8 months later.........

So, my motivation to keep this blog up to date has been sadly lacking!!! I do think about posting often, I just don't follow through. So sorry to all you out there that enjoy reading this. I do have great excuses (tons and tons of them!!!) but today is as good a day as any to hop back on the blogging bandwagon.

I think about the events of the past 8 months and feel extremely overwhelmed with trying to remember and write about each one! So for the most part I'm not going to! I have however jam packed this posting with lots and lots of pictures for you all to enjoy!

I will mention, for those of you who don't already know, that two of Terry's son's now permanently reside with us here in Washington. They moved here on Febuary 1st of this year and it has been a challenge and transition to say the very least. We will be filing for full custody of them this summer and though it is not an easy or fun choice to make it is something that needs to be done. Despite what they may think they are truly much better off here.

Terry's oldest son, Chance, graduated valedictorian from Natrona County High School in Casper this month. He will be visiting us for a while this summer (I don't know where he will sleep or what he will eat!) and then heads of to Penn State in August! It is funny to think that the mischevious little boy I meet 9 years ago is now a man headed of to some prestigious college! Actually, it makes me start to feel a little old.

Chase will finish up his sophmore year, Cameron 7th grade, Madyson 3rd grade and Elly half day kindergarten in a couple of weeks. The poor kids don't get out for summer break until June 19! What happened to being released Memorial Day weekend and starting up again just after Labor Day??? Oh well, with 6 kids in the house all day long this summer I will be grateful for the expedited vacation!!!

As for our little Jordyn, she turned 2 in January and is now talking up a storm. People are continually amazed by her large vocabulary! As I stand there beaming with pride she sweetly tells me to "shutup! An affectionate term that she has recently learned from her big brothers. We're working on the one!

I have really been enjoying the beautiful weather that we are having here. After the crazy long, cold winter we had the sun feels sooooooooooo nice. I actually got out and worked on the yard today. Yes, I did say that I worked on the yard! Weird huh! I am not a fan of yard care, gardening, etc.............. I don't plant or grow much of anything with the exception of the tulip bulbs that I planted last fall. I was SOOOOOOOOO pround of myself when the little green patches started to sprout out of the ground this spring. I was actually quite amazed that something that I touched was really growing. I had picked out this bag of beautiful dark purple and pink bulbs from Costco. I assumed it was a "mixed" bag. I planted half of them to the right side of my stairs and the other half to the left side. After weeks of anticipations they finally bloomed and to my horror my "mixed" bags was sooo not mixed. All the flowers on the right side were dark purple and all the flowers on the left side were pink. Hmmm - all I could do was laugh at myself and remember why it is that I don't garden! Heheheh - such an "Amy" moment.

Last weekend my mom and I, along with my aunt Sue, aunt Pauline, cousin Kathryn, cousin Katie and a few other of their friends went to the Women of Faith conference here in Spokane. I really needed a "spiritual pick-me-up" and that it was. Sometimes I get so caught up in the business of my life I forget to take each day as the gift that it is. I say that today knowing what the last few hours have entailed (puking, picking up kids from the school clinic, crying, 3 poopy diapers, various snot nose wipes, cooking, cleaning, on the verge of tears more than once) and what the day still has left to throw at me. Yet here I am - living, breathing, saved and free! I am the beautiful daughter to a KING. He knows my every joy, struggle, fear, pain and weakness and He loves me just the same. He knows that I yelled at my child today and he forgives me. He knows that I look at my legs in the shorts that the 85 degree weather has forced me to wear and wish they looked differently and he reminds me that I am exactly the way He created me and that I am and will always be beautiful in His eyes. He knows that that I have hopes and dreams for the future that I sometimes want to give up on because on that day I can't seem to see past my circumstances and He reminds me that "in this world there will be trouble, but fear not, for I have overcome the world!!!" Yes, today is a good day. Tomorrow will be a good day too!!!

I love you all! Hope you enjoy the pictures! And I will give it my ALL to do better and updating this page! I love keeping in contact with you all and miss you very much!!!

-Amy