snow princess...

My daughter just celebrated her 7th birthday! I seems crazy to think that it has been 7 years already. Oh my what a lovely lady she is becoming too. She amazes me daily with her sweet heart. She makes me laugh EVERYDAY! She definitly has her daddy's humor and quick wit. She is always there when you need a hand with anything. When I'm feeling sick she's the first to make me rest and she'll run to get me whatever I need to make me feel better(which usually is one of her favorite stuffed animals so that I can snuggle it). I am so blessed to have such an amazing little girl in my life to take care of and love...

Thank you Jesus for such an amazing daughter. I pray that she grows to love you more and more and more each day. Amen.

Simple life

We've now lived here in our little "God Pod" as everyone calls it, for 7 months now. It has gone way better than we had ever imagined. I mean, I guess we should have imagined that it would being that we live with our 2 best friends. We've always joked about just getting one house together to save money-and then we wouldnt have to have late nights driving to and from each other's houses. But circumstances kind of lead us here anyway without really planning it. We check in on them often to make sure that it is still okay and that everyone is still comfortable with the situation. And so far so good. Our daughters love it here. They say it is so cute and cozy. We've all decided to give it another year and then we will re-access. See how things are...make changes if necessary. But for right now, we are happy and content in the small things. Actually, I hope we remain just that. Happy and content with little. Because that is what we've been learning these past 2 years. SIMPLIFY. I'm loving the simply life....

Life at the Smith's...

Here I am again. It's been a long time since I've posted & a lot has happened since. The girls started a new school since we moved & so far, all is well. I think they miss their friends & just the familiarity of the routine. Isabelle said to me" I like our old school better because they taught you about God in EVERY subject. "

wow!

It's crazy that a 1st grader noticed that. I miss that part too though. It was comforting to know that they were being taught how God is IN everything. When problems happened they were taught to lean on Him & find peace & solutions.

Yes, of course we also teach these things at home but there's something to say about it when you hear it outside of your own parents & hearing it from every teacher.

Beyond this we still feel like we've made the right decision to switch schools. Our family life has become less stressed, we have TIME now in the evenings together where we never did last year. Sometimes we ride our bikes or walk to school. Everything is just better this year. And our family needed this time of "togetherness" after a hard & stressful year last year.

I have been searching for a part time job-something, anything that I can do while the girls are at school. During this search David & I have been talking a lot about me just staying home to continue writing.

About 5 yrs ago I wrote a book that I've been too fearful to do anything with. Yet God continues to whisper to me to just DO IT & trust in HIM! So, I'm moving forward(again)and this time not stopping.

A few weeks ago I had a focus group of women over of all walks of life to read & discuss my book.

The response was amazing! Young & old told me that I needed to get this book out there.

I had young women say to me," I never thought of it like that, I'm going to try to do those things"

That's what I want for this book. Women's hearts changed. Girl's hearts opened. For them to see that they are loved & noticed.

That book is basically done. I'm just praying for a low cost editor to clean things up for me so that I can send out the manuscript to publishers.

So, I'm gonna keep writing. I have several ideas for other books & David has a few ideas up his sleeve also that he wants me to start writing.

If a job comes up that is like 3 days a week or so, I might consider it, but for now I'm gonna write.

What a different season we are in as a family. Our hectic, busy lives are over right now & to be honest...I am glad.

Don't fool yourself & run, run, run. It may seem fun & okay at the time but you gotta s...l...o...w down. Life is too precious to miss something really important. And what's really important is right here with your family...just being together-taking walks to Handel's ice cream, riding bikes, playing ping-pon, telling stories cuddled up with a blanket, laughing at a comic strip, collecting rocks, coloring, talking about God & his world, laughing till you pee your pants...these are the ingredients to a happy, healthy family life. Try it you'll be glad you did.

In awe of God

I can't believe how time has flown! I know I say that almost every post, but it is sooo true!

Much has happened to our family over the course of a year. We lost our home & have moved in with our dear friends. The economy has taken a toll on David's job & his sales have been at a record low. I am constantly amazed at my God who protects & encourages during these times & I just could not imagine life without Him.

What a blessing to have such an amazing pool of friends who offered help, prayers, their time & their homes to us! We were in awe each day...

We were especially amazed at how God brought us our living situation. Dan & Jen(friends of ours for over 20 years) bought a home & fixed it up. They realized that the home was plenty big for both families to live in & asked if we'd like to stay. There would have been no way for us to fit our entire home in a small apartment & I'm sure we would have been paying WAY to much for rent anywhere else. We literally JUMPED at the opportunity. And those of you that know the 4 of us know that we've always joked about living together...I mean why not? We were together ALL the time anyway. So since June we have been "house sharing" and we truly love it! The house stays cleaner, the dishes stay washed, we have a laundry mat downstairs so you can do 2 loads at once, jobs around the house get done faster & it's just plain fun to be able to hang out after the kids go to bed.

Yes, yes we've also set up some boundaries...I mean everyone need privacy & time alone with your family. I am constantly checking in with them to "make sure everything is still ok" and they tell me that it's good.

So praise God for such great friends who love us regardless of our past failures & mishaps who are literally sheltering us during our storm.

In the midst of these trials we have learned so much about pride, money, making wise choices & allowing people to love & help you even when you THINK you have it all together.

Thank you God for your love, your guidance & for such amazing friends! And I mean ALL of you!!!!

oi vey

oi vey, so it has really been a long time since I've even touched my personal blog...that's what a full time job, plus being a mommy, a wife, a friend, a chef & a maid will do to you...yikes!
Where has time gone? And yes, I do say that ALOT! But so much has taken place since my last post, when I get an extra minute-hee hee-I'll share more!

My God will provide all my needs

Yes, yes my God has provided. Over the last month a lot has happened. No, we did NOT sell our house yet. But thru much prayer God has provided a full time job for me. After the retail store where I was working was not giving me the hours that I desired I started searching for a full time job. What a pain that was. Interview after interview. Driving mile after mile to the interview. The interview turning out to be "too good to be true". At one point I almost walked out before I was even seen because it didnt look like a reputable place. Yikes. I was tired of searching. Bummed at our situation. Bummed that I had to keep fighting for more hours.

One day David was having breakfast with some of his guy buds from church & mentioned my "job search". Jason quickly said " have Angie call Kim right now-there's a job opening in her office"
David called me. I called Kim. She set me up with an interview for that week & I was hired the next day!
Now that's cool!
I've been working at a Doctor's office as a Medical Receptionist for 4 weeks now & I really like it! I'm learning everyday but I love that I get to talk with patients & love on them as they come thru the door.
Thank you once again Lord for taking care of business for us. We will continue to pray for growth during this time in our lives. We know that you've put us here to mold & shape us. We will trust in you & know that you WILL provide ALL of our needs. More than we could ever hope or imagine.

Thankfulness...

I know, I know...I always say this...but seriously, can life just please slow down just a little bit? Here I am yet another month gone by & I have no idea where it went.

I have truly enjoyed admiring the fall colors of our October days & I love making fires out back & roasting marshmellows late at night with my family. We have taken more hikes this season just talking & laughing about our crazy life. Yet, life still flies past me like the passing wind.

I have so much to be thankful for though. My families health, happiness, the celebration of a great new job that I landed(with a lot of help from my friend & much prayer), unexpected acting jobs that provided us with some extra doe. I am thankful for 2 amazing little daughters who make me laugh daily. I am thankful for a husband who inspires me & encourages me & love me like no other man in this world could. I am thankful for a God who loves me unconditionally-even though sometimes I forget about Him. I am thankful for friends who give advise & wisdom during the rough times(even when the advise is hard to hear). I am thankful for the same friends who constantly pray & lift us up before this same God who not only loves me but forgives my shortcomings.
I have watched God move in so many ways over the last few months...it has been so amazing! For these things I am thankful.
I want to continue to be thankful-even when things don't go MY way. I want to continue to be thankful when times are hard. I want to continue to be thankful when there just does not seem to be anything to be thankful about. I just want to be thankful.