Memories of mine from 8939 Sunbow Drive

We are nearing our moving date and I find myself, in the rare moments where I'm sitting still, reflecting on the past 8 1/2 years we have spent in this house. I will warn you, this blog may make me weepy and you don't have to read any further.......this particular entry is more for me than anyone else.

I remember moving in here and praying over our home with Lenn's and my parents. At the end of the prayer, my mom quickly included,"And please fill the bedrooms with lots of little girls and boys." Praise God for his providence. Thank you, Mom, for offering up such a sweet request.

I remember bringing home Nala from PetSmart in Castleton where we had adopted her from the Golden Retriever rescue. We brought her home on Feb. 9, 2002. That very same day we hosted several of our college friends and their families. Alexa Buckley and Claire Hurley were just little girls and we barely knew Nala and yet we were all comfortable letting those girls hug on and love on Nala. We could already tell what a wonderful family dog she would be. She has aged so much and is really a favorite of many of our neighbors, both adults and children. I think they will be sad to see her go. Some of Nala's naughtier moments include her tearing siding off of the back of our house in order to get the chipmunk, breaking into the garden to eat my tomatoes, and tearing off our neighbor's downspout in order to trap yet another chipmunk.

I remember finding out that we were pregnant with Nicholas. I remember painting his nursery. I remember my water breaking while simultaneously the power went out and we weren't sure if we could get out of our garage or what to do with Nala. I remember bringing that precious boy home from the hospital and letting Nala smell him. The poor child.......it was the middle of January and I had dressed him in a fleece outfit, then put him inside a fleece wrap, then covered his car seat with a fleecy cover. He was smothered!! Nala thought he looked like a stuffed animal and she tried to chew on his foot! Then I remember sitting Nicholas on the coffee table, still asleep.......praise the Lord......while Lenn and I tried to figure out what exactly we were supposed to do when he woke up.

I remember giving Toby away and my heart absolutely breaking. I remember Ross going peacefully to heaven and again my heart broke in two. I remember our miscarriage and the night I laid on the floor of our closet and just cried until I thought there were no more tears.

I remember the joy and anxiety of becoming pregnant with Ella. I remember bringing home that beautiful, tiny, colicky mess from the hospital and I remember 6 solid months of trying to cope with the screaming. I remember discovering that 6 months of screaming was worth every moment of fear and pain.

I remember my yearning for another child and the joy of becoming pregnant with Mae. I remember telling Nicholas and Ella that we were expecting a child. I remember the sheer joy of sharing Mae with her siblings.

I remember so much laughter, so much joy, so much love, so many tiny blessings, so many indescribably amazing blessings. Through it all, the constant thread that has held this life together is my wonderful husband and our relationship with our Heavenly Father. Lenn has been my rock and my best friend and I praise God for the beautiful life we have created in this home. I could never have predicted the twists and turns that we have taken in life and I would not have it any other way. God absolutely is so good. It is with mixed emotions that we leave this home and move to our new home. I look forward to the future as our children continue to grow and thrive and as we as a family learn together and love together. What a blessed life.