It's Been Oh So Long!

i can hardly believe it's been over a month since i last blogged.  where in the world has the time gone?!  i'm not sure how i go so behind.  it could have been the taking care of 3 little children.  it could have been the crafting.  it could have been the laundry that never seems to go away.  it could have been the trouble i've had downloading pictures recently.  it could have been all the thinking and wondering going on inside my head.  probably it was a bit of everything.  regardless, i'll try to give you a brief update here today.

~ there have definitely been lots of smiles going on around here.  lots of funny things said by the girls, lots of giggling, and lots of time together.

~ i've been doing a Bible study with a sweet lady from church.  it's been very interesting and has been opening my eyes/heart up to the Bible in a way they never have been before.  God's Word really is so amazing.  it never changes and it is full of SO MUCH truth!  sometimes it almost seems overwhelming, but really it's just so exciting to still be learning amazing things all these years later.  perhaps i'll share more in another post.

~ i've definitely had a lot of thoughts and questions swirling around in my head regarding our current job/financial situation.  it seems like we're always going through something in this area, and i'm ready to stop worrying about it.  it seems like every time a good opportunity presents it's self, it falls through.  it's very disheartening.  it's definitely an area i've been learning to daily place at the feet of our Lord and trust that He does have a plan for us. 

~ to go along with the above thought, there's the thought of possibly having to leave michigan yet again.  i love michigan.  and i don't want to move away from my family and friends yet again.  this is the 3rd time we've tried living in michigan, and it just never seems to work out.  maybe God is trying to tell me something?  it's a struggle for me.  there is a possible job opportunity for jonathan out of state right now...he's done the preliminary testing.  he passed everything but one part and now they are trying to figure out how he can redo the one part (they came to michigan to do the testing the first time).  so, be praying for us, dear family & friends.  pray that our hearts will be open to God's guidance no matter if it means staying here or moving away again (with this possible job, or any others). 

~ nadia took two tiny steps on her own yesterday!!  i couldn't believe my eyes.  i think she still has a ways to go before she really starts walking as she is still fairly wobbly (which this mama doesn't mind!!).

~ we had a nice thanksgiving.  we had my sister & her family, my mom & kevin, and my dad over and had a good time visiting and eating yummy food. 

~ today the girls and i are planning to put up a little tree and a few winter decorations.

~ we thought we came up with a great plan to encourage libbs to poop on the potty, but it only worked for the first day.  i guess the good part was that now we know she CAN poop on the potty...she just WON'T.  it's very frustrating...but i guess we have to wait it out.  we've tried seemingly everything else. 

~ daddy and libbs went on a daddy-daughter date this week.  always a good time for the girls.  i think jonathan is taking leila out today.

~ we got 100 photo christmas cards for a mere $6.38!!  we only had to pay shipping by using some coupon codes online.  i was really excited about this deal (i posted about it on my facebook page, but the deal has expired now).

~ i've was introduced to a new fiction author a while back by a friend, and this author's books are fabulous!!  his name is charles martin, and i've read all of his books now. seriously, they are sooo good!

~ i finally finished knitting jonathan's socks (i started them right before nadia was born).  i ran out of the yarn i was using and had to improvise, but they are still  comfy and warm :)

~ i made my first dress.  thanks to my gram for helping me through it!  this one is for liberty.  i'm planning on making matching ones for leila and nadia (it's just hard to find the time with 3 kiddos running around!).

~ that's all i can think of right now.  obviously more has gone on since over a month has gone by...i'll try to keep up on updating from now on.

~ and here are some pictures from the past month (although i haven't uploaded any thanksgiving or later pics).