Lesson learned...

...the hard way. Why, why, why do I ignore things that tell me not to do 'whatever'. So, my oldest girlie had the tonsillectomy and adnoidectomy and septum alteration yesterday morning. We had to arrived at the hospital at the lovely hour of 5a.m. (have I ever mentioned we live 45 minutes from that side of Gadsden, depending on exactly how fast I'm driving..in the dark, 45 minutes since I have night blindness issues). OK, so she is his first scheduled surgery of the day, supposed to start at 7. We check in at exactly 5am, go to the room that is going to be her recovery room and get her changed into gown. About 6 they move her to the "holding room" where all the folks having surgery are so the nurses can poke you and the folks who will be knocking you out stop by for a chat, all the usual fun stuff. Well, nurse keeps coming by and saying "we're ready to go as soon as Doc gets here". Don't get me wrong, he's a wonderful doc (he's the one who reset my broken nose), but I was annoyed when the man FINALLY arrived at 7:20. Things went quickly from there though. They took her back at 7:25, the nurse called the surgery waiting room at 7:35 to let me know she was under and surgery had just started. I waited, drank coffee, did sudoku puzzles and wondered if Hubby and the baby girlie were going to make it up there before surgery was over. (Hubby working third shift, girlie sleeping at grandma's till Daddy got home). At 8:35 Doc makes it out to let me know everything went very well, that it took a while longer because it appears she had a chronic infection for years and didn't know it, probably didn't know the difference in the way it should feel. Also informed me one of the adenoids was so swollen that it was completely blocking off the nostril on that side, hence the reason she breathed thru her mouth 95% of the time. The infections had "christalized" into tiny pellets that were getting in the way of removal. The repairs inside the nose, he made almost double the size that the openings were originally given the fact that they were only about half the size of the tip of a pinkie finger. Hubby and the girlie arrived about 15 minutes before she was moved to her private recovery room. After two hours we were allowed to take her home, which we were all more than glad to do. Now, as to the lesson learned. Last month when we saw the doc and planned the surgery we were given several pages about both of the surgeries giving the general info and all that good jazz. One sentence struck me as funny. It was talking about how the tonsil heals and the paper said it is actually better to NOT try to look back there after surgery because it looks awful, but that is how it is actually supposed to look, so don't look because it would cause you to worry for no reason. Yeah, right, I thought. Well, I will freely admit I was wrong and they were right.....we looked today, with a flashlight. It's going to take a while before I get that mental picture gone. Blech. Poor girlie took a look too, in the mirror and flipped out (at least that part was kinda funny...I'm such a mean mom, hehehe). It is amusing when your 16 year old is running around saying "get it out get it out" and "uuuuggghhh, that is soooooo nastyyyyyyyyyy" in classic teenage whine tones. Either way, believe me, when surgery papers tell you it is probably best if you don't look, take my advice....DON'T LOOK!
Wishing all ya'll a blessed evening. I'm heading to tuck my girlies in for the evening and curling up with my favorite fella to watch the rest of the Bama/LSU game. Roll Tide Roll!!!

A little of this and that...

I'm working within the confines of dial up to get my blog here fixed back up and on track..and hopefully active again. I miss posting so much, lots going on, opinions to share and life in general...I miss sharing it all with my bloggy pals!

So, on another note, I have weight gain issues. Don't get me wrong, I know I'm skinny and could stand to gain weight (note previous photos for proof of the extent of bony-ness LOL) HOWEVER, I find it highly wrong the manner in which I am finally gaining weight. I was thrilled to finally get back up to 126, which was always my goal weight since it is the bottom number of "correct weight for height and frame"....Well, as I was walking out of one of my doc offices a few days ago (Monday), she grinned at me and said "Curious?", of course I am, curious is my middle name....133 1/2!!!! While normally this would be a good thing, I find it extremely wrong that I've worked and slaved for years to gain weight, and instead of the nice lovely thin little layer I want all over...it is ALL hitting my belly, I look 3 months preg for heavens sake!! This is so wrong. Ok, done whining, I know I could have much worse issues
I suppose, opinions here, that it makes it really wrong that I had 3 1 inch slices (ok, 1 1/2 inch) of banana bread for breakfast ;-)Went on the weekly baking binge yesterday and made 2 loaves of banana bread, 2 dozen blueberry muffings, one huge pan of chocolate chip bars, and a square pan of each chocolate chip/pecan bars and peanut butter chip bars.Time to replenish the flour supply now LOL

I've been praying and studying up on homeschooling again. We homeschooled years ago with the 4 oldest, but decided to try public school when we moved from big city to small town. Lately I've been feeling a strong tugging in my heart to bring my youngest back out. My oldest at home is in 10th grade and is really doing well in that setting, and there is no way I could replace some of the classes that she is taking. My youngest, however, is not doing well in public. It just is not her learning style. She's asked several times over the last few weeks to be homeschooled like her brothers and sister were, but can't provide reasons why she wants to make this change (other than she says she is bored in school and her friends think it is a good idea and that they want to also but thier moms work and because the boys did so good when I was teaching them).So, I'm researching, praying and waiting. Hubby and I agreed to have a decision by end of the semester(December). We had picked that date because when the first 9 week grades came out she was failing 3 classes I know she should be doing fine in. Then I kinda got floored when 2nd 9 week grades came out and she went from an F to a B in math. Considering I help with homework every nite (literally 2-4 hours each evening for a 5th grader?!?!?!?!), and I know for a fact that she still has not grasped the work they were doing (add and subtract fractions) to the point of tears trying to understand...HOW in the world did her grade jump that much? It honestly makes no sense to me. She knows it is being considered and she knows the final decision rests with Daddy. Prayers for God's will in this are very welcome!

Wishing you all a blessed day!

Still hanging in..

Sorry I haven't updated since we left Alaska, but I'm still on the never ending fight with dial-up internet. I find it amazing that in AK we lived 40 miles from town and had high speed, yet here in Alabama, if I hear ONE more time that we will have high speed within a year I'm going to have a stroke! That's what they've been saying for 4 years now here at the In-laws house, blech! We've had such fun (not) readjusting to the temps down here in the southland...quit strange to realize one summer away can cause you to lose your knack for the heat. There are days I am glad we are back, times when I am glad we were here for family such as when the tornados ripped thru and they really needed our muscle-power for the clean-up..and there are days I miss Alaska so much. I had heard a number of people say once you have lived in Alaska you will miss it and want to go back the rest of your life...they might be right. It was a learning experence, and we can see everything we should have done differently that might have made a difference. On the other hand, we've been shown quite a few times now why we needed to be back here. Who knows what the future holds. I'll try to update as often as I can about all that is going on here in our lives.
Our oldest gal is really thrilled to be back, which we expected. As much as she loved snow and having the chance to run dogs....she was older and to her there is nothing like the best pals that she's grown up with most of her life. She's also a grandma's girl very much and revels in getting to see and talk to her daily.
Our little girl takes it all in stride, like the girl she is. She enjoyed equally playing in the snow in AK and swimming in the pool here in AL. She's just deeply blessed with that "bloom where you are planted" gene that she didn't get from me LOL. That's something I struggle with on a daily basis.
Thanks all for hanging with me and the kind words of support you have sent me, they meant more than you will ever know.

Ch-ch-ch-changes

Well, I sat down last night to type up a post, even with much prayer I was having issues in choosing how to word it... and in typical me fashion, I read thru blogs that had posted that day to sort of settle my mind before I started my own. Imagine my surprise when I head over to one particular bloggy friend and see she is announced the same exact thing I was preparing myself to type up. This gal lived one town over from me back in Alabama, moved to Alaska the same month we did and now, ironically, is heading back to Alabama on the very same day we are. Our reason are the same and different. Our major reason is different, but all the small reasons, she summed up better than I might would have. For my hubby and I, it was always a dream to live here...mainly because the "Last Frontier" is appealing, and a huge chunk is that we've never found a place were we feel like we fit like glove..where we felt totally at home.I don't know if we thought Alaska would be our forever place or not, but we wanted to live a dream and find out. This is truly a beautiful and glorious state and there are things that I will miss like seeing moose, bald eagles and snow drifting down, the incredible spirit of the people who call this state home. However, there are things of the south that we miss that go soul deep..rafting down Terrapin creek, thunderstorms blowing thru(not the tornadoes though), cicadas and crickets chirping at night, big and round leafy trees,...thinking that 32 degrees is pretty darn cold(hehe). Our girls are happy to be going back. While they love the snow, dog sledding and such..they miss the family we are close to, they miss the friends they've grown up with their entire lives, they miss the freedom of outdoors without being layered so they don't freeze (or get frost nip, which one of them dealt with 2 weeks ago despite being covered and layered head to toe), summertime and heat, hunting and fishing.
And so, on that note, due to some family issues back home and southern roots that go deep...we are ending our Alaskan adventure this Sunday. The hubby will return this summer for construction season, which will be difficult for us being apart that long, but necessary as he is committed to the company he works for for this summer season and for income for us to settle back in down south. We continue to pray for guidance on this path. We have no doubt whatsoever that He led us here for a reason and we feel at peace with the fact that we are going back...I look forward to whatever adventures He has in store for us on the journey of life. We've learned much about ourselves here, we've learned what we can and can not live without, or with, for that matter. See you all from the Southeastern side!

Heading into a New Year

The rear of our cozy little cabin at around 9am.Light is slowly creeping back into our world.

Quite a load of snow up on the rooftop, at least 8 inches deep with another heavy snow heading in this evening.

Our 12/30 snowfall total for overnight and the day,bring us up to 30 inches so far this winter.

Its so nice to be a kid! 8 new inches of snowfall make for terrific snow angels.

Also makes for a very snowy little girl!
Currently the snow is falling as "Storm 2" makes its way thru our area. The forecast shows snow for the next 7 or so days. I'm just a snow addict! I think we're going to spend our first year here in Alaska quietly at home, keeping our traditions of the torching of the years Christmas tree and just simply being together as our family has always done, and thinking of the family we have in the South that won't be with us for New Years for the first time ever. Eric doesn't return to work until Tuesday, the same day the girls head back to school. It's been an awesome time for us to be together, just relaxing and meshing again as a family unit. I, personally, have been on a bit of a soul and heart searching "quest", for lack of a better word. Everything has been so busy busy busy with a pile of stress mixed in that I let slip the peace I should feel and the heart for home that is so important for a helpmeet to have. I have a bad habit of borrowing trouble and worrying about things far more than I should. I tend to forget that my whole life is in His hands and keep thinking I have to handle all this myself. Time to fix that....

Almost Christmas and Life in General

Well, the tree is up and a few gifts are wrapped. We still need to make a grocery run to get the rest of the fixings for our little Christmas dinner. Today is the start of Christmas vacation for the girls. Our youngest is enjoying it by sleeping in late, then getting up to watch movies and playing Wii the entire day (apparently). Our eldest is out helping out with the Alaska Excursion 120 dog sledding race with friends of ours, so I imagine she will take tomorrow to sleep in late and watch movies all day.

Life is...cold. We have folks we know all over this beautiful state, some with far worse temps than we have, but this poor southern gal is cold, hehe. Thankfully not the "I can't hack this and I want to go home" cold, just more the general observational type that notices the fact that nose hairs freeze the minute you walk outside and the toes are feeling pretty icy and if I have to get up at 2am to crank cars so they don't freeze one more time I going to lose it kind of cold. I will admit to having those "what were we thinking" moments, but in general I'm still thrilled we are here. There is truely no place like this on earth. Even in the frigid negative temperatures there is no place I would rather be.

So, we spend our time making plans for our future here. We've narrowed down the area we want to live in, scan the real estate ads often and think about settling into our own little place here on the last frontier. It will be the end of summer before we buy, since we have a years lease on our little log cabin in Willow here, but that gives us plenty of time to look around and find the perfect fit for us at the right price. Life here in the one room dry cabin is refining for us what we can and cannot live without, the things we see that need to be done better and the things that work.

Still here!

Wow, life got so busy and yet it was hard to form thoughts to put together in any kind of form that would make sense. We had my Sister in law and Niece come for a visit Thanksgiving week, which kept any homesickness we might have felt for the first time away from family for the holidays at bay. I think they were very grateful to return to the land of warmth and running water after 5 days here LOL

The girls and thier cousin at Talkeetna.

We had a strange weather front come thru while they were here. Warming temps that dumped rain on us, promptly turning to solid ice as it hit the ground, leaving it highly unadvisable to try to get out on roads. As they left the day after Thanksgiving the colder temps started creeping in. Clear skies came out exposing all the beautiful mountains that they didn't get to see the whole time they were here. We awoke this morning to 15 below, the coldest we had experienced so far...until this evening. Eric went out to crank cars and let them run so hopefully they won't freeze overnight and crack the blocks and it is already 20 below out in our yard, meaning we'll need to get up several times tonight to crank cars and let them run about 15 minutes to get warmed up. So far that is really the only thing I'm not liking about living here in Alaska. We'll definately have to fix that before next winter by getting the cars winterized so we can plug them in on timers and save ourselves the worry of destroying motors.

Now it's time to prepare for Christmas...I'm so not ready!

Waking up this morning...

Well, not sure if we were mentally prepared for our first winter in Alaska or not with real snowfall, but it decided we were. Eric had an interview this morning to go to with work afterwards, so we were up early and peeking out the window. I'm thinking I haven't gotten past my southern mentality of believing I have to take pics before the snow melts. My little brain hasn't totally wrapped around the fact that this snow is here to stay for the next 5 to 6 months, give or take. Ok, so we head out to clean off the car so we can warm it up. Measurement on top of the car (keeping in mind we had 3 inches on the ground already)

I looked back where we came down the steps, almost missing every one since snow had it to the level the one above it usually is at.

We can see the car peeking!

My guy working his way around the car...

Weather forecast is calling for another 4-10 inches thru tonight..this should get interesting. Yes, still loving it so far! At least it has to warm up a bit to snow, haha.

Our first Alaskan Snow

Ok, if it wasn't already official, it is now. We absolutely love Alaska!!

Hanging in..

Not much going on outside of daily life at the moment, but wanted to share a few photos. We are out hunting for work for the winter, so I'll update as I can.
What a wonderful view as we top the hill coming into our little town of Willow on the way back from Wasilla.

Our temp the other morning heading into Wasilla at 9:30 in the morning.

Settling in

Ashlyn howling with the sled dogs at the neighbors

There is, of course, still some adjusting to do..tweeking everything till I have it in the spot it will work the best for us, or makes the most sense, but other than that we are nicely settled. I'd like to get the boxes sent up from Alabama soon that contain our photos and knick knacks to help make the cabin feel more homey for us.
We've checked out the little stores here in Willow, got our library cards today and checked out some books (on a side note, Willow has an awesome library) and got our first Netflix shipment LOL. Dish still hasn't managed to find a tech to come out here and hook up our box, and we are seriously debating just foregoing having it. Between netflix and the library we should have any television needs covered. If I want news I can see it online and honestly there really isn't that much we care to watch on regular television these days. It's been really nice being tv ad free or not hearing kids argue over what to watch, which are usually shows we have no desire for them to watch. And lets face it, 17 a month for netflix and free check-outs at the library are alot cheaper than 60+ a month for Dish, especially when there is nothing on that we want to see.
Eric has about two more weeks before he goes back to work, so we are enjoying our time together to the fullest as we settle in to the fact that we are living the dream we have had for so long now.

Interesting Week so far...

Ash and I walking down the road in our subdivision...I love Alaska's idea of subdivisions LOL..especially when they are 40 miles out of town.

I've had my guy home for an entire week now and I'm loving it! He is just so much fun to hang out with and relax with. We got our little nest in order, though I'm sure there will be changes as we figure out what works best where around here. I'm trying not to think about how rough its going to be when I have to let him go back to work, which unfortunately, is fairly soon. Dish network continues to be a pain about getting out here to hook us up to television. They've cancelled on me once and have now told me they don't have a technician "available" to come "all the way out to Willow" until Oct 13th...fun fun. Eric is about ready to just tell them to shove that box where the sun don't shine and we'll do without television!

We spent Friday without power from 10:30am till sometime around midnight due to some nasty winds whipping thru the Valley area. Hard to complain though when some part of the area were without power for up to 60 hours, costing many folks supplies in the frig and freezers. It did teach us pretty quick that we need to come up with a backup source of heat here at the cabin before the real cold hits...and maybe a hurricane lamp or two, though candle light was nice and put off a tiny bit of heat.

Saturday we headed up to Talkeetna to stuff ourselves at Mountain High Pizza Pie. Ash got her big slice of pepperoni pizza (their slices are 1/4 of a 15" pie) and we got their famous calzone. Ok, you've seen pics of my guy..big husky fella...he sets his arms down on the table and the calzone is wider than that. Seriously, they start out with dough the size of an extra large pizza, stuff it with whatever goodies you pick, fold it up and bake it. Took all 3 of us to eat that thing, and boy was it good. We wandered into the general store (which is another awesome place) and got some coffee and hot chocolate from the counter and picked up some of the cutest and warmest hats around...I find it funny when good warm hats are $4 and a bag of Fig Newtons are $7.50!!

Then Sunday we got hit with our reality check. We made a run into Wasilla to pick up our monthly groceries and as we came over the first big rise we see clouds on the mountains. No big deal at first time we look closer and notice we can see snow on those mountains that were bare just last week...wow! We talk about that fact the rest of the way into town and keep looking over and marveling at the fact that is snowing up there. We stop at our fav laundry mat to get quick showers and then head over to Wallyworld to pick up a few things. Our shock came when we stepped back outside...there were snow flurries...falling on US... My poor hubby had this look of shock and turned to me and said (i love this, hehe) "Baby, it's September, in Alaska, and it is SNOWING on us..in September...good grief, are we stupid or what?!?!?!" He said that was the first day since we've been here that he felt the slightest edge of missing the South LOL. He really does love it here, but for a Southern boy to find snow falling on his head in September...apparently no logical thought prepares you for that.

Life is Good!

Our little home in Willow

AJ is home from her first day of school here in our little town (she loved it) and kicked back in our living room. I've gotten it about half-way organized, now it needs some homey touches.

I love walking thru our trees with the moss covering the ground. I keep imagining its what it feels like to walk on clouds.

We have a little fire barrel in our back yard so we can see the mountains behind us while we stay warm during these chilly fall evenings.

And how often do you get to cross a little footbridge when you need a restroom break LOL

Coming up the driveway to our cozy cabin in semi-rural Alaska (well, I consider 40 miles from town rural, but you ain't seen rural until you've seen seriously rural outback Alaska).

So we took Labor Day weekend to rent a Uhaul and run most of our earthly possessions down to our little cabin in Willow..check out the view from our back windows!


After unloading and setting up the household(and being tickled that we managed to fit everything in) we just kicked back and relaxed a bit. We ran into Wasilla to eat at one of our fave resturants down there, then stopped by to see our local pals there (the ones who originally lived in our little cabin, that we stayed with when we first got here), then back to the cabin to enjoy an evening just being.
Monday, before heading back up to North Pole, we decided to make a run up to Hatcher's Pass in all its fall glory..very worth the extra time, as you can see...



One more week here in North Pole before we head down to the little cabin to settle in for the winter! I've spent the week arranging the utilities there and getting ready to shut off the same up here. The net won't go in until next Wednesday..whatever in the world will I do with 5 days of no blogs to read LOL

Holiday Weekend

Prayers, please, for safe travels for us this weekend as we haul most of our belongings down to Willow to set up in our little cabin, then heading back here Monday to finish out the work here in Fairbanks for Eric. See you Monday evening!

Lovin' it!

After much prayer, exploring options and following leadings we are packing up the household here in North Pole...getting ready to head back down to Willow, AK. Wasn't easy at first...in a state full of beauty and wonder all around, it's hard to figure out where your "fit" is. I think, though, that those snow covered mountains that surround the Wasilla/Palmer area made an impression on our hearts from the first day we laid eyes on them.
We've been extremely blessed with family...they might have thought we were nuts to move to Alaska, but they never said it...they might think we are nuts that after we settle into a house in Fairbanks that we decide this is not quite the place for us, yet they say nothing...when they hear that we are heading to an about 30x30 dry cabin 40 miles out of a 'proper' town they STILL don't tell us we are nuts. Instead they have been incredibly supportive and excited for us. They are honestly happy that we are getting to follow our dreams (ok, so his sis did have a moment there when the fact that there is an outhouse and no running water came out, but hey, she's a city gal thru and thru..and my mom did say she could never never never do an outhouse and no bathtub, but that's my mom LOL). My grandma (have I mentioned I'm grandma's girl), after telling me over and over how good it was to hear my voice, proceeded to think the house is an awesome idea and was full of tips on how to manage things, given the fact that she grew up with no running water in the house. She's been my bedrock my whole live and I love the fact that it tickles her to death we are getting to do this (although she bemoans the fact that I don't write and send pictures nowhere near often enough..I tend to call and she can't re-read phone calls and see pictures!!!)
As much as I love adventure, I sure am ready to be settled in our cozy little home before the snow flies in these parts!

Wandering, Dreaming and Decisions..

WANDERING:
This past Sunday (Hubby's only day off) we decided to take a drive rambling along the Chena Hot Springs road.
Stopped for a plunge across,what I have to say, is the coldest creek I've ever willingly stuck my poor innocent legs and feet into!

We then proceeded on down the road up to the Hot Springs, which were hosting an energy conference, so after wandering around a bit and enjoying some awesome ice cream, we headed back so we could wander some more. Look what we ran across at one of the little lakes off the main highway...

Definitely a cool looking fellow! He let us watch him and take pictures for more than an hour, occasionally sticking his head down in the water to munch on some yummy grasses. We live in such an awesome state!

DREAMING:
With the girlies in school here in North Pole now, it's given me 2 days of alone time to do thinking and dreaming (and to realize how odd it feels to be alone, given the fact that I literally haven't been alone longer that a bathroom break since March). Hubby and I have been talking alot about what our "Alaskan dream" is now that we are actually here and can get past the slight misconceptions and ideas of what we thought it would be like when we were back in Alabama and planning this move. We really miss the "country" part of our lives back there and hope to reestablish that part here in the North. Nice as North Pole is, it doesn't ring "home" with us. We need more rural...definitely not the extreme you sometimes see on TV where some family gets to see people when the plane flies in to drop off supplies and mail every 3-4 months(well, if it were just hubby and me, we would probably love it, but not with the girlies!)...but defiantly farther out with rooms for gardens and chickens and soapmaking and a few Huskies to make the girls wild with excitement!
Which leads to....

DECISIONS:
Well, we have some options open to us and are very carefully and prayerfully going thru them to see which way we are led. We know Hubby's lay off is coming in mid-September, so we are trying to decide fairly rapidly so plans can be made.One option would be to move back down to Willow, where a wonderful little place we love is coming open fairly soon and Hubby has several work options there.Other options lie in cities farther out around the Fairbanks area, as jobs he has applied for are in those directions. We've decided that a decision will be made by the end of the weekend as to which route He is prodding us along, so we can get settled in before the snow flies around these parts. LOL, it sounds more like we have decided to decide later, but we do have leanings in one direction and are just making those final last minute questions are answered and that our hearts feel right with it before we go any further.

Contemplating Roots...

I'm taking my second day in a row to piddle around the house, sit on my rear, enjoy getting to be home, and learning that my home is different. Hmm, this gave me pause to consider...my home is different. How did I not realize this fact. I'm well aware of selling off the homestead in Alabama and moving 4500 or so miles away, but how did the fact escape me that this is a different house! I know I was caught up in the whole constant work, go get food, find furniture, etc etc etc that had not allowed a single day, all day, at the new house since the day we moved in..but hey, this is a different house. Strange! A rental home I don't own, odd!
What point am I trying to get to here? It's got me thinking of what kind of home I want for us. There is still that looming question of exactly where we will "settle down" with a house of our own. I was, and still am to an extent, prepared to deal with the waiting time till we figure out where we want to be, find the land we want and buy it (hopefully) and get down to making our own roots here in the Last Frontier. At heart, the Southern gal misses having that feeling of roots that go deep here, despite the fact that I absolute adore Alaska so far. I'm ready to feel at home. Ready to get back to doing the little homesteading things I love (and getting to do them not in 100 degree temps!!). And more than ready to not feel like a whiner cause it is a strange feeling to be "rootless" and adrift and just waiting. I know God's going to lead us to exactly where He wants us, but I never learned that gift of patience well ;-)

Random quote

that I came across and like very much:

Never let someone else tell you who you are or who you should be. Only God and you know who you really are and are destined to be, the rest are just passing judgement.

~~~~~~SMILES~~~~~~

Back home...

at least for now, and prayerfully for good! We are finally getting back in to the "right" faith. Not that we ever lost faith (or were in a "wrong" faith), we just got so busy once we got to where we dreamed of living that we forgot Who was driving this, the same One who got us here and tried to take over the wheel...always a big mistake! So, long story short, we decided we need to let God take back over where He wants us and how He wants us to go about it, without taking on things we think we are "supposed" to be doing, especially when they go against what we desire and fundamentally believe. I know many many folks who think it old fashioned and sexist for the wife to be at home, but it's where we feel I should be..its where we feel God commands I be...so here I am! If and/or when He leads us to think I need to take on outside work, He will be the one to show us, not us thinking we have too because we need ___________ (fill in the blank). We are still hopeful that we will eventually be led to our little dream of a more rural setting...but I have faith, and I know without a doubt He can work all kinds of miracles (Hey, He got my hubby to move out of the South, that's a major miracle, if you knew my Mr. Steady guy LOL). And, on the bright side, I get to spend time with my girls, whom I have been missing horribly from work...and maybe get to keep up the blog of our adventure a little bit better!!