Happy Birthday Nate (nine)!

I am so looking forward to the day that I can celebrate your birthday with you.  We have celebrated nine of them without you...

Miss you sweet boy.  Wishing you a beautiful celebration!

Love,
Mommy

Quick Update...

for those who have so kindly prayed for our family.

My daughter's surgery went well.  She has another 3 inch scar on her shin (to match the 3 inch scar on her knee).  We have an appointment with the Oncologist next week so I'm assuming that we will get pathology results then?  Even if they are negative, it still could have spread so she has to see the Oncologist on a regular basis for the next 2 years!

My husband had his 3rd interview with a great company last week.  Have not heard a word since.  Praying so hard for them to offer him a job  (I literally drive by the office every day and pray).  He doesn't have any other options currently in the pipeline.

Thank you to my blogging family.  You are FAR more supportive and concerned than my real family!

Hugs!

He answered my sarcastic question...

This time...His answer was Melanoma Cancer.

When my husband lost his job in December I told God I would still praise Him...and I would trust Him through the uncomfortableness (is that even a word?).  We have been through so much the past few years that I also said "What else ya got?"

Last month, my daughter was diagnosed with Melanoma in her leg...the same leg she had knee surgery on 5 months ago from college soccer.  Surgery is TOMORROW!  Please pray that she is safe during surgery (I know first hand that mistakes can be made) and that the cancer hasn't spread.  And a job for my husband would be a huge relief too.

I will still praise you God, but ugh...mercy already!!!!!

Life...

Once again it's Christmas.  A time of Joy for most, a time of sorrow for many.  My heart just aches for those who like us are split onto both Heaven and Earth.

Today we celebrate Jesus.  For our family, this has been a very different Christmas.  An upcoming job layoff next month put a hault on spending so we had to be creative and stretch what we had.  My kids are so resilient at this point that they made some fun new memories in the midst of it and haven't complained at all.  Our family has been through so much the past 8 years since Nate died.  It's just been one thing after another...  I'm finally at the point where I told God "What else ya got?".  Honestly, I just don't care anymore.  I know He has my back and whatever He is molding me into, it's for a reason.  Life just has to be uncomfortable for a little bit longer.  

So today, we focus on Jesus and because of Him, our church family blessed us with some love.  I much prefer to be the one doing the giving but it does feel nice to be loved on.

May your Christmas be full of Joy no matter what the circumstance is.

XOXOXO

Going for GOLD!

My twins teammate is competing in the Olympic trampoline competition TODAY!  They only pick ONE person from the US and he is it!  

Go LOGAN!!!!

not the vacation I wanted...

But it was the perfect vacation.  

Our budget is tight.  By tight,

 I mean T-I-G-H-T!  

Because of this...

and this...

and this...

and this...

Sports have consumed our lives.  It's really good for our kids but it makes taking a vacation tough.  My idea of a vacation is lying on a beach or next to a pool doing NOTHING!  Just relaxing for a week because when I am home I cannot relax.  With 5 kids and 4 sports (soon to be 5 as Brady starts soccer next week) there is no down time.  So I was frustrated that our budget didn't allow for my idea of a vacation this year.  I really needed one!

Determined to make memories we decided to drive to Utah while my hubby was working (he usually flies out there but buying 7 plane tix was not in the budget so we drove).  He worked during the week but on the weekends we visited National parks,,,

the Olympic Park...

 and had the best time...

There was absolutely no relaxation involved (unless you count a 10 hour drive) but it was one of my favorite vacations ever!  

And little Brady certainly enjoyed himself.  He's spent the past  4 years watching his older siblings get to do all the fun stuff.  Finally it was his turn.  After everyone else had a turn, my crazy 4 year old jumped off a cliff (not really a cliff but we called it that)...

and did a ropes course 65 feet in the air...

even ziplining to a platform and then jumping off all by himself (he looks like he's hanging in the sky)...

One thing that I have realized about myself is that I am crazy overprotective about my kids being in my sight at all times (especially Brady) AND driving in cars with other people (I'm very picky) but I let all 5 of them dangle on wires 65 feet in the air (I was right behind them).  Makes absolutely no sense - right?  I guess I have a lot of faith in wires and cables...


Enjoying our last days of Summer...back to our crazy school schedule next week (insert tears).

This happened...

My oldest graduated from High School this month.  It still feels like her first day of Kindergarten.  I have no idea where the next 12 years went.

I'm so proud of her.  She struggled socially (hard) the first couple of years but then met a very nice group of Christian girls with similar values and priorities.  She finished strong being named Scholar Athlete of the Year and Valedictorian with a 4.3 GPA.  She is off to play collegiate soccer and study civil engineering in the fall.  Luckily...she is only going an hour away (she got recruited by LOTS of East Coast schools but she didn't want to be far away from Brady - whew!).

Still can't believe this happened.