She's Here!!

That's right....Ava Grace Beaver is here!! Born December 12, 2010, 5 lbs. 14 oz. 18-1/2 in.

I always said this baby already had a mind of her own and boy was I right! Here's a little rundown of her arrival:
My due date was actually Dec. 24th Christmas Eve, so I begged the Dr. to please let me go a little early so I wouldn't be in the hospital on Christmas and be home enough before to get adjusted. So, Dr. Hall said we could schedule my induction for a week early, Dec. 17th. I was suppose to go on the 15th to pre-admit & get ready for the early trip to the hospital on the 17th. With that being said last weekend I wasn't feeling like myself..mainly just tired. Saturday night we had taken the girls along w/ my parents to my cousin's church to see the Live Nativity. After we got home I was so tired so I went on to bed. About 3:30am I woke up to what I thought could be mild contractions. Robbie woke up & asked me if I was ok & jokingly if I was in labor. To his surprise, I said yes, I think so. I got up, took a shower to see if the pains continued, in which they did. By about 5:20am I came through the kitchen and in an instant my water broke. I was stunned b/c my water never broke with the girls so I was a little anxious as to what would happen next. I hadn't packed anything for myself yet, just Ava, so I had to hurry & do a load of laundry, call my mom to come get the girls and then my dad called right back to ask if we had looked outside? Um, no? Well, to our surprise there was at least 2 inches on snow already on the ground and it was still pouring!! It hit me then...pure PANIC! We hurried to get the rest of what we needed & left the house around 7:45am. The roads were not in good condition and we had to stop a couple times due to accidents along the way, but managed to get to the hospital safely & checked in by 9:00am. My contractions had tapered off since my water broke so at 11:00 I was given the dreaded IV drip of pitocin. After about 12 hrs. of labor, 4-1/2 of which was on the pitocin and no pain meds, our little bundle of joy made her entrance into the world. She was 12 days early...born on the 12 day of December at 3:21pm in room 321. I know that God & Ava had that part all worked out!! We are so blessed! Today, she is 6 days old and more perfect that I could ever imagine. We are looking forward to Christmas at home together, all of us this year!

Here are a few pictures of our beautiful blessing! Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!

Thanksgiving Thoughts

This year, as the season changes, the leaves fall from the trees and moon & stars shine as bright as I've ever seen, I think on the thoughts of what I am thankful for this year in particular...
*I'm thankful for my family & friends, each & every one that make it up and the togetherness we get to experience, especially around this time.
*I'm thankful for my children and the ablility to be called MOM by the two little girls that can make my day so much better in an instant & remind me of their daddy so much. And, for the little one on the way...and how I can't wait to see & hold her & have all those baby/mommy moments all over again.
*I'm thankful for my husband, who has so unselfishly spent time away from his family & friends to serve his country and be away last year, and this year has sacrified even more of his time to make sure we were provided for and loved.
*I'm thankful for my Lord & Savior, who is the one why we celebrate & have Thanksgiving. That, one day he gave his life to take away & forgive all my sins so I might live & have eternal life with him in Heaven & that's it's him that makes everything we have & do possible.
*I'm thankful for a place to worship, a place to call home, a place to work, and a place to send my children to school.
*I'm thankful for the simple yet most important things such as food, shelter & time, and the ability to feel emotions & experience all ups & downs of life and then apply & learn from them.
*I'm also thankful this year for memories. I've thought so much this week about my grandmothers that are already home with the Lord and how many things remind me of them and how even today, I long still to be a little more like them. I also think sometimes how I'd love for them to be able to meet Ava, but then I think somehow they already have!

I know there are things I've forgotten & I know my list could go on and on, but I just want to leave you with the thought of..."What are you thankful for this year?"
Hope each of you and your families have a blessed Thanksgiving!


"Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations."

A Few More Pictures!!

The Beaver family had the privilege of attending our first family photo shoot this weekend. We went to The Bluffs of Wilson Creek & The Coves to take our pictures. We were very pleased with the sneek peak we got today & can't wait to have them all! Cindy Craven, the photographer, went to high school with Robbie & I, and recently moved back to Caldwell Co. and started her own photography business. She does an excellent job and we had a great time! You can visit her website here:
http://cindycravenphotography.weebly.com/

Here are a few of our favorites we thought we would share with you!

A View of Miss Ava

For my birthday this year I wanted to do a little something different. I requested that we spend it getting to see our sweet baby girl, since this would be my last opportunity to do an ultrasound. So, I booked an appt. in Hickory with Baby in Me 4D Imaging. It was amazing, I'd never had a 4D ultrasound done before. We went on the 14th and tried to take a look at her, but she was a bit stubborn (like her daddy) and wouldn't get her foot or hand out of her face, so we had to reschedule for today to finish up. She still didn't want to cooperate much today, but we did get to bring home some pictures & a DVD. The computer at the clinic also went down so I still have to go back next week to get our hard copies, but I thought I would share a few of her pictures! She's quite the little stinker already!

She opened her eyes for just a second!

Showing us her foot!

Giving us kisses!

Big Yawn!

Already got her mad/pouty face down!

A little smile!

What a sweet face!


We love you Ava Grace & we can't wait to get to see you & spoil you in person!

Back to School!!

It's official, I now have a 1st and a 5th grader! Today was the 2nd actual day for both of them, but they have both come home each day saying what a good day it had been. The first day I had to go to the school anyway so I took them & walked them in. Kayla quickly abandoned me as soon as she saw a friend down the hall, but that's to be expected. Emma was a little nervous about finding her classroom again all by herself so I told her I would walk with her to make sure she got the correct room. Sure enough though, she remembered where it was & walked right in, stopped & unloaded her bookbag & planner & never even turned around to say goodbye! I was a little surprised, but so proud of my big girl!

Kayla is going to have a little more of load this year. She has 3 teachers, each teaching 1 of the 3 main courses for the EOGS in the spring. I'm a little nervous for her. This is the year when you for sure start to see differences in kids and of course little attitudes forming. I am on the verge of having a pre-teen and it scary!

It was so sad this year when I compared pics from last year's first day of school to this one. I couldn't get over how much they have changed & the fact that they were growing up right before my eyes! For now though, I'll hold on to my babies as long as they'll let me!

Here are the two pictures that brought me to tears....

Aug. 25, 2009














Aug. 25, 2010

It's a.....

GIRL!!!


Today was the big day and all went well. We were amazed at how precious she is already. She is going to be a hoot we can tell b/c she was putting on a show for the ultrasound tech. She had to chase her around to get a good picture of her & didn't much want to have her picture taken. She turned flips and was waving arms & legs! We are thankful to have had a normal ultrasound & that's all we could have asked for. Poor Robbie...he's never going to stand a chance with all these girls but he's the greatest daddy ever and I'm sure she'll have him wrapped in no time!

Unless we change our minds...at this point her name will be Ava Grace!!

Things that make us say...Yippee!

Following is a simple list of the things that have brought the Beaver household joy over the last few weeks & we just thought we would share a few of them....

*Robbie's brother is home from the hospital and while still on meds/oxygen doing much better.
*Spent some quality time w/ our families cooking, fishing and playing games.
*Ball season is OVER...while this may not bring my hubby too much joy, it does me. All the running was wearing me out!
*Cleaned out the garage & had a yard sale earning $150!!
*Started the crazy process of moving Emma in w/ Kayla & got their new bunkbeds & chests put together.
*Emma got her ears pierced! This was a HUGE accomplishment!
*Robbie finally got a used truck so I got my car back!
*Started feeling the baby move/kick/hiccup and love it!
*Ultrasound is scheduled a week from today!
*Got the newest Thirty-One products today from UPS...man it has been like Christmas!
*Went shopping w/ mom & finally got some maternity clothes & at a great deal!

I'm sure there's more things I could mention and some obviously more important than others, but I thought today I need to make a list of all the good things that's happened & not the bad which is so easy to do. God has been good to me and my family & I need to thank him more often for it! So, what's on your Yippee list??

Prayer Request

Please keep Robbie's brother, Nathan, in your prayers. He's been in ICU at Grace Hospital since yesterday morning and will probably be there for several days. He is one of these stubborn men that refuse to go to a Dr. but he finally broke down and went because he was so bad. Now, he's on life support and being given steroids and anti-biotics in hopes to treat what they believe to be vasculitis in his lungs. I had to do some research on this but from what I have found out it stems from a infection caused by bacteria in most cases but can be linked to other diseases such as lupus, or could come from an allergic reaction to medication. Obviously this is hard to diagnose, so they are hoping what meds they have him on will start to work & he will improve soon. They have sent off blood & lab tests that will take several days to come back, so now it's a waiting game. We would really appreciate your prayers!
Robbie went by to see him this morning and decided to go ahead and go to his last drill in Greensboro. It was a tough decision for him but this is his last drill with the 30th and his paperwork for transfer back to Taylorsville was suppose to take place this weekend. Please keep him in your prayers too as he travels back & forth. He wanted to try to go and get done what he had to so he could come back but he knows his brother is in the Lord's hands and all we can do is pray.
I will try to update again soon.

Do You Remember??

Happy Memorial Day! I hope everyone had a blessed weekend. This Holiday has always been one close to my heart, but since becoming a military wife and seeing & becoming a part of the military traditions, it is even more. I spent most of the weekend thinking about all the families that have sacrificed so much. I can not imagine how hard it is to tell your loved one goodbye and send them off to war and then never get the chance to see them & tell them again. I praise the Lord everyday that Robbie came home safely from Iraq. He had a few close calls, one in particular that I didn't get full details until he got home (and for that I'm glad), but God saw it fit to keep a protective hedge around him and bring him home. Some though, did not. My grandfather served in the Navy in WWII, my uncle in Vietnam, and my cousin was deployed several times with the Navy & Army. Military has always been in our family, but I have to be honest, it didn't hit home with me until I was right in the middle of it. I have learned to be grateful for a 60 second time-period, a hot shower, a phone call, a microwave, and even just a rain storm. For the families that have lived the life as a military family you have all my respect & gratitude, and to all the families that support our troops and pray for them daily, you have my deepest thanks. I've thought a lot this past few days over the last 3-1/2 years and I thought I would share a few pictures from our experiences & memories...

Fort Jackson

Robbie's Graduation from Basic Training


Deployment Ceremony

Robbie as a gunner in the Caymen

Still using his electrical skills even in Iraq

Homecoming!!

And last but definately not least...a couple from the Raleigh History Museum we visited in March...

This Flag was flown in 2004 during Operation Iraqi Freedom

This plaque listed the names of the 30th HBCT soldiers who lost their lives during Operation Iraqi Freedom 2003-2005 and the 2009-2010 Deployment that Robbie was with.



"Where Liberty Dwells...There is My Country" Benjamin Franklin

Busy, Busy, Busy!

Last week was filled with ballgames and will so continue until mid June. Not 1 or 2 but all 3 of my "children" are playing ball now. I can't deny, I really don't mind being the mom on the bleachers cheering them on! I love it!
This past Saturday we grilled out with some of our close friends that we hadn't seen in a while and just enjoyed some family fun together. We are very thankful for the sweet friends we have!
Sunday, was Mother's Day and the day started off with a wonderful church service that spoke to my heart and then followed by lunch with my crew and my parents at Kobe's. I hadn't had Kobe's in years...and to eat there at 7 wks pregnant was a huge accomplishment. With the girls, I couldn't get within 10 ft. of Japanese food. We spent time afterwards with Robbie's mom, who praise the Lord is doing much better now after her cancer scare was determined to be broken bones & torn muscles that she had been living with for some time now. I'm so thankful for our Mother's and how much they do & mean to us.
This week I've been getting the girls rooms ready for their new bunkbeds that my dad graciously picked up & delivered for us today and finally sold Kayla's old bedroom suite. It should be interesting on how this new living arrangement will work out. Emma has already claimed the top bunk and has a justified reason in doing so: "But, Mom, Kayla sleep walks and we don't want her to fall off & get hurt". HAHA! I laugh because Emma is never this nice to her sister, meaning she is trying to get what she wants.
Tonight & in the morning, I'm finishing packing yet again for our trip to Greensboro for the 30th HBCT Yellow Ribbon Ceremony. This "ceremony" is mainly scheduled classes for soldiers and their spouses and families that encourage them back into a normal routine and the how-to process. Hopefully one more Ceremony next month and things will get back to normal for a while.
Robbie is also hoping to get a phone call this weekend about a job. He went Tues to Asheville to fill out papers and do a drug test for Johnson Controls Temp Agency (Adecco), and hopefully will start sometime next week. This will be a big answer to prayer if he does get the job. We desperately need another mode of transportation. My car has seen a lot of miles lately and I don't think I'm ready to learn how to learn how to ride a motorcycle!
I'll end tonight with a couple pics of my babies playing ball! Hope you all have an awesome Friday!

Upside Down & Rightside Up

Needless to say, I have not dissapeared totally, more like just spread real thin. The Beaver household has been busy to say the least but I thought I take a sec to share a few of our main events the past couple of months. The job hunting continues for both Robbie & I, however, Robbie has had 2 interviews with 2 great companies and we are currently weighing the options & waiting on call backs for next week. Un-employment has been a challenge in its-self, but just meeting the weekly requirements & producing current info hasn't been a cup of tea either. I wonder sometimes if it's really worth the little amount you get...oh well. I really am thankful that we can sign up I just wonder sometimes why the government has to be so unorganized & complicated? Who am I kiddin, I am a miltary wife, I know better than that!

The Welcome Home Ceremonies have started from Robbie's deployment. We attended the one in Raleigh a couple weeks ago & it was so good to see all those soldiers of the 30th HBCT back on U.S. soil. The girls had a blast with the kid-friendly set-ups. I've attached a few pics from our weekend in Raleigh. We have two more ceremonies to go in the next two months then Robbie will be released back to his home unit- Taylorsville & things will go back to normal until his next rotation.

The girls have about 33 more days of school left until summer break YAY! They've done so great this year in school! All's A's and 3's!! Whoohoo! They have both also decided to play T-ball & Softball again. So, the running to practices & ballgames has begun, along with flip-flop tan lines, gatorades & cheese fries. Our family loves the ballfield. They have their 1st games tomorrow and had pictures today. They are definately just like their daddy when it comes to sports.

Currently, I've been spending a lot of my time at home cleaning (and disinfecting..Kayla had the stomach bug last week & Emma this week)& getting ready for a yard sale next weekend. The house has been torn upside down and it has been a task this week just finding a pair of matching socks! It's amazing how much stuff one house can aquire in so short of a time. I'm still job-searching myself but have enjoyed babysitting some and also filling in at the local attorney's office and I can't forget Thirty-One. I love selling Thirty-One & I'm so glad I decided to sign up when I did. It's been a blessing just getting out & having some time for me and fun meeting new people.

So, I've saved the best for last! Today, I went to my local OBGYN and confirmed that Robbie & I are expecting our 3rd baby!! We are all very excited, especially Robbie & Emma. They have already been praying for that baby brother! haha But, just when I thought we were busy enough, we are about to get a little busier!! God is so good and he has blessed us with so much. We are so grateful to have this little one on the way. I have to be honest, I've never seen my husband's face light up so much in my life...even when we got married ha! He is a wonderful husband & daddy and I'm so proud of him and my girls. They mean the world to me!

Hopefully my next post will not be so long and sooner than the last. Until then, hope you all have a great weekend!

Go Rest High on that Mountain

As most of you know already, Robbie made it home from his deployment safely and we as a family have been adjusting back to somewhat of a normal routine. We took off for a mini-vacation last week for our anniversary and it was great to get away for a while. Sometimes I think it is best to get away from all the craziness is just to get away & enjoy what God has given us. I don't think I'll ever look at a mountain the way I did when we were in TN. I had such peace just standing in the middle of nowhere looking at God's masterpiece. How amazing!
When we came back Monday, I got a call from my mother to let me know about a dear friend of mine, also Emma's teacher at school, had been to the Dr. and found out she had colon cancer. I was crushed to hear the news and scared for her. She was too young....could this really be happening to her??? My mind wondered back & forth the rest of the day thinking on how so many things have changed over the last year. I keep going back to the book I'm reading "A New Kind of Normal" and how no matter what we are faced with in our lives, God is in control at all times and he knows what is best for us & what the future holds. I will ask you to keep my friend, Allyson, in your prayers. She is scheduled for surgery on the 26th.
Today, we are back to the drawing board. Robbie has leave from the military until March 8th, then it's back to job & truck hunting. He was an electrician for Power-Tech Electric before deployment, but as the enconomy proves, there are no electrician jobs open these days. We sold his Blazer while he was gone to help with finances. He is a jack of all trades though & I know something great will come along for him.
This morning, the real surprise came, I got a call from my boss saying there wasn't any way she could pay me to come back full-time, not even part-time at this point. Part of me was a little bitter, part of me knew it was coming, but most of me just thought well, you have to pick up the pieces & go on. God has a plan for you, for your husband, and for your family. So, that's just what I'm going to do. We are going to keep on, keeping on. Robbie & I talked this morning and he told me "Jenn, don't get mad at me, but I prayed God would make a way for you not to go back to work there". He said, "God will make a way, we've never gone without, we just have to let him". I love my husband, he always knows how to encourage me when I seem to need it the most. Most of all, I love my Saviour. I'm so glad to know that if I have nothing else I know I'll always have him, and that's all I need. I'm glad that he is my rock and my mountain and I can find rest in him. I never knew how much I would turn to my favorite bible verse this past year, but I'm so glad I have it and the Lord's promise.

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Happy Anniversary!!

Today, 9 years ago, I married my best friend & love of my life. I want to thank God for leading Robbie & I together. We could definately tell some tales and have for sure had our moments of ups and downs, but the Lord has truely blessed us with a beautiful family and a marriage that only gets stronger with time. We've known each other for about 13 1/2 years. Robbie & I met in high school and we both were so called "nerds". He had the cutest poofy curly hair & glasses and I had permed hair & braces. Oh, gosh it was awful to go back to 9th grade and look at pics. But, that outspoken, class clown won my heart from the 1st day & I've loved him ever since! God has blessed us with 2 wonderful children and families & friends we can always say love & support us. I'm so proud of you Robbie and how far you have come & all your accomplishments. I've watched God use you and you grow in him and I couldn't ask for a better friend, husband & father to our kids. I love you with all my heart! I'm so glad to have you HOME!! Happy Anniversary!

PRAISE GOD!!!! HOMECOMING DAY IS HERE!!

Today is the day I have been waiting for for the past 14 mons! Robbie will get on a bus in a few hrs. in GA headed toward Charlotte, NC! My plans are to pick up the girls from school & head to the Charlotte Armory this afternoon! Today is a bittersweet day...it marks the 1 yr. mark since Robbie received his Title 10 orders for Iraq and today is also the anniversary of the date Maw Maw Yates left on her homecoming journey to spend the rest of eternity with the Lord! So, today is going to be filled with many emotions for me. I'm sure there will be many tears, laughs, hugs & kisses and of course BIG SMILES!! :)
Thank you all for your love, support & most of all your prayers throughout this deployment. Praise the Lord, it's almost over!!

Just a few pics of our last snow days....

Kayla & Emma's snowman they made at mom's.



I love the look of Old Glory in the snow!



Kayla resting after a lot of sledding!



And finally my monkey in the tree!

Georgia On My Mind....

Quick update for those of you who don't know already....MY HUSBAND LANDED IN GA WEDNESDAY!!! I got the long awaited phone call I had been waiting 14 mons. for! I was at the office and when the phone rang with his ringtone and I was so startled I nearly threw the phone across the office haha! But, he is safely back on US soil and has started the de-mobilization process. Hopefully, if things progress and go accordingly (rare in the military) he should be home mid-week this coming week! YAY!!! I can't tell you how happy & excited I am that this moment has almost arrived! I can't wait for that last phone call from him that says I'm on my way to NC!! I want to praise and thank the Lord for keeping a protective hedge around the 30th brigade. Please keep the families of the soldiers who lost their lives making the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom in your prayers. I can not imagine go to a welcome home ceremony and to not have my soldier walk off that bus. Well, I hope everyone has a great weekend...looks like it's going to be another messy snowed-in one, but that just means time to clean for me! I'll hopefully update again soon saying I'm going to get our soldier!!

What A Day....

Today has been one for the books..nothing really bad happened just every little thing that could happen, happened.

To start things off woke up at 6:48 and the bus comes at 7:00 so there was a mad dash to get clothes toothpaste & bookbags. I had to swing by West Caldwell to pick up a order & check for a 31 party I did Tues., then to work by 8:30...it was about 8:39 when I got there. Our office has been pretty slow lately due to the encomony, but today was the exception of the month. We had 3 purchases this morning @ 9, 10 & 11. It was unusually busy already with phones & clients and I was trying to multi-task as usual & put in that last order so I could get to the bank before 2:00. In the process of my multi-tasking I managed to cause an error and merge & delete parts of the 2 separate orders I had worked so hard on the night before to get ready. BLAH! I proceeding on with what I could @ work, then office errands which was the definate wrong time to be out. 11:30-12:30 on the eve of 10"+ snow is not the best time to be out trying to get to the banks. Got back to work & finally finished up there. Left @ 1:30 & ran to the DMV which was my second mistake...last business day before the end of the month!! Waited in line 15 mins. & finally got done there. (Just FYI: you have to take in your inspection sheet w/ your renewal now to get your sticker) Got home & still needed to finish my 31 order (and by finish I had to start all over & enter 35 orders in all over from scratch) & get back to the bank by 5:30, but I somehow had lost the envelope I picked up this morning with a check & info in it! Blah again! Went back to work & there it was in my desk. Back home, entered info & got girls off the bus. Went back to bank then to Walmart for a few things I needed & it wasn't bread or milk thank goodness! Then I had the bright idea to try Lowe's to see if they still had any snow shovels left. Wrong! Sold out! Finally, ran through McDonalds for some chicken nuggets & a gallon of sweet tea. Made it home safe & sound & had just sat down to enjoy my first bite of food/drink of the day and yuck, the tea was UNSWEET!! And, guess what?? The only thing I am completely out of is yep, you guessed it...SUGAR!! Oh, well! Haha! I just have to laugh, because even though my day was crazy, it was still a good day and I am blessed because of all the things I do have.

It's snowing outside now and it is so peaceful. God created such beautiful things as snowflakes and I love to see them fall & sparkle in the light. If I get snowed in all weekend, well that's just fine with me.

My hubby is due in the next week to arrive in GA and then soon thereafter I'll be going to finally pick up my best friend. I'm so glad this journey is almost over!

And, one last thing, I got the opportunity to meet & talk with Madison Bumgarner, the 18 yr. old South Caldwell baseball player turned Major League, now 20 yrs. old & just bought a house. We closed the loan & I was able to get 3 baseballs autographed for my favorite ball players at home. He said CA was definately not like home and when he finds himself missing home he thinks about all the people overseas & away from their families for whatever reason & he's thankful for what he has & is grateful for his life & opportunities he's been given. Somehow, that meant a lot to hear him say that. A lot of our young people don't think that way these days.

Well, I hope everyone enjoys some play time in the snow this weekend! Be safe & have fun!

Women's Conference

This past Friday night & Saturday I was privileged to attend the 1st ever Women's Conference at Calvary. I had been looking forward to going to this for weeks! I had attended the Greg Lentz and Ralph Sexton Ministry's Conferences before in the past, but this, this was just for women and the speakers I felt like gave us just what we as women needed to hear. We had several speakers including Nikki Carswell, who spoke about her sweet baby girl, Johanna, who is with our Lord now, and her journey with Trisomy 18. Nikki, you truely blessed my heart to hear you talk about your sweet baby girl and how the Lord has worked in your & Chad's life through her. And, just so you know, Robbie does the exact same thing to me. Everytime I get upset & flip out he just looks at me & says, "It will be ok". Just once, I wish he would flip out too, but that's just the way God made them! Christine Braidwood also spoke about her previous missions and journey with her husband in Haiti. What a wonderful way that God used her and touched us all when we found out that she would be speaking the very same week that the earthquake happened. God always has a plan. We also were able to support Haiti and took up an offering for Christine to send directly to people she knew there. We also heard from Lori James. Lori spoke to us about "The New Year" and Happiness through fellowship, fighting and following. She was a hoot too! Our main speaker was Mrs. Carol Kent and before the conference, to be perfectly honest, I had never heard of her or her story. To be as brief as possible, Mrs. Kent and her husband, Gene, had the so called "normal" life until the morning of Oct. 25 1999, when they received a call that their son, Jason, just recently married the year before had been arrested for the murder of his wife's ex-husband. I won't go into much more detail because I want you to go visit Carol's website. www.carolkent.org But, as I sat there listening to all the horrific things she had went through & had to face on a day to day basis from there on out, I couldn't help but think, "WOW, I don't know how she gets out of bed every day". Her & her husband moved to FL to be close to their son & visit him on every Sunday, and spend every Christmas thereafter together in the jail. But, instead of crying in her pity, she picked up the pieces and how at first she questioned why to God, she turned to him and let him use her and her son to reach others. I've only scratched the surface on what their family has experienced, but to go from a happy normal family one day, to never normal again, is something I though long & hard about. Any of us could go through this circumstance or anything just as tragic anytime. I thought to myself, could I do what she & so many others did?? Could I use something I had been through in my life to help others? I purchased one of Carol Kent's books and I've already read the first 3 chapters in it. It's called "A New Kind of Normal". I don't want to be normal, I want to be able to say that I've done what the Lord has had me to do. Needless to say, this weekend was great. All the speakers, the skits, the music, the food, all the Calvary ladies that put it together, it was all wonderful and I am blessed to have been a part of it. I encourage you, if nothing else, to do what Mrs. Kent wrote in my book..."Keep pointing people to hope". There is always hope if we just trust in HIM! "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths". Proverbs 3:5-6
I hope you all have a great week, and I'm going to nurse this sore throat & back ache I woke up with today and read some more in my book!

TO-DO LIST

I've decided to make out a list for myself to accomplish over the next 4 wks., one to help me stay busy so the time doesn't drag, and two just because it desperately needs to be done! So, here in no particular order is my to-do list:

1) Clean & re-organize kitchen cabinets
2) Clean & straighten up Robbie's room downstairs
3) Finish getting things ready for Christmas in FEB!!
4) Organize all the clothes & storage totes in Laundry room.
5) Wash & clean out car
6) Get in at least 2-3 workouts a week in hopes to lose a goal of 10 lbs.
7) Maybe put in a few extra hours at work to help make up for some of the time I'll be taking off (hopefully as long as possible)!
8) Get things ready for tax time. (ugh)
9) Schedule our Anniversary trip & Chloe's kennell stay. (my fav one by far)
10) All the normal cleaning, homework, laundry & to-dos of the regular week!

Last but not least, I want to make sure to have time for me, thus I am so looking forward to this coming weekend at Calvary's women's conference. This will be my first women's conference and I'm excited about what the Lord has in store for us. I always love to hear other people's testimonies and how the Lord has worked in their lives. Sometimes the best things come from pampering your soul. I think I may pamper my nails & hair too before the next month is up too! Can you tell I'm excited & anxious for the next 4 weeks to fly by?? I'm sure I'll think of a bunch more things TO-DO between now & then too!! Well, off to start on my list....

Finally 2010!!!

I don't think I have ever looked more forward to a new year in my whole life!! I could barely sleep this past week in anticipation of the new year. Why you ask??? My husband is coming home in just a few more weeks!! Yippee! The long & dreaded deployment is almost over and hopefully by Valentines Day (give or take a couple days) our family will be re-united again! I have so many things I want to finish before he gets here though and a few surprises too...which I won't post just yet b/c I'm not sure if he reads this or not. But, one of them he is already aware of, I have planned Christmas at our house again in February. I plan on leaving all the inside decorations & Christmas tree up until Robbie can be home with us. We are going to have Christmas all over, complete with Christmas dinner & of course Robbie's fav...Tom the turkey!! Robbie has started a list of foods he wants when he gets back home, some of them to include Spaghetti, Lasagna, Turkey, Chicken Casserole, Shrimp & Chicken on the grill, pickled eggs, steak, sweet & regular potatoes and the list goes on & on. Lets just say he's not a fan of Army food or Iraqi food for that matter...haha! Robbie's 28th Birthday was also today, and the girls & I worked on cards & such today for him when he gets home as well. He said he wasn't turning 28 until he got home! :) We have a lot of celebrating to catch up on in February! We've also decided that if he comes home on a day the girls are in school and it can be arranged we are going to try to surprise both girls at school with his homecoming. There is nothing like the sweet surprised look on their faces when daddy comes home & this time for longer than a couple weeks. I've stocked up already on banners & signs and as soon as I get a call you can bet I'll be in Monroe ready & waiting!! I really can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for our family this year. We have been blessed so much over this past year and I can not thank him enough. But, soon enough the Beaver family will be back together again & we are ready for whatever God wants us to do! Hope everyone had a Happy New Year and a blessed beginning to 2010!!