Checking In

These days when I take the time to do a blog post, it's typically to chronicle a particular Emily Event that has happened recently.  I thought today, though, that I'd just post a bit about what's going on in other areas of our life.  It seems that I'm constantly mini-blogging this type of stuff on Facebook, but have neglected to record it here.  So...let the rambling begin!

Biggest and best news first, we have decided that as of June 5, my job is changing to stay-at-home-mom!  Although I love so many things about my job, and although our lifestyle is going to change a bit, the decision was an easy one.  Even on the toughest days, there is nowhere I would rather be than with my Emily.  It's kind of funny that I earned my masters degree only to have a baby and quit my job, but it's totally worth it.  I do intend to go back to work someday, and when I do, that degree will come in handy!

Speaking of degrees, Lucas is THIS close to being finished with his.  He only has a couple of classes left to finish his bachelors degree in Information Technology.  Through hard work, sheer brilliance, great management skills, and the Lord's favor, Lucas has a great job without having a four year degree.  He basically decided to get this degree just to have it, so that a lack of degree would never be able to keep him from future job offers.  I am so proud of him for working so hard all day, then coming home and working hard in the evenings.  He rarely takes a break and I am so blessed that he loves me enough to do such a great job providing for our family.  This time next year, he will officially be graduated and we will be doing some major celebrating!

Another big thing that's going on in our life right now is that we are looking for a new church.  We love our church home, The Branch, and have been very involved there for the past seven years.  When we moved to our current city four years ago, the drive was a bit far, but nothing we couldn't handle.  After Emily was born, though, we began to realize that it just wasn't working for us anymore.  Although we could still handle a 20 minute drive on Sunday mornings, we realized that we needed a community of people who lived closer to us that we could do life with.  We had spent the last year with a group of people who all lived literally two minutes apart from each other.  Being with them helped us to realize how important it was to have that.  Also, we have been so blessed with a sweet couple and their kids who live about five minutes from us and have become like family to us over the last few years.  We knew that if we wanted to grow other relationships like this, we would have to find a church home closer to where we live.  For the past month or so, we've been visiting around.  We aren't totally sure yet, but we are hoping to know something by the summer.  It's very sad to be leaving our home, but we feel like this is what is best for our family.  While we're sad, it's also a little bit exciting.

Well, it's late, and this mama is tired.  I'll leave with a couple pictures from last weekend's family birthday lunch for my Uncle Andy.

Picking flowers with Mimi and (Great) Grandpa

Self portrait with Daddy

Chow time!

SO silly

Emmy and Mommy