problem, that we paid a lot to fix, we were going to buy this house!!! SO we went to close and there was a huge lien on the house... so we did not buy it, but put lots of $$$ into it :( Why I asked, but I knew the answer. God blessed us with some awesome friends that we met that lived across the street.

Every time we head home we try to connect with each one of these friends and I know that we will always keep in touch one way or another. God is amazing and just when you want to ask WHY??? look around and you will probably have your answer. Check back for more ways that God has blessed us and feel free to share how he has blessed you :)

I think we finally found an awesome Church

Ok I have not been good about writing. I am so excited!!! I think we found our Church in Vincennes. It is the The First Church of God in Vincennes. It seems to have the perfect combination for us. Great Children's programs, a preacher who will step on your toes a little, contemporary worship, alter prayer, the Lord's Prayer and Doxology(been missing some litergy). We felt more welcome in a day, than the months we have been at a much larger Church. I just think we are not big Church people. Since we live farther from family, we like to have an intimate Church family. Love how they introduced Communion with scripture. Right now we are going through a story form of the Bible. We have parts we are to read at home and then we discuss them in small groups, the kids classes and the sermon is preached on it. We did the Ten Commandment this past week. I love knowing that my kids are learning the same things we are... great family discussions. They have children's Church, but yet include the children in the beginning part of the Reg service. They have many youth and children's programs. I really feel that it was a God thing. HE has always blessed our sock off when we ask. We have not been great about going to Church which is not normal for us, but we were not excited about the Church we were attending. I really started praying about and that God would either help us find something else or give me peace about where we were at because the kids like it there(it is fun for them, but not sure what they are getting out of it spiritually)So we decided to look around again... we were actually looking for a different Church and could not find it! It was in our GPS but the spot the GPS took us to... nothing! So we drove around looking for awhile and then just decided to head toward the 11 o'clock service of the Church we had been attending. On the way we saw that this Church(the First Church of God in Vincennes) started at 11 as well, so we just turned into the parking lot saying why not! we met so many people and were invited to lunch and ended up going tot he Superbowl party at the Church that night. Everyone had a good time and met new friends. I just have to say God is Good... All the time!!!!

this crazy life

Things have been crazy busy. I really need to keep up with writing and posting. I am planning to get better. I have gotten to spend some great one on one time with the kids lately. Last weekend Mason and I went camping with Cub Scouts. We had so much fun. We put a tent up by ourselves and even helped cook. It was great seeing his creative side making up skits by the campfire. This weekend I got to help Alayna with a PAgeant. She lovesgetting dressed up like a princess. She sang a song acapella. She did great. I know at 7 I never would have stood up on stage and done that... so proud of her. She was so excited that Daddy made it. HE was an hour away at a swim meet with Caleb. Then just Alayna,daddy and mommy went out to eat. Then today I got to take Caleb back to the meet and then we spent some time at a bookstore,then we went out to eat. HE did great at his meet. I did miss Masona and Alayna's soccer games,but they did great... Mason tied( so still undefeated), coming back from 3-0 score at the half. Alayna won there second game of the season. Such a great family weekend... I LOVE LOVE LOVE being a mom:)

Busy week

This has been a busy yet fun week. I usually have my mornings, but with storytime and the kids book fair... not so much. Plus Rob's van would not start this morning, hoping just the battery!!! We are getting ready for 2 campouts. Caleb in going on his first Boy Scout campout this weekend. They have been working hard to build a trebuchet to chuck pumpkins. We are going to go watch just that part Sat. afternoon. Mason and I are going on a Cub Scout campout the following weekend. He is excited as well... me too. Rob has a cooking contest that weekend and Caleb is earning a merit badge for Scouts. Then we are planning for Alayna's pagent the next weekend and Caleb's first swim meet. This is all on top of the weekend soccer games and trying to make our popcorn selling goals. We love to keep busy and have fun, but sometimes I wonder how we do it?!?! Soccer is half way done, almost in time for basketball to start :)

Almost settled

OK so we are really getting settled and love Vincennes. We are all so busy, just how we like it. Caleb is on the swim team and in Boy Scouts, Mason is playing soccer and in Cub Scouts, Alayna is playing soccer, taking 3 dance classes and is in the daisy scouts. WE love the scout programs here, very active groups. Lukas and Noah are enjoying storytime at the Library. WE have joined the YMCA and are still looking for a Church we can call home. We have visited a few, but have yet to make a final decision.

All the decorating pieces are bought and hung, but the pictures. WE have put a swing set in the back yard. WE are happy to call this home. Mason and Alayna are going to the school around the corner and loving it. I have gotton to go on one field trip already and will go on another next week. I have gotton involved as well. I am a daisy leader, a scrip coordinator for the school, commitee member for scouts and an asst. cubmaster. Very busy but I love it. Rob is on some boards already and is a soccer coach. It is so great to be really immersed in a community again... YEAH VINCENNES!!!!

settling into Indiana

OK we have moved to Indiana and are getting settled.The kids are so excited. the back yard is huge and Alayna has her own room. The big boys are still sharing, but they have a much larger room and the the little boys are sharing with a good size room. Alayna's couch/bed came in yesterday. Her room is fairly small and we thought a bed would not allow her the space to play so we got her a little fold out couch... she loves it. Rob and I got new bedroom furniture as well... it is beautiful... Merlot they call it, a dark brown. the bedding is green and brown. we are just waiting for the Living room curtains and then we need to pick out a rug for the living room and we are good to go and I will post pictures:)

School started this week, it went OK we did the basics and hope to jump in more next week. We are going to discuss this week about the schools here since we moved, should we put them back in or continue to homeschool. Would like to find a Church and get the involved in their activities first.