2 years, 12 hours and a moving truck later...

We have finally moved to North Carolina. We are so thrilled to be home. We are slowly getting settled in our house. I love my new house. I still can't believe it is my home for the next two years at least. When I have more time to write I will do so, for now enjoy the few pics of our journey.

2+4=10

You question my math when you look at the title of this post I am sure;then you think I should reconsider sending my kids to school instead of homeschooling. I assure you my math is much better than that.

Ten years ago today I married the love of my life. We had only known each other 2 short months prior to our engagement and were only engaged for 6 months, but I knew he was my future husband by our first date. June 10 2000 at noon was one of the happiest days of my life.

For three years the two of us enjoyed married life and the life in the USAF. We lived in Colorado and got to see and do a lot of fun things. Then over the next six years God blessed our marriage with four beautiful children. I could write all day long about the memories we have, but I wouldn't get anything else done and my four kids are waiting to go to the beach (haha).

So my explanation for my math is this: two people met and fell in love and married, plus having four beautiful children equals ten wonderful years of marriage. I praise God for his blessing on my family and I pray for many more years of marriage and creating family memories.

Just roll with it...

Well today brings great joy and also tears of sadness. My baby girl is growing up. She has discovered how to roll from her back to belly.....these are pics from her second attempt at it....

Memorial day memories

Raegan sleeping while daddy was in ultrasound. The nurses said they had no idea I had a baby with me she was so quiet!


Well we had a rather enjoyable Memorial day as a family. We went shopping at the outlets nearby and went out to dinner. However fun day quickly took a turn for the worse as Bert was stabbed with terrible pains in his mid section. At first we thought it was food poisoning and we rushed home so he could have the privacy of his own bathroom. He ran inside and I unloaded all four kids out of the car. As soon as I got inside Bert was doubled over in pain and begging me to get him to the ER as fast as I could. So I loaded all 4 kiddos back in the car and hit the road. Bert was terribly sick and pleading for me to run red lights the entire way. By the time we got there (not even a 10 min drive) he was pale short of breath and complaining he couldn't breath and his arms were numb. I was calmly panicked as I found a parking spot and got all 4 kids into the hospital. As I entered the hospital I glanced at the waiting room and about had a breakdown myself, standing room only. YIKES. However my hubby was so bad off he was already being treated by two nurses. They quickly rushed him back to a bed and got vitals etc. I had to step out and sanitize (head to toe)myself and the kids and begin trying to find help with the kids. Our wonderful church family pulled through and help came picked up the boys and took them home and got them into the bed. I went back in to the hospital to find the doctor talking to Bert. They were thinking it was very bad indigestion. We kinda laughed a bit then waited for discharge papers. The pain crept up again and he was begging for meds and then the doctor came back with concerning news. His liver tests were elevated and we were not going to be discharged. Soon after that he was given very strong pain meds and wheeled off to ultrasound. By 330am we were sent home with the news that his gallbladder was inflamed and the walls were thickened. We will meet with a surgeon tomorrow afternoon. This was much better news than the original liver disease or kidney disease the doctor mentioned. Please continue to pray for my hubby and the days to come. We are on our 15 days countdown to be in NC. We will keep you posted!

Earthworms and breakfast

My boys playing with earthworms at 815am on a warm May day.

Purpose of Delaware

There are a lot of things that ran through my head two years ago this summer. I wondered why in the world God was moving our family to Delaware of all places. Looking back that questioned continued through our first year here. With the sickness of Nolan, the financial strain of selling a house and transferring into Active Duty Reserves, and just the shock of moving up north. We learned to place our trust on God and lean on each other as a family. We learned the importance of investing in our children's "memory banks" by taking mystery trips. We learned that in all things there is good.

The good is that upon moving out of the mold invested house Nolan is well again. That our house sold and things are back to normal. We rejoice in Cohen accepting Christ as his Lord during VBS our first summer here. We are so thankful God blessed us with a wonderful blessing, our daughter Raegan Joy. But we are also thankful for the friends we have made here. Friends that share memories of Delaware with us, friends that will pray and encourage us no matter where life takes us. Friends that we consider family.

So as this journey in Delaware comes to an end and we soon enter a new journey moving to NC, I pray a thankful prayer for God once again answering my questions through revealing Himself everyday in every way.

Note to self

When asking my kids to put away the clean clothes I just washed and folded, follow through and see the clothes end up in the dresser NOT the dirty clothes cabinet
(Brasen Thomas had thrown all the folded clothes in the dirty clothes....no wonder I couldn't find an outfit for him this morning!)

Brotherly Love

(this is a picture taken after we got home of Cohen reading to his baby sister)

Today was Raegan Joy's 4 month appointment. Everything went wonderful. She is healthy and growing perfectly, weighing 13 pounds and measuring 2 feet in length. When it can time for the shots the boys all were anxious for her. I encouraged them to whisper a prayer for Raegan to be brave and then held my sweet baby for the nurse to do her thing. As I hummed Jesus Loves me to her little ear and listened to her little cry I glance over to Cohen. He is sitting in the chair with his little hands covering his ears and eyes squinting closed. I picked up Raegan and began to calm her down (which didn't take long) and Brasen runs over to rub her feet. Nolan is asking over and over if she was ok; but there sat Cohen. I look at his face and his eyes met mine and I see alligator tears falling down his precious cheeks. He was clearly upset at the sight and sound of his baby sister getting shots. He spoke up an said he can't stand for his sister to get hurt. I placed her in his arms and he cuddled her for awhile and then we able to leave the doctors office with his holding her hand and her holding his......Thank you God for my precious children and the bond of love that ties them together.

Moving to NC!

We announced the move by wrapping clues in gift boxes. To say they were excited is an under statement!

Chores are not just for mommies!

A day sharing chores with the kids. Cohen was in charge of laundry ALL day, he had to unload the dryer each time it buzzed and put the folded clothes away. And Brasen was in charge of sorting the toys in the right bins.

Not forgotten

Dear Blog,
I have not forgotten about you and I have a ton of pictures to upload and stories to tell......will do it this week. (I hope)
Bethany

Sickness in disguise

This past week Raegan Joy had been coughing on occasion. I finally decided to take her to the doctor because she would get choked and it bothered me. I questioned myself after making the appointment because she had on other symptoms. She was happy, not fussy and no fever to speak of. I took her in anyway and boy I am glad I did. She has a sever ear infection in her right ear and bronchitis. I was in shock and a wave of guilt hit me. How did I not know she was so sick?! She is now on meds and a breathing treatment every 4 hours. I took a pic so you could see that despite being sick she is still so happy...how would you know this face was so sick? ......poor baby girl!

Case of the missing cord

I have not neglected to add recent picture of our adventures, instead I have been unable to find the cord to allow me to download them from my camera. Anyway, as I continue my search know that there are may wonderful pictures waiting to be seen.

I am sitting at home with a congested baby girl while Bert and the boys are at church. I have been productive during her naps. I got the boys bedroom cleaned out and 1/2 the toys packed away. We are so excited about our move home!

Relocation News

We are thrilled to announce we are moving to Pope AFB in NC. We will pull out of our driveway June 16th if all goes according to plan.We can't tell you how excited we are!

Exercise the mind, spirit and body

Well today we have been running around with our heads cut off to get things in order for us to go out of town. We did school this morning, and the boys have been very involved in cleaning. Cohen did laundry all day, helping load and unload and put away. Brasen did the bedrooms and Nolan helped dust. After we got all of that done I exercised. Cohen did the whole video with me (which I can hardly get through myself). Brasen told me it was nonsense and Nolan was very interested in the belly buttons on the girls in the video....hahaha!Raegan Joy just laid there looking at me as if I were crazy, in all honesty I think the same thing as I suffer through 30 mins of torture. It is paying off. I am 1 pound from loosing 20 pounds in a little over 6 weeks. I would love to loose about 20 more to get my pre baby body back. Well off to cook dinner and get the kids ready for a mystery trip to Virginia tomorrow.

I took the boys (and Raegan Joy) to the flight line for a picnic, they loved it! I did too!

watching the planes take off
watching the planes land
my pretty girl laying under the umbrella having a good time!

It's true, a picture is worth a 1000 words!

I love being a mother. This picture says it all......

Field Trip to the ER

Last night Brasen was resting on the floor watching tv. There was a toy model car sitting on the couch and Cohen was leaning up against the couch. The car rolled off and landed on Brasen's head resulting in a big goose egg to the head. So we called the neighbors and had them watch the kiddos and Bert and I took him to the ER. The doctor said he looked good. We had to wake him up in the night and ask questions but other than that we just have to keep an eye on him. He woke up this morning starving so I think it is safe to say he is ok.

Playing dress up

Sleeping Beauty

My favorite feeding is the 5am one. Bert is getting up at that time to go to the gym so I let her stay in the bed with me. She is such a snuggle bug. I did not pose her this way, she did it all on her own.

Here we go again.....

Here is Nolan climbing on top of the playset outside What else is this child going to climb? I am so afraid he is going to be the child to break something....however he thinks he is a big boy.

Easter

We have had a wonderful, beautiful Easter Sunday. Here are some pictures to enjoy.

Good Friday

Last night to remember Good Friday we made pretzel crosses. As we made them we talked about how special it it that Jesus died for us. I asked the boys would they die for a stranger or take a strangers punishment, what about die or take punishment for a friend...they said they didn't think they would. Bert and I then explained that is exactly what Jesus did for us. What a blessing spending family time together and talking about God's love. We plan to make resurrection biscuits tomorrow because he didn't stay dead, HE AROSE!

Being brave has its rewards!

So today I took on a HUGE task. We needed groceries so I went and got groceries with all four kiddos! Maybe I was crazy for trying, then again maybe not. I had five different people compliment me on how well behave my kiddos were. I am a proud mommy with a well stocked kitchen!

John 3:16

For home school this week we have been focusing on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Yesterday we made crosses using flour, salt, and water. We baked them and let them cool. Today we painted them, added string and gave them away to our neighbors as a reminder of Easter. We also watched the Easter Story this morning which opened our eyes once more at the Grace of our God and the wonderful Gift he gave us.I am so blessed to teach this in school and seeing Easter through my child's eyes is an even bigger blessing.