Busy, Busy, Busy!

Life has been so busy here the last few days, I don't even know where to begin. Well I guess I will start with letting you all know....we finally moved to a different house! This weekend was so busy. We have had a lot of company, helped with a funeral dinner, and moved all this last weekend. On Thursday evening we had Bro. Terry and Sis. Valiere Boyd, come vist and spend the weekend with us, until after Sis. Beta's funeral on Monday. On Friday evening we signed the lease on our new house, and then went home and packed a few things (at that point I hadn't packed anything) All day Saturday we spent packing and moving everything we would need to host company at our new house. By Saturday evening we had everything important moved over to our new house, with the help of Bro. Terry, Sis. Valiere, Bro. Matt & Sis. Tisha, And Bro. River and Bro. Isiah. Thanks so much for all your help! At about midnight Bro. Jason and Sis. Velvadene Bohall, their three children, and Sis. Pam Bates arrived and stayed trough the weekend. On Sunday we all went to church, and after church we had our out of town company, and Bro. Rusty & Sis. Mary and there family over. Monday was the funeral and funeral dinner, and after the dinner our company came back home with us, and also Bro. Walter and Sis. Heather Gray came over for a while to visit. Bro. Terry, Sis. Valerie & Sis. Pam all left on Monday night. Bro. Jason & Sis. Vevadene stayed Monday night, and Tuesday we went to OMSI together. They left later that afternoon. It was a very busy extended weekend, but a very good one. I felt blessed to have a house large enough to accomodate all our company. The Lord knows just when to give us the things we need and desire. It was such a great joy to share our first night in our new home with visiting Brethren. Here are a few pictures of out new house, before all of our furniture moved in:) I will try to take pictures later after I get things decorated.

It was bound to happen!

In a house with five older sisters it was bound to happen sooner or later! The girls were playing dress up last night, and decided Hayden should be included in the fun. They all thought it was great fun and were very amused, there dad on the other hand not so amused.....

Uplifted!

The past few months have seemed to be a struggle for me spiritually. Many things have troubled me. I have let things get me down, and have become very overwhelmed with my spiritual walk with the Lord. But the Lord is ever merciful and knows just when to send comfort and strength.

Since we have lived here we have been looking for a larger house to move into. The house we live in now is a small 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house. Our landlady lives right above us, and with our large family and sometimes loud and rowdy children, I often fear that we are disturbing her. Having company over, and feeling like I can show true hospitality has really been a trial for me. I love to have the brethren in my home from time to time, but with our living situation, I have found this hard to do. We have tried to rent several different houses in the area, only to be told they decided to rent the house to someone else. I have prayed about this a lot, and I feel like the Lord has shown me that I a am very blessed to have a home to call my own, and no matter what the size I should still show hospitality to my brethren. So last weekend I invited over a couple families after church for dinner, and it really was great to have the brethren in my home once again. We were able to visit with one another on good things. It really was a great joy to me. I know that our house situation is only temporary, and this is just a learning time for me. I have no doubt that the Lord will bless us with a house large enough for our family, but it all has to be in his time and not mine.

Another thing that has been troublesome to me is....why did we move here? We have always loved this area. Sean and I both just really enjoy living in the Portland area. I really felt most of the reasons we enjoyed living here were carnal reasons. For example: better pay, nicer scenery, close to the coast etc. etc. I really feared that possibly we moved back here just because it is a place we enjoy living, and not because it was the place the Lord wanted us to be. I have questioned many times, what I our roll in this small assembly? Well after this weekend I believe the Lord confirmed that this is the place we are supposed to be. Sunday after church Isaiah gave his hand to Sean to be baptized. It truly was a wonderful day! With the Lord showing me moment by moment that he does have a plan for us in this place, and at the ordinance supper Sean received a prophesy that confirmed it all. I feel so blessed to be able to live in a place we love. And to have that place also be the place the Lord wants us is such a great joy.

I know that with each day I will face new circumstances, and new trials. But I truly believe God has great things in store for us here in this place. I am looking forward to seeing His will unfold, for us and all the brethren in this part, as we each grow as individuals and as an assembly. The Lord knows just when to give comfort and strength....I truly have been lifted up!

Christmas Break is Over :(

Well Christmas break is over and this week we have been trying to get back on schedule with our early to bed routine and our 6:30 AM mornings. It has been hard to get up some mornings, but we are managing ok. I do however sneek back to bed a time or two just to see if I can get away with it. He he he. Most of the time I can't.

Christmas break was a lot of fun. It was great to take a break from school and routine and just do things on a whim day by day. We did some Christmas shopping, when to see Santa at the mall, went to OMSI and went to McDonalds for icecream and to let the kids play were a few of the activites that filled our time during the Christams vacation. Christmas day was nice just really laied back, everyone enjoyed opening their presents, but the highlight of the day was when the snow began to fall, it wasn't much and didn't last for long, but it sure did make the girls happy. New Years was also fun. We all met up at the bank building where we have church, and played some games, had snacks and visited. It was a little chaotic with all the kids food and games in one small building, but it was still a great time.

Here are some pictures of the kids and a hummingbird that were enjoying the snow Christmas day.




This is Hayden playing in the canoe outside McDonalds

Christmas Parties!

Last weekend we went to Brownsville to the Christmas party they had for the sisters. It was a very enjoyable weekend. We had previously drew names and exchanged gifts at the party. I had Sis. Trish's name, and Sis. Kim Mc Manus had my name. She bought me a lot of nice stuff. I got a sign that I just love it says family and hold pictures in between each letter with clothes pins. It is really cute! I also got some new dish towels, a silicone type hot pad, candle, some warm fuzzy socks and some other stuff.

On Friday evening we attended another party for the brethren here at Bro. Dennis and Sis. Trina's house. All the kids brought a small gift to exchange, and the adults brought a gift also, and we all played a game of dirty Santa. It was an evening full of laughs, as we stold gifts from one another. I was glad we were all able to get together for an enjoyable evening. Thanks Trina for hosting another great party.
Here are some pictures of the parties.


Here are the pictures from the party at Bro. Dennis & Sis. Trina's House

New Camera

My new camera arrived a couple days ago, so I have been having fun taking pictures of the kids. Here are a few I thought I would share with you all.

Our Birthday

Today is our birthday, Adrianna's and mine. Adrianna is turning 6 and I am turning....well thats not important. Since we share a birthay it is hard to be selfish, and make the whole day about me, so I think I tend to play down the day, and we never have a big festive party. This year is no different.

Yesterday Sean and I took a few hours in the evening and spent some time together for my birthday. We went out to dinner, and did a little bit of window shopping at the mall and Costco. Now Sean is not a shopping kind of guy, he really dosen't like it at all, so for him to spend a few hours browsing at the mall was a real treat....and I got to show him all the stuff I would love to have for Christmas.

This evening we went into Portland to the speedway to see the Christmas light display they have, to help celebrate Adriannas birthday. The kids really enjoyed it. Hayden ooed and awed and pointed as we drove past...it was really cute. Then we came home and Adrianna opened her presents, and we had cupcakes and ice cream.

All in all it was a pretty good day, a day I felt loved and remembered by many friends and family members.

Here is Adrianna in her new birthday dress

Present time!!!



This is a picture of my new purse I got. My friend Michelle hand made this for me, and sent it from Colorado. I think it's really pretty...she is so talented. I also had a nice surprise wating on my door step when I got home this evening. Trina had came by and left me a starbucks gift card, and some chocolates *Yumm* Thanks Trina! I also have started watching QVC & HSN after seeing all of the nice stuff Cherie got, and I found a new digital camera I just couldn't live without, he he he. So I should be getting that in a few days. I am very excited! Now I will have beautiful pictures to put on my blog. I can't wait.