FINALLY!!!!!!

Well, I finally bit the bullet and blogged, even though the laundry is looming!! But, I checked the undie drawers and everyone can wait one more day..... So, below you will find a slew of pictures!! As I was about half way through blogging, I noticed that I put the oldest ones at the bottom...I usually put the oldest ones at the top, so this time, if you start at the bottom, they will be in chronological order--if you care! So, since earlier this year, God has turned our world upside down...in a good way. Scott and I believe that God is calling us back to California, so we're headed back. Before Scott and I were married, we knew we wanted to move to a small town, have kids, live a slower life. So, four years ago, when God told us to go to Wisconsin, we thought, "Well, this is great!! We've always wanted to move to a small town and that happens to be what God wants, too!!" YAH!! As the years went by we were very happy with OUR plan....buy a house, have another child, I'll finish school, start teaching, buy a bigger house, etc, etc, etc....One thing Scott and I didn't do enough of, though, was talk to God about HIS plan. I think there have been a few times where God has tried to get our attention and we decided not to listen. And God brought us to our knees with this decision--and I'm so glad He did! I love living here (the friends, family, town, an AMAZING church family!!), but I realize that I love God more--it's that simple. And as much as I drug my feet at first, I am now excited to see what's in store for us. I mean, just look at what God has done in the short time we've been here--He has brought some truly amazing brothers and sisters in Christ into our lives, Annemarie was saved and baptized, a new work has begun and continues to grow, Mia was born and thrives--the list is long. I never would have imagined that God would be leading us in this direction, but I never imagined that my life would be as amazing as it is right now. But, God knew. And He knows what's in store for us in this next journey that He's asking us to accompany Him on. So,we are sad to leave our family and friends, but amazed at what God has already done. How could we not follow Him? So, after months of prayer, studying and discussions, at the end of June we put the house on the market and decided to follow God. We've had alot of people look, but no offers. So, we'll leave the house on the market and go. God will handle it. The girls and I will fly to California on October 9th and Scott will leave here (with my brother-in-law, Tony) on October 21st-one day shy of our 4 year anniversary of arriving in Wisconsin. We will stay with my sister and Tony until their backyard is complete--then we'll live in their backyard.... :-) No, not in tents, they are adding a garage and there will be an apartment above the garage for us, until we can buy a house. Until just a few days ago, Scott figured that he would get a job once he arrived in California. But (and we shouldn't be surprised), God worked that out. He will now manage the same paint store that he worked at when we left California. What an answer to prayer!! Annemarie is up and down about going--excited to be closer to friends and family, sad to leave her friends and school here. So, we're just trying to let her feel however she needs to..... She started third grade (and yes, I cried on the first day of school, like always!!), and really likes her class. I'll go to give her a going away party on her last day, so that gives her something to look forward to. As for Mia....well, she has blossomed! At her 9 month appointment at the end of July, she weighed exactly 16 pounds. I'd say she's approaching 18 now, but she'll get weighed at the beginning of October again. She has started some new medication for her reflux, and after ALOT of laundry, I think we've finally got that worked out. She rolls over (although, I've noticed recently that she won't roll from her tummy to her back, but sometimes I think that she's being stubborn!) and is just starting to get her legs under her a little. She'll rotate around on her tummy to get somewhere and is sitting up really well. I still put a pillow behind her-just in case (but if she feels it behind her she'll "lounge" on it...). She's eating Cheerios and we've experimented with some other foods, but I think she may have some issues with texture. She's really getting the hang of her sippy cup but LOVES her bottles!! Her corrected age is now 8 months, so for an 8 month old, I think she's right on. It's amazing to think that soon, it will be a year since this precious little one was born--amazing!! She's been discharged from Birth to Three (yah!!) for two reasons-first, she's right on for her corrected age and second, it's actually easier for Wisconsin to just discharge her and then for California to enroll her as a new participant. We've already got an appointment with a Pediatrician in California to evealuate and make any referrals. Mia will receive RSV shots again this winter and the doctor here advised us to plan on heading into hibernation around the first of November. I'm curious to hear what the new doctor in California recommends, though. Scott and I are just getting ready to move--I'm still in school-two English classes (online) and trying to pack, etc.... I'd ask everyone to continue to pray for us as we continue to seek God's direction.