Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Our Crazy Life

Well, we are almost homeless. We moved all our stuff into storage on Saturday and we moved in with Brian's parents on Sunday. Our house will have a new family in it in just a few days and we are very excited for them. We have had quite a rollercoaster ride looking for our new home and it isn't over yet. We put an offer on a house last week and found out that we were a few hours too late... they had just accepted another offer that afternoon. We were very disapointed, but I know God can see the big picture, and for some reason, that house wasn't His will for us. We are going out looking again today, and we are praying today will be the day we find our dream home!

The girls are being such good sports about it. I know it must be hard for their little minds to grasp that someone else is moving into our house. We went over to our house last night to take apart the playset in the backyard. I must admit my eyes filled up with tears seeing our backyard empty. The girls ran around in the empty backyard for about an hour playing chase and hide and seek and running circles around it. I think that memory will stick with me for a long time. There's such a mixture of emotions that goes into this moving process. It is especially difficult right now b/c we don't have the hope of a great new house that we can picture. Right now, we are giving up our sweet little house with no hope in sight. I know the Lord will provide another house for us, but since we have no idea where or what it's going to be, it's hard to be excited about it.

Okay, enough about the house. My little Tatum has been such a big girl the past couple nights. We didn't really have room for her crib anywhere at Brian's parents' house, so I decided it was time to try letting her sleep in the big bed with a bed rail. So we put her in the queen bed with Avery and she has done great! It is so cute to go in and check on them at night and see them cuddling up right next to each other in that big bed! They are a sweet little pair.

School is pretty much over. We are watching "Forrest Gump" this week, the perfect history movie. Final exams start Friday and go through next Wednesday, then summer is here! I have learned alot this school year. In my 5 years of teaching, this has been the hardest year I've ever taught. I think it was partly my own fault b/c of my attitude, partly b/c of my maternity leave and leaving my students with an inexperienced sub, and partly that some of my students were extra disrespectful and depraved. I've learned in teaching that some years are good and some are bad regardless of how you think you've improved as a teacher. You can be the most experienced teacher with all the best classroom management techniques, and if you get a rough group of kids, it's going to be a tough year. If you get a good group, it's going to be a good year. I pray next year will be an easier year than this one.

I am so thankful for the blessings in my life. My sweet husband and precious girls bring me so much joy every day. My in-laws have been so hospitable taking us in and helping us out with so many things. My parents have supported us and helped us out in every possible way they can. We have great friends and a great church that feed us and encourage us. We are truly blessed!

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Two Years Ago Today....

My sweet Tatum Mary was born!


She came out screaming and she hasn't stopped since. Tatum means "cheerful bringer of joy" and that has proved to be the most true of any of my kids' name meanings. She brings our whole family so much joy everyday. She is learning to do so many things by herself now, I'm so proud of her, but kinda sad that she is growing to be more independent of me. She is our middle child, and I pray to the Lord that Tatum will always know how very special & important she is. She gives the tightest, best hugs ever. She has the cutest dimpled smile in the world. Her laugh is the heartiest, most boisterous laugh I've ever heard and I cannot help but smile every time I look at her. God blessed this child with a GREAT set of lungs, and she uses them to their full potential. She imitates almost everything Avery does, and Avery usually loves it. She loves Thomas the Train and Mickey & Minnie Mouse. She loves her froggie blankie. She looks undeniably like her momma at that age (although cuter), and I couldn't be happier to have her be a "Mini-me." Thank you Lord for these two wonderful years with my precious Tatum!

We were so excited this week to meet our precious little niece, Tara Beth, born on May 12. We are now Aunt Melanie & Uncle Brian and we couldn't be happier! Brent & Jenn are both doing great, they will be super parents. Tara was born at 7 lbs and she's even tinier in these pictures. She is such a doll, and I'm sure she & our girls will have all kinds of fun together as they grow up. Here's my chunky monkey, Laney, and her cousin Tara, almost exactly 4 months apart.


Auntie Mel & Tara
We finally have a cousin! Yay!!!


Our lives have been pretty crazy lately. We need to be moved out of our house on May 28, which about 1.5 weeks away, yikes! And we still don't have a new house picked out yet. We've been looking, but just haven't found "the one" yet. I pray that this will be the week we find it. I'm starting to feel very nostalgic about our house. Me & the girls always sit out on the back patio while Brian cuts the grass. While we were watching him mow the other day, it hit me that he might only cut this grass one or two more times ever. I asked him if he was sad about that, and suprisingly, he said yes. We've worked so hard on our yard and it looks so pretty right now with all the flowers in bloom. We think the family that is moving in in two weeks is very lucky to have our house. We are so happy for them because it is such a great house. We hope & pray that they make many great memories here too.

OK, one last pictures I love. My mom took this of Avery and her two best buddies, Rylin & Lauren. I think they are such a cute little threesome.


If any one has any tips on moving, how to pack up stuff efficiently, what is important to keep until the last minute and what can be packed now, etc. Please send me any & all advice you have.