It's Been a Year

This past Saturday, October 3rd, marked the one year anniversary of Kade and I boarding a plane with one way tickets to the great state of Washington. Kyle picked us up at the airport that night and took us to our new home in the fabulous city of DuPont. A city in which Kade nor I had ever been. A home in which we had never stepped a foot into before we purchased it. And the adventure began!!!

A year ago, God moved us to DuPont, Washington to start a brand new church. And God has blessed us tremendously. There are so many stories that I could tell about how God has provided that I probably couldn't even begin to remember them all while sitting at this computer right now. It has been a great year. Ryne was born! All of our family has been able to visit us at our new home! Life Church has started with three Life Groups and Monthly Sunday night services! In fact, this past Sunday we had our second service for Life Church and it was amazing. Kade has really grown up and keeps us laughing and scratching our heads at his crazy antics every day. We have made some incredible new friends and God has allowed us to keep up with our "old" friends as well. We have really missed our family but I am so grateful for technology....cell phones, computers, airplanes....we have been able to keep in touch quite well.

When I think about the past year I am rather bumfuzzled. So much has happened that it is hard for me to think that all of it has happened in one short year. Then again, October 3rd, 2008, seems like it was almost just yesterday. Anybody else ever had a year that felt like that?

I have to admit that it has been a year of adventure. God is amazing in all that He does for us and in all that He teaches us and in all that He allows us to be a part of. I am so thankful that He saw fit to use our family in DuPont, Washington and I pray that He receives ALL the glory for anything good that comes from our moving there.

I noticed when I logged in that my last post was on September 25th. Yikes, it is October 8th. And I had such high hopes for getting all caught up.

You see, Kyle was gone for ten days on a mission trip to Romania and Moldova. I didn't mention this in earlier posts because as I have shared before when he was gone, I don't really want to advertise to the world that the boys and I are home alone. Just makes me feel a bit more safe. Anyway, I really thought that while he was gone I would be able to get all caught up on blogging from our summer adventures. Well, who knew that taking care of two little guys all by myself was going to be so tiresome? Made me very grateful for all of the military moms or dads in my community who stay behind and take care of the kiddos while their spouse goes off to defend our country. Wow! They are amazing people. I am not cut out for that job!!! I realized just how much I depend on Daddy's help. It keeps me sane. But, the boys and I did well and we survived without too many mishaps. Nothing major went wrong. But we sure were glad to pick Kyle up at the airport last Monday. And then things got even crazier around our place. Tuesday was recover from the long trip day and get laundry done. Wednesday was prepare for and have Bible study at our house day. Thursday was ladies Bibles study, Life Church launch team meeting and company from West Virginia coming day. Friday was busy with Life Church planning, visiting Olympia with our friends day. Saturday was just a blur. Sunday was a beautiful day and Life Church's second service at the coffee shop downtown. It was great and we were exhausted. Monday was take our friends to Mt. Rainier day (pictures to come later of our adventures with our friends from West Virginia). Tuesday was board a plane day.

Yep, that's right, you read correctly, I wrote "board a plane day"! Ryne, Kade and I got on a plane Tuesday morning and headed to AR. Here's the proof:

Kade was a super traveler. He drew lots of pictures on his drawing pad and read lots of books and even enjoyed checking out the sky mall magazine. Ryne, on the other hand, was quite restless. Thankfully, though, he didn't disturb the rest of the plane....just me.

Here is Kade pulling his backpack through the airport in Little Rock.

When he spotted C.G. and Grandaddy he took off running with his backpack. That's why the picture is so blurry!

Ryne found Grandaddy

And when we made it to Junction City Monk Monk was there! Didn't take Kade long to convince her to play pirates with him.

Found the fire truck! And look who's big enough to ride along now!

Look at these boys! They were having a big time on the fire truck.

And then Ryne discovered the little red car and had to go for a drive!

Kade helped C.G. make cheese biscuits.

And then helped wash dishes.

Kyle will follow us to AR today. Saturday is Homecoming at OBU and my ten year college reunion. After that we will make a quick trip to Spiro to see the rest of our family before we have to head back to Washington.

One of these days I'm going to show you some pretty amazing pictures from the rest of our summer adventures. For now we're living it up in Arkansas!