Spring Blooms New Life

Wow, what a year it has been so far, and it is only May! God has blessed our family so immensely and I just continue to be awed by His new mercies and gentle leading of our lives.
My new project, the Made to Mother blog is growing so fast and I love to just sit back and watch as God transforms and guides it to become what He wants it to be. I have been so blessed to meet so many women and hear their stories of motherhood from literally ALL OVER the world! And I enjoy meeting and networking with many, many fellow mommy bloggers, companies and organizations that inspire and encourage women across the mother spectrum!

 

In January our new church, Resound, moved into a new building and it has been so amazing to meet many people who have been involved with the church since it formed four years ago. We have also taken on many serving roles, me as coordinator/team lead for the Toddler and 2's Sunday school room and Jonathan as a teacher for FOUR, in elementary Sunday school room and coordinator/lead for the church's Safety team!

We also began taking a classes on Wednesday nights with the church, first Love and Respect, which has helped and strengthened our marriage immensely and now a leadership class, taught by our pastor. And all three of our kids are doing well at church and making lots of great friends!

I got a new family minivan after selling our 2010 to another family on Christmas eve and I LOVE it! Now, Jon and I have matching white Toyotas, LOL!

 

 

For my birthday, we spent an entire day on Mt. Hood playing in the snow and then, just a few weeks later we got a whole lot of snow ourselves! Nearly a foot!!!

 

 

 

 

Then came February and I decided it was time to get serious (again) about my weight loss. And, in 12 weeks, I was able to lose 12 pounds! I feel so much better, but I think I would like to lose maybe another 10 to be at my ideal, sustainable weight.

As spring has come now, we've been doing a lot of dreaming and planning and have decided that after 6 years of home brewing, we are going to open our own brewery! Kaiser Brewing, here we come! Jonathan is so passionate about it and SO GOOD at it! Why not make it into an income for us? Of course, it will take time to get there and it will require a bigger space...meaning, once AGAIN, we are looking to move, AGAIN. But, this time, we think we have decided to stay in Forest Grove! I know, right?!!! All these years of trying to move AWAY and now we think we are going to stay! We continue to pray that God would bless this and show us His favor by opening up doors and providing us with that perfect home, but both Jonathan and I have feelings of peace over this. Moreover, God has financially provided some amazing funds to use for building this new business and several open doors for networking and connections. It is so exciting to imagine where God will take this!  

 



 

SO, now that we are staying in Forest Grove and continue to plan our lives here, we applied to get Chloe into the FG Community School (our local, charter school) and she got in!
In other kid news, both Chloe and Adaya are doing dance at our local studio...Chloe tap and Adaya tumbling. Their recital will be next months and both are very excited!

Liam continues to be his cute, adorable self. He says all sorts of words and sentences and runs and keeps up with his sisters all day long. Having a boy has been such a joy! He turned 2 on March 9th and we celebrated with a mustache and Mohawk party (skateboard theme) with lots of friends and family. And just this month, we decided that our big boy is ready for a big boy bed, so no more crib!

 

 

 

Kalua, our crazy puppy, also celebrated a birthday in March, turning one on the 7th! She has become fantastic family dog; training and obeying so well! It's a good thing, too, because our poor, old Kodi dog is really showing her age. She is almost completely deaf now and has pre-kidney disease so is often soiling herself without even realizing it. We think her nose might be going out as well. But, despite all that, she is loved so much and remains a faithful companion to all of us!

So, here we are, in the spring, with an exciting future before us. God has blessed us with more than we deserve, financial stability with the hope of a new home and family business, lots of good friends, loving family and a fun summer to come!

2014 Blessings

Our family is not in the habit of making new year's resolutions. Well, at least Jonathan is not. I have always like the idea of them. Not the typical "I'm gonna work out every day," "lose 20 pound," "eat less chocolate," etc. kind of resolutions but being a better wife, mommy and person kind. Unfortunately, in true human fashion, they are too quickly lost and forgotten as my old character, nasty habits and selfish ways creep back over me. I try to hang on to them a little longer by writing them in my journal or blogging and facebooking about them, but still, I cannot seem to change who I am. Who I always have been.
This is a concept that has become extremely clear to me as I get older. In my teens and twenties I still looked at my dreams of change and fantasies for my future as obtainable, but now, in my thirties, I look back and realize that some of them I have been telling myself that I will do for over 15 years! Geez...15 years?!!!! I think most people would assume that if it has been 15 years and you STILL have not accomplished something, it is safe to say that you may never do it. Now, normally, I don't have that negative kind of thinking, but at some point, don't you have to start being realistic with your life, right?
So, gone are the days where my new year's dreams would surround being a model-thin, yoga master with perfect style, hair and make-up everyday. And now, they more surround how can I be more patient with my children, a more supportive wife, a better friend and less selfishly engaged in my own things. Be on my phone, laptop and TV less and present with the people in front of me more. Cook using whole foods and limit the processed, high fructose and chemicals that we consume. Turn off the TV and pray and read the Bible more as a family. And finally, enjoy and cherish the moments today because they are quicker than ever becoming yesterday.
And this year, I want to, as a family, look back and remember the blessings we have seen in 12 months. More than just dim memories and scribbled notes blogged online or on my journal's pages. And so I have started a "2014 Blessings Jar" and love how it is almost two-fold...containing the blessings of the year 2014, but also a challenge...can we fill the year with 2,014 blessings? If we look, really look, I am sure there are more than 10,000...EACH DAY!
2013 has been hard. And it has been JOYFUL. Gains and losses, laughter and heartache, mountains and valleys. I am so privileged to have a strong community of family and friends to navigate this life with and share the triumphs and tears. But I am most thankful for an almighty, unchanging God that goes before me and gives me rest in the uncertain future. Welcome 2014. Bring it!