In 3 days!

In three days it will spring!! Now, I know that living in Michigan, that spring doesn't mean no more snow--if fact, it's tradition to get a huge snow storm during spring break! However, the weather has been super nice the past few days. The kids have played outside, and Aliza even asked if we could put up the pool!

I am so sick of everyone being sick! We've had three sickes with Strep Throat, two sickes with the stomach flu and I've had a cold that has lasted almost two weeks! I'm done with this sick business!

I've got the itch for a vacation, but trying so hard not to book anything! We'd really like to stay home and do some home repairs, improvements, instead. Like a new garage door, new windows in the girls room, new counter tops and tile in the kitchen. We'd really like to put a high, wooden fence up in the backyard, but that will probably wait.

So, in three days winter will be over and it will be spring! :)

7 Years Ago...

Seven years ago at 10:52 AM after 13 hours of labor our life changed forever. Little Aliza Anne was born! She was everything we wanted and more! The past seven years have flown by. She has started school, sports and now can read (above her grade level!). I think she looks like her Daddy and has my attitude!

Happy 5th Birthday Ellie Jeanne!

Five years ago we were blessed with our second daughter! She was beautiful. A little 8 pound 3 ounce girl with 11 fingers and a skin tree in her nose. If all labor and deliveries could be like hers we'd have a school bus full. Labor was only 3 hours long and we barley made it to the hospital before she made her appearance. We have very few photos of her birth because it was just so fast. Her extra finger and skin tree were removed when she was one month old. It was a very traumatic day for both her and I. Ellie has always been the easy and fun child. She loves trying everything and is so creative! I found a photo of my Grandma Brantner holding Ellie as an newborn. It's a very special photo to me- she looks so happy and healthy and it makes me miss her so much more. Today we'll celebrate Ellie's birthday with "the good macaroni and cheese" with steak and garlic bread! Just for Ellie.

i am their mama

i wanted to share this layout and journaling (i still get tears in my eyes remembering this adventure):

"i wanted randy to take this photo before i boarded the airplane for my trip to missouri. i was so nervous that something would happen and would never have that last photo with my kiddos. thankfully, the flights were awesome and i was able to come home to lots of hugs and kisses from these wonderful kids. photo may 2010)

Our Five Year Home-versary

Wow! It's really been five years since we moved into our home?! It seems that days fly by in a hurry and before long here we are celebrating our five year birthday in our first home.

I remember the extremely long search for a home like it was yesterday--something I never want to do agian. It took us over a year to find a home that was perfect for our growing (and I mean growing because Ellie was cooking in the oven) family. We saw hundreds, if not thousands of houses. Some of them Aliza and I didn't even go in there were so awful and run-down. Other houses, we pulled in the driveway and backed right back out. We found some houses that we really liked, and so did everyone else. Everyone else with more money that we had and could offer more. They got the house. Then, here is was. On a quiet street tucked away in Sparta. It was like finding gold in Alaska. Our dream home. It was the only house that we walked into and it felt like home, the only home that Aliza came in and you could tell that she was comfortable in. She loved the front windows and looking out them. She loved the hallway to run up and down. It was home. But, there was a problem. At the same time we put in a offer, way below the asking price, someone else had put in an offer at the asking price. We were devastated. I remember just crying for the entire day. I was 39 weeks pregnant and an emotional basket case! Then, a couple weeks later we got a phone call from our Realtor, the other offer fell through and he was coming over right now to get another offer approved by us. It was like the dark, grey, heavy cloud had been lifted off our shoulders and we were going to have our home to bring our baby home to. After a couple days of counter-offers it was ours!

It was crazy couple weeks after we signed papers and got the keys! At the time I remember that everything looked great, but looking back and then at today we've done so much! We painted all the ways, put in new flooring and new lights around the house. Then we moved in. Four days later our second little bean was born.

I can remember one housewarming gift that still makes me happy. We were working on painting one afternoon when the doorbell rang. It was my brother, who was attending Western Michigan University at the time. Aliza was so happy to see her Uncle Cory. But, Uncle Cory didn't come empty handed. In the back of his little 2-door Jetta were five large boxes of Huggies for Ellie and a Dora backpack for Aliza. I was taken back, and still am, at his generosity. He was a college kid, a college boy and for him to think of us was thoughtful beyond words.

We've done a lot to and in our home in the past five years. New paint colors, new babies, a new swingset in the backyard, but something remains that same. Our love for each other as a family. This was were we were meant to raise our family, this home tucked away on a quiet street in Sparta.

Winter Blah

We had an official blizzard last week with two snow days! Even GRCC was closed! We went stir crazy sitting inside the house for four days straight! The only thing about snow days that excite me are sleeping in, but that rarely happens anymore. The kids hate being home, no friends to play with, nothing new to learn, no special classes. And frankly, I use the time they are at school to get my own school work done. So, now they all go back to school today and we are overjoyed! Aliza jumped out of the van and ran inside to see her friends and to have breakfast!

This is time of winter that I hate! Spring is so close, but we have mountains of snow everywhere! The sun is shining, but it's not the warm, humid sun that we crave. We are talking about what we want to plant in the garden this summer. I'd like to plant some green peppers, carrots, beans, watermelon, cucumbers and pumpkins. We'll see how many of those get planted, but the kids eat fresh veggies like they are chocolate candy bars. The swimming pool is going to a must again this summer and with Randy's new job, he'll be home every night to enjoy it with us!

The girls are all signed up for t-ball. They will have the best coach in town-their daddy! I'm sad that I will have to miss the first four practices because of Spanish class. Trust me, I'd rather be at t-ball practice than this Spanish class. :)

This is the Stuff

This song, "This is the Stuff" sung by Francesca Battitelli is amazing! The lyrics are so true. I wish I could trust more and just let things happen. I feel like I always need to have control over everything--money, the kids, schoolwork, randy's job. One of my biggest goals as a Christian is to let go and let God lead the way for myself, the kids, our marriage, our life path.

Listen to the song here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqqdA8LHN7I

I lost my keys in the great unknown

And call me please
Cause I can't find my phone

(CHORUS)
This is the stuff
That drives me crazy
This is the stuff
That's getting to me lately
In the middle of my little mess
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff
That gets under my skin
But I've gotta trust
You know exactly what Your doing
Might not be what I would choose
But this is the stuff You use

45 in a 35
Sirens and fines
While I'm running behind

(CHORUS)

To break me of impatience
Conquer my frustrations
I've got a new appreciation
It's not the end of the world...

This is the stuff
That drives me crazy
This is the stuff
Someone save me
In the middle of my little mess
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff
That gets under my skin
But I've gotta trust
You know exactly what Your doing
Might not be what I would choose
But this is the stuff You use