Life is good and only getting better...

Life is becoming pretty busy for us here in Gainesville.  But we can finally say, with all the craziness, we definitely feel like we are HOME! 


The kids are busy at school and church.  They love their school and have homework due every night instead of once a week like they did at their old school.  They are involved at church every Wednesday for the children's Christmas musical.  They are really excited about that.  They also have a lot of fun activities and get togethers coming up with their small groups in Children's church.  

Mikayla has a play that the 3rd grade class is going to be putting on at school.  She is a sheep in 'The Boy Who Cried Wolf' and has a small speaking part.  She is also getting a pen pal from South Korea and is super excited about that. 
Brayden is doing sooo good in school and is looking forward to t-ball starting in the Spring.  He wants to join football and basketball too, but we don't want to put too much on his/our plates at once. 
Aslyn is enjoying Mommy time (for now) while the kids are at school.  We are trying to get her to try out the Toddler class at church, but so far she has not wanted to stay.  So she sits in with us, for now.  

Ben is doing really well at work and is starting to see positive changes at his branch. 
He just recently started playing bass full time on the worship team at our church on Sundays.  God really opened the doors for him to get involved right away.  The opportunity really just fell in his lap!  It is a huge answer to prayer because Ben was really worried that he wouldn't have the opportunity to be involved in music at a bigger church.  He is really loving it and enjoys being able to learn and be pushed to grow.  His playing has already improved so much in such a short amount of time. 

Ben and I are involved in a class every Wednesday that is for newcomers of the church.  It is basically a class that they offer for anyone who wants to learn more about the church and what they are all about.  Helps people to get more plugged into the church and everything they have to offer.  After we are done with that, then we will be joining a microchurch (small group) that meets once a week.  We are really excited about getting involved and seeing what God has in store for us.

I am currently working on a healthier me and through that, I have developed a new fondness for food and cooking.  Occasionally I will be posting some new yummy recipes that I try out.
My life also will become very busy in the next few months.  After a lot of prayer, discussion, research, prayer, thinking, and more prayer, we decided that I will be starting school in January.  I will be a full time student at Santa Fe College studying to get my Associates of Science degree in Health Services Management.  I'm super excited and one of the best parts is around the time I graduate, Aslyn will be starting kindergarten.  So I will be ready to either get out there and start a career or continue on to get my Bachelor's degree.  
I am still praying and searching for God to reveal to me that special way that I can serve Him better.

God is so good and our lives just seem to be falling nicely into place here in Gainesville!  Our Pastor told us in one of our Wednesday classes that they really just want people to feel like they belong there. 
That is exactly how Ben and I are starting to feel.  It's exciting for me because for so long I haven't felt like "I belong", and now, in such a short period of time that is changing.
Life is good and only getting better.
 

Take delight in the LORD,
   and he will give you the desires of your heart. ~ Psalm 37:4

So much has changed for us this year, but the biggest change has been our walk with Christ.  Our faith has grown tremendously, our focus has changed, our priorities.  We have grown so much.  God has done and is still doing a work in this family and it's amazing what happens when we allow Him to. 
I have said it before and I will continue to say it, because I think there are so many people that need to grasp it...
It is so incredible what happens when we pray for God's will to be done in our lives, but actually truly mean it.