Oh GEEZ

I love how over two months ago, I said I was back....and then I never actually started blogging again.

Honestly, the past year has been absolutely NUTSO!

So, in quick bullet points:

-We moved here exactly 1 year ago!
-My husband lost his job. :(
-Husband found a job (not his first choice, but it pays our bills)
-Jonathan started preschool...

and OH YEAH:


I'M PREGNANT!!


That totally wasn't part of "our" plan, but I'm realizing, our plans mean nothing! So, we are learning to just roll with the punches! I am 27 weeks along, and we are having a boy due around January 14th. His name is Daegen Rhys, so we are busy preparing for our new addition!

I still haven't found a teaching position, but again, God knows best, because there would have been NO WAY I could have worked with the way I have been so sick. Just as with my last pregnancy, I have been pretty sick daily, which has been frustrating, because I can't do anything! I haven't been able to do any cleaning, crafting, anything...except lay on the couch or in bed. My sweet husband has been so amazing, and I thank God so much for him.

All that to say, I'm feeling a bit better, and I really want to get back on the blog-waggon...I've missed reading some blogs, I feel very behind on everything!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Home Sweet Home

Well, it isn't much, but it's home to us. Again, the pic was taken with my phone....We have been busy getting our things out of storage, and getting settled...so, not much time for blogging. We actually don't have internet access yet.....so, I may have to wait until after Christmas to catch up on my favorite blogs!

If I'm not back before then...MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!

Traditions!!

Every Christmas morning growing up, my family always ate orange rolls. I don't know why, we just did. On Christmas Eve, we always went to the Chinese Buffet....sounds a little like "The Christmas Story" if you ask me! "Honey, that duck is staring at me..." The picture illustrates a tradition, that is more of a family joke...I always make the Green Bean Casserole....always....

Since my husband and I are recently remarried, we are trying to come up with some great family traditions we can have through the holidays that our children will love and always remember...

So, what are some of your family's favorite traditions?

A Home!

After 4 Long months of weird transitioning...We found a house! No, we aren't able to purchase anything, but it's a cute little rental, and affordable enough that we will be able to save up for a down payment for our future purchase!

We are NO LONGER homeless!!!!

God is good...and why must I continue to test HIS timing??

:)

Life

I haven't updated for awhile, because there really hasn't been much to update. My birthday came and went, pretty uneventfully, which I was happy about. We went to Laurel Lake to go fishing for the day. It was very nice and relaxing and made me want to live on a boat in the middle of the lake! The job situation has been dire....and after a short breakdown, I am ok with not working right now, and am really enjoying my time with Jonathan. I start subbing in a few weeks. Because of the job situation, we are still temporarily staying in a small apartment at the church, which at first was difficult, but we have adjusted, and are very thankful to have a place to live until everything gets settled.
The church is another matter entirely, and we didn't really know what we were getting into before we came. It is very small, and very old fashioned. We weren't prepared for how much of an extreme of either. We are again, adjusting and looking forward to continuing to help move this church into the "new millenium!"
That's pretty much it, in a nutshell. I've started scrapbooking again, which brings me a little bit of a creative outlet. It's been fun! Next week, Jason is taking me to Cincinnati to meet up with my grandma and Jonathan and I are going to spend a week up North with my family and go to our family reunion, which I haven't been to in over 12 years! My mom and her husband are also coming into Ohio from Arizona the same week, so it will be a nice visit with them as well.

Seriously, that's about it....everything is good, and there is much more to report :) I can't wait to go catch up on all of the blogs I usually read...it's been a long time....

Double Lung Transplant Fundraiser!!

A year ago, my mom's husband was given the gift of life...a set of lungs. In honor of his one year anniversary, we are inviting all of our friends and family around the world to be a part of this Virtual Spaghetti Dinner...Doesn't that sound delicious?! If you are able to donate to this fundraiser, we would greatly appreciate it, as they are still needing to raise funds for costly and continuing medical expenses. Any questions? Please send me a message, or contact Monica Zelei (information in the flyer, click on it to enlarge it.) You can also check out Marty's blog here.


Spread the word....this is the best food you can imagine...and you can even wear your best white shirt while eating it...

Thanks everyone!

Independence Day

"It's a DRY HEAT...." I sure won't miss that phrase. I didn't blog yesterday because we got home very late from fireworks. We decided to go to Schnepf Farm for fireworks this year. We had gone there before for their Pumpkin Patch, but never for Fourth of July. Online, they made it sound like a big deal ($10 for wristbands for the rides) but it wasn't. During the Pumpkin Patch, they have small carnival rides, and fun things to do, so we thought it would be similar, but it wasn't. They had two bounce houses, and two waterslides (which, the water in them looked disgusting) pony rides and a hay ride. That was it. It was so hot and humid, and the mosquitos were horrible. For some reason though, I was the only one they were attracted too... I literally had over 50 mosquito bites. Once the sun went down, it was a little better, the mosquitos still wouldn't leave me alone, but it was better. I think Jonathan's face in the one picture describes it all! We kept getting in the car and turning on the AC! We had good seats though, front row parking, and where we were parked we could see where they were setting off the fireworks, so we just put our chairs behind the car and sat there...then once they were over we were one of the first out of the parking lot...it was great! Over all, it was a good night...even though Jonathan had to have his ears covered....

And here are some more pics from the day. We went to mom's for lunch with Grandma Charlotte and Bill...

Finally

I've been blogging on and off since 2005. I began blogging my first year teaching, and wanted to record my first year struggles and victories.  It soon became a blog about my troubled pregnancy, and the difficulties relating to that.  Then, it evolved into a dark and painful place where I posted the raw emotions dealing with a painful divorce and child custody battle.

I decided to start again, and this blog is dedicated to a new life of reconciliation, restoration...and my new life.  How I spend my days, and how I'm going to make my 30's so much better than my 20's.

My goals are to journal about life in a way that no matter what is going on, I can laugh, and maybe you will too.  I want to record the precious moments of my son, the reconciliation and renewal of the relationship between my (ex) husband and I, our journey to raise a self-reliant family, and our quest to become healthier, wiser and financially secure.  

Stay tuned...I promise to keep up with this one!