A Well Deserved Renew

  Ronnie and I just got home from taking some of the teens in our youth group at church to Johnson Bible College in Knoxville, Tennessee.  It was absolutely amazing!!!  My wonderful mother and step-father came down to stay the weekend with the kids while Ronnie and I had a nice getaway for awhile.  I actually did very well and did not worry about my children that much at all.  (Ronnie and I have went away and the past and I have just been sick the whole time we were gone.)  The college campus was absolutely gorgeous!!!  I wish I would have taken a college day there myself when I was younger.  Thursday night when we left we stayed in a hotel room and then arrived at the campus on Friday morning.  We attened some welcome classes and then an actual class by a professor.  We had a tour of the campus and then was pretty much on our own.  Friday evening we (Ronnie, the other adults in our group, and I) went with the kids to the walleyball courts.  I had a blast.  I played volleyball in highschool, so it seems to by favorite sport, but this was volleyball and raquetball put together.  It was awesome.  My cousin Tyler, who attends Johnson, caught up with us for this.  Saturday we packed all the kids up in the vans and took off for the mountains.  We hiked up to Clingman's Dome in the Smoky Mountain National Park.  And I was able to take some beautiful pictures.  We had a deovtion here and we talked about God's plan for our lives and just how beautiful the scenery was here!  That afternoon we spent shopping and going out to eat!  Which are both my my favorite pasttimes!  On Sunday we woke up and went to a more contempary church service.  It was really neat.  I can't really explain it all, but Ronnie and I just really enjoyed it!  The preacher talked about coming out of a cave and really opening your eye to what all God has instore for you.  We went to CiCi's pizza for dinner and then went on to go ziplining.  Which was really fun for the kids, however not for myself.  I just about had a nervous breakdown.  I did make it through the first two zips, but just could not make my self continue.  I really hate becoming an adult.  I really would have loved it as a teenager, but now that I'm a mother I just can't handle somethings.  Ronnie and I had the chance to have some really good in depth talks with the other adults on the trip.  And we both came home, not exactly new people, but completely refreshed and renewed christians! 

The kids we took

Ronnie and I

God's beautiful creation!

A Calm Rain

  I just had the most serene experience......... 
 Ronnie and I had recently made the decision to walk completely in faith and to let God decide how many children we will have.  Now by that being said, I hope anyone reading this, especially my family, you will listen fully before trying to debate me.  There have been a few reasons why we've made this decision.  One of them being a sermon we both heard/read.  This is the link to the sermon, Our view on family planning.
  Another seeing how God has taken care of us no matter what.  Alot of people have told us, I will die if I try to have anymore children.  But truth is, God is in control and if I'm going to "die" it's going to be because he called me home, not because I took my own life.  Ronnie and I have been through a lot!!!  And God has safely guided us through each step.  This morning I stumbled across this beautiful woman, named September, and her blog.  September's Story  As I was reading her words of encouragement and grief, it started to rain just lightly on our roof.  Mind you, we've not seen rain here for days, maybe even months.  We've had a burn ban on, it's so dry.  It was as if God was quietly telling me, I will always take care of you no matter what! 
  I'll be the first to tell you, there was several nights I lay in bed pregnant with Leah, but I would repeat Psalm 56:3 When I am afraid, I will trust in You to myself over and over and would finally peacefully fall asleep.  God never said pregnacy would be easy, in fact, he told us it would be just the opposite. 
  It really is amazing how much smoother our lives go when we completely rely and trust in our loving father.  This is not to say that Ronnie and I are by any means perfect christians, none of us are!  However, I've made great strides in my walk, since I've completely handed things over and I can not even begin to tell you how the Lord has changed my husband since we met.  He still struggles, as do I, to be christ-like, but he tries and that is all that matters.  This is also why I fall in love with him all over again when he overcomes something he has been struggling with for awhile.  And even though I, his wife, know him better than anyone, he still neve ceases to amaze me!! 
  I know, just as God has brought Ronnie safely home from Iraq, delivered me and my first born from HELLP syndrome safely, and brought our beautiful daughter, Hannah into this world, even after the doctors said she would not be born alive, he can heal and protect us from anything! 
  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.

Whew!!!

WOW!!!!  It has been a whirlwind around here since we moved!!!  We've had something each weekend and pretty much every day!  This past weekend we finally took our camper out for the "first time" to Spring Mill Park in Mitchell, IN.  We camped with our friend Darren and Melisa and their kids in primitive camping.  Funny how the weather changes in Indiana!  It got down to 38 one night, which happened to be the night our battery went dead and ended up with no heat!  But all ended well and we had a good time.  The park had trick or treating one night and all he kids dressed up and got lots and lots of candy!  Since we came home, we had a field trip with our homeschool co-op group back at Spring Mill in the Village.  It was so nice to get together and learn about the pioneer ways and then just sit and play together for lunch at the playground.  My relatives really worry about whether or not the kids are socializing enough, when in all honesty, I think I need it more than they do!!  It was so nice to have some adult interaction with mothers that undestand what I go through on a day to day basis. 
  Then this morning we woke up and did our chores and got ready to go to story hour.  We hung out at the library for awhile and then took the trash off to the dump.  After having lunch and nap time for the girls, Derek and I worked on finishing up school work.  We then started getting ready for Derek's soccer game.  Which, by the way he claims they won again.  After soccer we headed to Wendy's for supper and to Wal-Mart for supper for the rest of the week.  I was completely dragging when we walked through the door.  And now I have all three in bed and waiting for my husband to call me and wish me a good night.  There were several times today when it got extremely hectic, but all in all it's always worth every minute!!!!