american woman

If one picture could sum up Mackenzie, this would be it.

She is the sassiest, prissiest, stubbornist little child in the world, and we love her! She has an UNBELIEVEABLE pout that is just a post in itself. Just a few days ago, we were sitting at the table eating and I had just scolded her to eat her food and stop chucking it across the table. Well low and behold, I look back over and that baby has her tongue sticking out at me!!! So, what did I do as the mature mother of this little girl?? I stuck mine right back out at her!

Mackenzie is 17 months old and she is a riot. People ask if she is as much of a handful as David.... here is the difference. David is wild, destructive, and a crazy little boy. Mackenzie is strong willed, opionionated, and studious. She will sit still and entertain herself. She does not run away, throw, or act crazy like David. BUT, she just has serious attitude, squieling, and more personality in her tiny little body than I know what to do with. These kids keep us hysterically laughing with all of their little antics. Seriously, I don't know WHAT i did as a kid or WHAT tim did.... I feel like we are getting paid back for something because we make outrageous children.

This photo was taken after the pool while she was eating/wearing her yogurt. She also did get a boo boo on her face because Chef, tims dad, took her on walk and she jumped out of the stroller, you gotta latch my kids in REAL tight ;) On another positive note, the pool has been a dream this summer. They sit and play together in the baby pool. I think I deserve this after last summer. Oh, laughter.

So, if my baby sticks her tongue out at you, just stick yours out right back at her!

the storm.

It's hard when 60 days ago I was happily at home, Tim was working, and we had our house on the market so we could buy a bigger home for our growing fam. Now, recap, he was laid off, the house sold, all our stuff is in storage, we are living with his parents, he's about to be a full time student, and we are going to rent until Christmas when he is half way done and then he'll be able to work and finish school. Thus, we'll settle where his job is.
Sometimes I feel like we are one more bad event away from a bad country song. Lately, I have really missed having a home. I'm a stay at home mom, but minus the home. We have to drive by our house every Saturday to take David to soccer, and I am still really glad we sold it, but it's weird seeing another family start a life in there. I kinda feel like its still mine since we haven't found a place yet. Living with Tim's parents seriously is such a blessing and I have never had help with the children before, so I am so grateful. However, it's just not the same since its not our home. All of our stuff is in storage, waiting to be moved in somewhere. We are looking for a place to start renting hopefully by July/ August.
I question myself, Tim, and even God's plan sometimes. I know our house sold crazy fast, I know God has clearly provided for Tim to go to school full time, I know school will be really short and the HVAC industry is booming, and I know we will eventually be out of this phase... but I realized how much I hate being dependent on anyone but myself. This is kind of dumb, but I keep hearing this Casting Crowns song all the time. It's like annoying how much it comes on but, the other day I actually listened to the words. I love music and it's a huge love language for me. When I heard the words, I couldn't help but to feel comforted, encouraged, and like the Lord really is with us and really is going to bring us through this stronger. He really does hear me and just because life isn't going how I want it to right now, doesn't mean God has left me. Some of the lyrics say this, exactly how I feel.

I was sure by now, God you would have reached down and wiped our tears away, stepped in and saved the day.
But once again, I say amen, and it's still raining. As the thunder rolls, I barely hear you whisper through the rain,
"I'm with you."
As your mercy falls, I raise my hands and praise the God who gives and takes away.
And I'll praise you in this storm
and I will lift my hands
for you are who you are, no matter where i am
and every tear I cry, you hold in your hands
You never left my side, and though my heart is torn,
I will praise you in this Storm.

I refuse to be a believer, wife, and mother that is only happy when life is happy. I want to be happy when life sucks. I also want to know that the Lord is still in control and not act like a brat when we don't get what we want. I am really no different than the 3 year old I am trying to raise. I caught myself saying to him yesterday,
"David, you don't throw a fit when you don't get what you want. You need to learn to be okay with the answer 'no' ."
Wow. how ironic. I need to be okay when the answer is no. Lord, I will try my best to praise you in this storm.
Over the week, I want to post some really happy things that have been going on, reminders that even in the storm, God still brings us so much joy. I can't wait.

Play the Game!

Tim and I may act like some of the biggest children I know. We are notorious for buying and selling anything. And, there is a running joke in our families that if it's not nailed down, we'll probably get rid of it. We like doing fun things together and are always up for something ridiculous. We have played this game for a while....

Have you ever read the blog One Red Paperclip? Or played the game, bigger and better? The basic idea is that you start with something small, ie: a red paperclip, and keep trading with anyone that will give you something bigger or better. This one guy traded a red paperclip, and 14 trades later, ended up with a house!

Isn't that hilarious? Anyway, so Tim has played this game a few times. Except, he has bought and sold things that are bigger and better. He got up to $800 a year ago and we are doing it again for fun.

So far, he bought this at a yard sale for $4 and sold it for $30. It was a book on a CD. He just bought a light fixture for $30 and is trying to sell it for $60. Ha, ha! It makes me laugh.

Anyway, I am trying to help with the game, but I am not very good at it. I want to keep what I find. I found these yesterday at a yard sale for $1 and they cost $150 at Pottery Barn! I love them now and don't want to sell them, ha!

Anyway, this may seem like a dumb hobby, but it's kind of fun! I am not selling my new silverware, or as David calls them "the shovel and rake." I will let you know what our next purchase is.
Other updates are that all of Tim's scholarships are through! He will officially be a full time student 3 days a week starting the first week of July. Our school, living expenses, and insurance are paid for! His HVAC instructor told him there would be more job offers than he'll know what to do with! He'll start interviewing with companies around Christmas and graduate in the Spring. The other 2 days that Tim is not in school, I have a little side business I started and will disclose it soon =) It's really not that exciting so don't worry.

Now, go find some junk that's worth a lot at a yard sale! Ha! If anyone wants to play the game with us.... it's so much fun to do together!

motherhood

Mother's Day 2010

I like what my pastor said this morning:

Have a great marriage first, then let children be an addition to it.

The best thing you can give your children is a healthy, happy marriage.

and Proverbs 27:12, "The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it."

In many ways that verse sums up a lot of our life and raising children as well. Being prudent means being foresightful and planning ahead. When you see danger, you take action. I even see this with Tim making a career change. He is being foresightful that we could have kept going that course and then paid for it later... probably emotionally and financially. It's such a good verse to set some guardrails for your life and marriage.

This Mother's Day made me a little emotional for the first time. I think with having two children and seeing them really start to grow, learn, and seeing fruit from the discipline... made me misty-eyed. The pastor's wife also shared a verse for mothers that hit me also, from Nehemiah's story:" I am doing a good work and I cannot come down." I feel like I say "no" a lot to plans, opportunities, and desires. Because of the work raising children, I miss out. But, this verse affirms that I AM doing a good work and I can't do everything else!! These 2 little angels, for this season of my life, are my joy and my responsibility. They are my work.

I also really have felt the sacrifices that come from being a mother. It has truly changed me as a person and made me live sacrificially for the ones I love. And I love that. From early childhood, all I ever wanted was to be a mommy. I know the hardships of miscarriage, twin pregnancies, and the anxiety of just getting and being pregnant! I never take any moment with my babies for granted because I know what a miracle they are. I sneak in their rooms every night to pull the covers up one more time and kiss them on the cheek.

But the cost.... the sacrifice..... it's hard not to get selfish sometimes. I think about my current situation. We are homeless, jobless, and my husband is about to be a full time student. My current dreams of buying another home, having another baby, and moving forward are going to be delayed. For about 6 months we will be in limbo as we rent and get to where Tim will be employed. I think about what I want, what I want to do..... Luckily, it's not all about me. Sometimes to get where you want, you have to sacrifice. And that's where I am this year.

Like that verse, we have not always gotten what we want easily. Motherhood may not come easy for you, but God hears your prayers. Raising children, your husband finding his life career, or moving.... God is always with us.

I thank the Lord for both of our mothers who model before us what a godly mother is. And I thank my sweet husband for all his sacrifice to let me live out my dream. Currently, I want to repay the favor to him.

My Tradesman

After many calls this week... we are alive!! Here's the plan, Stan.
1. We closed on the house! would you believe the week that we sold, 3 Foreclosures hit the neighborhood and dropped the appraisal value $7,000? How cool that we sold when we did! Because, that would have been money we lost! Yay.
2. We are all settled in Alpharetta, Ga. I must say we are so grateful to Tim's parents! They are truly like my family because I met them right after graduating high school. We have been on many trips over the years, spent the night with them, and see them all the time. They are semi-retired and are a blast to be around. Tims dad is a chef so I am going to learn as much as i can!! That and also try not to gain 100 lbs while living here. Someone asked if we all shared rooms here or lived in the hallway and it made my laugh! Don't feel sorry for us... this place is huge! I will have to post some pics of thier beautiful home! Let me explain what it's like: We have the "upper wing" of the house, 4 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms. They have a 6 Bedroom house, 4 1/2 bath, 2 full kitchens, 2 dens, 2 breakfast rooms, a living room, and formal dining room. We spend a lot of time on their big deck and back yard! There is plenty of room for lots of fam over here, haha!
3. So, our game plan. Tim has decided to get out of Sales/ Account Management. I think it's fair to state that over the past 4 years of Sales he has been pretty unhappy. He has always done really well, but to him.... this was not what he wanted to do for his "life career." I don't know if you remember this post, but Tim is a "jack of all trades" kind of man. He loves fixing things, creating things, building things... anything that involves being hands on. His other life long dream is to build/renovate houses one day. So, with both of those 2 things he knew about himself, he decided it was time to start moving that way.
Obviously, the housing market sucks, so renovating and selling houses isn't super smart right now. He started looking into the HVAC field.... Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning. It is the one component of building a home he doesnt know. It involves : engineering, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, refrigeration and heating skills = all in one system. So, if you learn HVAC, you learn all those things.
He has called about 30 HVAC companies in Atlanta, and had about 7 interviews. All loved Tim, but all said the same thing:

"Go get a degree and we'll hire you!" Yep. You have to have a 1 year degree to be able to get hired on. When we found this out, we were kind of at a loss.... we didn't know how it would be possible for him to go to school full time for 1 year. School expenses, children, living expenses, ect.
So, we prayed that if this was the path, God would light it clearly. And he did.
Within 1 week:
Since Tim had been laid off, had a 4 year degree and 4 years Sales experience... he qualified for many scholarships.
So far, he has been eligible for scholarships that will pay for a full ride to school, all the tools he will need, and living expenses!!!!! CRAZY!
He is enrolled and will start school full time school on July 8 and begin getting his degree! Once he has completed half of school (Nov) many companies have said they will hire him since he is half way done, and he'll have his career! He will be at a technical school on the Marietta campus.
So, we are currently looking for a place to rent until Dec, then we will buy a home close to
whatever company hires him on. His top place to work is still in Woodstock, Ga. They know he is going to school and are really excited!

So, thats that! All the advice we have gotten is this: If we are going to make a career change, NOW is the best time to do it!! We have no mortgage, no debt, and the money to pay to get us through school! Our kids aren't in school yet, I can still stay at home (but, i did start a small side business, more to come later, ill keep you in suspense) so we really feel like God is making it possible for us to make this move.
I love you Timmy, and I am so proud of you for never being afraid of doing what you want, while still putting us first. I will try my best to be supportive, positive, and make you do your homework, haha! Please pray for us as we embark on a little adventure here =)