Guy Time

WELL right after we came home from Michigan, we were able to hang out with Guy. Our time was filled with random visits to his friends as well as mine, cooking out, being lazy and sooome shopping (not much). He was only able to stay 3 days but I will get to see him on Sunday with the rest of my immediate (minus Jamie:( ) and all my dad's family! WOOT! I am happy I can go, I wasn't going to as it is a tight month but I had several people offer to help me get there.(Thank you Lord for the little blessings like that) I am so relieved I can see them Sunday. I was having trouble thinking that was all the time I had with my family. ALSO Jamie's Mama is coming soon so that will be lots of fun! And then my Aunt Cindi will be stopping by for a day too! AND THEN it's time for Gaitlinburg...holy cow! So I will try to keep up with the blogging but you may only see me here and there : )

Spring-a-ling

With all the gorgeous weather, our family has opted to be outside, even if it means grabbing a blanket and hanging out in the back yard

Hanging out at home

Some time at the park

Ryry and Juju at the park

Hanging out with our neighbors

She is LOVIN' the weather!

I think Justice wins the award for being MOST excited : )

Today..

Was hubby's day off so we:

slept in
had fun with the girls
watched TV almost all late afternoon and early morning
had grilled cheese and tomato soup
played mass effect
played with the girls
got a text from one of my besties that she missed me (I LOVE that kind of stuff)
had TACOS! yummmmoooo
got a great package from a great friend!
spent more time with the girls
took turns playing more mass effect
I cut my hair
Justice ate some baby peas!!!! woot!
enjoyed ice tea
watched Monsters vs Aliens with Juju (my personal fav)
both beat mass effect
and now Jamie is playing some Batman and I am reflecting on our highly, unproductive, MUCH NEEDED, amazing day :)

I love my family

What's Goin' On?

Justice is super sick, she got the cold from her older sister and now her eyes and nose wont stop watering/running. Today, after her nap, I had to take a warm wash cloth to them in order for them to open...they were matted shut. So not cool. My little, happy, cute monster is so sad and helpless : (

Jubilee is recovering from her cold, but is making up for her good health with crazy behavior. Not necessarily bad, just ornery. I will tell her not to do something that she already knows not to do and she will just smile at me...yea...brat : )

Jamie is super, duper busy with work. If it hadn't been for our mini blizzard than he would have been on his 8th day straight today. Fortunately he has about a 36 hour break in there. On Wednesday, he and I are going on an overnight date! WOO HOO! AND since I have amazing friends, it looks like we may go to a movie as well. I am so excited about it, but am hoping Jusi is out of the worse of it by then. It will be pretty tempting to cancel if she is still this bad. Jubilee was done with hers in like two days...and the last day was just like today. Here's hopin'.

 I have been playing Mass Effect in the meantime, you know, when I am not cleaning or taking care of sickos (did I mention Jamie was sick too? haha) I have taken a short break with text broker, but want to get back into that soon.

Angel is due with her baby today, Marianna is coming over tomorrow, date with Jamie Wednesday/Thursday, Friday is unknown at this point, and Jamie's birthday is on Sat! Woooot! :)

I talk to my family like everyday...if not my parents or brother than Jamie's : ) Guy is good...I miss him. I know he is probably enjoying Korea and I am glad for that. I miss our "Chicago" crew as of lately. It's sinking in more and more that they are further than convenient. Blah.

Overall we are really blessed and feeling good in spirit...if only we could get our health there too.  COME ON SPRING!

Star Wars, the Sunny, and Stuff



Well Jamie and myself had such a fun weekend! We had a Star Wars marathon that was split into two days. The first day we watched the original trilogy with 4 friends and a couple of wanderers and the second was the other three with just us and Marianna and Bryan. We ate terrible! All weekend haha but it was way fun and I needed to review my fav series...man whats next?! Harry Potter?!? or should we introduce everyone to Firefly?!? hahaha

Jubilee is getting so good about her lack of sunny and I am just so proud of her. We are going to go and buy her a big girl bed and comforter soon : )

My diet is going well but exercise is just hard! Jamie is on a retail schedule and we hardly see each other as it is. So it is hard to convince the other to workout while the one stays with the kids....and when he is home by 9 some evenings and then dinner...just losing motivation. I even find myself cutting my sessions short when I know I could jog longer because I want to hang out with him. SO I think we are going to invest in a treadmill and I am WAY excited : )

Justice is starting to eat baby fruits and veggies...and is sleeping through (most nights) until 9 in the morning! She is also nearly out of 6 month clothes completely and only in 9 months...did I mention she is 5 months as of yesterday!

I am really hoping and praying for a get a way night next month just me and the hubsters! I think we could use it.

Not much else...May the force be with you! (always)

A Mommy's Thankful Prayer (In all sincerity and a true story)

Thank you, Lord that Jusi was crying and crying and crying for me to hold her. I needed a break from laundry and dishes and cleaning today anyhow.

Thank you, Lord for the spare bedroom I have. I really needed it today to put Juju in because she was screaming and crying and throwing a fit, so loud, that she would have woken up Jusi.

Thank you, Lord that my daughter has no bumps or bruises from crawling out of her pack n play today during nap time.

Thank you, Lord that I had a wire hanger in my home. Right after Jubilee crawled out of the pack n play she decided to lock herself in the spare bedroom, and that wire hanger suuuure came in handy.

Thank you, Lord for coffee and cream and lots of sugar to calm me down.

Thank you, Lord for Finding Nemo...it just calms EVERYONE down.

Thank you, Lord that my husband is on his way home and I can BREATHE for a second : )

tooodaaaaay

My poor Justice is sick : ( wish I could help her. Gave her nasal spray and some vicks rub....

Jubilee is in a super duper mood today and is being affectionate also (I love it!)

Jamie is working till 8...but found out he is assistant manager and has been they just didn't really tell him? LOL at least it is good news

I am pretty content today...trying not to be a fixer or a pleaser...just trying to get daily tasks done and keep my home running.

Sketti and Meatball are fat and lazy as usual

For Christmas...

WELL my hubby was so awesome this year and bought me some smelly good stuff and cute knit brown boots and a lil stuffed Bobba Fett (who sits near my bed...for those of you who don't know I am a HUGE Fett fan) His dad got me some colts attire and socks and a cute little sign to hang in my home. I received a knit hat and scarf, a messenger bag made of burlap, beauty and the beast,and some awesome pj's from some of my friends. An amazing meal with friends, some time with family, catching up with persons that we just had not seen in forever. It was a great day. But I realized something very important. Life has so many seasons (as I talked about in a previous post) and you just never know when one season will start and end. Friendships, homes, jobs, pets, they all have seasons. I found myself missing a very hard season in our life that turned into a major blessing. When we lived in Illinois I thought it was going to be horrible and I remember being so sad when the holidays were approaching. We were so poor and felt so alone. People took us in though, and loved us. People made us part of their families and circle of friends without hesitation. Now when I look around I am surrounded by people I have known for most of my life and by family and familiarity, but there is this piece of me that aches for the people who took us in and loved us regardless of us being practically strangers. They, in a sense, are as much family as our real family...because they had no obligation to be there for us. I appreciate them now as much as I ever did...and just really wish they knew my gratitude. (I don't think I can even put it in words) I hope that if the situation is ever presented to me, that I will take people in as well and be there for them unconditionally...just like Christ has done for all of us. Takes us in, doesn't ask questions, and loves us. Those people during those hard times, they were Christ to us. The real meaning of Christmas. I guess I am just saying that you should always embrace the season you are in, even if it seems tough or weird or awkward or endless...because you will look back on it one day and see how strong it made you and how far you have come...and you may even find yourself missing it.

Seasons

There is a season for everything. Right now I am trying to tell myself that this is not the season for a spic and span, ocd,perfect looking home...but rather for a clean, slightly cluttered home filled with little kids toys and sounds. Maybe if I keep telling myself that I can keep my sanity. I don't know why my organizational awareness had to set in NOW but they did and I am just trying to keep it together : )

It is also the season for teaching my children, watching them learn and grow, helping them to function in everyday situations, and just to laugh and have fun. I guess I can take that over a beautiful home anyday : )

Being a Mother

I feel so blessed. I love being a mother and I feel so thankful that the Lord allows me to care for and teach my girls. It. Is. The. Best. : )

Today we put allllll of the toys in Juju's bedroom away while organizing them. I found several of my own belonging in there as well....hmm wonder how that happened : ) Then we sat in the bedroom and red some books and sang some songs. Justice was just in awe by all of it but I could tell she was enjoying it. Jubilee LOVES reading with her, sharing with her, and bringing her "Sissy's" belongings. (Jusi's blankie, dog, kittie, book...that's about all that is only hers) We also watched Beauty and the Beast today which was pretty cool...Jubilee sat through about 3/4 of the movie without talking...then she wandered off to play with the cats while I watched the rest with my cup of joe. (lol I almost typed my cup of hoe). Jamie is working late all this week so I am trying to find ways to keep the girls entertained. Justice sleeps enough that its not hard to find ways to keep her busy (normally she is just content with gnawing on her feet) but Jubilee will be way bored hours before Jamie gets home. Sad that the week of Christmas is the week he works late isn't it? oh well...just thankful for jobs for sure!

Will type more laterz!

unpacking and entertaining

Well this past weekend was pretty eventful! On Thursday Jamie and myself went out for our Anniversary and had a nice dinner at Red Lobster...it was yummo! We were able to have unlimited shrimp! O man...so yummy. : ) Walked around the mall for a bit and then came back to hang out with the girls and my parents and Guy before bed.

Friday was our early Christmas. We had a lot of fun and ate way to many cookies and listened to some of Guy's music. Among our gifts was :some fun clothing, some shopping money, A piece of wood that has "I can only imagine" burnt into it. There were two gifts that were just incredible and blew my mind away. The first being white PS3, apparently only exclusive to Japan and Korea (from Guy) very very cool...Jamie cried...literally. It was something we didn't need, didn't plan on having...just never went there because we knew we couldn't. And here it is...this one of a kind, frivolous, tech thing. Pretty cool. AND the other...was a leather bag that my Daddy used to carry around everywhere with him...to church...to night classes..to work. My Dad didn't go anywhere without it and I told him he couldn't ever get rid of it. Guess who is the proud owner of a used leather bag? Yea...that's right...me : ) That one meant THE world to me.

Saturday we went to Castleton Square to shop since everyone got some money as a gift. That was pretty fun...I still have some left that I am planning on going to a thrift shop or goodwill with : )

Sunday we went to the church I grew up in. It was good because there were lots of people who I needed to connect with and a couple of people that I needed to make things okay.

And that brings us to today...just trying to get my house cleaned and put away more stuff and organize. Not much more but will update soon

6 day breakdown

Friday- WAS CRAZY! We started packing way early but the girls, kitties, and myself had to leave Ricky and Jamie behind to continue packing. We came here...went over to Aaron and Retta's (our neighbors and GREAT friends) and I took a shower and relaxed on the couch till Jamie came home...and he also took one and instead of unloading we CRASHED on thier air matress. : )

Saturday- UNPACK! We all unloaded the truck and then Jamie and Ricky went to go goof off and run errands while Ray and myself watched the girls and organized. Saturday evening we had pizza and went over to Aaron and Retta's and just chiiiiillllled

Sunday- I felt like CRAP! so we didn't do much. Hung out...I ran some errands...and then we went over to guess who's...Aaron and Retta's and watched the game with Ricky and them! (WOO HOO FOR COLTS COUNTRY!) Came home...unpacked a box or two and crashed

Monday- WAS NUTS! Jamie felt terrible and had strained his neck/shoulder and had to call in on his first day. (Fortunately he knew his boss and has worked for her before and she totally understood) SO I ran a key over to Aaron and Retta and left Jubilee asleep in her crib and drove up to O'hare to get my brother from his flight home from KOREA! : ) We had a good time on the way back....joking and laughing...all together it was a 9 hour trip. When we got back we brought food to Jamie and Ricky (who had kept him company for a while). ALSO while I was gone Caleb's parents stopped by and gave us groceries and goodies and giftcards! AND Aaron and Retta brought us groceries too...talk about feeling blessed.

Tuesday- Was filled with unpacking and orgnazing. Guy watched the girls while I went into town and got utilities set up (yes...you must go into town to get them turned on) when I came back I started a pot of chili which ended up feeding a bunch of people. Aaron, Retta, Ricky, Jamie, Guy, Jubilee, and Rylan oh and myself...and the babies just had their baby stuff. BUT STILL! I entertained 10 people. And we were all sitting in the livingroom and having community and I just felt so happy.

Wednesday- er...today....unpacked more, things are starting to feel at home for sure! Retta and Aaron hung out with us all day as I was making things comfy and cozy. Gabe is here to hang out with us and guy (a kid we homeschooled with) and we are expecting Ricky and Glover over later. WOW! I didnt even realize how many people we have had in and out of here till now! It's going to be like 13 people!

AND (I know lots of caps in this blog) we are going to have my parents here tomorrow and have an early Christmas this weekend. Gotta get the tree up tomorrow! more soon...perhaps a fail blog????? : )

Catching up

I am in the middle of moving so bare...bear...???...with me as I am here and there on my blog!

Work: SUX! I am so mad at them! Not only was I demoted earlier this summer...and then told I couldn't relocate to a different store (just for my own sanity and refreshment)...and not being paid the correct amount per hour...I was just told I owe the company $330 because somewhere in the time I have been there they over paid me and want me to pay them back a little bit at a time. Uhm. No. Sorry. Hopefully they wont take my last check because we really need the money and I really don't want to decided whether or not to take them to court. BLAH....yuck HOWEVER, I do felt like I received a little bit of closure with my Regional Manager who said I had great customer service, good energy, and shook my hand and wished me all the best of luck.

Church: Sunday was our last day with our church family and I cried nearly all day. I was on worship team, said goodbye to lots of people after service, had Stac over for the afternoon, than went to Gumrai Thai for the evening with our group. Yea. Cried the last 15 minutes...Jamie and I hardly talked all the way home...and then there was crying on and off the rest of the evening and hardly any happiness. Even Monday I caught myself crying here and there. And today I had a moment where it took everything in me not to burst out in tears. I am going to really really miss this group of people. I know that God brings you into and takes you out of places all the time. I think 80 percent of the reason God brought us up here was to meet these people and make life long friends.

Home: Our home is nearly packed up...just the kitchen and clothes and we are KINDA procrastinating ; ) We have a truck reserved for Friday. On Thursday we are going to move everything in to the garage so that when we DO get the truck we will just load it from there. Utilities are nearly set up, just one more phone call and a stop in Peru's office.

Family: Justice is growing like a weed and Jubilee is learning new words and phrases by the minute! Ricky is coming tomorrow to help us load up. GUY is flying into Ohare on Monday (which means I am driving back up here lol) and then my parents will be coming the following Thurs for an early Christmas...SO I have lots going on with that as well : ) Middle of this month I am also planning to go see all of my cousins in Ohio....WHAT A CRAZY MONTH!!!!

Me: I am feeling good. Even though I have a LOT going on and a LOT to think about...I am super thankful. God has paved the way for all of this and has given me a good attitude even in the hard times. I am normally not good with change (I am sure I will find my meltdown moments any day now) but so far so good. I also still feel this intimacy with God and am thankful that He is faithful to me and loves me...even when I feel super busy or am feeling down.

WELL that's my update....will be on here when I can!

Sadness

I have been pretty "high" lately on the idea of moving to lower cost of living and back near family and friends and familiarity....

BUT at the same time I am way sad. I was looking through the pictures of the Brantners/Lords in Myrtle Beach (-1) and I am just sad. I am leaving them all behind...I mean Dave and Stac and Jessica and Bryan are in other states....but they have all become family. Not just church family but like my actual family. Kirk and Joyce have been here through both of my pregnancies and my girls getting bigger, and break downs in my life and just everything...good and bad. And I love them. And all four of thier children. Even though thier kids live in other states I feel like I am moving away from the connection. And...I am crying. So Emo....Why does life have to change? I know this is a dumb question and I know there are seasons but...I just want this part of my life to live on and some how mesh with my other life. And my church, oh my word...what will we do without Deb and Chris and Andy and Dan and Mrs. Rose and Pete and Norma...and everyone. I know it is coming and I have to deal with it. Sunday is our last day at our church and for some reason I said...yes put me on worship team which is like saying...yes, put a mic in my hand so I can sing/cry in front of everybody. Blah

Jubilee and Justice

AH! My girls are so great!


Jubilee(21 months):
is saying her ABC's nearly by herself : ) wow!
Saying please, thank you, your welcome
she recognizes Superman symbols now : ) hahah
working on putting her on clothes on
can totally eat with a spoon or fork now
asks for things like blankie, cheese, drink, pizza, brush
recognizes Mom, Dad, Sissy, Ricky
can say grandpa, grandma, Guy, Rayray, Nana, and Glover
Asks to get up, go to sleep, and watch movies
sandy brownish blond hair
green eyes! yes they are totally changing
size 5 diaper

Justice(almost 2 months):
Completely sleeping through the night (for a couple of weeks now)
Eating ALL the time
in 3 month clothing and 12+lbs
eating almost 6 ounces with baby cereal (otherwise you cant do anything but fees her)
smiling a LOT : ) which totally melts my heart
lots of eye contact and less of the cross eyed stuff
holding head up by herself and is a supported sitter
doesn't cry for tummy time, baths, or diaper changing (unlike Jubilee at that age:})
cries if she isn't constantly with food...like literally...always hungry (also unlike Jubilee at that age)
Nearly size two diaper!
reddish blondish hair
BLUE eyes

Lil Brudder

My little brother is coming home in less than two weeks! I am beside myself! : )

Yesterday he had a bad day as he woke up and couldn't move. He thought he was having a nightmare that he was in pain and when he woke up he realized it was true and he couldn't move. He had to have his suite mate call 911 for him. Last I heard he was better...had some pain killers and muscle relaxers....but that's pretty scary!

ANYWAY...I heard this song last night and thought of him.

Home schooled?

Jamie and I hope that we are able to home school are kids. Now those plans could change, we are open to changes when it comes to education. BUT I would absolutely love it if I had the chance to teach them for a couple of years. SO every now and then I think of an idea and I think I am going to share them, if nothing else, to have them written somewhere so I don't forget.

I want to challenge my kids to take up a cause. It can be anything...cure for cancer, saving a rain forest, feeding the homeless...I want to challenge them to find what they are passionate about and I want to help them make a difference with it.

I also want to teach them to question things (I know...scary right?!) but I think it is important to know both sides of something and why. The other day this kid came up to me and asked me to buy apples for a fund raiser (he was in 8th grade) when I asked what it was for he said he didn't know but his teacher told him to do it. Wow...now this 8th grader could be kind of lazy, but how much of that came from not being challenged to find out why things are the way they are!

I also have ideas for essays such as "My Favorite Thing about Myself" we could even make it a two parter, one having to do with physical looks and one on personality.

unrelated to schooling I would also like to challenge my children during the holidays to really focus on the reasons we have them. I LOVE Christmas, for the giving of it...and I hope my children can find that also. Maybe have them donate lightly used toys of theirs and have them pick it out.

Just ideas that I want to remember

I Like Lists

Whats going on around here???


We move November 5th into our 3 bedroom 1 bath HOUSE! (only 435 a month) RIGHT next to Aaron and Retta and there three boys (all three and under) we are excited for the most part!

Except that yesterday I cried through most of church hahaha

Jamie starts work on the 8th of November and his last day at his current job is the 31st.

Guy is flying in to Ohare also on the 8th! Which means THREE days after we move in I will be driving back up here to get him : ) BUT I am sooooo pumped!

Mom and Dad are coming a couple of days later to have an early holiday celebration! (Hopefully I can be mostly unpacked with a Christmas tree up by then! haha)

I am back to working one day a week...so far it isn't too awful

My girls are so stinkin' cute...like...wow. I brag way too much about them : )

Harry Potter is coming out next month! WAAA HOOOO!

Our four year wedding anniversary is on the 11th of November

Today we are sitting in our pj's doing nothing (actually Jamie did clean some this morning! what a sweetie)...when we should be packing...but laziness was a MUCH needed thing around here. We have been way to busy lately. So we have been eating pizza and playing xbox and watching Episode III and Rocketman!

I have a really cool idea that I need to get off of the ground...maybe I will wait to dig into it too much until after we move : )

Babies, babies, babies

I feel like all I have posted about lately is my family and babies...but I guess that is where I am in life : )

I love the newborn stage....Jamie get on to me because I am constantly holding Justice but I just know how fast Juju's first year and a half went by and I just can't stand the thought of losing the infant stage. Jamie and I have talked about being done with kids...but I just don't know. It is completely unrealistic to try to decide that now with a newborn and me still trying to heal from my csection. But when I hold Justice and think...could this be the last time you do this, Jean...I honestly don't know if I could say yes this is the last time : ) I told Jamie he has a year to decide if he wants another (and I will think as well) because I think if we are going to have another we will keep them close in age.

I am starting to really embrace the reality that I am a stay at home mother of two little girls. I have been really trying to reflect and focus and I am excited about being a constant influence in my girls' lives and I am excited about helping them grow and learn. It's funny I always pictured myself with boys. Not only because I am not the girliest person on the planet but also because Jamie has brothers and his brothers have boys...there aren't any girls : ) But I love my girls and I wouldn't trade them for anything. Funny how things work out.

In other news: it's funny that I was saying that no one has really been able to come and see us and also that it can be lonely being a housewife....two days later I find that my brother in law is here for nearly a week, next my mother in law will be coming for a few days, and hopefully another friend of two from Indiana : ) ALSO I has a Dr. Appt today for the girls, one tomorrow for myself, and a wic appointment and more to follow later in the month. Once again...funny how things turn around!

Not Ideal....

*There may be some emotional moments in this posting, or things that make you say...uhm no thank you....to having kids. You have been warned! ; ) *

SO the weekend before Justice came, Jamie and I decided we needed to take Jubilee on an outing...kind of a last time being just the three of us and just giving her attention before her new Sissy came. We took Juju to Lamb's Farm...a place that really pulls at my heart strings. Lamb's Farm is a place that employs and supports individuals with disabilities. Juju had so much fun! They have a petting zoo, putt putt, train ride, bakery, pet store, and cafe.....which brings me to the beginning of a nightmare.

We decided to eat at the cafe for lunch...and Jamie and myself woke up the next morning both sick as dogs....food poisoning. Yuck. We stuck Juju in her high chair in front of the TV with food and cartoons and we both slept in our recliners until my parents came. Around 8 or 9 Jamie was finally able to keep some Gatorade down...unfortunately I did not keep anything down, which sent me into labor at 1 in the morning. SO hardly even visiting with my parents we left Jubilee with them and went to the ER where I was admitted for 8 hours. Even after two bags of IV fluids I was still dehydrated but labor had subsided (apparently dehydration can send a pregnant lady into labor.) They allowed me to go home for a day. Literally 24 hours. Then back to the hospital.

I had a hard time in prep for surgery. I didn't like the spinal they gave me to numb me and i definitely didn't like that fact that I couldn't move once I had it. Last time when I had my epidural Jamie was right there but this time it was just me in the OR. Freaky. I tried to be really strong but I'm just not that strong of a person. I remember just laying on the table trying with all my might not to freak out and tears just running down my cheeks. Jamie FINALLY came in after what felt like a life time. I don't know what I would have done without him...what would I do without being able to draw strength and courage from him? I found myself telling him I didn't know if I could ever do this again. I don't know why I was so scared this time compared to last time.

Surgery took about an hour and I finally heard Justice's little voice. It was hard being able to see her but not be able to hold her. She was so swollen and puffy. Jamie's eyes got red as he held her and I could tell he was getting choked up. They took her to the nursery assuring me I would see her right after recovery.

Recovery hour came and we went and a couple more hours passed and by this time I was pretty much telling my nurses to GET MY KID! I can't tell you the feeling I felt when I was finally able to hold her. I didn't really know what to expect because this entire pregnancy has been so surreal to me. But Justice=bliss...she is amazing.

As soon as she came I called my parents SOOOO excited that they would finally be able to come and see her, only to find out that my Mom was sick and wouldn't be able to come that night. I was devastated but decided it would be OK and tomorrow would be better. Unfortunately the next day (Tues) my Dad was sick. So they came for an hour that evening...just to look at her and unable to hold her. My parents left that night and that was the last I saw them before they went home. They were unable to hold Justice and I wasn't even able to hug or kiss my dad goodbye. I have tears in my eyes every time I think about it. (In fact I am crying right now re-living this stuff).

I know things could have been a lot worse....I am so thankful because my baby girl and myself are good and we are healthy. But it is so hard that no one has really wanted/or have been able to come see us. His Dad and Brother have a lot going on, his mom is in Alabama and my Brother is in Korea....I don't really expect many others to come and see us. So it makes me upset that the two people who were able to come/ made such a huge effort to come....were hardly able to see us or Justice. The upside is that they spent LOTS AND LOTS of time with Jubilee and I know that was precious to them. Thankfully my good friend Rachel came for a couple of days and that helped for sure. I miss my parents though and just can't wait for November to get here so I can see them and my brother.

Sometimes I get lonely out here in the burbs....especially with one vehicle and limited friends in the area. I know tomorrow is going to be a hard day (Jamie starts his new job). BUT I am going to try my very hardest to stay focused on all the positive tomorrow. Two amazing little girls, an amazing husband, a wonderful church family, a van : ), jobs, shelter, food, health....we really are blessed. I just need to keep all of that in mind when I feel so far away from the ones I love.