Marching Orders

My husband came home a couple of months ago and introduced the idea that the business he's been working on with three of our friends might someday need to move to Austin.  "Just want you to keep that on your radar," he said.  "Maybe by next spring," he said.

I've known this man for almost 18 years.  I've learned to filter out remote possibilities and not freak out until he's really ready to pull the trigger.  Fast forward to the beginning of July when he comes home and says, "We need to move by the end of the summer."  Time to FREAK OUT!

By the end of that conversation, he had softened the blow to moving sometime this fall because his wife just kept stammering, "That is not possible.  You realize that is not humanly possible."  I may not have been the best cheerleader for my husband that night.  Sorry, babe.

It's taken me so long to write this post, that most of you know by now that we are moving and hope to be settled in our new home and office location by the beginning of October.  That's in two months! While I'm excited about going back to the area and people we left three years ago, this has definitely been an abrupt interruption of my little world.  I have frequently been reminded that "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails. (Prov 19:21)"

I had plans for kindergarten all laid out and set up in my dining room...never mind.  I had plans for a great co-op for A this fall...not to be.  I have relationships that seem like they are just starting to normalize....shake 'em up.

On the other side of this is snoball.com.  I'm super excited about the momentum this idea has!  If you haven't gone and explored the site, please take a few minutes to do that.  This thing is going to be big and you'll want to say you were there in the beginning.  The four men behind the idea are incredibly talented and smart.  They have investors chomping at the bit to get in on the action.  The only thing holding them back is their own physical limit for working....they need more manpower.  Which is the main reason for the move.  They've been unable to find local developers who are ready to hit the ground running and they can't convince any to move here.  So J will be focused on finding a new office and hiring a small army in the next few months.

In my panicked, overwhelmed-with-all-the-details moments, I ask the impertinent question, "Why, God?" He has been gracious, merciful and loving in His abundant way and provided me with an answer.  Back when I was reading this book, I prayed for an adventure.  I asked God what adventure He had for J and I to go on for His glory and our good.  And I prayed that He would show me where I fit in His eternal agenda and how I could glorify Him with what He had blessed me with.  As Bill Engvall would say,....here's yer sign.  "You asked for it, Sarah; here ya go...one adventure for the kingdom coming up.  Will you win the battles for My glory? Or will you whine and whimper in the foxholes?"

Can I just say how amazing it is to link back to so many posts over the last year that chronicle God's hand in preparing me for this?  What a mighty God we serve!

So here we go.  Back to back, tools and weapons ready, into the fray of a grand adventure.  Wherever it leads, may it strengthen our marriage, grow our children's faith and bring glory to God, the King of Kings and Lord of Hosts.

Thanks!

Wow!  What a great birthday I've had this year!  J came home early on Friday to stay with Z while I took the girls to their first movie in the theater.  We saw Winnie the Pooh on the big screen and it was a lot of fun.  I had mixed feelings about our arrival time.  We were running late, so we missed the previews (good thing because you never know what you'll see) but had to find seats and get situated in the dark (bad thing).  It was a great experience and I hope to repeat it in a week or so at the dollar summer movie for kids when they play Horton Hears a Who.

Saturday morning, J stayed with all three kids (!!!) and sent me out of the house with cash in hand to spend only on myself.  He said he was going to want to see receipts and I couldn't spend any of it on the girls or homeschool stuff.  He knows me really well.  I picked up some new duds and enjoyed a silent lunch on my own.  Wonderful birthday gift!!

While I was gone, he took the girls to the grocery store to pick out a cake mix for me.  They came back and made brownies for me that afternoon and supplemented the birthday decorations still up from A's party.  The girls spent some time drawing me pictures and finding gift bags to put them in.

Sunday, we all actually made it to church on time and enjoyed being back in the groove with our friends.  We attempted a civilized lunch at a restaurant afterward.  Only missed it by one diaper blow-out.  Newborn poop is diabolical when said newborn is in a car seat.  That afternoon, J baked the chocolate cake with chocolate icing that the girls knew I wanted.  I guess I've said a few loving words about chocolate as of late.

Today (my actual birthday), a sweet neighbor friend came over to play with the girls all morning.  I wasn't expecting to get much done because Z is so unpredictable.  But he took a THREE HOUR NAP!!  Hallelujah!  I got soooo much done!  I feel lighter and happier having checked so much off my to-do list.  Since I was feeling caught up, I was able to enjoy spending the afternoon playing with the girls and reading to them while Z took another big nap.  I really believe all this time today was God's birthday present for me.

To top it all off, I've received dozens of birthday greetings in cards, emails and Facebook messages.  Icing on an already sweet day!  Thanks to everyone who made me feel so special and loved on my birthday, especially my hard-working, fast-thinking, never-a-dull-moment best friend of a husband.

Give a Kid a Camera

"Life" - an artistic photo montage by A, age 5

Super Baby!

C is fixated on superheroes lately.  I blame The Incredibles.  She loves that movie.  She can almost quote it in her broken, two-year-old jargon.  She was thrilled to find a new costume in our dress-up bucket that came with some hand-me-downs for Z.  She pronounced herself "Super Baby!"

First Bath

Check out those curls!  We first realized C had curls when she had her first bath.  Looks like Z might have the same cute curse.  It combed out straight again when it dried.

Isn't he handsome?!

One Month Old

It's already been a month since our little man made his debut!  I can't believe it!  And at the same time, I can't wait for him to be at that 4-6 month stage where he's sitting up, sleeping through the night, trying solids.  But he's doing a lot for a one-month-old already.  In the last week he has...

• had his first bath (pics to come)
• projectile pooped across my bedroom
• outgrown size 1 diapers
• weighed in at 10 lbs, 4 oz 
• slept for five hours at a stretch at night (two nights in a row!)
• had his first trip to McDonald's

Exciting times for our big little mister.  Wonder what the next month will bring?

On Being Five

Dear A,

Today you are five.  When I wished you a happy birthday this morning, your eyes lit up and you said, "Mom, am I really five?  I think I'm bigger."  We went to the wall where I mark your growth and sure enough, you're bigger.  You said you could jump higher today, too.  Daddy asked you if five-year-olds whine and you replied, "No-oo, Dad" as if that was soooo 2010.

You enjoy Littlest Pet Shop, Care Bears, Hello Kitty, Polly Pocket, and My Little Pony.  You play "mommy and baby" with C for hours every day and thoroughly enjoy the authority that comes with being the mommy.  Playing school is also good for a power trip.  Your latest thrill is taking pictures with our iPhones.  Matter of fact, you love all things screen-related...computer games, tv shows, phone games.

Ana B. is your bff and you are two peas in a pod.  You both think the other hung the moon and you could play "baby puppies" together all day.  You love to play rough with your daddy and want every day to be a stay-home day for him.  You make beautiful drawings for our fridge every day and I look forward to the stories you have to go along with your pictures.

You requested blueberry pancakes for breakfast and McDonald's for lunch.  I think I detected a little flirting going on with the boys on the playscape.  Don't get in a hurry, sweet pea, there'll be plenty of time for that ten years from now.

You make me proud when I see you play sweetly with C, or talk tenderly to Z.  Every now and then, you get a wild hair and help out without being asked.   You don't like to be alone, have your hair brushed, do chores, or go to WalMart.

Writing my thoughts about you today makes me wish I had more time to study you and discover your needs and wants, your love language, what makes you excited or sad.  You continue to amaze us as you grow and I want to be the mom you need along the way.  Thank you for being patient with us as we experiment with parenting on you.  We have lots to learn together and I'm so happy to grow another year bigger with you.