Our Inspired Journey

Here are a few ways the kids have been shown they are LOVED lately!!!

My mom gave Cora this BEAUTIFUL quilt she made her when we saw my parents in Nashville last month...

She also made a little one that Cora sleeps with and LOVES!  It even has fabric in it from one of my doll's dresses I grew up playing with!  As soon as I tell Cora to find Gramma's blanket, she grabs it, lays down cuddling it and says, "Bye, bye!"  Bedtime has never been easier!
Silly girl :)
After Cora's photo shoot (which the boys watched every moment of) Ryder says, "Okay!  Boy's turn!"

She definitely knows this is true!!!  Thank you Gramma!!!

Here is the boys new room!  Thanks to Papa and Daddy, the boys have a lot more room to play in their room now that their beds are bunked :) They love it and so do I!

...Hawaiian Outfits from Auntie Erin...
Thanks to Auntie Erin's recent trip to Hawaii, the kids are dressing very Hawaiian to church lately...they want to wear them every week!  Thank you Auntie Erin!!!

I also have to mention how much they love checking the mail each day since my grandparents are constantly lavishing them with goodies in the mailbox.  The latest treat for the boys were new Spiderman wallets which they bring to church with them every Sunday with their tithe money :)  Thank you Babi and Deda!!!

You may wonder if it's gotten any easier for us to be away from our family as we approach our 2 year anniversary of moving to IL.  Over the past 2 years, we've really embraced our new home.  We've made friends I know we will have for life, regardless of where God takes us next...we've become part of a wonderful church body we consider our home church...we feel so blessed to have such an incredible place for Cole to grow and learn..there are SO many things we love about where we are.  Sadly, our family is not where we are during this season and so, has it gotten easier?  Sure, in some ways.  It wouldn't be healthy if we hadn't learned to embrace were we are now, always longing for what was.  But, everytime we receive another reminder of those who love us back home in CA, whether it's a letter, gift, card or e-mail, we long with everything in us to be nearer to the ones we grew up loving.

This next year we will be spending time bonding with the next life God has chosen this family to raise, loving the ones we already have and praying for direction as we knock on doors that are in our path.  Please pray that the Lord's vision for our family would be clear.  We already know it may not be easy...but we're not looking for easy.  If we were, we wouldn't have moved across the country to a state we'd never set foot in.  No...instead of the EASY way, we are holding out for the PERFECT way...HIS way :)  There are way too many factors necessary to make our next move perfect..a job for John that he loves, a place for Cole to continue receiving pretty intensive therapy for the 2 years after we move there before he is mainstreamed, a great school district for Ryder to start Kindergarten in and a place for the 6 of us to live that we can afford...before you get a headache, don't worry!  We're leaving it up to God!!!  He is more than able to place this family in the PERFECT place again...just as He's shown us by moving us here.  We are SO grateful for His leading us to where we are now for SO many reasons...

Thank you family, for the way you love us from afar...though we wish we were nearer, we think of you often through the little ways you love us!!!  We are SO blessed!  God is GOOD!