Hello World! What have you been up to?

Well, here we are again. I have so much to tell you, and so few words to tell it in. Life has changed much since my last post in September. There were many things going on then, there are many things going on now. But at least I can talk about them now. Back then, I didn't feel that I could share much in a healthy way, so I just resisted sharing.

We now live in Kansas. Wow, never thought I'd say that one, but then, I'm learning that God has many surprises planned for our lives, and that they really shouldn't be surprising to me anymore! We're also living with my in-laws (see, there's another surprise!). We're homeschooling. And I'm pregnant (they just keep coming, don't they?!).

So let's break this down....

Living in Kansas... This one wasn't really hard when it came down to it. We felt called to do ministry in Pennsylvania. We also didn't feel that it would be our home forever, we just didn't know it would only be a year. It was a year filled with learning, new experiences, meeting some great people, and some difficult times. We couldn't wait to get a taste of life outside of the Midwest, only to learn that we really truly are Midwesterners through and through. Living out east gave us a new perspective and appreciation for living in the Midwest, near our families (mainly our parents). (We did have some family with 2-4 hours out east, which we really enjoyed) We realized that it is very important for us to be closer to our family, where our girls would enjoy knowing their aunts and uncles. It was hard to leave the relationships we formed in Pennsylvania, and even harder to know that what we were doing didn't make much sense to most people, but we knew in our hearts that it was the right move for our family, and that God was fully leading our lives.

Living with my in-laws.... Has been a blessing! Scott was feeling unsure of his next move in ministry, since the 'normal' thing for a youth pastor to do when you reach an undetermined age was to become a senior pastor, which was not in his calling. He still wishes to have a ministry, just not in the typical format of full time position. So he started job hunting. And that led to a few really good opportunities, of which I know there are people out there begging for, and for which we were very thankful. But they didn't seem to fit into our life. So we kept waiting and praying, and exploring. Thankfully, we were able to move into a few spare bedrooms at his parents' home. This allowed Scott to fully explore his interests and not feel as though he had to go out and get a J-O-B, but search for something he could really enjoy. One day we were walking through some model homes in nearby new neighborhoods, and Scott turned to me and said, "Man, I really wish I could get a job where I could just look at houses all the time." Well, duh?! Isn't that called a Realtor? And so, about 2 weeks later, I was married to a licensed Realtor of Keller Williams Realty (his name is Scott, have you met him?). I'm so proud of him for taking this new adventure. He is so excited about his job, and I, along with others, can see that he really enjoys helping others find their new home.

We're homeschooling... And we're all enjoying it. We went with Sonlight Kindergarten curriculum. I really like that it is literature based, so there are no textbooks, but lots of fiction and nonfiction reading. I've been supplementing the reading portions with some Hooked On Phonics, and I'm thinking of adding the Get Set for the Code books as well. Everyday is different for us, whether its our location, time, or subject. I try to change it up a bit to keep it interesting for the girls. While we're really only formally schooling Bella, Bianca is listening in and learning some of the same things as well.

I'm pregnant... God truly has a sense of humor. This was one surprise I really didn't see coming! Usually its Scott who is in denial for a few weeks, but it was definitely me this time. It doesn't make sense, we don't have room, we barely got insurance in time, but it is all working out. I know that God has a plan for this child, and I am in love with it. We have an awesome doctor, and I know that we are being taken care of well. I have been seen by a high risk doctor once, and the doctors concurred that I do not need the Lovenox shots as we thought previously would be required, but that a baby aspirin regimen would be sufficient. Recent studies have shown that the risks of having Factor 2 Mutation/Prothrombin is more for the mother due to the increased risk of blood clots during pregnancy, and not to the baby. (So, we still do not really know why I've had 3 miscarriages, we just know that I have this condition because they went looking for something.) That being said, I will see the high risk doctor at least one more time at around 16-17 weeks (in about 4 weeks). My due date is September 2nd.

Well, that is where we are right now. I would include some pictures, but Scott has them all with him right now, so that will wait til later. I'm also looking forward to sharing with you some projects on which I am working, mostly crochet items!

Oh, and if you need a good Realtor, or help finding one, contact Scott! (Shameless plug, I know:)