We have been very busy this week compared to most weeks. I have a feeling its a precursor of what's to come with my little social butterfly getting to be 6 years old! We signed Bella up for spring soccer through our church program, Bridges. She is SO excited about that. It will be starting in a few weeks. I guess Uncle Reed's efforts are coming to fruition... he gave her a soccer ball, I think as soon as she was born!
Anyhow, Monday night our church, Living Hope, was having a fundraiser at a local restaurant, so we of course had a reason to go out to eat. Also, Scott's sister, Jessica, returned to Hawaii after an extended visit, so we made it her going away dinner. Altogether there were 11 family members around one big table for dinner. It was fun!
On Tuesday, the girls and I went to a local high school basketball game to watch Scott's cousin, Addy, perform on the dance team. (Scott started working at Papa John's delivering pizzas this week, so he missed out!) We enjoyed the game (the score was low, but close all 4 quarters, but our team won), and got to spend some time with Aunt Jill and Uncle David, Sam, and Addy.
Today, I have another doctor appointment. Did I mention I love my doctor? I LOVE my doctor! (And he had high expectations to live up to, I absolutely loved my doctor in Indianapolis!) Due to my previous experiences with what is termed "missed" miscarriages, he asked me if I would like to come in every week. Ummm.... YES! So I've been in every week since around 5 weeks. Its usually only about 10 minute appointment, consisting of a blood pressure check and an ultrasound, though more recently he's been using the Doppler instead. (I forgot to mention yesterday exactly why I don't have to take the shots of Lovenox..... it's due to the fact that I nor anyone else in my family have had a blood clot, and that I only have one copy of the mutation.)
Also tonight there are church activities. Scott and I are taking a 2 week class called, "Finding your ministry heartbeat," and the girls love seeing all their friends and their teachers in their class. They also enjoy (mostly Bianca) that on Wednesdays, they are in the same class this year. Bianca is having some separation anxiety, so she likes having Bella with her. It makes leaving mama and daddy a little easier.
So, I am blogging again! I am very excited about that! I've wanted to do so over the past few months, but just didn't have the time to get it done. Now I'm making it a priority. So, I have a few questions for you! (I hear those groans!) Actually, only one. See, it's not so bad! How is this font working for you? Is it too hard to read? (oops, I had 2!) I think its really cute, but I don't want to hurt your eyes. I love, love, love the background, with the crochet and buttons! So cute! Oh, and I'll try to be a good blogger and get some pictures for you. I know that is what at least one certain aunt and Nina would like to see! Well, I'm off to get some children bathed and dressed, fed, and schooled! Wish me luck:)
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
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:)
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:)
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Self-imposed hiatus
I lied. I'm not back. In fact, I'm not planning on coming back anytime soon. So let's just all be honest here. There are things going on, and I don't have time to do this. I'm on a self-imposed hiatus until further notice. Just in case you were wondering.... for all three of you who were.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
I think I'm Back....
Its time for an update. I've been crazy busy, and just barely keeping my head above water. But things are getting back to somewhat normal again, and I am so glad! The past year has been big changes, and I'm still not sure that is finished, but we are learning to adjust. We moved to the Philadelphia area, into a very old farmhouse from a 15 year old home in Indianapolis; we are far from family for the first time; Scott started a new position at Fairview Village Church as Associate Pastor of College and Middle School; and, I worked from January to mid-June in daycare/preschool, and the girls also attended there for the first time. I recently resigned from my preschool position (while having the summer off) because we feel strongly that I should be at home with the girls, and we will be homeschooling Bella for kindergarten.
More recently, Scott was on a missions trip to Port Arthur, TX, with the senior high youth from our church, and the girls and I drove 12.5 hours back to Illinois to spend that time with my family. At the end of that week, we started our traditional Smith Family vacation. All 13 of us packed up 3 cars and trekked to our home in PA. We were 14 in total once Scott joined us at home. We had fun and enjoyed being together, but man, we just kept going, and we were all exhausted after that week! I'll tell you about those two weeks soon!
More recently, Scott was on a missions trip to Port Arthur, TX, with the senior high youth from our church, and the girls and I drove 12.5 hours back to Illinois to spend that time with my family. At the end of that week, we started our traditional Smith Family vacation. All 13 of us packed up 3 cars and trekked to our home in PA. We were 14 in total once Scott joined us at home. We had fun and enjoyed being together, but man, we just kept going, and we were all exhausted after that week! I'll tell you about those two weeks soon!
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Hearts at Home Conference in Normal, IL
I know, its been forever, right?! Well, we are still adjusting to many things around here. Blogging has been put on the back burner. But I wanted to share this post with you. I got the chance to attend this last year. It was the best! I had so much fun with my girlfriends, and I came back refreshed in so many ways. My entire family benefited from this conference in some way. So, if you are able, I would encourage you to make every effort to attend!
Mom, do you know how valuable you are?
Do you want to be inspired and encouraged?
Are you in need of refreshment or rejuvenation?
Do you want to laugh?
A Hearts at Home conference gives moms the unique opportunity to pause along their mothering journey to refresh, refocus, and renew themselves. The 2010 National Conference, Mom’s the Word, is being held at the Bone Student Center of Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois on March 12-13.
See what others are saying about a Hearts at Home conference:
“I attended the conference this year for the first time. I enjoyed it immensely. I was lifted up, instructed, convicted, encouraged, and brought to tears, sometimes all at the same time.”
“I loved it. I feel so full of information. I need to sit and read my notes and just process it. It was really encouraging to hear all the speakers and be with all of those moms. Thanks so much! “
“This past weekend was awesome and life changing. This was my first Hearts at Home Conference and I am telling everyone about it. “
“I want to thank you all for keeping these conferences going each year and for making them so refreshing for women at various stages in their parenting.”
Hearts at Home wants all mothers to know how valuable they are! Check out this video for a small dose of encouragement from Nicole Johnson and be sure to join us March 12th-13th for more!
Featured guests include Nicole Johnson, author & motivational speaker, a favorite at Women of Faith, Jill Savage, author, international speaker, CEO & founder of Hearts at Home, and Christy Nockles, Dove Award nominee & formerly of Watermark.
Visit www.hearts-at-home.org for more information.
Mom, do you know how valuable you are?
Do you want to be inspired and encouraged?
Are you in need of refreshment or rejuvenation?
Do you want to laugh?
A Hearts at Home conference gives moms the unique opportunity to pause along their mothering journey to refresh, refocus, and renew themselves. The 2010 National Conference, Mom’s the Word, is being held at the Bone Student Center of Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois on March 12-13.
See what others are saying about a Hearts at Home conference:
“I attended the conference this year for the first time. I enjoyed it immensely. I was lifted up, instructed, convicted, encouraged, and brought to tears, sometimes all at the same time.”
“I loved it. I feel so full of information. I need to sit and read my notes and just process it. It was really encouraging to hear all the speakers and be with all of those moms. Thanks so much! “
“This past weekend was awesome and life changing. This was my first Hearts at Home Conference and I am telling everyone about it. “
“I want to thank you all for keeping these conferences going each year and for making them so refreshing for women at various stages in their parenting.”
Hearts at Home wants all mothers to know how valuable they are! Check out this video for a small dose of encouragement from Nicole Johnson and be sure to join us March 12th-13th for more!
Featured guests include Nicole Johnson, author & motivational speaker, a favorite at Women of Faith, Jill Savage, author, international speaker, CEO & founder of Hearts at Home, and Christy Nockles, Dove Award nominee & formerly of Watermark.
Visit www.hearts-at-home.org for more information.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Living with Less Contest
I am excited to share a fun opportunity with you!
To celebrate the release of Hearts at Home’s newest book: Living With Less So Your Family Has More, by Jill and Mark Savage, the Hearts at Home blog is launching the Living with Less Contest.
Email Hearts at Home a story or money-saving tip that gives a peek into your daily experiences representing the humor, richness, or spiritual aspects of what it’s like to live with less.
Better yet, blog readers will benefit as many of the money-saving entries will be posted on the Heart’s blog throughout the month of February!
For contest details go here!
To celebrate the release of Hearts at Home’s newest book: Living With Less So Your Family Has More, by Jill and Mark Savage, the Hearts at Home blog is launching the Living with Less Contest.
Email Hearts at Home a story or money-saving tip that gives a peek into your daily experiences representing the humor, richness, or spiritual aspects of what it’s like to live with less.
Better yet, blog readers will benefit as many of the money-saving entries will be posted on the Heart’s blog throughout the month of February!
For contest details go here!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Where were you ten years ago?
Ten years ago, I was 19, about to turn 20. Wow! How things have changed! So here's a look back....
I've graduated from college, got married, left my hometown, lived in 6 different homes (including our temporary housing), bought and sold two homes, and been blessed with two precious little girls and three angel babies. I've made numerous friends, some who were for a season, and some I'll have for life, though we may not keep in touch as well as we wish.
I've learned a lot of things, some important, some not so important. I traveled out of the country. I've lived in three states. I gave birth with no medication. Three babies passed from my heart into heaven and the arms of Jesus. These are all things I didn't foresee in the year 1999, and they have all changed my life.
I look forward to what the next decade, my thirties, soon, will bring. The last one was good, very good, but I'm sure God will only build upon it. I pray that whatever may come, it will only bring glory to His name, that I will be a vehicle for His love to shine on the lives of others.
I've graduated from college, got married, left my hometown, lived in 6 different homes (including our temporary housing), bought and sold two homes, and been blessed with two precious little girls and three angel babies. I've made numerous friends, some who were for a season, and some I'll have for life, though we may not keep in touch as well as we wish.
I've learned a lot of things, some important, some not so important. I traveled out of the country. I've lived in three states. I gave birth with no medication. Three babies passed from my heart into heaven and the arms of Jesus. These are all things I didn't foresee in the year 1999, and they have all changed my life.
I look forward to what the next decade, my thirties, soon, will bring. The last one was good, very good, but I'm sure God will only build upon it. I pray that whatever may come, it will only bring glory to His name, that I will be a vehicle for His love to shine on the lives of others.
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