2011

Hi everyone. I'm sorry that it's been such a long time since I last blogged. We had a LONG, tough year last year and had to put blogging on hold while we worked on our family. Adjusting to a new child and dealing with Lily having her own adjustment issues has been rough but God has been faithful. And we began this year on a sad note as my precious lab, Jake, died from a nasty disease called Myasenthia Gravis. He was my baby and my best friend and losing him was absolutely devastating. In everything that we've been through over this last year, God has been faithful and steady and loving and I can't imagine life without Him!

Lily turned 5 at the end of September and is finishing her last year of preschool. After a lot of prayer, we were able to choice her into a different school called Chinook Trail Elementary School in a different district. We're really excited about this for her because it has an international focus and when she starts kindergarten next year, she'll also be able to learn Mandarin Chinese!

Jasmine turned 2 at the beginning of January and is as feisty and spicey as ever. She's got a very curious mind and is into everything. She and Lily seemed to have developed the typical sister relationship - they fight and play well together. Jasmine might be tiny but she can sure hold her own against her big sister.

We are still LOVING our new church and have become members in the last year. We joined a small group last fall and have fallen in love with every last one of them. There's about 13 couples in this small group and they can eat, pray and laugh like no one's business! We have SO appreciated getting to know them and have felt so right at home. We've been studying Revelation which is a book I've always wanted to study and it has been FASCINATING!

We haven't yet gotten involved w/any of the ministries there due to adjusting as a family and our kiddos still being so young but hope to in the near future. We did get to attend a taping of their latest worship album, which is due to be released April 12. The video to the left of this blog is one of the songs we recorded that night and has become one of our favorites. We're just so thankful that God continues to go deep in our church and in us. I'm so thankful that He NEVER gives up on us, aren't you?

We've also recently taken in a friend and her baby, who were in a very tough situation. That has definitely upset what was becoming the equilibrium in our home so we're back to working on some issues with the girls and would really appreciate your prayers. Our friend has really seen God do some HUGE things since she moved here so we're extremely thankful. He's put a TON of things into place for her and now the only things that remain are a car and a job. We'd appreciate your prayers for her on these last few pieces.

And, as if we don't have enough going on, last December, in the midst of Jake being sick, I hurt my knee playing volleyball. As it turned out, I tore my ACL and damaged some of the cartilage in my left knee. I'm scheduled to have surgery on April 12th and would appreciate your prayers. This is actually my 2nd ACL and my 4th surgery on this knee but I always get nervous about going under anesthesia.

As far as Jim and I go, we're continuing to trust God to guide and direct our family and to continue to heal us and provide for us. It's been an incredible year but God is greater than the stuff in this world and we can't wait to see what adventure He's preparing for us next!