Happy New Year

The Lord has promised good to me.
His Word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

My chains are gone
I've been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy rains
Unending love, Amazing grace

Happy New Year! Here's to a vibrant, fresh new chapter - seize Eternity in 2012!

The Sum of Two Days

It seems like we've been sick a lot so far this year. Maybe it's just that there are three kids now, so when they take turns it seems like someone is always sick. Elisha woke up sick late Saturday night. I'm battling a lot of negative emotions concerning dealing with sickness AGAIN. To fight the blues, I play little games in my mind. Over the past two days it was a numbers game. Here are the results:

one sick little ladybug

10 loads of laundry = two empty laundry baskets and one empty diaper pail

three new pair of sunglasses, thanks to Nana Mooney

a healthy meal on the grill, which used to intimidate me, completed at the desired time

It's just a game to pass the time, one of my coping mechanisms. Hopefully Elisha will be feeling better tomorrow and everyone else will stay well. I'm praying so and turning in for the night.

Happy Easter

Happy New Year

Britt, Becca, Micah (4), Elisha (2) and Hosanna (2 months)

Popsicles

Just for fun tonight the kids and I hopped in the car, we drove to the grocery store, they rode in a race car cart and together we picked out a box of popsicles. Yeah, popsicles. Simple pleasures! We ate them outside and got all dirty and sticky. It reminded me of when I was a little girl. I hope they fondly remember simple little things like popsicles on the swing set on a hot summer evening. Sometimes life really is as simple as enjoying a popsicle, being outside, the heat of a summer evening ... and allowing myself to rediscover the joy of life through the eyes of my precious little treasures from God.

Another Piglet

Micah and Elisha have both adopted a stuffed Piglet (from classic Winnie the Pooh) as their lovey. As you can see, Micah's (on the left) has been loved all over (and is a world-traveler). Elisha's (in the middle) is in a little better shape, but still shows signs of lots of love. The brand new one on the right is for our precious little girl, due to arrive in October. We are so excited to see if she adopts Piglet as her lovey, too.

our little trip

Here's how it all added up:
1 husband
2 kids - one 12 months, one 3 years
1 Nissan Maxima, 10 years old
6 days
1,600+ miles
28 driving hours
4 major stops
--WV to visit Britt's grandmother and mom's side of the family (with his parents, Ben, Gina & Norah)
--PA to visit my grandparents (with my parents)
--MD to visit Kenny, Nicole, Faith and William (not yet out of the womb)
--NC to visit Laura Beth, Jeremy, Hannah, Benjamin, Levi and Scott & Amy (Jeremy's folks)
6 other states: SC, NC, VA, WV, PA, MD and back again
3 different beds
3 grandparents + aunts, uncles, cousins, etc...
2 sets of couple friends from our time in Korea & their kids
3 fast food playgrounds
1 strawberry milkshake consumed by 4 Mooneys, except the part Elisha wore home
1/2 bushel of apples for only $8
1 broken shower head - oops!
1 new expression - Elisha now has a mad/frustrated face: everything facial that can be scrunched totally scrunched including lips.
1 complete pwnage of Pop and Uncle Ben by Micah: "I'll make myself disappear."
1 profound statement: "You have to teach yourself to be small." by Britt's grandmother
1 Happy New Year!
2 lost pillows and 1 lost bottle (interesting way to wean from a bottle to a cup)
3 happy house mates (time to enjoy the house in peace and quiet)
---EQUALS---
lots of laughing, talking and enjoying one another and friends and family we don't regularly get to see
. . . and the blessings of being home again