Thoughts

How much can change in a year? How about two? Two years ago we were home still giving Anthony pain killers from his broken finger. Worried that he would use all his time up and that once we adopted that he wouldn't have time to get paid while we were in China. I still believe that God wanted us to start the adoption process to teach us. However, I keep coming back to the verse. "For I know the plan I have for you,' declares the Lord 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11.Yeah I know that you have heard it, but it is so true. Looking at my two beautiful baby boys how can I not know that God, my heavenly father is in control. I make plans, but my plans are not perfect. God's plans are so much greater than anything that I can even imagine for myself.

A year ago I was concerned that Matt would have a difficult time dealing with the changes that would come once the baby was born. I can't imagine what it is like to be an only child for 8 years and then suddenly have to share everything. However, God is so awesome. I have never met someone who loved, absolutely loved their sibling the way Matt loves Trystan. Trystan thinks Matt hung the moon, but Matt is almost as protective as Anthony & I are. He worries when Trystan is sick and wants to be with him almost non-stop. We are so BLESSED!

Right now as happy as I am, I am also heartbroken. Two friends are going through some tough times. I just can't seem to get them and their families off my mind. Each time I catch myself thinking about somethign funny or something that happens when I say this can't get any better, they pop into my mind. Girls I love you and I am praying for you.

This year has also brought changes. I enjoyed 5 months at home with Trystan. Time that I will never regret taking. Then when I did go back to work, I switched jobs. I miss some of the classroom that I had, but it is so wonderful to have fun at work. We also have developed new friendships over the course of the year. We met some great people and hope that they are part of our lives for years to come.

I am starting some big changes in the coming weeks. If you read this please pray for me that I am making good choices on a minute by minute basis. What I want to do is not necessarily the right thing. I don't want to make a resolution, I want to make a lifestyle change. One that I am proud of and that my husband and family are proud of.

Here is hoping that your 2010 is better than any year that you have ever had. I am praying that God's will is revealed to you. That he is the center of your life, and if you don't know his only Son Jesus that you will have a personal relationship with him.

Always,

Carla   

Anticipation

OK, First let me say a big thanks to my buddy Jessica. You rock! This girl (because she is younger than I am) homeschools (which for sanity's sake I couldn't/wouldn't do) she bakes fabulous cakes. She designed Matt a Bakugan Ball birthday cake last week for his birthday. It was hands down one of the best cakes ever. Round and delicious. Add to that the fact that she also Blogs. I noticed a playlist on her Blog several months ago and since the stepheniemeyer (my favorite author at the moment) site also has one, I made one over the weekend. Also I was pretty tired of the standard colors and scheme of the old Blog, so she directed me in the path to jazz up this post. I like it whether anyone else sees it or not.

Now on to the Anticipation aspect. I have created a monster. In an effort to "bond" with the 9 yr. old, we rented Twilight to watch one Sunday afternoon while his dad was away playing golf. Now bear in mind that this was a week or so before school started. Needless to say I became addicted and also infected my oldest. Twihards we are. We are going to see Twilight at 9 on Thursday night and stay for New Moon at 12:01 AM. It is a school night and Matt has worked ahead on homework so that he can come home on Thursday and nap before we go off to the movies. He is really excited and is telling his friends and even his teacher that I am taking him to the first showing. It is really funny when we talk about it and Anthony rolls his eyes. We just look at each other, giggle and say he just doesn't get it. What is even worse is that the 20th is the first night for one of my two Tusculum classes. Since I don't want to be a Zombie, just a vampire, ha, ha, I am taking the day Friday to sleep. My mother thinks I am stupid. I probably am, but that is what personal days are for. I am stupid.

I started a new computer class at Tusculum last night. This one is basic computers and I am learning along with them. It is a LOT of information to cover in 6 sessions. The biggest issue is just getting in there and playing. I had fun though and I hope they will before we are finished.

Now back to the anticipation in another aspect. I can't wait until Black Friday. I have already scoped out the ads and I am probably going to Toys R Us at midnight when they open. They have a few things that would be nice, but it is also good that we are almost finished.

I couldn't resist putting another picture of the boys on here. For his birthday Matt wanted to go to Chuckee Cheese. He saved his last 5 tokens for Trystan. With the last one we got this sketch.

Photo Session and My Scaredy Cat

We went to Carowinds this weekend. Our session passes definitely paid for themselves. Matt had told us that he wanted to go to Scarowinds (a Halloween event with 8 mazes, 3 scare zones, and over 400 frightening creatures). Well long story short Matt lasted thirty minutes and Anthony laughed so hard that his belly hurt. Matt was begging to go back to the hotel to swim. We didn't even get to ride any of the roller coasters which were open. However, we did go back on Sunday and I can't even count how many rides we rode. Matt has a new record. He and Anthony rode the Hurler (Matt's favorite wooden roller coaster) so many times that the employees actually went through an entire shift rotation. Anthony said he lost count after 10 times. Even the rides we normally wait an hours for or only ride once per day had no line. Quite a bit different than the night before. I had never seen all five lanes of traffic full and lines at every ride before until Saturday night.

We went ahead and purchased our session passes for next year. I really can't wait. They already have 10 coasters and now they are adding a new Dale Earnhardt theme coaster. It will go between 75-80 mph, be 323 feet tall, and have three big drops. One is going to be 322 feet and the ride will last over 3 minutes. Also they are changing the Nickolodean section to Planet Snoopy. I can foresee Trystan and I spending a bunch of time with Snoopy.

Today Matt and I took Trystan for his 6 months pictures. Laura did a fabulous job as always. She has some sneak peeks up that are just too cute. http://mohawkmemoriesphotography.com/blog/?p=770