I ran across a note I had put up on Facebook a while ago stating 25 random facts about me (that I was willing to share) Since I really don't have alot of info on my profile page about me and I normally just post things about the kids, I thought this might be kind of fun. :-) Just to let you know, the "Then" list still applies. I think I did it about 1 1/2 years ago when I was pregnant with Miriam. I purposely didn't look at it until I was finished with my "now" list, so there are a few repeats ;)

Then
1. I highly detest being sick!
2. I love studying the Bible.
3. I am very excited to be pregnant again.
4. I love being outdoors.
5. I want to start taking time to go hiking.
6. I am excited about working in our yard this spring and sprucing up our flower beds!
7. I have been married to a wonderful godly man for 5 years now!
8. I was born in WV...go mountaineers!
9. Football is the sport of choice in our home.
10. I am gradually finding time to play the piano again.
11. I love playing board/card games with friends.
12. I love people but am very much an introvert.
13. My dream house is a cabin in the woods with a wrap around porch overlooking a pond.
14. My first vehicle was a diesel Mazda pick-up :) painted smurf blue
15. We have a salt water tank in our house.
16. I could sit and read a good book all day.
17. I love pizza! my pregnancy favorite these days is a cheese pizza
18. I desire for other people to grow stronger and deeper in their relationship with God.
19. I enjoy being a pastor's wife.
20. I am ready for spring to be here.
21. I am excited we are finishing off part of the basement for a laundry/sewing/home command center room :)
22. I want to learn how to sew.
23. I am rooting for the Steelers to win the superbowl
24. I love to cook and try new recipes.
25. I love my Saviour and am so grateful to God for His grace and care.

Now
1. In the past few months I have felt God's refining presence in my life. He has been showing me more of Himself and more of the ugliness in me that He wants to cleanse.
2. I love being in full-time ministry with my husband. (most days ;-)
3. I am passionate about everything having to do with being a mommy and feel that my husband and children are my main focus and ministry.
4. I LOVE to cook and try new recipes.
5. I would like to become more knowledgeable in the area of gardening and learn to can our own fruits and vegetables (that we will eventually grow, if we can keep the deer out of the garden!)
6. I tend to be a very detail-oriented person, but try to keep that trait as a strength and not a hinderance ;) I also try not to burden my husband with my need for organization and planning since he tends to be the opposite!
7. I would love to learn how to sew, so I can make things for our home (I already have the material for the living room and dining room!) and maybe get to the point to make cute summer dresses for Miriam.
8. I would like 5 kids.
9. I am not a good swimmer.
10. I used to love to go horseback riding and took lessons one summer. I have had two horses in my life: an appaloosa that was green broke (my mom was going to finish training her) and tried to buck me off (that was my last time riding her, we sold her after that, she was a cranky thing!) and my beloved quarter horse Max who was my baby. He was the most gentle thing and a great trail horse. I miss him!
11. I love the smell of fresh cut hay :-)
12. My dream house is a log cabin with a stone fireplace, wrap around porch, open layout with a huge kitchen where everyone can gather, and a pond closeby where the kids can go fishing.
13. I LOVE to read but don't get to do alot of it these days.
14. I love to be outdoors.....reading outdoors is especially nice.....in a rocker on a porch overlooking a pond ;)
15. I am a tea drinker....I will fix a pot of hot tea in the morning....but it normally ends up cold by the time I can get to it....I have two little distractions named Isaac and Miriam ;)
16. I like to drink coffee, but I need my flavored creamer and sugar...caramel vanilla is my favorite right now. I proudly tell my husband, that yes, I am drinking my milkshake (he drinks his coffee black)
17. I love to travel and see new places...I would love to travel around the US and visit Montana, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Colorado especially again and the other states out west I have not been to: Oklahoma, North Dakota, and Oregon. I also want to travel through the New England states one year during the fall.
18. Spring and Fall are my favorite seasons. Spring because of the newness of life. Fall because of the colors, soups, and sweaters :)
19. I love to study God's Word!! It is like a treasure box and you just want to take it all in and not miss any part of it!
20. Being a pastor's wife is much more difficult/hard emotionally than being a pastor's daughter is. (For me personally, I know this could be reversed for someone else!)
21. I love my sister, she is my best friend :) (It was just the two of us)
22. I would love to learn to play guitar, so I can lead my children in worship at home. And since I am teaching the youth SS Class right now, I really wish I could play NOW to start our class time off in worship in song.
23. I like mowing grass with a push-mower. I know...I'm weird.
24. I took art in high school and loved it. One of my pictures placed in county contest. (2nd place I think) My favorite was pencil sketches. I haven't attempted to draw in probably over 10 years :(
25. I am blessed to have a wonderful family: a loving husband who continually challenges me and yet loves me where I am, two of the cutest kids in the world (I know, I'm partial), parents who pointed me to Christ by their life and love, in-laws who claim me as their own, a sister who rocks! a best friend who I can always count on, no matter how long it's been since we've talked or how busy we are with our families, and grandparents who live/have lived a godly legacy.

I have a few blogs that I "follow" regularly besides our personal friends .....cool homeschooling moms that love Jesus and have kiddos around the same age as my own. They have great homeschooling ideas and sometimes offer giveaways! Here are a few that I have entered and wanted to share the love.....

Our Country Road
a $25 shopping spree at CSNStores.com
(they have a HUGE selection....just think an online mall with 200 + stores. I especially loved the educational toys)

Two of a Kind, Working on a full house has a ton of giveaways!! Here are just a few.

a Guidecraft 144 piece Magnetos set
(this is a magnetic building set with straight pieces and balls)

Old MacDonald Musical Farm Set by Baby Genius
This is such a cute set!! I know my kiddos would love it!

GroBaby One Size Cloth Diaper offered through Wee Little Changes
Wee Little Changes is actually in the NC area for anyone close. They offer classes for those new to cloth diapering and a rental program to see if cloth is right for you!

Little Tykes :Backyard BBQ
This would be so much fun for Isaac to be grilling alongside his dad ;)

Mama to 3 Blessings
a HappyHeinys cloth diaper (turquoise, one size, pocket)
(I have not tried this brand, but have heard great things about it!)
This blogger mom will be having quite a few giveaways focussing on baby products over the next few months.

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I have to say I was a little excited to go to my first Mother Daughter banquet with MY daughter!! As much as I would absolutely love a house full of boys, I am so glad the Lord blessed us with a little girl.I am looking forward to all those precious times when it's just "us girls". We had a great turnout at the church for the banquet, the Ladies Group did a great job putting it all together.

My sweet little girl

I'm looking back through the pictures for the week and Wow! We had alot going on this week! Last week we spent most of it at home, this week there was something going on every day. It has felt like a long week, I think it is just because we had so much crammed into it!

I think she is looking at Isaac in this pick, probably wondering what in the world he is doing.

He was waiting very patiently for his Chicken Nuggets from Chick-fil-A :-)

This pic cracks me up...it's like she's saying "It's mine...all mine!"

Daddy reading Isaac the book he got in his kid's meal.

Going in the wrong way ;)

Mom and Dad stopped in overnight on their way back home to WV. We always love getting to see them and of course the kids get a little extra spoiling :)

Sometimes it's the simple things kids love to play with the most. Isaac loved sitting in this box (with a hat on of course!) while Grandma read to him.

Aaron was able to get the garden tilled a couple of weeks ago. Then while my parents were here, the guys worked hard getting it planted while I was involved in the Ladies Bible Study.

We had 23 youth at our Lock-In Friday night!!! Here is Isaac and Pastor Ryan during the worship service. Isaac loved it! I eneded up staying all night and we put the kids to sleep in the nursery. I might have stayed up all night if I didn't have little ones that would be awake all the next day. So I did get a few hours sleep in the early morning and was able to get a short nap in on Saturday. I still don't think I've fully recovered!

Miriam hanging out before bedtime.

Isaac's favorite meal....pizza!

Here is a little statue that our neighbor gave us when Isaac was born. He had been carrying it around the house lately and calling it "baby". I found the "baby" like this, compliments of Isaac. Later Isaac was carrying it around and accidentally dropped it. Baby is no more ;)

Beginning table foods....she is just growing up way too fast!

Isaac knocked over the gate....again....and here Miriam is trying to pull herself up with it. You can't quite see it the way the light is hitting it, but she is standing up.

She discovered "Tad" this week and loved him!

A little too much fun :-) She just fell asleep in my arms. Thankfully the camera was handy.

Grandma got these fun alphabet flashcards for Isaac at the Dollar Tree. They are on a little ring, so thankfully they all stay together!

They're Here!!
I know, I know, I'm a little weird, but I am so excited. We had done the cloth diaper trial a little while back and were able to go ahead and get them this month. The company I have been going through offers used diapers that have only been used for a couple of weeks. We were able to buy 10!! "Used in Excellent Condition" for a great price! Thank the Lord for his provision even in the little details! So no more buying disposable diapers!! (unless of course we go on vacation somewhere where we don't have access to a washer :-P

Wow! That was alot of pics! My camera is in good working order again, so I guess I'm a little camera happy right now. I figure I will never regret taking so many pictures! I have more from this week, but I think I"ll try and post them at another time! Tot School didn't really happen this week. I also was busy two mornings with planning for the lock-in. We'll work on it this week!