Changes

Okay, I know it's been months since I've written on here. All is well on the home-front...it's just that the home-front has now changed which has caused a lot of busyness and fatigue. I will see what I can do with recapping what has gone on with us.

First and foremost, we moved! My last post, which was months ago, I made that announcement. We moved to Longwood which is about a 22-minute drive from our old house. The reason for the move was two-fold: (1) To have a bigger yard and a pool for the kids and (2) Be closer to the church and other various activities. We accomplished both of those goals. Our new place is on an acre as compared to a third of an acre (if that) and we have a pool and hot tub. We are now seven minutes from the church and even closer that that to FLEC (Forest Lake Education Center) where the kids can do intramurals. We are also closer to more stores, Grandma and Grandpa, etc. The one downside is that we no longer live in the same neighborhood as the Isidros and others and we're also farther from the airport and Disney (glad we never go to the latter). All in all, we are very, very happy with the move and are reminded of it every day as we watch the kids play soccer in the backyard.

Anywho, lots of other stuff has gone on too so I'll just mention them in passing here.

June

Closed on new house June 20
Quebec City with Papa & Gigi
AHS President's Counsel in Stowe, Vermont

July

Saw Alison & Shannon's new properties in NH
Stayed at Uncle Terry and Aunt Toni's new house in NH
Attended Heath's 40th birthday party in NH
Fourth of July in Freeport, Maine - - did the LLBean Fun Run
Hung out with Bruce & Jennifer in Boston...did a Duck Tour, went to Plimoth Plantation
Went to Cape Cod
Two nights in downtown Boston at the Intercontinental for Duncan's work
Campmeeting in Freeport, Maine
Nova Scotia (into August)

August

August 4 - Finally returned home. We had been gone since June 22.
August 13 & 14 - Move. Yes, it took TWO days even though we had two big trucks and five movers.
August 17 - Closed on our old house. We put it on the market in early July and had a full price offer in six days. Of course, it didn't actually appraise at the offered price but everything more or less worked out in the end.
Calleigh starts Pathfinders, other kids start Adventurers and I'm the new co-leader for Little Lambs (Colby's class)
Colby finally potty trains (thanks to Grandma teaching him how to poop on toilet)
Colby turns 4

September

September 5 - School starts. Calleigh in 5th, Aubree in 3rd/4th, Brady K/1st
New windows installed in the whole house
September 10/11 - Hurricane Irma - Lose power for **only** two days. No major damage.
D6 conference in Dallas with my Family Ministries cohorts
Got braces (Have to get an implant for my crown since it fell out several times. Need the braces for 6-8 months to "even out my gum line" before they put in the implant).

October

Camp Kulaqua with the Adventurers
Brady loses first tooth at Kulaqua
Calleigh attends first camporee which took place at Pine Lake Retreat (Duncan accompanied her)
Siding is completed on house.
Angela (Elaine's sister) and Alan visit from the UK and Angela (Duncan's sister) and Chuck from Oregon.

November

Start a new tradition of listening to Christmas music starting November 1 instead of November 15, my Dad's birthday. This is a BIG deal!
Colby gets rid of his binkies
My parents come for 10 days (11/5 - 11/15)
Finish 9-week Dave Ramsey class with Jennifer at the church
Have a get together at our house for Aunt Mary's retirement, Dick's 75th birthday, my dad's 73rd. Dick didn't actually show up...
Adventurer Super Fun Day in Melbourne. Aubree was only girl and one of only four total out of probably 400 - 500 kids in attendance to say all 13 memory verses.
Festival of Trees with both sets of grandparents.
Shutters put on the house and the outside is now basically complete.

So there you have it!! The past five months or so in a nutshell.

I am so incredibly blessed. All of these activities, milestones, joys, and yes, even tribulations would not be possible without Jesus. He is the reason that we are in this, my most favorite time of year.

I will close with this final memory verse of Aubree's. Sure, I've heard it dozens and dozens of times but somehow hearing those words come out of her mouth, it just seemed so much more meaningful. Each time she'd repeat it in practice, I could feel my eyes welling up. It's that powerful.

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,8:38 Or nor heavenly rulers neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:37-39

No matter what we've done, what we've said, what we will do, or say, or what someone has done to us, or what we've done to HIM, it does't matter. Jesus is always there. What a beautiful and comforting thought.

Happy Sabbath!