FALL

Hey ya'll! It's been a while. We are finally settled in our new home and things are busier than ever. Halloween and fall activities are in full swing! Harper has been "Woody" for Halloween a couple times already, and we're looking forward to the Fair and Trick-or-Treating this weekend. Keep in touch!! XOXO

JULY!

Hey friends! Sorry it's been a while. I have some down time... i'm at my parents' in Fayetteville and we are actually looking forward to a vacation next week! I want to update the blog with some summer pictures... so they are coming!

We got moved into our new house on July 4th weekend. Praise the Lord it finally happened! Thank you to everyone who helped us move, pack, watch Harper, and pray! We couldn't have done it without you. I am enjoying decorating and shopping, and arranging my new "digs." Please come visit!!

Harper seems like he has really "hit", like smacked into, the terrible twos. Everything is "no" and we're trying to flip it around to "yes ma'am" and "yes sir." But, that being said, he is taking swimming lessons from my best girl Corrie here in Fayetteville and it is going really well for day 2! I will post pics soon!

Please keep in touch!
Much love,
NIK

2010 Summer of the Move

Hey there! It's been a while... probably b/c I've been so busy with our move. So much has gone on with this summer's move (to a new house in the same area)... I am still trying to learn what God was/is teaching me through it all. We lost a house in our "first choice" neighborhood 3 weeks before we were planned to move out. So, we found another house that we are going to, but it is not available until July. God opened a door for us to stay in a temporary house until the final destination July house, which has been the biggest blessing. But, the week we moved out of Moon Dance Lane, Jer got put on an alert. I thought I would lose my mind! I cried for 2 days straight thinking he wouldn't even be able to help us pack up the house. This seems like a lot of detail and not such a big deal... but let me tell you, I was so upset, stressing, worried. I KNOW God has his hand on our family...but WHY would he do this to us? I know it seems a little dramatic now looking back, but honestly it was a very hard few weeks for me. I think what He is saying to me is to wait on Him, to trust Him. He knows best! DUH! Easy enough to do, right?

I DO know God is good and He has a plan for us. I'm sure there will be more lessons to come...

Another weekend...

Hey blogger pals...
This weekend I have the most EXCITING opportunity to spend time with my 2 best friends from home... Home being high school/college... Fayette'nam. The 3 of us are meeting in Augusta, GA, right in the middle of our 2 new homes (Charleston, & Atlanta area).
I will not get to see Jeremy for 3 weeks... 1 week prior to this weekend, and 2 weeks after this weekend b/c of his work schedule. It worked out perfectly (Thank God) for him to be home to watch Harper for my ladies weekend. Mostly what I wanted to write about is "weekends" in general. When I am home with Harper and Jeremy is away, a weekend is just another day for me. I don't get to enjoy the sleeping in or family time that most do. I really don't enjoy weekends alone b/c that is when I crave family time most of all. So, if you're military, or not military... let's be there for eachother even on the weekends. Our troops don't get weekends off, and neither do the families when the guys are away.
There's my tidbit. I can't wait for my "WEEKEND" to begin!! Pictures to come...

Sufficiency

Another thing I have been struggling with lately is the feeling of inadequacy. I don't do enough as a stay-at-home Mom. I don't spend enough one-on-one time with Harper, I don't sew or make my own curtains. I don't have the cleanest house or the latest Mom accessories. It is a lot of pressure when you feel like you have to live up to expectations... others expectations, as well as my OWN expectations! What God said softly to me (again, at the Casting Crowns concert) was "my grace is sufficient." "My grace has given you just enough of what you need, when you need it. You don't have to be super-woman, you don't have to achieve to receive my love or approval."
On that note, since I have a talent in music and I have always enjoyed worshiping in that way, I have decided to start piano lessons again. It has been almost 10 years since I quit lessons, so I need a lot of prayer and practice. I know this is something the Lord has placed a yearning for in my heart once again, so he will make the learning experience successful. My desire is to be able to "chord" on the piano, so I can just about play any worship song. And then to be able to sing while playing the keys will be so full filling. Pray with me on my new journey of self-improvement. Not b/c of the pressures of this world, but truly a desire the Lord has placed in my life. By His grace I will be able to get thru this journey! Especially with a 2 year old who bangs on the keys when I sit down to play!!

This weekend...

Hey ya'll... imagine me saying that in a sweet southern drawl. Anyhoo... H is napping, J is on a trip to Pope AFB. (It's Sunday afternoon after church and lunch.) I should be cleaning the bathrooms... instead I am prompted to blog. We had the pleasure of going to the Casting Crowns concert this weekend. Jeremy was really there to see Tenth Avenue North, but we only made it there to hear one song. (SO SORRY, again, honey!) I was really sitting at the concert not expecting to get much out of it. Some of the newer songs I didn't know, and some of the old ones were great, but just singing along and staying disconnected. But, as I was thinking about dipping out early to avoid traffic and pay the babysitter... God gave me a sweet blessing in the last 2 songs. "Praise you in the storm" and "East to West". What struck a chord in me were the lines "and tho my heart is torn, I will praise you in this storm... I will raise my hands and praise the God who gives, and takes away." Since I'm sharing... I have recently been through a miscarriage. I have been amazingly strong thru the whole thing, but I do have my days. This song is really a testament to the whole situation. I know HE has never left my side. He knows my heart is broken, but is healing me slowly. The biggest thing is he is worthy of my praise even when I'm going thru life's storms. I really identify with music and I love to sing and experience God thru music. SO, thank you God for speaking to me thru this Casting Crowns concert, thru this song, which I've heard a hundred times. I'll just post the song since I'm not as good with words as I am with music.

Other important stuff

So my husband told me the other day, "my favorite time of year is fall." I thought for a sec, I didn't know that! But when I was thinking weather and leaves, I remembered his obsession with college football. And I should say, not just football, but BAMA football. It being Spring, it had left me for a few quiet months... ahh. Another reason why I love SPRING!!

Here's a pic of our little sweet baby boy being brain washed... this has been going on since birth, I might add. :)