Updates

So, alot has happened since I have posted.  I always tell myself I'm going to update the blog, but somehow get busy and forget.  If life would just slow down a bit that would be great!

I guess our biggest change is where we are at with Gateway Woods.  Last May, after Paisley was born, we found ourselves a bit overwhelmed.  Having 4 kids and one being a newborn was alot.  As a new mom, it was hard for me to find time to give to my children and the residents like they needed.  We prayed and talked with others about stepping down from the full-time position and becoming alternates again.  We knew that we wanted to get through the summer, because summer is a hard and we have experienced taking over a house in the summer and it is just so busy.  So we wanted to make this transition when school started.  The end of August we officially became alternate houseparents again!  We were still in the Hickory House, so that was nice to be able to be still familiar with the kids.  We loved this new/old role.  We were still able to do what we felt God was leading us to do, but could gather ourselves a little better and learn how to handle it all with four kids.

During our time of alternating again, we had some tough girls.  It was hard.  Seeing how they were so unwilling to accept the help and wanting to help so bad.  Wanting them to see Jesus through us and hoping that they would change.  The months passed and December rolled around and we were on duty for a 9 day stretch....that's a tough one....one of our girls that had been giving us trouble for quite sometime ended up having to leave, and not in such a pleasant way.  It was hard. Hard to see her go, hard to deal with what had happened.  Just plain hard.  A few days after that happened, we received an email from our boss saying that he wanted to talk with us.  Well, I knew what he wanted right away.  The house parents at Oak House (pregnant teen and teen mom house) were leaving.  They had just announced this decision, so I knew that they would be looking for replacements.  Well, let me tell you, that was the LAST thing that I wanted to do.  We had just went back to alternating 4 months before and were loving the alternating life.  I complained to Dustin and said I wasn't going to do it, I didn't want to do double duty (alternate for 2 houses), and didn't want people to leave!!  The next morning, God convicted me.  I just felt the Holy Spirit asking me why I was not even thinking about just praying about it.  Just pray.  I knew that we needed to pray but was scared at what the answer would be.  We went off duty a few days before Christmas and were going to be spending time traveling and being with family.  I didn't even want to think of making a decision until we came back home.  But God had other plans.  I would come up with an excuse and God would say...now is that a reason you should say no?  Time after time, all the reasons why we didn't want to go back full-time was because of selfish reasons.  During our two years of full-time at Hickory House, we had felt a passion for the pregnant girls.  Could this be God's way of leading us where we wanted to go.  It seemed like to be of a coincidence.  We felt this is where we were supposed to serve.  So, we accepted the full-time position at the Oak House.

In late January we moved, again, for the third time since coming to Gateway.  :) That was one of the reasons why I didn't want to take the position and you know, God was with us.  The move didn't seem nearly as bad.  We had so much help from friends and family, that it went so smooth.  We are adjusting to our apartment, which is almost identical to the Hickory House apartment but just a little bigger!  We have adjusted really well to the girls and have the first of 4 babies due in 1 week.  Let me clarify, they aren't all due at the same time.  One is due in April, one in July (twins) and one in August.  But this will be the first baby that is born while we are full-time here.  So....let the adventure begin I guess! :)

Our kids are growing up so fast.  Liberty is 7 and in First Grade.  Oh how time flies so fast.  She is a little smartie pants and loves to learn.  It's so fun watching her learn new things! :) Caden is 6 now, and in Kindergarten.  He love it as well and is learning so much.  Back when he was in preschool, I thought that things were going to come a little slower for him, but then one day, it just clicked.  He loves to learn and learns so quickly.  Josie is 3 and is full of so much life and energy.  She is in love with princesses and is a different princess each week or even day.  She is so excited to start preschool in the fall!  And my little Paisley Grace is 11 months.  I can NOT believe that in one short month my baby will be ONE!  She gets around by crawling and is pulling her self up.  Not really walking around stuff, but I'm fine with that.  She can take her time! :)  She doesn't have any teeth yet, but I can see 2 right under the surface of her gums, so hopefully they will come soon!

I'm on the computer in the Oak House office, so I don't have any of my pictures, maybe later tonight I will put some up on the blog.  But for now, I will have to sign off.  I need to start getting supper together.  Hope you all enjoy the rest of the weekend!