Here I am ushering in April, exhausted, but excited! I guess I could ramble on about a few things, but I will cut straight to the interesting news :)
We went to see my midwife this morning for my 34 week appointment. She started to feel my belly and she couldn't really figure out where he was. I wasn't worried for a minute because this child kicks me so hard it scares the heck out of me. She found his heartbeat but decided to go get the ultrasound machine anyhow since she needed to figure out what position he was in. I have felt kicks and punches on my sides so I really had no idea. She got the ultrasound machine hooked up and found that he was in perfect position. In fact, his head was so "engaged" (far down in my pelvis) she couldn't feel his head. So, her conclusion is that he could easily be here at 37 weeks, but of course, God gets to choose his birthday. My midwife went on to conclude by saying "I hope you have your bags packed!" What?! A year ago I had resolved that I would never have a baby!
I have been getting almost no sleep at night. Truett doesn't like to sleep at night and he will kick so hard that it hurts...bad. I have been battling this since the day I got pregnant! I lay in bed for hours just thinking because I can't sleep :/. Then of course there are the bi hourly potty breaks whether I fall asleep or not. I'm just reminding myself how long I waited for this and how soon he will be here!
Of course I am going through this mini identity crisis where I'm petrified that I will instantly become an old hag the minute he comes out of me. Before he is born I am getting my hair highlighted and a trim, just as my last hoorah I guess :) I've figured out a few ways to get my hair done quickly so I can look decent and not take a huge chunk out of my day. I'm more than likely giving up getting my nails done, but my monthly pedicures will live on!...maybe...
Dave and I are so excited about our future. With every scary and exciting thing that pops up, we are only binding closer. There's just nothing like having that third cord in Jesus Christ.
Blessed beyond measure.
Elizabeth Rose :)
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Back on the blogging train!
The month of March has found us quite a different family from what we were when I last wrote. Since we moved to Houston quite a bit has happened! Dave and I decided that it was time for Amelia to stay with her mother on a permanent basis since she started kindergarten. She seems to be handling it well and Jaxon is unsure what to do with all the attention when he spends time here! We usually have him half the week and his mother has him half the week.
We found out on September 10th that we will be expecting a baby boy around Mother's Day. Dave and I were both very surprised! We decided to name him Truett David Sparks. I am hoping for an all natural birth at a birthing center just down the road. My midwife is a really sweet Christian woman (she also owns the center). The rooms at the center are amazing. Each one has a large bed, comfy furniture, imported bath tubs (that look like huge soups bowls!) and an area for baby so he doesn't have to leave us once during the entire experience. After baby is born, we will leave the center between two and four hour later. I am so relieved that I won't be in a hospital full of sick people with multiple nurses and doctors coming in and out of my room. Of course if he comes early, I don't progress well or we have complications, we will be going to the hospital of my midwives choice. We are praying that things will go smoothly and as close to the plan as possible. Along with a natural labor and delivery, we are hoping to cloth diaper and we do not plan on vaccinating our children. We will also be treating illnesses with natural medicine as much as possible and seeing our natural doctor as needed. All of these decisions are things that we feel convicted about as Christian parents. We not have any family visiting at the time of Truett's birth. We will instead be headed up to Michigan in August to visit with everyone after Truett's immune system is better developed and we are better established in our routines :)
2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
With guidance from the Lord, I have been spending a great deal of time researching a variety of illnesses, their causes (preventions) and natural cures. We have also been doing a lot of research on survivalism and being self-sufficient. God made this Earth with everything on it that we need to survive. He also made our bodies, as women, with the capability of bringing our children into the world and feeding them once they get here. I have started a binder with all of the information I have gathered. In my opinion, ignorance kills. I would way rather find my information with guidance from the Lord Jesus Christ rather than sit in a classroom for years and become cookie cutter white collar American.
Within the last few months I am proud to say that we have cut out 3 of our major bills and paid ahead a few months on several others. We are cutting back on everything. I mean everything from clutter to junk food! I think quality is probably better than quantity :D Since I got pregnant, I have had this urge to throw away tons of stuff and we have filled the Expedition twice with clothes and things for Goodwill. I seriously don't think I have had enough time in the last 5 years to go through all of my stuff and wonder what I actually NEED. Might have something to do with this one bedroom apartment, two dogs, two adults, a little boy and a baby on the way. In July, we will be making some major power moves again and we are very excited as well as preparing in advance! Stay tuned :)
In November, David began working as a security guard for a large energy company in the area. He also had an interview recently for a job at an upscale restaurant which he is hoping to transition to within the next few weeks. Though he has enjoyed his security job and the 50+ hours of overtime weekly, he is almost never home and works third shift. His health has declined a great deal since his job requires almost no physical activity and his sleep schedule has been greatly compromised. Hopefully he will find something more family friendly soon. For now I am grateful that for the first time in months, David will be at home tonight spending time with us!
When we first moved here, we began attending church at Grace Community Church right here on the freeway where we live. We have enjoyed everything from the fellowship and the worship to the messages and all the available programs. On Sundays we go to the morning service and Sunday evenings we have connect group at a friend's house. Mondays they have a young adult service called The Venue. Wednesdays we go to midweek prayer service and David attends Men's Bible Study on Tuesday and Saturday mornings. It's so nice being in a body of believers that love Jesus and are led by pastors that honor God and His Word. We have also been attending pregnancy classes twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Although the classes are very basic, we have enjoyed being around other Christian people. I am hoping to volunteer at the center once or twice before Truett is born. Last night we went to the Pregnancy Center banquet. The meal was amazing and the mystery speaker was George W. Bush! David won two golf passes in the silent auction as well as a large Easter basket for Jaxon (thank goodness I don't have to fight crowds in Walmart for the last box of peeps and Thomas the Train kite).
Next week, I will be headed to Nashville to spend some time at Paul and Victoria's house with my parents and my Uncle Steve and Aunt Vicky Hustyi. I am excited to get out and about one more time before our baby arrives. Though it will only be for a few days, I look forward to seeing my family and especially my little nieces Arabella and Felicity (who I haven't yet met due to her delayed arrival in November!) I am so excited that my son will have two cousins who will be brought up in the same faith my sister and our husbands were trained in!
Over the last few months we have also discussed our involvement with Facebook and if it is something that we really feel is necessary. As I posted today, we will be deleting our Facebook within the next few days. We do plan on keeping up with family in other ways, we just feel that depending on the internet for communication with family is a distraction and it's the opposite of what we want for our family. I am excited to get back to writing letters, cards and just making phone calls a few times a week! We will also be visiting family in Michigan over the summer. I am hoping to get back into sewing and scrapbooking. I think homemade cards and photo books are very special gifts and I am looking forward to showing family how much they mean to us in this way! It seems that the direction our world is advancing in is bringing a lot of destruction, and though we cannot 100% shield our children, we will do our best (according to the guidelines in the Bible) to lead our children down a path of righteousness.
Thank you all for reading, and I look forward to writing again. I am hoping to start a list of close family and friend birthdays so I can begin writing cards and letters on a regular basis. Maybe I will post something on Facebook about doing this sometime soon :)
God Bless, Elizabeth
We found out on September 10th that we will be expecting a baby boy around Mother's Day. Dave and I were both very surprised! We decided to name him Truett David Sparks. I am hoping for an all natural birth at a birthing center just down the road. My midwife is a really sweet Christian woman (she also owns the center). The rooms at the center are amazing. Each one has a large bed, comfy furniture, imported bath tubs (that look like huge soups bowls!) and an area for baby so he doesn't have to leave us once during the entire experience. After baby is born, we will leave the center between two and four hour later. I am so relieved that I won't be in a hospital full of sick people with multiple nurses and doctors coming in and out of my room. Of course if he comes early, I don't progress well or we have complications, we will be going to the hospital of my midwives choice. We are praying that things will go smoothly and as close to the plan as possible. Along with a natural labor and delivery, we are hoping to cloth diaper and we do not plan on vaccinating our children. We will also be treating illnesses with natural medicine as much as possible and seeing our natural doctor as needed. All of these decisions are things that we feel convicted about as Christian parents. We not have any family visiting at the time of Truett's birth. We will instead be headed up to Michigan in August to visit with everyone after Truett's immune system is better developed and we are better established in our routines :)
2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
With guidance from the Lord, I have been spending a great deal of time researching a variety of illnesses, their causes (preventions) and natural cures. We have also been doing a lot of research on survivalism and being self-sufficient. God made this Earth with everything on it that we need to survive. He also made our bodies, as women, with the capability of bringing our children into the world and feeding them once they get here. I have started a binder with all of the information I have gathered. In my opinion, ignorance kills. I would way rather find my information with guidance from the Lord Jesus Christ rather than sit in a classroom for years and become cookie cutter white collar American.
Within the last few months I am proud to say that we have cut out 3 of our major bills and paid ahead a few months on several others. We are cutting back on everything. I mean everything from clutter to junk food! I think quality is probably better than quantity :D Since I got pregnant, I have had this urge to throw away tons of stuff and we have filled the Expedition twice with clothes and things for Goodwill. I seriously don't think I have had enough time in the last 5 years to go through all of my stuff and wonder what I actually NEED. Might have something to do with this one bedroom apartment, two dogs, two adults, a little boy and a baby on the way. In July, we will be making some major power moves again and we are very excited as well as preparing in advance! Stay tuned :)
In November, David began working as a security guard for a large energy company in the area. He also had an interview recently for a job at an upscale restaurant which he is hoping to transition to within the next few weeks. Though he has enjoyed his security job and the 50+ hours of overtime weekly, he is almost never home and works third shift. His health has declined a great deal since his job requires almost no physical activity and his sleep schedule has been greatly compromised. Hopefully he will find something more family friendly soon. For now I am grateful that for the first time in months, David will be at home tonight spending time with us!
When we first moved here, we began attending church at Grace Community Church right here on the freeway where we live. We have enjoyed everything from the fellowship and the worship to the messages and all the available programs. On Sundays we go to the morning service and Sunday evenings we have connect group at a friend's house. Mondays they have a young adult service called The Venue. Wednesdays we go to midweek prayer service and David attends Men's Bible Study on Tuesday and Saturday mornings. It's so nice being in a body of believers that love Jesus and are led by pastors that honor God and His Word. We have also been attending pregnancy classes twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Although the classes are very basic, we have enjoyed being around other Christian people. I am hoping to volunteer at the center once or twice before Truett is born. Last night we went to the Pregnancy Center banquet. The meal was amazing and the mystery speaker was George W. Bush! David won two golf passes in the silent auction as well as a large Easter basket for Jaxon (thank goodness I don't have to fight crowds in Walmart for the last box of peeps and Thomas the Train kite).
Next week, I will be headed to Nashville to spend some time at Paul and Victoria's house with my parents and my Uncle Steve and Aunt Vicky Hustyi. I am excited to get out and about one more time before our baby arrives. Though it will only be for a few days, I look forward to seeing my family and especially my little nieces Arabella and Felicity (who I haven't yet met due to her delayed arrival in November!) I am so excited that my son will have two cousins who will be brought up in the same faith my sister and our husbands were trained in!
Over the last few months we have also discussed our involvement with Facebook and if it is something that we really feel is necessary. As I posted today, we will be deleting our Facebook within the next few days. We do plan on keeping up with family in other ways, we just feel that depending on the internet for communication with family is a distraction and it's the opposite of what we want for our family. I am excited to get back to writing letters, cards and just making phone calls a few times a week! We will also be visiting family in Michigan over the summer. I am hoping to get back into sewing and scrapbooking. I think homemade cards and photo books are very special gifts and I am looking forward to showing family how much they mean to us in this way! It seems that the direction our world is advancing in is bringing a lot of destruction, and though we cannot 100% shield our children, we will do our best (according to the guidelines in the Bible) to lead our children down a path of righteousness.
Thank you all for reading, and I look forward to writing again. I am hoping to start a list of close family and friend birthdays so I can begin writing cards and letters on a regular basis. Maybe I will post something on Facebook about doing this sometime soon :)
God Bless, Elizabeth
Thursday, August 16, 2012
And again, it has been a lengthy stretch since I've last written. I won't waste time telling you allll about everything that has gone on in the last several months. Other than our wedding reception, life was just business as usual. Our wedding reception was so much fun and it was so nice to see all of our family at one time!
In March, Dave and I began to pray about moving to Texas. Jaxon and Amelia's mom and step dad, Jessica and Josh, live in Houston, and we felt like it was time to move closer to them. After 4 months of fervent prayer, Dave and I had finally come up with a plan to move from dusty Colorado, to the deep south ocean side area of Webster, Texas, just south of Houston. We are about 5 miles from Josh, Jessica and the kids. Amelia will be starting school in a few weeks, and we are excited to watch her learn and grow more and more every day. Jaxon....dear little Jaxon. My step son has entered an age that I hate to even call the "terrible twos" as terrible does not quite give justice to his current behavior. Of course all four of us parents are trying to do our best in being consistent, but it's nice to be close so we all get a break. Maybe it's not as bad as some kids, but he cries all.the.time. He throws fits for 100% no apparent reason. It's already hard enough that I'm not even his mom...but then add to that the psycho fits. THEN it's always a constant battle for David's attention. Either way, I know we'll make it through with a lot of prayer and napping/time outs as needed (for everyone). Jessica and I have been talking here and there. I think we are both glad that we are all close together and that we have a chance at uniting as parents to help make a better life for the kids.
I've just got to give a minute of typing to Texas. There's a reason that the song says "God Bless Texas". When I was growing up and especially through high school, I always told people that I was moving to Texas. When my grandpa was 15, he ran away to Texas (from MI) after a fight with his father. He moved here and was quite successful, until he was in a motorcycle accident in Austin. In the hospital, he died. While being rolled down to the morgue, he began breathing again. My grandpa went on to live for 35 more years after that. For some reason, when we came here for vacation when I was 7, I left my heart here. When I was 18, I packed my car, and told my mom I was moving to Texas. She told me that I was accepted into Pensacola Christian College and that I should go there. I did. Not sure if I regret that decision or not.
The years came and went, and I still wanted to move here. When I was with my ex husband, he was offered a law enforcement job in Dallas. I was so excited...but he wanted to move home...to mow lawns. He was a winner! not. Again, while Jake and I were working out our move to Tennessee, we really tried to make Texas fit into the budget, but it was just too far away.
Now I'm here, and we just love it. People go on "oh how do you handle the heat?!" Well, I ride my bike 10 miles in it :) When Dave and I moved here, we looked for a car for a little while. We had saved enough money, but it's hard to get a car when you live somewhere for a few days. We wanted to buy something nice or have nothing at all. SO, we got bikes :) Dave's work is 5 miles away, so it's about an hour ride, but we both like the physical activity. Yeah we sweat TONS, and the air is so thick, but it's a great way to exercise. Not to mention, no car payment, no insurance, and no gas. If we save the $ we would normally spend on that stuff, we could buy a nice car with cash in a few months!
Dave is enjoying his job at a local Japanese Steak and Sushi Restaurant. He worked there two years ago, and when he called them before we moved, they offered him a job immediately. He started the day after we got here. David is so good at his job, and his tips prove that. This next year, Dave and I will be working very hard to pay off any debts and clean up our credit with the hope of buying a nice car or 2 and house in the next few years. I may get a job at some point. Right now I am working on several projects around the house and there's really no place close enough that I can ride a bike to and get there looking presentable enough for work. I might go work part time at some point, but not with kids. I am done working with children on a full time basis. I've changed a lot in the last year.
Well speaking of changes, I went to see Dr. Kelly at Healthy Basics in Cadillac when I was home. Knowing there was plenty wrong with me, I was excited to get some concrete answers. As most of you read on facebook, my iron was low, estrogen very high, and I was suffering from the same virus I got when I was 15. I was put on several herbs, taken off some, and also given some diet restrictions. I am staying away from gluten, dairy (strong reaction), and soy. So I am entering the world of health food, mainly with the goal of getting healthy and feeling better. Also, for those of you who know Dave and I have been hoping to grow our family, I have made a solid decision that I am done "trying". If we have kids great, if not, also great. It's really NOT worth all the stress. I'd rather just live a happy life, and Dave is all the human companionship I need in the house right now.
Molly and Moses are doing great and adjusting well to the humid heat and life in a one bedroom apartment. Dave and I take them on walks and just love having them wander around the house. I am so glad we have two small dogs, I can't imagine having another monster around without a solid 10 fenced acres to let it loose on!
Well, hopefully I'll be writing more often :)
Love love-Liz
In March, Dave and I began to pray about moving to Texas. Jaxon and Amelia's mom and step dad, Jessica and Josh, live in Houston, and we felt like it was time to move closer to them. After 4 months of fervent prayer, Dave and I had finally come up with a plan to move from dusty Colorado, to the deep south ocean side area of Webster, Texas, just south of Houston. We are about 5 miles from Josh, Jessica and the kids. Amelia will be starting school in a few weeks, and we are excited to watch her learn and grow more and more every day. Jaxon....dear little Jaxon. My step son has entered an age that I hate to even call the "terrible twos" as terrible does not quite give justice to his current behavior. Of course all four of us parents are trying to do our best in being consistent, but it's nice to be close so we all get a break. Maybe it's not as bad as some kids, but he cries all.the.time. He throws fits for 100% no apparent reason. It's already hard enough that I'm not even his mom...but then add to that the psycho fits. THEN it's always a constant battle for David's attention. Either way, I know we'll make it through with a lot of prayer and napping/time outs as needed (for everyone). Jessica and I have been talking here and there. I think we are both glad that we are all close together and that we have a chance at uniting as parents to help make a better life for the kids.
I've just got to give a minute of typing to Texas. There's a reason that the song says "God Bless Texas". When I was growing up and especially through high school, I always told people that I was moving to Texas. When my grandpa was 15, he ran away to Texas (from MI) after a fight with his father. He moved here and was quite successful, until he was in a motorcycle accident in Austin. In the hospital, he died. While being rolled down to the morgue, he began breathing again. My grandpa went on to live for 35 more years after that. For some reason, when we came here for vacation when I was 7, I left my heart here. When I was 18, I packed my car, and told my mom I was moving to Texas. She told me that I was accepted into Pensacola Christian College and that I should go there. I did. Not sure if I regret that decision or not.
The years came and went, and I still wanted to move here. When I was with my ex husband, he was offered a law enforcement job in Dallas. I was so excited...but he wanted to move home...to mow lawns. He was a winner! not. Again, while Jake and I were working out our move to Tennessee, we really tried to make Texas fit into the budget, but it was just too far away.
Now I'm here, and we just love it. People go on "oh how do you handle the heat?!" Well, I ride my bike 10 miles in it :) When Dave and I moved here, we looked for a car for a little while. We had saved enough money, but it's hard to get a car when you live somewhere for a few days. We wanted to buy something nice or have nothing at all. SO, we got bikes :) Dave's work is 5 miles away, so it's about an hour ride, but we both like the physical activity. Yeah we sweat TONS, and the air is so thick, but it's a great way to exercise. Not to mention, no car payment, no insurance, and no gas. If we save the $ we would normally spend on that stuff, we could buy a nice car with cash in a few months!
Dave is enjoying his job at a local Japanese Steak and Sushi Restaurant. He worked there two years ago, and when he called them before we moved, they offered him a job immediately. He started the day after we got here. David is so good at his job, and his tips prove that. This next year, Dave and I will be working very hard to pay off any debts and clean up our credit with the hope of buying a nice car or 2 and house in the next few years. I may get a job at some point. Right now I am working on several projects around the house and there's really no place close enough that I can ride a bike to and get there looking presentable enough for work. I might go work part time at some point, but not with kids. I am done working with children on a full time basis. I've changed a lot in the last year.
Well speaking of changes, I went to see Dr. Kelly at Healthy Basics in Cadillac when I was home. Knowing there was plenty wrong with me, I was excited to get some concrete answers. As most of you read on facebook, my iron was low, estrogen very high, and I was suffering from the same virus I got when I was 15. I was put on several herbs, taken off some, and also given some diet restrictions. I am staying away from gluten, dairy (strong reaction), and soy. So I am entering the world of health food, mainly with the goal of getting healthy and feeling better. Also, for those of you who know Dave and I have been hoping to grow our family, I have made a solid decision that I am done "trying". If we have kids great, if not, also great. It's really NOT worth all the stress. I'd rather just live a happy life, and Dave is all the human companionship I need in the house right now.
Molly and Moses are doing great and adjusting well to the humid heat and life in a one bedroom apartment. Dave and I take them on walks and just love having them wander around the house. I am so glad we have two small dogs, I can't imagine having another monster around without a solid 10 fenced acres to let it loose on!
Well, hopefully I'll be writing more often :)
Love love-Liz
Friday, February 24, 2012
Concerts and Homeschooling!
I had the day off on Monday for President's Day and did housework and reorganizing all day. Tuesday was back to the old grind. I was more tired at work than I have ever been in my life! And the worst part is that I work 10 hour days! I survived, and Wednesday was a drag too. Yesterday both of the kids woke up with runny noses, coughs and sore throats. I took them to school, but after an hour I decided to take them to the clinic. When we got there, we found out that their medicaid (through their mother) was terminated January 31st. So we headed to the grocery store and got allergy medicine. After they took a very very long nap, I got the kids up and we did our first homeschool lesson. We learned counting to ten and writing the numbers. We also started our vowels with "Big A little a, A says a as in apple A says a a a". They had so much fun and took turns drawing on our chalk board door. When Dave got home, they proudly showed their daddy their accomplishments. After learning time, we did some yoga (Amelia is demonstrating Warrior 1 in the picture) and some dancing.
Jaxon has reached a point in life where he may be taking quite a few more showers than baths. Even though we have stressed it multiple times...in multiple ways, our happy little 2 year old still finds joy in pooping in the tubby. After pouring bleach in our tub several times in the past week, we decided he will have to stick to showers for a while :) On March 2nd, both children will be going to the local preschool to get evaluated in their development. I am looking forward to knowing where they are and what I need to work on with them. Dave and I decided to make our dining room into a homeschool room, since we never eat in it (or at home for that matter) and we never have friends over that actually sit down and eat. Teens lol.
I am constantly working on something. I am up to my eyebrows in homework as this is our last week of ECE 101. I wish this was the end of it, but we have yet another class to take starting the day this class ends. Though I've really struggled balancing all my responsibilities, I am hopeful that I will get a decent grade. It seems like the kids take up 100% of my time, and there's little or no room for me, or Dave and I. Last week I made up for lost time by staying up late, which made me suffer terribly at work. I am grateful to God that Dave, Jaxon and I will have health, dental, vision and life insurance on March 1st. I am rejoicing in this, because if i don't I will just get more stressed out. Dave will be getting contacts (YAY), several teeth pulled and then some blood tests and a physical. I won't even start to detail what I need done. Jaxon will be going to the allergist, the dentist, and probably a vision/hearing test. It really feels good to be able to provide insurance for my family. Some might think this is over the top, but I was planning on getting insurance for Remington (full coverage $50 a month w/$100 deductible). I thought it was a good idea since he need surgery soon, but Dave said no :(
This weekend should be exciting as we will be going to a birthday party and I will be leading the worship team at church. I will also be working on some more homeschooling with the kids. On March 4th, our church will be having a huge youth rally. David will be sharing a song he wrote (rap of course), a Christian rendition of "I Need A Doctor" by Dr. Dre and Eminem (it should be noted that this was my idea :)). He will also be sharing his testimony at the event.
Today is Friday and I am off work (since I work four tens), so I am working on housework, and will probably make a trip out of town for a few things. Please keep us in your hearts and prayers. Thanks for reading.
Elizabeth Rose
Friday, February 17, 2012
A Word From the West!
It has been months since I last wrote! So much has happened and I've tried to keep everyone updated with facebook. It's hard to go into detail without people thinking your life is an open book. In a way, our life is an open book, in the best of ways!
When we first got to Kit Carson, we realized that the Internet was quite accurate. There is not much here! For the first 3 months, we lived in an upstairs apartment above an antique store. It was quite cozy and it only grew cramped once we picked up the kids and brought them back in November. Next door to us (literally 100ft) was the post office, bank. hardware store, grocery store, med clinic and liquor store. Oh and the one gas station within 30 miles that usually has no attendant. Our street, you guessed it, Main street, looks almost like one of those streets in the old western movies! After our trek to Michigan in December, we came home to Colorado and moved into a house across the street. It's much larger (so is the rent) and there is lots of space for all six of us to be comfortable. That would be Dave, Me, Amelia, Jaxon, Remington and Molly. There is a fenced yard for the kids and the dogs, and a large upstairs the kids have all to themselves. Oh my gosh there's even a laundry room with a washer and dryer! The kitchen is huge, the dining room is nice, and the bedrooms are sizable.
The reason we moved out here was to help Scott Nymann in his ministry at the Church of the Redeemed. The church is here in Kit Carson and we can almost see is from our house. Dave is currently the lead usher and greeter, he has been cleaning the church and cooking breakfast every Sunday morning before the service. He has also been counseling several individuals in the community. He is the head pm cook at our local restaurant (one of two within 20 miles). I am singing on the worship team and doing some photography here and there for the church website. We are also taking a marriage class every Sunday night. This weekend Dave will be going to a huge christian concert in Colorado Springs (hour and a half from us, we've been there once lol). Dave and I also host a community group every other Wednesday night at out house. The most recent group hosted 14 people. We had an awesome time in learning and fellowship. Within the next few weeks, Dave and I will also be reaching out to a lot of the local teens. We have grown to absolutely love our church family and we look forward to every event we are involved in. The church is growing in strength, numbers and influence and we are honored to be a part of it.
I have been teaching at a local childcare center since November. I am in the "Younger Toddlers" room as the lead teachers. I haven't had a ton of experience working with children around 18 months, but I have actually really grown to like them! When we have Jaxon and Amelia, they come to "school" with me, and they really enjoy their time learning and playing with friends. It works perfectly because I do not feel comfortable leaving them with a sitter. I am also going to college through my work which has been a job in itself. It seems like we barely spend any time at home anymore. We work opposite shifts most days, so we don't get to see each other much. We are so grateful to have found jobs soon after we arrived, especially in such a rural area.
Our fur children are doing well and love the new house. I was thrilled that I was able to bring Molly to Colorado. We did leave her at a friends house down the road until we moved into the house, but it's just nice to have her around. After lleaving her in the care of some friends, Molly became insanely fat. I have determined she is either pregnant (several dogs dug into her pen while we were gone) or full of worms, which I have been treating her for with tobacco (cam highly recommended from several reputable sources). In December, David bought me a Akc great dane puppy for Christmas that we named "Remington's Shotgun Hospitality" after a painting done by Frederick Remington. The painting displays a cowboy with a covered wagon travelin though the prairie. At his evening bonfire, he is entertaining a group of three indians, who are singing, all wrapped in blankets. It reminds me of dave and I moving here and reaching out to the locals. We are hoping to get his umbelical hermia removed and start him on the road to being a certified stud. He is growing so big at 6 months old and towers over the children. I am grateful that he is an excellent protector and playmate for our family.
I have been over my head in work (10 hr shifts), college studies, our children, church activites and just daily life and home upkeep. Through it all, I am grateful to the Lord for His kindness and mercy that is fresh and new every time the alarm clock goes off at 6 (4am if Dave is working an am shift :s)every morning.
When I first examined the children's new upstairs bedroom, I was a bit uneasy about the children having to share a room. Since they are different genders, and they are realizing it more every day, I felt it appropriate to separate them somehow, while also keeping them in the same room. On that note, I headed off to Walmart in search of shower curtains and long curtain rods to make their own sleeping areas. I added pictures to give you an idea of how it worked out. :) They love it! They have their own space to sleep, and the room still has tons of room to play.
Jaxon is fully potty trained except for a pull up at night. He's talking a TON which is so fun and really cuts down on the temper tantrums. He is such a silly and smart little boy and I just love everything about him. When we are out and about, he says "hi" to everyone and says "I'm Jaxon James" which I ususally have to clarify as he can't quite enunciate yet. He loves playing with the dogs and yes, he is still obsessed with Thomas the Train. Darn that train and it's expensive toys and accessories.
Amelia is still my bright blonde little lady. She is always busy playing dress up and "parents". She is so smart and I'm looking forward to teaching her how to tie her shoes and read in the next few weeks. It seems like when she comes back from her mom's there is always some behavior problem we have to work through. By the time we work through it all, it's time for the kids to go back to her. One day at a time, I just hope to be a small influence before she leaves us for good to attend kindergarten in Texas. Though we will miss her, there is nothing we can do since she is not related to David by blood. Either way, I rejoice with her in her daily accomplishments and successes. Both of the children love going to church, which is something we hope will follow them into adulthood.
Even though we have been so busy, I have decided to make my blogs a priority, since writing is something have a constant longing to do. I have a blog for my own personal devotionals and writings, as well as one for my classroom and the ideas I implement in my teaching. Feel free to check them out :)
www.mrsspparksroom.blogspot.com
www.mrssparksheartandhome.blogspot.com
When we first got to Kit Carson, we realized that the Internet was quite accurate. There is not much here! For the first 3 months, we lived in an upstairs apartment above an antique store. It was quite cozy and it only grew cramped once we picked up the kids and brought them back in November. Next door to us (literally 100ft) was the post office, bank. hardware store, grocery store, med clinic and liquor store. Oh and the one gas station within 30 miles that usually has no attendant. Our street, you guessed it, Main street, looks almost like one of those streets in the old western movies! After our trek to Michigan in December, we came home to Colorado and moved into a house across the street. It's much larger (so is the rent) and there is lots of space for all six of us to be comfortable. That would be Dave, Me, Amelia, Jaxon, Remington and Molly. There is a fenced yard for the kids and the dogs, and a large upstairs the kids have all to themselves. Oh my gosh there's even a laundry room with a washer and dryer! The kitchen is huge, the dining room is nice, and the bedrooms are sizable.
The reason we moved out here was to help Scott Nymann in his ministry at the Church of the Redeemed. The church is here in Kit Carson and we can almost see is from our house. Dave is currently the lead usher and greeter, he has been cleaning the church and cooking breakfast every Sunday morning before the service. He has also been counseling several individuals in the community. He is the head pm cook at our local restaurant (one of two within 20 miles). I am singing on the worship team and doing some photography here and there for the church website. We are also taking a marriage class every Sunday night. This weekend Dave will be going to a huge christian concert in Colorado Springs (hour and a half from us, we've been there once lol). Dave and I also host a community group every other Wednesday night at out house. The most recent group hosted 14 people. We had an awesome time in learning and fellowship. Within the next few weeks, Dave and I will also be reaching out to a lot of the local teens. We have grown to absolutely love our church family and we look forward to every event we are involved in. The church is growing in strength, numbers and influence and we are honored to be a part of it.
I have been teaching at a local childcare center since November. I am in the "Younger Toddlers" room as the lead teachers. I haven't had a ton of experience working with children around 18 months, but I have actually really grown to like them! When we have Jaxon and Amelia, they come to "school" with me, and they really enjoy their time learning and playing with friends. It works perfectly because I do not feel comfortable leaving them with a sitter. I am also going to college through my work which has been a job in itself. It seems like we barely spend any time at home anymore. We work opposite shifts most days, so we don't get to see each other much. We are so grateful to have found jobs soon after we arrived, especially in such a rural area.
Our fur children are doing well and love the new house. I was thrilled that I was able to bring Molly to Colorado. We did leave her at a friends house down the road until we moved into the house, but it's just nice to have her around. After lleaving her in the care of some friends, Molly became insanely fat. I have determined she is either pregnant (several dogs dug into her pen while we were gone) or full of worms, which I have been treating her for with tobacco (cam highly recommended from several reputable sources). In December, David bought me a Akc great dane puppy for Christmas that we named "Remington's Shotgun Hospitality" after a painting done by Frederick Remington. The painting displays a cowboy with a covered wagon travelin though the prairie. At his evening bonfire, he is entertaining a group of three indians, who are singing, all wrapped in blankets. It reminds me of dave and I moving here and reaching out to the locals. We are hoping to get his umbelical hermia removed and start him on the road to being a certified stud. He is growing so big at 6 months old and towers over the children. I am grateful that he is an excellent protector and playmate for our family.
I have been over my head in work (10 hr shifts), college studies, our children, church activites and just daily life and home upkeep. Through it all, I am grateful to the Lord for His kindness and mercy that is fresh and new every time the alarm clock goes off at 6 (4am if Dave is working an am shift :s)every morning.
When I first examined the children's new upstairs bedroom, I was a bit uneasy about the children having to share a room. Since they are different genders, and they are realizing it more every day, I felt it appropriate to separate them somehow, while also keeping them in the same room. On that note, I headed off to Walmart in search of shower curtains and long curtain rods to make their own sleeping areas. I added pictures to give you an idea of how it worked out. :) They love it! They have their own space to sleep, and the room still has tons of room to play.
Jaxon is fully potty trained except for a pull up at night. He's talking a TON which is so fun and really cuts down on the temper tantrums. He is such a silly and smart little boy and I just love everything about him. When we are out and about, he says "hi" to everyone and says "I'm Jaxon James" which I ususally have to clarify as he can't quite enunciate yet. He loves playing with the dogs and yes, he is still obsessed with Thomas the Train. Darn that train and it's expensive toys and accessories.
Amelia is still my bright blonde little lady. She is always busy playing dress up and "parents". She is so smart and I'm looking forward to teaching her how to tie her shoes and read in the next few weeks. It seems like when she comes back from her mom's there is always some behavior problem we have to work through. By the time we work through it all, it's time for the kids to go back to her. One day at a time, I just hope to be a small influence before she leaves us for good to attend kindergarten in Texas. Though we will miss her, there is nothing we can do since she is not related to David by blood. Either way, I rejoice with her in her daily accomplishments and successes. Both of the children love going to church, which is something we hope will follow them into adulthood.
Even though we have been so busy, I have decided to make my blogs a priority, since writing is something have a constant longing to do. I have a blog for my own personal devotionals and writings, as well as one for my classroom and the ideas I implement in my teaching. Feel free to check them out :)
www.mrsspparksroom.blogspot.com
www.mrssparksheartandhome.blogspot.com
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Our Week Long "Lay Over"
As most of you know, Dave and I have been in Tennessee for the past 3 weeks. After spending a week in Memphis, Dave was able to make enough money to get us home and out to Colorado. While we were in Nashville, we bought a really nice 1996 Chrysler Town and Country. It sounds old but really the interior is really nice! The outside has its fair share of bumps and dents, but it's comfortable, fuel efficient and gets us from A to Z. Oh and the best par is that we paid $900. We are planning on buying teo nearly new vehicles in the future, but we decided to wait until we are more settled.
For the next week, we will be repacking and spending some time with our kids and the rest of our family. Last night after dinner, we took the kids for a long walk and hunted salamanders. We found a black one with yellow spots and a black on with red stripes! I was surprised we found them because it's freeezing cold here! We just romped through the woods with Molly and let the kids use their "outside" voice. Then we went to my mom's for a while, came home and had popcorn and cider. Jaxon, Amelia and Dave sat on the kitchen floor and had a tea party where Amelia insisted that they "climk" their glasses over and over. Then, Jaxon, being the typical boy he is, put his popcorn in his cider and drove his Thomas trains all over the tea party. We haven't had the kids for a month, but Jaxon is already growing huge! He weighs about as much as Amelia and he is only two. Nana "soup" (as the kids call her) or Nana Sue, Dave's mom, said that Jaxon is a little "teddy bear" like Dave was at his age. I thought that was cute :) I am so glad we have been able to spend even a week here in Michigan during the fall season.
Our plans are to leave Sunday for Colorado early in the afternoon. We are going to drop the kids off with their mom and be on our way! Since our van is so comfortable, we decided to just sleep in the van when we get tired. The drive is about 20 hrs, but I am sure our excitement will either make it seem longer or shorter! Once we get there, we move into our house and Dave starts working right away. I am so excited to finally have a place to make my own. I am dying to decorate and start cooking! It's just nice to have your own space. Since we have been married we haven't really had a place to call our own. After being on the road and doing sales, Dave said he is "ready for a 9 to 5".
Keep us in your prayer as we travel and make plans!
Liz
For the next week, we will be repacking and spending some time with our kids and the rest of our family. Last night after dinner, we took the kids for a long walk and hunted salamanders. We found a black one with yellow spots and a black on with red stripes! I was surprised we found them because it's freeezing cold here! We just romped through the woods with Molly and let the kids use their "outside" voice. Then we went to my mom's for a while, came home and had popcorn and cider. Jaxon, Amelia and Dave sat on the kitchen floor and had a tea party where Amelia insisted that they "climk" their glasses over and over. Then, Jaxon, being the typical boy he is, put his popcorn in his cider and drove his Thomas trains all over the tea party. We haven't had the kids for a month, but Jaxon is already growing huge! He weighs about as much as Amelia and he is only two. Nana "soup" (as the kids call her) or Nana Sue, Dave's mom, said that Jaxon is a little "teddy bear" like Dave was at his age. I thought that was cute :) I am so glad we have been able to spend even a week here in Michigan during the fall season.
Our plans are to leave Sunday for Colorado early in the afternoon. We are going to drop the kids off with their mom and be on our way! Since our van is so comfortable, we decided to just sleep in the van when we get tired. The drive is about 20 hrs, but I am sure our excitement will either make it seem longer or shorter! Once we get there, we move into our house and Dave starts working right away. I am so excited to finally have a place to make my own. I am dying to decorate and start cooking! It's just nice to have your own space. Since we have been married we haven't really had a place to call our own. After being on the road and doing sales, Dave said he is "ready for a 9 to 5".
Keep us in your prayer as we travel and make plans!
Liz
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
