Holy Crow...It's Been A Long Time

Where has this month gone? Oh wait I know...Zippin right on past me! There is no way to summarize all that has changed in my life these past several weeks, nor is there any way for me to try to pick and choose elements to try and capture in order to catch everyone up. However, I will do my best. I've missed out on Three Thankful Thursdays, but I can tell you that despite the tremendous trials that have been sent my way this month, there are many, many great things that I have been thankful for along the way.

One Step At A Time - Well I think the biggest change to our household has been the addition of another family! You never know when life is going to throw you a curve ball, but when it does, you hope that you will have the love and support of friends and family to help you get through it. I have a very dear friend who has been what I think as mothers we all pray we never have to face and that is having to endure an abusive marriage. Well long story short, with three children, no where to live, and needing a place to start over, Chris and I have opened our home to them. There are sacrifices for all of us in order to make this work, but the blessings we will all receive I know will be tenfold. And it's worth it to me to see the kids so happy and my friend just a bit relaxed a little bit more every day. It has been amazing to me to see the love and generosity of my friends, family and church members that have shown an outstretched hand to help us all make this work. Starting over cannot be easy, but all we can do is have faith right??? That's what I keep telling myself, my husband, and my friend every day. We just have to take One Step At a Time and the rest will all come. And always look upwards.

Leave Out All The Rest - In all the craziness of going from a family of four most of the time, to seven every other weekend, to 11 nearly every day, we've had to do some MAJOR reorganizing around our home! And it's been absolutely crazy! It's been so easy to lose our focus on the little things. But it's the little things that are going to get us through. So we have tried to have some good quality time with the kids along the way. This situation has not been easy for them either. We spent a great afternoon at a Pumpkin Patch and the kids have LOVED decorating the house for Halloween! I am just not doing such a good job of doing this on a personal level. I've got to remember some down time for myself, for Chris, for us as a couple, and also for my friend! She needs time for herself also! We'll put that on our "To Do" list next! Here are some photos of some of the better moments!

MERCY - Okay, so I think that Karma is not working here for me! Isn't it suppose to be that you do good deeds you bring about good to your life???? So how is that crap keeps "flowing" our way! Yeah, we had a flood at our house amongst all this craziness! Started in the Upstairs Bathroom of Cydnee's bathroom, flooded her room, the kid's loft, drained through the walls down to my bedroom and my beautiful new closet, and then down through more walls, all the way to the bedrooms into the basement! COME ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Seriously People! Let's just say Nat had a nervous Break-down that three-day period! "I'm Begging You For Mercy, Why Don't you Release Me?!?"

Honorable Mention- Along with all that, there is one other happening in the past few weeks that definitely deserves mention; and that is the birth of my precious niece Kamryn Mary Johnson! Secretly her name is Natalee, but they had to put Kamryn Mary on the birth certificate! She is so precious and beautiful and healthy and we are so happy she is finally here!

Oh, and One last thing...On Thursday, I'm making that big announcement that I promised to make at the first of the month. I'm way excited about it! Talk to you all then! It's good to be back!