A True TGIF!!!

Finally the news we have been waiting for 2 months to get. We close on our house on Monday!!! It has been a very exciting and stressful time for us. I am so glad that it is all coming to a close. Now the fun part more packing and then the moving. It is our first home and we are so excited and can't wait to get started decorating and even unpacking, I guess that will have to be in reverse order though. I have been on the phone switching over and setting things up. There is so much to get done and so little time!! Happy Friday everyone!

Here we are at the beginning of another week, a fresh start. This past week I have learned or at least been reminded of somethings. There are things we can't control no matter how much we want to or how hard we try. All we can do is our part and we have to let God have the rest. For a control freak this is very hard at times. Everyone needs strength and confidence that things will turn out the way they are supposed to. It is really easy to remember this when things are good but when things are not going so good it is harder, at least for me anyway. It makes me think of that saying be nice to everyone because everyone is going through something. That is so true your stuff might be way worse than mine but to the person going through it, it is everything to them. Your extended kindness could make a difference that you never realize. Pray for your friends and family and all those who need strength sometimes people are too afraid to ask for prayers when they need them most.

Update on Life

Well a lot has been going on around here since my last post on Colton's birthday. We have all taken turns being sick. We found out we were going to have to move and started looking for a house to buy. We have found one and after a few bumps in the road it seems as though everything is on track and we should close on the 21st. We are very excited and can't wait to get in it, except for all the packing. We have started but still have tons left to do. This is our first house to buy and boy is it fun!! The end result is fun but the whole process has been so stressful. I was making myself sick with all the worry, stress and anxiety so I am so thankful that things have turned out good and that it is settled for the most part. Colton is playing soccer and loving it. I have pictures to post but I have been so busy that I have not even put them on the computer yet. I hope everyone is doing well. I will try to post pictures later.

My Baby is 5 Today!

I can't believe my baby boy is 5 today!! The time just flies by so fast. I am going to post pictures of him on each birthday so far.

Tiny baby in NICU after being born!

At 1 years old

Now 2
3 was so fun!
At 4 I am getting so big!

My 5 year old!

Picture Tag

My cousin Brooke, tagged me awhile back and I am just now getting around to doing this, sorry!!

Here is what you do:

1. Go to your 4th folder where you store your photos.

2. Select your 4th picture (no exceptions)!

3. Post the picture with an explanation and link it back to your tagger

4. Tag 4 people (or as many as you want) to do the same!!

This is Colton after his Winter Program at preschool.

Change and Worry

Change this word can bring many different feelings and emotions. Changes can be good or bad and with either can also be scary but exciting at the same time. I am not big on change I like things to stay the same, I guess I am boring that way but I for sure like a comfort zone. I am also a big worrier about big and small things, it is just my nature. My husband however is a go for it kind of guy and is very care free about stuff, I guess that is why we fit together so well. Not that we always understand where the other is coming from but we compliment each other well. We are about to have some changes in our household and I am trying so hard to not worry and stress about every little thing. ( Just to stop the rumor mill before it starts I am not having a baby!!) In times when I worry I think of the bible verses below:

²⁵"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? ²⁶Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?²⁸"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? ³¹So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' ³²For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:25-34

I really struggle with the letting go and letting God. I am trying and hopefully one day I will conquer this or as close to it as I can get. It is so hard to let go of the control and believe that everything will still turn out alright. How willing would I be to give up everything for my faith? I am so thankful that we don't have to find that out like so many around the world do. Are all of my worries really that important when you look at it like that? Just some food for thought that was on my mind and heart today.

Saturday

I haven't posted at all this week, even though I have thought about it. I have pictures from last weekend at Korbin's party to post that I will eventually get loaded. It has been a pretty good week. Wednesday was cold weather with ice so we all got to stay home. We did some organizing and took care of some stuff, which was great. It is now Saturday and for some reason I am up at 8 a.m., crazy I know. I tend to do this on Saturdays unless I am really tired. We have a day of errands and then going to some friends house tonight to visit. I am excited about spending the day with my boys. We are so blessed. I hope you all have a great Saturday!!

A Boy and his Best Friend

This weekend we took the youth group on a retreat to do some work on their summer camp. All went well and it was a great experience. We asked Colton his favorite part of the retreat and it was seeing his cousin Joe Braden and Matt. Matt is like his older brother best friend. Matt was in the youth group when Scott became the youth minister. He graduated and was around to help out tremendously this last year. He has taught us so much and we have greatly enjoyed him. He was at our house a lot and Colton didn't think he could go to bed if Matt had not come over yet. He loves his Matty boy. Matt went to LCU in January so we have been missing him a ton. The night before we left we were packing and Colton was helping and he said "This is so exciting!! I can't wait to see Matty boy!!!" He is so sweet.




AT the retreat he had grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and all his kids. I know he thinks they just come over to see him. He truly enjoys getting to be apart of the youth group and it is having a great affect on him. If he wasn't so good about everything there is no way we would be able to keep doing all that we do. Sometimes the things you don't even expect bless your life the most.



Thanks Kandys and Lori for taking pictures so I have some!!

.....And the Awards go to Me!!

I was given these 5, yes 5 awards by Rachel of Following In My Shoes. Which is such a honor because her blog is so great, thank you Rachel!!

I will have to figure out who to pass these along to but I was so excited about getting them I wanted to post them, just couldn't wait!!

Christmas Pictures (Finally!)

It is very hard to narrow them down since I have so many to pick from but I tried, so here are a few pictures from all of our Christmas get togethers.










We are so blessed to get to be able to spend time with our families during the holidays. It is wonderful to be together and visit. Colton already can't wait for next year at Christmas!

Tag...I'm it!

I was tagged by Lori of I'm NO super Mom but I'm LOVING it!

Here is what you do:

1. Go to your 4th folder where you store your photos.
2. Select your 4th picture (no exceptions)!
3. Post the picture with an explanation and link it back to your tagger.
4. Tag 4 people to do the same!!

This is us trying to get a picture of all 4 boys at Scott's family Christmas right before opening presents. They are adorable!!

I am tagging:

Christa of The Greene Life
Kara of Sweet Sunshine
Laura of laurasthoughts
Jennifer of 2 Peas in a Pod

Such a big boy!

Colton has been doing things lately that are making me realize more and more that he is getting to be such a big boy now. I still can't believe he will be 5 in Feb. It can't be not my baby!!! He got a bible for Christmas. We went and let him pick what he wanted so that he would be happy with it and want to carry it. He can't read but we thought it would be good for him to get into the habit of carrying it with him to church. He wants us to read it to him every night before bed now which is so sweet. He was also using it as a song book last night at church, singing his little heart out. Last night Scott was reading to him about Paul and grace and he was asking what words meant and really listening. Scott explained grace like when he gets a second chance from us before getting in trouble. Cotlon said like Jonah and proceeded to tell the entire story of Jonah word for word. We were so proud of him, it brought tears to my eyes. These little moments in the times when you don't even think they are listening or learning but they are. Little ears soak up everything. I just wanted to brag on my boy who is getting so big and learning so much and his Daddy who is so great about explaining things and telling them the way he needs to hear them.

Happy Birthday Hubby!!

Today Scott turns the big 30!!! I am sure he won't mind if I announce it to the world. Yesterday we went to eat at the Cheesecake Factory with some friends to celebrate and it was great. I am very blessed to be married to such a wonderful man. He is the best husband and father and he makes me a better person. I hope you have a great birthday today!!!