I'm Back!

i have actually missed blogging! i am not sure if you have missed reading these posts, but either way, i am back! we are all moved into the new house and we finally got internet late thursday afternoon. i havent been able to blog since thursday, because life has been CRAZY the last few days. eventually, i will post pictures of the house, but right now i dont have a single room "finished". once i do, i will start adding pics for you! until then, thanks for all the prayers! everything went great with the closing and moving, etc! we love the house! peter is still adjusting to the commute, but everything is good! i have been really good about bargain hunting for stuff...it has become somewhat of a game with myself...and one that peter is totally fine with!! :) i cant wait to have family come visit for thanksgiving!!

so, today is my birthday...yep, i am 29...i might be 29 for a while, just sayin! :) anyway, peter and i didnt have much planned in the way of birthday celebration this year, and its a good thing because this weekend has ended up being nothing like we thought it would!! originally, we knew that today would be busy because there was a HUGE "tailgate" party at church today. it was like a carnival...and it was so awesome! there was a BBQ cook-off, funnel cakes, kiddie rides, the texans football game on about a dozen big screens, and well over 3000 people! it was so fun, but after being a part of the regular 4 weekend services for middle school and the tailgate party, i am BEAT tonight...totally feeling every one of those 29 years!! :)

well, the big bummer of the weekend was that peter had to miss everything and ended up in bed all weekend unable to walk to do gout. :( we have no idea what brought it on, but it has been awful for me to watch him in so much pain! peter is not a complainer at all, so for him to almost pass out from pain, i knew there was a serious problem! saturday morning was spent in the urgent care...thankfully, he was given some anti-infammatories and medications to prevent any future flare ups. so crazy! he is feeling a little better now...able to walk some! please pray that we can find a good family practitioner and that we can figure out why he had this episode! 

i guess i was a little (maybe more than a little) emotional about my birthday this year. i really dont care about getting older...29 isnt bad anyway. its just that a year ago at this time, things were so different! this year has been so crazy! to say things have changed is a mild understatement! last year, i was 9 weeks pregnant, so we thought this birthday would be crazy because we would be lugging around a 5 month old! we are living 1100 miles away from our friends and family, who always make a big deal about my birthday with me (do you know that i LOVE birthdays??!!). and then for peter to be down for the count for the whole weekend was a major bummer! i was emotional thinking about all that i was excited about last year is now gone/different/harder. i let myself have a moment, but then sat up and counted all the things we were blessed with this year. peter has a new job (something we had been praying about for over 3 years), our transition to a new city and home was been pretty much flawless, i have made some amazing new friends over the course of the last year, and we are (mostly) healthy. the biggest blessing in my life over the last year is my growth in my relationship with God. it had gotten a little "surface-y" for a while, and this year i have been pulled right back by His side. i have open dialogue throughout the day with God, and its awesome! i am back into serving in youth ministry with a team that loves and cares about students! peter and i are growing together in our relationship with God. we each have a desire to know HIm and what He wants for us. yes, some seriously crappy things have happened over the last year, but some even better, more awesome blessing have happened too!

this year, i am greeting my birthday, not with any less cheer, but maybe a little more guarded or with a few more reservations/lower expectations. i know that God has good things for me, some major blessings...but i dont want to expect them on my schedule. i am praying this is an even bigger growing year for me than last year! i want to be better with age!!!

countdown: 364 days until the DIRTY 30!!! :) i am telling you now...even if i have to plan it myself...you are all invited to a big bash to celebrate! :)

thank you for all the birthday wishes, thoughts, and prayers! i am truly blessed!! love you guys!!

blessings, ALo