Good-bye 2008...

It's been a wild ride. Considering everything that has happened, it's been a great year and one that I will never forget.

I listened to a song yesterday on my run, "Your Going to Miss This". The title pretty much sums up how I feel about 2008. As I stand and take a look back, I have had the time of my life this past year...especially the second half. I been able to see God's hand more than ever in my life, seen my marriage grow, strengthen, and change for the better, pushed myself and run two 10Ks and a ten mile race (all with a wonderful friend who I am so thankful for), enjoyed the change as our kids turned another year, discovered new things about myself, and made many changes. The good far outweighs the bad this past year. My Heavenly Father has taken the best care of us and continues to show me that man is not my provider, He has been, is, and will forever be. I pray that I never forget the lessons that I have learned this past year, the miracles that I have seen, the changes that we have made. I am forever changed because of this year.

Happy New Year!

Christmas in Michigan

My beautiful family

Rich & Melissa, Dan & myself, Adam & Amber (due to have their first child July 2009!)

Kaitlyn and all the boys (there has been a kid born every year since 2004!)

Kaitlyn with her Aunt Amber (who she absolutely loves!)

My sister and me

My Dad and me

Collin with his cousin (partners in crime)

Merry Christmas from our home to yours!

Christmas Craft

Last year we made these cute reindeer using the kids' hands and foot. I decided that it would be a tradition and I would make a book out of these reindeer and stick their Christmas picture from that year along with them. Yes, we will still be doing reindeer until the kids turn eighteen (jk).

Creative Sneak Peak

I am so thankful that God has provided all of our needs over the past three and a half months. Not only has he done that, he has also given us some of our wants.

Every year for the past...humm...three or four years, I have made a scrapbook calender for my Mom for Christmas. It's always fun to go through pics from the year and choose my favorites. It's even better to watch her open it and go through month by month and see the look in her eyes. This year, I thought I would have to break the tradition. But, I remembered how I had gone overboard with buying supplies last year. Heaven forbid that I would use the same background paper two years in a row. Wouldn't you know, I got out my tub of scrapbooking stuff and I found everything I would need including the calender! So, because I know Mom reads my blog I can only give a sneak peak, but I am so happy that God has allowed me to be able to continue on the tradition and used my previous overspending for something beautiful:

Way Back Wednesdays

September 1st, 2004

We had lived in our houses for about three weeks. I was watching Kylee. Kaitlyn was just over three months old. Man, how time flies. Two thousand four...it's when it all started. :-)

Mayday, Mayday!

Let me first say, to anyone who works outside of the home, has kids, and manages to find time to stay in shape, hats off to you!



I told myself that I would never go back to being 140 or more. I am not surprised that I am just a couple pounds away from 140 now. I was in great shape over the summer. I was training and because of that, I could eat like a pig and not see any results. One hundred and thirty three pounds felt great! Well, I am lucky if I get on the treadmill three times a week now, but it's been hard to change my eating habits. Running was my outlet...so was shopping. The first is difficult because of the schedule that I keep and the second is out of the question. My outlet has seemed to shift to snacking. I am sure it doesn't help to have a diet that consists of a lot of carbs...it's cheaper that way.



It's not like me to just sit back and watch my waist size (or for me, it's more like my thighs) increase in circumference. I made a pact with Hol and I figured that if I write about it for all to see, that would be added accountability. Gotta get rid of these pesky four extra pounds!

Flashback Friday

My Princess ~ December 2006

My Little Man ~ December 2006

BLESSED

Stuff like this doesn't happen everyday. To top it off, it's been one thing after another lately...good stuff. I am guilty of having "little faith" time and time again over these past three months. When things seem impossible, I tend to give up. I should know by now that nothing is impossible with God. God is so good!

About two weeks ago, I felt like the message in church was being spoken just for me. It was about enduring. It was a reminder to me that no matter what struggles we go through in life, whatever losses we encounter, God tells us time and time again that He will be with us...He will never leave or forsake us. It has never been so evident to me in my life. I also have never sat in a service and cried so much. It was such an encouragement.

That week we found out that with driving our car in the snow, we desperately needed new front tires. Dan's Mom had slipped us a check before the service (I had no clue what was in the envelope). I opened it the next day and found a check to cover part of the cost of the tires!

Dan was able to work a little bit over at a friends house on deck he has been building. It was not only good for him to get out of the house, great time to talk to old friends, but also was wonderful to be able to have the much needed money!

With Christmas coming up, it's been hard for me to hear about all the gifts everyone is picking out, getting for their kids, their spouses, etc. Honestly, I have been fighting with some jealous feelings. I have cleaned the "stuff" out of my life, but part of me still longs for that new pair of shoes or that really cute shirt...even that new rug for my front entry way. I want to give my kids multiple gifts to open, be able to buy my Dan something special, or give to people that have meant so much to us. I can't and it hurts. Well, last Sunday after church was over, I was introduced to a lady who said she has been praying for our family. She continued on to tell me that she had chosen us this year to be the family that she gives gifts to. So, this Monday, I am heading over to her warehouse to pick out books for the kids for Christmas. God knows and understands my heart and it's such a comfort to know that he still provides some of our wants.

Lastly, but surely not least...it's with many emotions that I announce, WE ARE GOING TO BE SPENDING CHRISTMAS IN MICHIGAN THIS YEAR! I admit, I had given up hope. It wasn't so much that I didn't believe that God could do it, I just thought that He had other plans for us. I didn't want to get my hopes up and be a sobbing mess on Christmas Eve when I realized that it wasn't going to happen. I have never been patient and I have never been good and just sitting back and letting other people do things for me...God has asked me to do both of those. I was told this morning that my sister and her husband paid for a rental car! I guess it was supposed to be a surprise but Dan couldn't contain his little secret any longer. Also, Erin called me up and told me that she would cover the rest of what we needed to get to my parents! Thank you isn't enough! Thank you all for letting God use you to bless us.

I am so many things right now...most of all, I am thankful!

My Artist

Kaitlyn is quite the little artist. Her artistic abilities seem to be advanced for her age. We go through an incredible amount of paper (yeah, not so green around here) but it's well worth it.

This is a masterpiece she drew this evening. Notice in the middle of her drawing are the words, "No boys allowed." She cracks me up.

This is a portrait of Rudolph that she drew earlier in the week.

Scrapping

Okay, so I have been thinking that my blog is in serious need of a not so serious post. With the help of some events at work last night, here it goes:

First, some background...

I work at Walmart. I am mostly in the back unloading trucks, moving pallets, and recently learned how to work a power jack and walkie stacker...not the most feminine job, I know. Gives some insight as to why I am SO excited about my new job. Anyway, after the freight is unloaded, we stock shelves.

Last night, I was asked to go help someone who works the meat wall. Well, she had a ton of stocking to do and didn't have the time to do all of the scrapping that needed to be done. She told me to go get my coat because I was going to be in the meat cooler the rest of my shift. Wasn't looking forward to the cold, but change of scenery and change of job would be nice. I got my coat on and then put on a white lab coat, gloves, and grabbed some scissors...I felt like I was getting ready to perform a medical procedure. This was anything but that. I was going to be scrapping meat (properly disposing of the expired or about to expire meat). She warned me and prepared me for the worst: the smell and touching the old, stinky meat. I told her that I have three kids and I am used to unusual, disgusting smells, besides, there was a trash can back there that I could always throw up in if I needed to. She said that if that happened, to just throw some meat over it. :-)

Let me tell you, I think it's the most fun I have had there in the past two and a half months! The smell was unusual, but by the way it was described, I was thinking it would be much worse. For an hour, I was in the meat cooler cutting apart packages of bacon, lunch meat, sausage, and hotdogs. Juices were splashing. I was laughing. It was kinda sad to see all of the waste, but it was hilarious to look in when I was done and see a huge trash can filled almost half way with a mixture of meat. She walked in when it was time for me to leave and was happily surprised to see all I had gotten done in the hour I was in there. She said that I was way faster at scrapping than she was...that was something I had never heard before...

Big News!

Starting January 5th, I will be a working as a phlebotomist! I interviewed for the position a few weeks ago and have been waiting with my fingers crossed ever since. I got the call a little bit ago and I am excited. Perks of the job:

• the pay is awesome...*correction*- Instead of just shy of 12 bucks, I will be making 12.21!
• it's about 8 minutes from home
• it's a pool position, which means they call me when they need me
• it gets my foot in the door when something more guaranteed opens up
• drawing blood is something I LOVE to do and I can't wait to get back into it

If you would, be in prayer for a couple of things:

• Dan tests tomorrow AM for the PD in town. Pray that goes well for him.
• Dan is waiting to hear from the PD he tested for and interviewed with. He should know where he is at on the list next week
• Pray for wisdom in what I should do next as far as my other job.

O taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! ~Psalms 34:8

Mommy Understands

I am a first born girl. My little princess is a first born girl. Although, I wouldn't say that she is as strong willed as I was (or heard that I was :-) ), everyday she reminds me more and more of myself. I feel as if I am talking to myself when I was younger. Daily I would hear, "Bethany Lyn, it doesn't concern you", or "Bethany Lyn, you're not the boss." Twenty years later, I am inserting my daughters name into both of those sentences.

It's a constant struggle getting her to mind her own business and stop being so bossy. It makes me smile and feel sorry for her all at the same time because I see so much of myself in her and I know what struggles she will face because of it. She is a natural born leader. Give her a chance to lead and she will take control. Last week, during our family filled week, it was so evident. I want to be ever so careful not to crush that quality in her but I also know that it could be her biggest weakness if not handled correctly. You can't be a good leader unless you also know how to follow. It has taken me almost six years of marriage to finally be able to willingly submit to my husband...something I hope she gets sooner.

So, my precious baby girl, I am so thankful for the first born girl that God has given your Daddy and I. You may not know, but Mommy understands you and knows before you will, the struggles you will encounter because of these traits God has wired in both of us. I pray that God will give your Daddy and I the wisdom we need to shepherd your heart. May we not provoke you to anger or crush your spirit, but nurture you in to the fullest that God has for you.

Three Months

Three months ago, on September second, we got the news. The beginning of each month following has been rough (I just happen to be PMSing around that time every month also...an added plus!). This month, it seems even harder for several reasons...one being that Christmas is right around the corner. December is supposed to be a happy month, a month filled with festivities and get-togethers. Jobless is not the way anyone wants to spend a holiday. What about all the stuff? A little voice in the back of my head reminds me of what is important...

In November of 2006, I had a miscarriage. It was a hard time and it made the holiday season difficult because I was hurting. I remember not even wanting to put up a tree. God had a big gift in store and the middle of December, we found out that we were pregnant with Collin. That night, the tree was up.

This year, feels similar. I am hurting again. This year, though, I want to be different. Even though I would love to get great news before Christmas, I don't want everything I do to hinge on that. I think that God is telling me what I must do. Just when I think I cannot possibly learn anything else...stretch anymore... because it's so incredibly painful, my God tells me that I must. My reply, "God, you know what I can handle. I don't think I can take one more step, go any further, but here I am. Carry me." He's done just that.

This Christmas will be different for us. Gifts won't fill the underneath of our tree. Traveling to spend Christmas with my family might be out of the question. Once again, all the "stuff" is being stripped away and all we have left is eachother and our God who is crazy about us and has been faithful to provide our every need.

I hope that December will bring news that we have been waiting for. But, if not, my heart will chose to say, "Blessed be YOUR name, Lord."

P.S. The tree is up. :-)