Nathan

I cannot believe I did not include any updates on Nathan!  Ugh!  Bad Mommy!, here is a blog totally dedicated to Nathan and what he's been up to.  Nathan turned 9 months on the 18th of April.  I cannot get over how fast he's growing.  He is pretty much in 18 mts. clothes sizes.  I can't get over that either.  Natty was always in the very next size category.  Nathan seems to be growing at lightening speed.  Our little man has 8 pearly whites - 4 top and 4 bottom.  He has the MOST handsome smile.  He absolutely LOVES table foods.  He gets very jealous of what we're eating and always wants in on the action.  His recent favorites are cheerios, watermelon, noodles, rice, and chicken (from Chick fil A of course!).  And of course we've got our little noodles and rice King going - that's that Asian blood coming out!  :)  He loves watching Baby Einstein and Veggietales with his sister.  He is also climbing on anything, and everything.  No walking yet, or standing on his own.  It know it's coming up though.  Here are some pictures of our little prince.  Enjoy guys!

 Our Happy Boy!

 Partners in 

Crime

 There's that smile!

Update Update!

Wow, I think this has been the longest I have gone without blogging.  I've actually been on pretty consistently to catch up on family and friends, but I just haven't found the time lately to update my own.  BOY, do I have some BIG news to update you guys with.  Here's what our family's been up since March, lol.

• I went back on track the last week of March.  I tried to thoroughly enjoy my last month "off track" as our school is going traditional in the fall.  Time with the kids are sure bittersweet.
• Tim has been teaching his first college level class (he acutally finished it last Monday).  CBU has the HOTTEST CIS adjunct EVER!
• Budget cuts around the district has had everyone grumpy.  Work has been very difficult in that sense.
• My students are ready to graduate (not literally).  It's been difficult to motivate them to keep pushing onwards.
• Natty started up round 2 of "gym-sticks" (gymnastics) - as she calls it.

Now....here are the BIG news.......drumrolls.........


we




bought




a



HOUSE!!!!!!!!


Yes!  We are in the exciting stage of escrow.  We will be moving in about 45 days into Riverside.  We're so excited.  I know it will be more of a reality when we get the keys, but we are so grately to see the end of renting in sight.

Somethings we are so very thankful about...

• God knew which house was  ours and kept us sane until we found it.
• God has been in charge and in the fore-front of our finances and has truly made all this possible - AND BETTER - than we expected.
• Our kids will each have their VERY OWN room!
• We will have a yard for the kids to run around and BE KIDS!
• There is a park within walking distance, with an awesome playground area, and very well kept.
• NO HOA's.

Now the big task begins of getting stuff sorted, and packed.  I have no sick days to take (since they were all taken when I was on maternity leave when the school year started), and Tim's preparing for 2 classes - one starts Wed., and another the second summer session in July.  Time management will be crucial for us.  I absolutely REFUSE to move junk.  So have our work cut out for us, but we are so excited to be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel to having a place to truly call OURS. 

Thanks for reading my very lenghty blog.  I cannot wait to share pictures with all of you - COMING SOON! 

Grey Holiday

Awesome song from the Fireproof soundtrack.  Such a great song for the storyline for Caleb and Katherine, but even more awesome, it speaks of God's sacrificial love.  He waits for us to come back, because He paid the price for us.  We belong to Him.  Happy Wednesday OR St. Patrick's Day!


Grey Holiday - You Belong to Me

You run, you hide


As tears fall from your eyes

They fall like snow

From a wounded soul

You hold inside

The hurt of great divide

The hole is starting to get old



So come back to the light

To the love, you will find

It’s been here all along

So come back to the start

And you’ll find in your heart

That you always belonged

To me



Just take the rope

I won’t let it go

Give in

We can start again

I’m life, I’m hope

Find More lyrics at www.sweetslyrics.com

And I’m ready to explode

With how bad I want you back home



So come back to the light

To the love, you will find

It’s been here all along

So come back to the start

And you’ll find in your heart

That you always belonged

To me



You’re my daughter, you’re my son

You’re the one I long to love

And you’ve heard I chose to die

Do you know you’re the reason why?
 

THRIVE

I stumbled across this website, and I HIGHLY recommend it.  It's called Just Thrive, and it's a FREE (had me there!) personal budget, online money management, personal finance software, financial planning, and advice giver.  I signed up today and have been playing around with it for a little bit.  Didn't really have THAT much time with being home with the kids, but I liked what I have come across so far. 

Some of the perks:

• Gives an "estimated" credit score.
• Plans out a budget for you, and is super easy to manipulate depending on monetary amount you want to designate in each area.
• Shows what house value you are likely to be able to afford.
• projects how much you need to save
• Tracks if you've stayed under the budgeted amout of your categories.

I've only looked at it for MAYBE an hour today, total.  Realistically though, you'd need to track your spending on it for a month for it to be accurate.  It's a pretty neat too though, worth checking out if you don't want to budget by pen and paper.

Counting My Blessings

It was a pretty solemn day for our school district.  I am saddened that many of my coworkers were pink slipped today. 

Jeremiah 29:11 - 'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, ' plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'

I don't understand why our district is stuck in this situation, why our state is in the circumstance they are in.  I don't understand why this has to happen to wonderful teachers and friends, and their families.

I did understand though that God has used this to humble myself.  I don't always act as grateful as I could with my job.  Today, I was really brought to my knees and reminded how undeserving I am.  I have not gotten a pink slip yet.  I may or may not get one.  But for once, I can truly say I am thankful and grateful for the job that as allowed us to provide for our family.  It has allowed either Tim or I to be home with the kids, and grandparents when our schedules clash.  It allows us to pay our bills and live comfortably.  It's a job that hasn't left us lacking in anyway, except through our own irresponsibility.

Please pray for our school district, and the people who have been laid off and their families.

Just Not Feelin' the Love

So it's my first week off....

Monday - Both kids got sick with a cold....
Tuesday - Both kids fell (seperately) and bruised their head)....
Wednesday - I am sick....

Blah, just not feeling the love the first week I'm off.  Oh well....

Here's a prayer request for you all out there.  I just found out this morning that our school will be moving to an earlier start.  That means kids will be expected to be arrive on campus and start at 7:55.  That means I will probably have to be on campus by 7:30 at the LATEST.  It will be a very rough adjustment for me, and the kids as well.  Not sure what Tim's schedule looks like yet, so pray the Lord gives us some down time so where to be some rest.  Also, I know this is all part of His plan, and everything will work out, it is just difficult on me right now.  Thanks everyone!

Picking Up the Towel

I am part of a women's study at my church on Thursday evenings.  This past week, we were studying John 13.  This is the chapter Jesus celebrates the Passover with His disciples the last time before going to the cross.  The most impressionable part of the chapter is the washing if His disciples' feet.  Trish Dietz gave the message Thursday evening and focused on the concept of picking up the towel (as Christ girded himself and went to wash the disciples' feet) in whatever season we find ourselves in.

This really convicted me.  I feel like the area I have been most unwilling to pick up the towel in is work.  I work in a public school - specifically junior high.  Frankly, to be honest, I really do love waht I do.  I believe in making a difference, and I believe the public school needs Christians to step up to do the right thing.

The part that I struggle with is the "unjustness" (is that a word?) that goes on.  People are not treated equally.  A part in me screams out, that's not fair, that's not right!  Then I am reminded of the fact that life (here on earth) is NOT fair.  I'm also reminded that absolutely NOTHING Christ went through was fair.

I was really ashamed that I wavered between whether or not I was beginning to hate being at work.  I guess what it comes down to is that it is a very big struggle for a Christian to keep doing the right thing day after day when everything around her screams otherwise.

I came home after study upset about work, and at the same time, upset at the way I felt.  Yes, the things that happen at work aren't right, aren't fair.  I could really rationalize out my anger.  But then, I started thinking about how my reactions would be affecting others around me.  Our memory verse what that Jesus gave us a commandment to love one another, even as He has loved us, so we should love one another, AND others would know we were His followers, if we have love for one another.  Now, my negativity at work really isn't helping anyone.  Even when I simply say that what they are doing, or how I'm being treated isn't right.  I am reminded that everything that I seem to be going through right now is temperal.

SO, this weekend I am working on a new determination.  I want to be an example at work - and that's very hard.  But I am determined.  There are so many people at work that need God is in their life (students included).  If I give up, if I pitch in the towel, that says I have no devotion.

Christ, in His ultimate display of humility, washed EVERY SINGLE disciples' feet - Even Judas Iscariot.  How much more should I be showing humility to those around me?  How much MORE do I need to be serving - the difficult coworker, the disrespectful student?  Maybe their lives are so much worse off outside of work, and they need to be shown some humility at work.  Maybe that is why they are the way they are.

Concluding my long blog, :), I would just like you guys to pray for me.  I don't like coming home frustrated with work.  It's not fair to the kids or to my wonderful husband - who's trying to be patient with me.  It's been a rough month pretty much.  I am thankful I have a job currently, and I want my attitude to reflect that.  So, pray that I would be picking up the towel more, especially at work.