what is normal?

Dave and I have always wanted normalcy in our lives. We have always wanted consistency. This is my last week of being a stay at home mom. I wanted to enjoy it to the fullest. This week was as close as we have ever gotten to 'normal'. We had snow days on Tues and Wed so Dave was home all day both days. He was home every night this week, which doesnt happen often. It was nice to have a 'normal' life for once. It is rare in ministry to have Dave home 4 nights in a row. We have played canasta together after the boys have gone to bed, we have had home coked meals all week, the boys have had very consistent bedtimes. It has been 'normal' and it has been nice! I have craved more community though. I have invited 2 friends over and a couple for dinner twice this week. Unfortunately the weather hasn't permitted it.
I used to not mind being home by myself and not being around people, but God has changed that in me. I realize I need people in my life. I enjoy people in my life now. I enjoy talking to people and listenng to people. I enjoy playing games and eating meals with friends. I loved my normal life while it lasted but unfortunately next week it all goes away. I start work full time and will be gone 3 nights a week. It will be fine though. It won't be 'normal' but it will be good!

We finally got snow!

We finally got a decent snow. It started Monday night and by Tuesday morning we had about 6 inches. Around noon Tuesday, it started freezing rain and continues until this morning early when it changed back to snow. We have about 8 inches now. It is pretty but a lot of people are without power so I pray we don't lose ours. That will quickly make our snow party lose its fun aspect.
Here are a few pictures of Dave and Jeremiah's walk to the store to get us more milk, since i used most of what we had to make my favorite, snowcream. Man, that is good stuff and I hadn't had any in years! It was well worth the wait!!!

Daddy daycare

We are so blessed. Our life is great. We have our health, great families, great friends. I am so thankful that through this transition we are making, I am able to work to support our family despite so many people losing their jobs. I am so thankful that Dave will get quality time with our boys in these crucial years of their lives rather than a daycare. We have a great set-up for him to stay home and go to school and me work. I will only have to work 3 nights a week so we will still have plenty of time for family time and time with friends. I am not thrilled about going to work b/c I am spoiled but through this whole time of us praying about it, I havent dreaded it once. I used to dread going in to work in NC. I just feel like it is the right thing to do and God has really given me a peace about it. I put up my room darkening curtains today and they do a good job of making my room dark so hopefully sleep wont be an issue too much. The hard part for me will be not being able to do MOPS as much or do random trips to the museum or aquarium. That willl get to be Daves job now. I am praying it will all go well, that I have good nights at work, and that I will enjoy my job for the next 11 months. Please pray for this transition with me!

Random Photos

The boys at the aquarium
This is one cute bump!
Me and my brother and sister

January...

It has been a long time since I have written but a lot has been going on. We had a wonderful Christmas and New years. We had a great visit with our old friend Alyse. We went to Gatlinburg/Knoxville for TCTC and to visit Crossings last weekend. It was great to have a nice suite close to the convention and have no agenda. We slept in and hung out with friends and did it all on our terms with no one to supervise but our own kids, which was wonderful. Crossing was amazing and we had a really good lunch and conversation with Mark, the lead pastor and his wife Monica. This past weekend Thomas and I went to VA for Kenzie's baby shower. It was a lot of fun to be with family and see her cute belly. Dave and Jeremiah had a boys weekend and went to the movies, a monster truck show and an Air force museum. Good times!!

But one Big thing that has changed for us is that Dave and I have been praying for months about this calling we have felt to do something in Blacksburg/Christiansburg. We feel like we need to work to pursue it so Dave has dropped down to part time for the next few months and will focus on finishing his masters here and on spiritual growth to be ready for what we feel may be our next step of planting a church in the southwest VA area of Va Tech. I have accepted a full time position at work and will be working 3 nights a week now to cover our expenses. We are excited to see what God leads us to do and are open to following the calling. Dave will finish school in December and we are hoping to tentatively move back to VA and start networking and making connections and developing relationships with people. We have no big plans any time soon but will just follow Gods prompting. Please pray for our family as we transition into new work habits. It is a blessing we have this option and we are very thankful as to how God worked it all out.
We are excited! This is a fun and crazy ride we are on and we are just holding on and enjoying it!!!

Haircuts- Dec 31, 2008

The boys got haircuts on our way home from NC. Our old barber Tim cut them. Thomas did great. He sat on my lap and we were both completely covered in hair, but he didnt care b/c he had his first sucker. Jeremiah wanted a fauxhawk and told Tim exactly how to do it. They look so cute!!!

Christmas

we had a most excellent Christmas. It was so nice to hang out with family and be in NC and VA. We got to have a double date night with Danny and Karie and reconnect with old friends for new years. We played a lot of rock band and enjoyed our families.
Here are a few pictures of the trip.