A new look...for now...

Good morning readers! I have decided to copy my sister and give my blog a new look! :) I know, I'm the oldest, so she's supposed to copy ME, but she just has too many good ideas for me NOT to follow! :) :) It's still a work in progress, but at least it looks Chrismasy now! :) I need to figure out some other things, but I think I need my dear sister's help with that--she's so technologically savvy! :) :)

We are encountering a strange, wintery mix. It's hailing, snowing and raining all at the same time. Strange, I know--I don't know how else to describe it. The roads are a mess and only 7 of us managed to get into work this morning in my department. Oh...I guess I should be working and not doing my blog! :)

We are very much looking forward to spending all of Christmas and New Year with our families. It'll be a special time. A season of healing, excitment as we look ahead to what God has next for us and a time of simply relishing in the love and blessings God has for us, His children. I haven't sent out Christmas cards this year. With all the commotion of moving (not even sure where they are right now...) and just trying to get ourselves back on track with life, I felt it was one thing I didn't need to do this year. I have, however, found how much I miss doing it and just how much I ENJOY doing it! BUT! Next year, hopefully, we'll be back on track and ready to have a good ol' newsy letter to go along with it! :)

I hope you and your family have a VERY merry Christmas and a VERY happy New Year!
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Texas sheet cake

I'm sitting here at my desk thinking of my mom because I'm eating a Texas sheet cake, her absolute favorite dessert! :) I'll eat a piece for you Mom! :) :) It's YUMMY! :)

It's been a whirlwind of a last few days for David and I. Thursday night I was only a block from work when a man ran a stop sign, and I plowed right into him. Talk about frightening! When I opened my eyes I was facing the opposite direction and realized my airbags had deployed and were now smoking and filling the car with white powder. I opened the door and swung my legs out so I could get fresh air, and all I could think about was the baby. I was praying fervently that she was OK and alive and not at all harmed. Police, EMTs and a fire truck quickly arrived. I was asked by a policeman if I would like to sit in his warm car, sure, so I did. David arrived and we both just clung to each other and cried. We were relieved that I was alive and didn't appear to be hurt, but both very much afraid that the baby was not alive and so unsure as to what our night would hold--sorrow or happiness? I was taken to the hospital via ambulance, hooked up to an IV, blood drawn, etc. They took my vitals again at the hospital while David checked me in. He came back to be with me as they were getting ready to find the baby's heartbeat. Thump, thump, thump, thump!!!!!!!!!!!! What a beautiful sound!!!!!! We were both estatic and couldn't speak we were so thankful she was alright! Our evening was going to be filled with joy! I was admitted to the hospital for the night just to keep a watch on the baby, and after a terrible night's sleep I was released the next day with a clean bill of health for me and the baby. Praise God from Whom ALL blessings flow. I cannot express to you the relief we both feel knowing that I'm not only OK but so is the baby.

Friday was a very frustrating day as we dealt with car insurance. And, due to a mix-up of our understanding/their lack of explanation we were told we will not be getting anything in return for our totaled car. Ah, the joys of a "no fault" state. Funny how the law protects the one who IS at fault. We have calmed down a bit from that shocking news and are now trying to figure out what to do about a second vehicle. We are not without options right now, but want to be sure to choose the right option. This has turned into an expensive lesson, one we hope to never have to repeat!!! We will be sure to ask LOTS of questions and be ABUNDANTLY clear as to what we're protected for, etc. And we will no longer be using State Farm Insurance. Some neighbor, as my husband said!!!

I'm posting a photo of the car so you can see it. It's terrible, my poor, little car, but it is MOST important that I and the baby are fine.

The wonders of shag carpet

We have settled in quite nicely to our new, temporary home. We continue to be blessed by the church who owns this little parsonage. It's not as nice as the other one we had been living in for 3 years, but who cares?!? It's full of love and the people are generous and wanting to just be of help. It's a much better situation! We have a wonderful greenish/yellow shag carpet in our bedroom. It's been interesting living with that! :) There are many quirks to the house, but it all pales in comparison to the feeling of NO stress that we feel. God's blessings never end.

A man from our previous church (incidentally, his father was a preacher at Bankers too, long ago and was forced to resign as well) called David and said he had shot us a deer and as soon as it was processed would be bringing us ALL of the meat!!!!!! WOW!!!! We feel so blessed by that! We'll have a ton of meat and probably won't have to buy any for a long time. We have received many such blessings from the Lord and continue to marvel at the healing He is providing us through his children.

David has been in PA this week meeting with 4 different churches. He met with 2 last night and will meet the other 2 today. So far, the meetings have been good and encouraging. It's great to hear my husband encouraged. We're thankful for the area minister in NW PA who is taking all this time to help us along.

We hope to know Friday what day David will have gall bladder surgery. No one wants surgery, but I think David will be quick to get in line for this one! He's been so miserable that right now surgery is a good thing. We're both hoping surgery happens early next week to give him time to recuperate before Christmas. Hopefully, he'll be able to enjoy eating Christmas dinner now!

We continue to strive forward and hold fiercely to the hand of our Lord. He is guiding us and directing us and his love and mercies are new every morning. I would encourage you to take time today to think of the ways God has blessed you today, this week, this month. It's amazing when you start looking. God is good.

Phew! It's done!

We are OUT of our old house and into the new one now. Thanks to my wonderful husband and mom-in-law we have had a speedy move out of the old place. Though we now have to unpack some of our things so we can live (and make Christmas cookies! :) ) we're done and out and it's a wonderful feeling. Yesterday I left what had been our home for almost 3 years, and I cried. Not because I was sad that it was my last time leaving for work from that house but sad because of what it all means. Sad to be closing a chapter on our life that didn't end the way we would have liked for it to have ended.

God is so good, though. Our "new" home is just what we need. We're now in the little area of Osseo, in another parsonage that actually sits even CLOSER to the church then what we've been living, but it's no big deal! There are a lot of quirky things in the house (like, it appears light switches were an after-thought as they are not at all in logical places, and the only way to get upstairs is to go through the downstairs bedroom) but we're so thankful to be there, so thankful for the generous folks at the Osseo church to offer it to us and are only ask that we pay for utilities and whatever (little) we can afford for "rent." They have been so helpful to us--the house was clean, warm and the fridge was turned on. They have said to us through this whole process they're just glad they can help. Wow. When you're not used to Christian behavior it's even sweeter when you do experience it. They have been a true God-send to us, and we are so very thankful for them. If you think about it, pray for these kind folks and ask the Lord's blessings on them today.

I think we have most of the things done that need to be done when moving locations. The TV guy is coming out today to hook us up! :) We were "forced" into conversation last night! :) :) I had to chuckle...

I'm so thankful for my husband and mom-in-law. They're slaving away with packing, unpacking and cleaning the old house while I sit at my cushy office job. My husband has done little things to help me transition better. He made sure to get out our Advent candle holder and put the candles in it so we can use it despite the chaos going on around us. He put our bed together and my mom-in-law put all the sheets and bedspread on it so it was done and ready when I got home last night. Though the downstairs bedroom is awkwardly placed, my husband thought about his pregnant wife who gets up a lot during the night to potty and knew it wouldn't be good for me to climb up/down the stairs. These are just a couple things that are sticking out for me right now. They are dear and wonderful people.

I'm thankful for the rest of our family, who have upheld us in prayers, called us regularly to check up on us. We couldn't be getting through this w/out all of them (you!). The same is true of our friends. God is embracing us through the arms and words of those who love us. Thank you for allowing yourself to be used in this manner. We are also not completely forgotten by folks at our "old" church. Those who loved us (and have also left the church) have been checking up on us and praying for us and offering help with moving, etc. God is so good to us all the time.

I hope to take some photos of our new digs this weekend and will hopefully get them posted on here! :) Until then, have a happy day!!