I know that I have been VERY slack about posting lately!! I have decided that I will stop thinking about (and being overwhelmed by) trying to catch up from the last few months, so I am going to start posting and just try to catch up when I can!!
For New Year's we were at the beach at BIG GOD conference with the Youth Group from Southside Baptist Church. What an awesome way to start 2008!! Approximately 2000 people were at the conference, and around 200 people made decisions for Christ!! It was truly amazing to witness the lives of these people change right in front of our eyes! Ken Freeman was the speaker and Big Daddy Weave and Barlow Girls were there. I had never really listened to Barlow Girl before--what wonderful role models, and girls that ROCK are really cool! When the clock struck midnight on New Year's Eve, 6000 colored balloons were dropped on all of us, what a sight!! I will try to get pictures and post some soon!!
It seems like just when things are going great something bad happens, when we got home Jan 1st one of the adult chaperons got home and found her husband dead. Apparently Becky's husband had a heart attack and went to be with the Lord while Becky was at the beach with us. She amazingly seems to be doing well, but we would ask that you guys lift Becky and her family up in your prayers while they are in this time of huge transition!!
I almost forgot to tell you that while we were gone Isabella stayed with her Papa (Jason's dad) and they had a wonderful time together! He spoils her like crazy, and she eats it up!! They so love each other!!
On Tuesday January 8th Isabella had to get ear tubes! She had 4 infections since September, and Dr. Farrell said that it was time. She was also slightly tongue tied, so he said that since she was going to be put to sleep he might as well fix that at the same time. He is an amazing doctor who I always ask to treat her like she was one of his own girls (he has 3 at home). We had to arrive at the hospital dark and early at 0530 am, and at around 0800 am Isabella was taken away from us from to go to the OR, talk about a feeling of hopelessness! I work in the OR everyday, but it all changes when it is your own child and heart!! She was away from us for around 20 minutes and then we were able to go into the Recovery Room and be with her. She is amazing, she was a little fussy for a few hours, and took 3 naps that day--but by the next day she was back to her sweet, pleasant, loving self!! For the rest of the week she would move her tongue around in her mouth and stick it out, just because she could!! Dr. Farrell actually encouraged us to get to stick it out and exercise it!! As you will see in the pictures, our prissy little girl walked around with her purse while we waited for our turn! TOO CUTE!!!
She decided that she wanted to walk around in the hall and check everyone else out!!
Grand and Isabella in the holding area, waiting for Dr. Farrell.
Snuggle time back in the Day Hospital, it's all over!! Thank you God for taking care of her!!
Taking a nap on the living room floor after we got home. One minute she was playing, and the next she was asleep!
Distracting Nick from his homework!!January 15th Isabella's Aunt Kim's 28th birthday!! Unfortunately we were not able to spend the day with her, but we love her so dearly and are so thankful that she is part of you family!!! Happy Birthday Aunt Kim!!
Saturday January 19th is a day that will change us forever!! WE FOUND A HOUSE THAT WE LOVE!! We have sort of been looking for a house to buy for almost a month now. We knew that we would have to sell our condo before we could afford to buy a house, so we had kind of slowed the looking process and were going to put our condo up for sale by owner. Our wonderful real estate agent Lynn Christenberry called us Saturday and said that she knew that we had decided to wait until we sold ours but there was a house that she really felt that we need to look at. Jason, Isabella, and I met her there Saturday, and we REALLY like the house! It is on Devonshire, right off of Marsh Avenue here in Florence, 1/2 mile from my Mom's house!! So here is the BEST part, when Lynn called the man who owns the house to tell him that we were very interested but would have to make an offer contingent on the sale of our condo, he said that he would be interested in buying our condo for investment property!! WHAT A GOD THING--we put an offer on a house and sold our condo in a matter of minute!! God is so awesome!! The house is great and is going to be wonderful for us, it actually has an extra living room, which will be great for having youth group people over to hang out in!! It needs a little TLC but all of the TLC that it needs is stuff that we can do with no problem! Anyone that likes to paint, we are looking for volunteers!! Here is the other crazy part, we close February 20th, that is like 3 weeks away! Oh, my!! We are going to be so busy, but it will all be worth it to have more room, and a YARD to play in! We are so excited!! I will post pictures of it as soon as I take some :) !!
