SunflowerinNC

Mollie's imagination

2011-09-09T07:29:00.000-07:00

Mollie swimming

2011-08-07T15:34:00.000-07:00

Mollie swimming on Grandma's front porch.

Mollie on the trampoline

2011-03-21T11:57:00.000-07:00

2010-11-22T11:56:00.000-08:00

Watch Mollie say balloon. She sticks her tongue out. It is hilarious!

Mollie's first haircut

2010-11-03T06:33:00.000-07:00

Bible

2010-10-20T08:40:00.000-07:00

Mollie singing Jesus loves me

2010-10-20T08:17:00.000-07:00

Mollie likes to sing Jesus loves me. At the time of recording, she was "reading" her Bible in her rocking chair. She loves her Bible.

Micah...Kacey...

2010-10-11T14:25:00.000-07:00

Mollie has a crush on Micah our next door neighbor. Kacey is a sweet girl at church. Glenna is Rachel's friend from Florida that came up to visit this past weekend. And of course, Josh is Mollie's cousin. Josh also represents the whole Liebert family. She calls everyone Josh.She is learning their names...Aunt BethAnne...Uncle Mark...

Animal sounds

2010-10-11T14:01:00.000-07:00

Mollie knows some animal sounds.

Funny Mollie

2010-10-11T13:42:00.000-07:00

It has been way too long...I will try to do better. Mollie is talking. She has changed so much since learning to walk. She is growing up too fast for me. :(

Mollie is walking!!!!!

2010-03-09T16:40:00.000-08:00

Mollie is growing too fast!!!

2010-02-01T18:18:00.001-08:00

Mollie used to fit in this outfit from Aunt Holly. She is growing too fast for me. I take her to the doctor's tomorrow for her 1 year appointment so we will see how big she really is.

Sweet Pea's 1st Birthday

2009-12-27T17:52:00.000-08:00

I can't believe my little girl is one today. Time flies!!!!!!! I can remember going into labor Christmas night and waiting and waiting and waiting...26 hours later she was born on the 27th. She is such a blessing!!!! Here are some pics from her party with the fam.

Lovin her cake...

Hmmmm...her signature look from the day she was born...furrowed brows

Our precious little family :)

Christmas

2009-12-27T17:36:00.001-08:00

Mmmm...bows...

Cousins

An attempt at a family photo.

Cutie pie

Another attempt..hard to get her to look the right way and smile.

Sweet Pea looking out the window.

In her pretty dress from Grandma Beaver.

Fishing at the Lake...today...beautiful fall day

2009-11-14T16:41:00.000-08:00

Picnic @ our property last Sunday

2009-11-14T16:32:00.000-08:00

Don't know how to turn the pic.

For My Mom....

2009-11-14T16:24:00.001-08:00

Mom, finally here are the pictures that you have been waiting for. Thank you!!!!!!

(This is the picture that my Mother bought for us for our new place in TN. Beautiful!!!)

(Table and chairs that my Mother bought for us. It is so nice to finally have a proper dining room table. Woo Hoo!!!)

Precious Mollie

2009-10-08T08:39:00.000-07:00

Can't believe my baby girl is 9 almost 10 months old. Time has flown and she has grown so big. She is now (16 lbs 5 ounces) 4 times her birth weight (3 lbs 10 ounces). We all enjoy her so much. She smiles all the time and is very easy going. She is scooting around, laughing, making funny noises, says "da da" and so much more. She is such a blessing!!! I could "eat" her up.

Mollie laughing

2009-10-08T08:29:00.000-07:00

2009-08-30T18:05:00.000-07:00

2009-08-30T18:03:00.001-07:00

2009-08-30T17:36:00.000-07:00

2009-08-19T17:34:00.000-07:00

sweetest, cutest baby in the world

2009-08-15T15:45:00.000-07:00

mollie

2009-08-05T18:56:00.000-07:00

2009-06-25T18:02:00.000-07:00

our new amish fireplace courtesy of dad & mom fowler

2009-04-16T18:29:00.000-07:00

Garage and Barn Options

2009-04-09T08:38:00.001-07:00

Thank you for your Mollie CT prayers!!!!

2009-02-09T08:49:00.000-08:00

Mollie being rocked by Grandma Beaver.

The scan was fine. Praise the Lord!!!! There is no fluid or blockage in the way of the bones coming together to form her skull. The doctors are going to keep an eye on her.

It was amazing....she woke up at 4:15am and I was able to rock her to sleep until we left. She then slept in the car and even slept during the scan. I was very proud of her. She didn't eat for 7 hours and was fine. It was a miracle! I was thinking for sure that she would be crying from 4:15am until we were able to feed her after the scan. I am also thankful that my mom was here to go with me. Praise the Lord!!!! He is good!!!!

Please pray for Mollie.

2009-02-07T11:52:00.000-08:00

She has an appointment Monday morning for a CT scan. The doctor wants to check the bones in her head to make sure they are coming together. Her head is still cone-shaped from delivery and she has soft spots.

Mollie is 6 pds!

2009-02-07T11:02:00.001-08:00

Here she is being rocked. Her checks are getting chubby! :)

Mollie went to the doctor this past Wednesday and was weighed in at 6 pds. Go Mollie!!!

Mollie's 1st doctor's appointment 01/27/09

2009-01-27T12:07:00.000-08:00

Mollie is one month old today. She has gained 8 ounces since they last weighed her at the hospital on Thursday night. She is now 5pds and 2 ounces. Yeah Mollie!!!! Doctor says she is doing well. We go back next week to check her weight gain again.

Daddy holding Mollie while Mommy got ready for her doctor appointment this morning.

Mollie's 1st day home

2009-01-27T12:01:00.001-08:00

Mollie smiling for the camera...though she was not aware that she did...

Getting burped by Mommy

Hanging on to Daddy's thumbs

Daddy feeding Mollie

Mollie comes home 01-23-09

2009-01-27T11:52:00.001-08:00

On our bed...

in the carseat waiting for Daddy to pick us up

Praise the Lord! Mollie is home after just 4 weeks in the NICU. She is doing very well. We are so excited to have her home with us.

Praise
1. She is home.
2. God's provisions.
3. Mike was home from his field trip when she came home.

Prayer
1. Continued health and growth for Mollie
2. Mike in school & me at work - crazy schedules - need the Lord's strength.
3. I will still have milk to feed her when I get off my antibiotics.
4. My fibroid to go away.

Mollie update 01.14.09

2009-01-16T10:20:00.000-08:00

Sleeping on Mommy.

Being burped by Mommy. She makes such funny faces when we sit her up to burp.

Praise:

1. She has been on a demand feeding schedule for 2 days and has met her minimum requirements to stay on this schedule. Yeah! This is one of the requirements for her to go home.

2. She is in a bed girl crib and maintaining her temperature. She is free from the incubator. Another requirement for her to come home.

3. She weighs 4 pds.

4. Lord's provisions: Many friends have given us clothing and stuff that we need.

5. She did not spit up the formula last night.

6. I am getting better.

Pray:

1. That her jaundice continues to go away.
2. For me to get ahead of Mollie with my milk supply.

3. For her to come home when Mike is home and not on a field trip for school.

4. For my fibroid to go away.

5. For strength during our crazy schedule.

Again, thank you for your prayers, support and love. We really appreciate it and feel the Lord's presence, peace & strength.

Mike, Pam & Mollie

Mollie 01.09.09

2009-01-09T11:54:00.000-08:00

Daddy giving her a sponge bath. Here he is washing her hair and brushing it. She enjoyed that.

Praise:
1. Her feeding continues to increase which is great. This will cause her to gain weight and get rid of her jaundice.
2. My milk is coming in a little more. I am taking more herbs and resting more which is helping.
3. For our family and friends here and around the world....their support and prayers...couldn't do it without ya'll.

4. For the best husband in the world...who is the best Daddy...he helps around the house, takes care of me, provides emotional support while my hormones are everywhere...spends lots of time with Mollie...I could go on and on.

5. She is wearing clothes. They are weaning her from the incubator so that she can move to an open crib where she will have to prove that she can maintain her temperature/body heat.

6. for Spiritual growth- Mike and I are better and stronger because of this. We have had to grow up in the past 2 weeks. I have had to trust the Lord so much more and let go and not live by my feelings.

Pray:
1. That her jaundice continues to go away.

2. For me to get ahead of Mollie with my milk supply. She doesn't like formula and spits it up. This has caused her weight to fluctuate. She still weighs more than her birth weight, which is good. Right now, she is getting 1/2 of my milk and 1/2 of formula which she is keeping down. The sooner I get ahead of her, the sooner she will continue to gain weight and her jaundice go down.
3. To come home, she must a. be at least 34 weeks (which will be Sunday, 1/18), b. gain weight consistently, c. maintain her temperature, and d. learn how to feed. They say to expect her to come home on her due date (2/25), but we are optimistic that she will come home earlier.
4.For strength and energy for Mike and I as we are tired. Mike starts school on 1/12 and it will be his hardest semester and I am back at work.

5. For me as I am sick...that I will get better quickly. I haven't held her in 4 or 5 days which is really hard for me. Praise that Mike has held her everyday so she is getting held by one of us. I was encouraged by my wise friend, Heather, who said it is better that you are sick now than when she is home.

Again, thank you for your prayers, support and love. We really appreciate it and feel the Lord's presence, peace & strength.

Mike, Pam & Mollie

Mollie update 01.05.09

2009-01-05T18:10:00.000-08:00

Sleeping on Daddy. :)

Praise:

1. Her feeding has been increased yet again and now she is receiving the highest amount she can receive, 25 cc which is almost an ounce.

2. She has gained weight and weighs more than her birth weight.

3. She is off lipids and proteins now that she is at her highest feeding amount.

4. Mike and I made it through our first day back at work. It was crazy for me as it was the first day of month-end close, but the Lord gave me the strength.

5. My milk is coming in a little more. I decided not to risk the medication as there were serious side effects and it passes through the breastmilk. Also, I accepted that she may need to go on formula if my milk dries up. It is not the end of the world. :)

6. For our Sunday School class...a true community/family. They prayed over us yesterday morning (very special time) and are going to provide meals for us for the next 3 weeks.

Pray:

1. That her jaundice continues to go away. She is back under the light. It is normal to fluctuate and should go back down now that she is completely on formula & my milk.

2. To come home, she must a. be at least 34 weeks (which will be Sunday, 1/18), b. gain weight consistently, c. maintain her temperature, and d. learn how to feed. They say to expect her to come home on her due date (2/25), but we are optimistic that she will come home earlier.

3.For strength and energy for Mike and I as we are tired. Mike starts school on 1/12 and it will be his hardest semester and I am back at work.

Again, thank you for your prayers, support and love. We really appreciate it and feel the Lord's presence, peace & strength.

Mike, Pam & Mollie

Mollie 01.03.09

2009-01-03T17:51:00.000-08:00

Mollie's new home. They change their cribs once a week. We call her our baby burritto when she is wrapped up like this.

Praise:
1. Her jaundice has decreased even more and now she doesn't have to be under a light anymore.
2. Her feeding has been increased yet again.
3. She drank from a bottle this morning again.
4. She has gained weight.
5. I forgot to share that I have been approved to go back to work part-time this Monday which will extend my maternity leave until the end of April. Praise the Lord!!! I will have more time with her this way when she comes home. Then when Mike is finished school in early May, he will be able to stay home with her until he finds a job.

Pray:
1. That her jaundice continues to go away.
2. That my milk will come in. I am having to start medication tomorrow as my milk has not come in yet.
3. To come home, she must a. be at least 34 weeks (which will be Sunday, 1/18), b. gain weight consistently, c. maintain her temperature, and d. learn how to feed. They say to expect her to come home on her due date (2/25), but we are optimistic that she will come home earlier.
4.For strength and energy for Mike and I as we are tired. Mike starts school on 1/12 and it will be his hardest semester. As I said before, I start back to work this Monday.

Thank you for your prayers and support. We couldn't do it without you all.

Mike, Pam & Mollie

01.02.09 Mollie update

2009-01-02T11:10:00.000-08:00

Praise:
1. Her jaundice has decreased even more and now she is only under one light.
2. Her feeding has been increased.
3. As you can see in the pic, she drank from a bottle at lunch. She did well, breathing, sucking & swallowing at the same time. Woo Hoo!!! The nurse said she is mature for her age.
4. She has gained weight.

Pray:
1. That her jaundice continues to go away.
2. That my milk will continue to come in.
3. To come home, she must a. be at least 34 weeks (which will be Sunday, 1/18), b. gain weight consistently, c. maintain her temperature, and d. learn how to feed.

Mollie Update

2009-01-01T16:07:00.000-08:00

Praise:
1. Her jaundice has decreased even more.

2. Her ultrasound was negative meaning no fluid or bleeding. Yeah!!!!
3. My milk is coming in a lot better and now that is all she is being fed. No more formula.

4. Daddy got to finally hold Mollie as he had been a little under the weather.

Pray:
1. That her jaundice continues to go away.
2. That my milk will continue to come in.
3. To come home, she must a. be at least 34 weeks, b. gain weight consistently, c. maintain her temperature, and d. learn how to feed.

Please pray for Mollie

2008-12-31T11:39:00.000-08:00

Praise:

1. Mollie is breathing on her own still.

2. She is gaining weight.

3. Her jaundice has decreased.

4. She started tube feeding last night at 6pm at 4cc, but it now up to 6 cc today.

5. She is very alert and active.

Pray:

1. That her jaundice continues to go away.

2. She is having an ultrasound as I write this to check to see if there is fluid/bleeding on her brain. They normally do this at 2 weeks for premies, but they are doing it early for her as she has some swelling.

3. That my milk will come in. She is receiving formula by tube, but I want her to have my milk as it is specifically made for her and so much more healthy.

4. To come home, she must a. gain weight consistently, b. maintain her temperature, and c. learn how to feed.

Thanks so much everyone for your prayers and support,

Mike, Pam, & Mollie

more Mollie

2008-12-30T08:02:00.000-08:00

Mollie's and I's first kangroo care. Skin to skin. She is so precious!!!!!

Holly's thumb compared to Mollie's foot.

Mollie has a little jaundice so she is under a light.

Holly's finger compared to Mollie's foot.

Mollie Elizabeth Anne Fowler

2008-12-27T16:51:00.000-08:00

Born 12/27. 3lbs 10 ounces. 16 inches long. 7 weeks 5 days early, but doing very well.

Exciting news...

2008-09-12T16:21:00.000-07:00

Mike and I are expecting a baby at the end of February. We are very excited. I know...for so long we said we weren't going to have any kids, but we have changed our minds. We are not going to find out if it is a girl or boy. We want to be surprised. I am almost 17 weeks along.

garage

2008-09-06T10:06:00.000-07:00

outside - bottom open for cars
inside upstairs room
upstairs room from stairs

Upstairs

2008-09-06T10:02:00.000-07:00

didn't notice the piping on the floor until I looked at this

other side of the room
hallway between the two rooms
2nd room
other side of 2nd room

room in between kitchen & bathroom/laundry

2008-09-06T10:00:00.001-07:00

standing from the kitchen
looking into the kitchen - the door on the left leads down into the cellar

Bathroom/laundry room

2008-09-06T09:58:00.001-07:00

see washer on the lower left side of the pic
other side of the bathroom has washer/dryer/hot water heater

Master bedroom

2008-09-06T09:56:00.001-07:00

other side of living room fireplace is in master bedroom

Kitchen

2008-09-06T09:53:00.001-07:00

sink is behind Mike - see how close Mike's head is to the ceiling

eat-in-kitchen

Living room

2008-09-06T09:50:00.000-07:00

blocked fireplace behind Mike & Don

Farmhouse

2008-09-06T09:45:00.001-07:00

Front
side
side
back

Mike's many faces...

2008-06-15T18:33:00.000-07:00

winter beard
spring gotee

some highlights since February

2008-06-15T18:20:00.000-07:00

Mike finished his 2nd semester…3 A’s and 1 B. I am so proud of him!!! He works so hard. He deserves more than the associates he will be receiving next May. He has worked harder than I did for my bachelor’s.

Mike started his summer classes. He is taking 3 classes, 1 at a time for 3 weeks at a time. He is looking forward to his Fall semester when he only has to take 2 classes. Please pray he will find a job in his field of study that will give him some experience and look good on his resume.

I got to go to Charleston, SC for work. Didn’t see much of Charleston, but more importantly, got to go to the beach!!!! Boy, do I miss the beach!!!

Had a garage sale with 3 of my friends…having another one this Saturday…Don’t have much to sell since we got rid of so much back in 2003 when we moved to Arizona. That is a good thing.

Fowler family purchased 12 acres in Tennessee. Hoping for all of us (Mike’s parents and Mike’s sister & family & us) to locate there in the future…

Started having our Sunday School class over on Monday nights for fellowship. We felt 1 hour a week is not enough time for fellowship. Wish Americans weren’t so busy…We bought a small fire pit. Yes, a fire in the summer. I know, but it is so fun. See pics below…

Started running a couple times a week with 2 of my friends…training for a 5k at the end of July…I know. It is hard to believe…

We got a TV from a friend. Again, hard to believe. We will use it only for movies, but it is our 1st TV in almost 7 years of marriage…It has been a good thing not to have a TV.

Have internet connection at home. Cable company was having a special (for 6 months) so we will have it at until December because Mike is taking online classes. Yeah!!!! So much easier to have it at home. We were having to depend on school, work and a café for connection. I should be able to keep up with the blog now…

Lightning bugs are back…Mike and I are big kids at heart and take pleasure in the small things…

Springtime has come. The winter is gone. It goes on a little too long for my liking…I love being able to smell the air. Here, it is not too hot to smell the different scents of Spring, i.e. honeysuckle, trees, cut grass, rain, etc. The tree flowers are gone now, but it is amazing to see the colors and flowers on the trees before their leaves come. I meant to take pics, but didn’t. Next year I will be sure to as this doesn’t happen in Florida. It was beautiful.

Sunday School class had an 80’s party. Lots of fun. We all dressed up, ate, played games, listened to music, karoke, etc. Blast from the past…See pics below…

Biltmore garage sales…the best garage sales ever. I told my sister-in-law that when we move to Tennessee, we will have to come to Asheville for these garage sales. They are upper scale neighborhoods and we always find treasures…This year, we found a desk, some sunflower items, kitchen stuff, etc.

Looking forward to…

My company gave us free tickets to Dollywood so I am taking this Friday off to go with Mike. He will be in between classes and needs the break before he starts his next class.

Beth Anne & Mark and kids & Hobbs are coming the 27th of June through the 5th of July. Mark’s parents from Indiana will join us for the 4th. We will have a full house, but so looking forward to it.

My parents will be in Nashville the month of July. Holly is going to fly up and I will meet them in Nashville and then they will come over to Asheville for a week. It will be my parents’ first time coming to NC since we have been here. I am looking forward to seeing my family and my niece and nephews.

Fowler's fireside fellowship

2008-06-15T18:14:00.001-07:00

one of my running mates
another of my running mates...not the baby :)
our fireplace

Eli's first try at watermelon. Cutie!

80's party pics

2008-06-15T18:08:00.000-07:00

Dig the mullet...

#4 (favorite)

2008-03-22T20:02:00.000-07:00

cleared, mountain views, pond

Biltmore trip...

2008-02-23T18:03:00.000-08:00

Largest house in America...
It was very windy as you can tell...(notice the beard)

St. Pete Christmas pics

2008-02-23T17:53:00.001-08:00

Ethan, Mike, Sam & Andy played war.

Sharon, Ethan's wife and Elaina.
Mike with Luke & Sam.
Sam in his spiderman outfit. Pretty cute, eh?

Orlando Christmas pics...

2008-02-23T17:46:00.000-08:00

I always have to include a pic of my crazy brother-n-law. He cracks me up!
My niece & nephews...

Snowman

2008-02-23T17:39:00.003-08:00

Snowman created by Mike, Pam & Kendra.
Pam "sledding"

February 23

2008-02-23T17:36:00.000-08:00

After Thanksgiving,

We went to Florida for Christmas. We spent Saturday through Tuesday in Orlando visiting Mike’s family. Then we went to St. Pete. It was good to be in Florida seeing friends and family. It was crazy trying to see everyone. The weather was beautiful. We were able to squeeze in a sunset. My brother and his family were able to come down too.

A few days after we came back, it snowed. It was fun. One day, I got off work early because it was suppose to freeze and we didn’t want to drive on ice. Mike had been home b/c school was cancelled. So I called Kendra and we met outside. We built a snowman and then went sledding down a hill on her property. We used trash bags and cardboard. It was a lot of fun. My bum was sore and frozen after an hour, but it was good exercise. Later P & K had us over for chili and then we watched a movie.

Work is going okay. I am trying to learn balance and not be superwoman. I can’t do it all as much as I would like to. There will always be things to do so I can expect to ever get caught up and be done with it all. We added someone to our department and she starts on 3/3. I am so excited. I will be learning new things which I need.

Mike has started another semester. He is doing well and keeping busy as always. He got straight A’s last semester. I am very proud of him. He is a hard worker and very smart. He has to memorize a lot.

Wasn’t the superbowl great? Our Sunday school class met at Heather & Jason’s house. We had great food and fun. I was hoping the Giants would win and what a game.

I received free tickets for the Biltmore Estate and so I surprised Mike last Sunday. During the month of February, annual pass holders receive free tickets and so a friend from work, gave me two. Everybody and their brother were there b/c of this. I guess February is their slowest month and that is how they get people to come. There were timed tickets for entrance into the house so we wandered for 2 hours before going in. I must be getting old b/c I was so tired afterwards. The last time we had gone was on our honeymoon almost 7 years ago. I told Mike I can wait another 7 years to go again. J

As you can tell, Mike is becoming a full-fledged mountain. (notice the beard)

In January, we met up with Mike’s parents, sister and her family in Tennessee. We are looking for property for all of us to eventually live around each other. This was my favorite property b/c it had a pond and a view of the mountains. We are still looking. Please pray for wisdom and timing.

I have been working out. We joined the Lord’s Gym (now Asheville Racquet club) in December. Almost 4 weeks ago I started a Body Pump class where you work all your muscles in one hour and can burn up to 600 calories. After the first time, I could not walk for 2 days. Killer class…I also have been taking a step/sculpt class on Saturdays. I am trying to get in better shape as I realized how weak I was after that first Body Pump class.

More Thanksgiving week pics...

2007-11-24T11:26:00.000-08:00

The girls on the Blue Ridge parkway. (see the snow)
My crazy brother-in-law.
Dessert at the Cathey's.
My crazy brother-in-law again with his son, Joel.
My niece and nephews.

Thanksgiving

2007-11-24T11:22:00.000-08:00

We also had Paul and Kendra and Joanne & Irvin, Paul's parents over for Thanksgiving.

Max Patch pictures

2007-11-24T10:43:00.000-08:00

Mike and I on the Appalachian trail.
Very red leaves...
Part of the Appalachian trail.

November 24 Updates

2007-11-24T10:41:00.000-08:00

In October, we went to a marriage conference. It was a great. It was the “I Promise” conference by Gary Smalley. I learned some cool things. First of all, that when you argue with your spouse, it has to do with your core fears and not what you are arguing about. For instance, I like the windows closed and locked and the blinds closed. One of my core fears is something bad happening. Mike doesn’t worry so then we get into a “discussion.” J When we recognize what is really going on, then we are able to discuss, not get into an argument and work it out. I also realized from this that we aren’t trying to hurt each, that we really love each other, and are arguing from hurt & pain or our fear cores. We are not enemies, but are on the same side. Secondly, they defined stress as the gap between your expectations and reality. That really helped me understand stress and now I see why I get stressed. At work for instance, I want to get everything done. Well, that is an unreasonable expectation. So if I would let go of that, I wouldn’t be as stressed.

An unforgettable birth…Our friend Heather was not due until 11/14, but Stephen decided to come early on November 3rd. There was not stopping him. Heather started feeling uncomfortable around midnight, but decided to try to sleep anyway. Around 3:40am, Jason got a call on his cell phone. Their dulla told him that she had gotten a call that Heather was in labor. He turned to look for her in bed, but she wasn’t there. Apparently, Heather had called her dulla, but she had missed the call and called Jason back instead of Heather. Jason found Heather downstairs. They decided to head to the hospital. When she got into the car, her water broke. They took off “flying” in their car to the hospital. When they were 5 minutes away, Heather told Jason to pull over, the baby was coming. As soon as he parked the car, ran over to her side, Stephen came out and Jason caught him. They called an ambulance and the paramedics were amazed at what had happened. Heather said on a scale of 1-10, the pain was a 5. We were all amazed and called them our heroes. The birth certificate stated Jason as the attendant who delivered Stephen and the location of birth, the park. We told Heather her next baby needs to be delivered at home.

A couple in our Sunday school class have 13 acres of land in the middle of no where so it was a great place to have a bonfire. It was huge. We grilled out and had smores.

Mike’s parents, sister, and her family came up for Thanksgiving. We went on the Blue Ridge parkway and saw snow. We played games, ran around outside, watched movies (on my laptop…we still don’t have a TV), laughed, talked, cooked, ate, had lots of fun…

Can’t believe we have been here for 6 months. Time is flying by…Mike is still doing well in school. He has been having tests weekly for I don’t know how long. It seems he should be getting a master’s instead of an associate’s b/c he is working so hard. Work is still going well for me. Year-end close is November 30th which is something I am not used to. December is going to be a crazy month finishing the year and answering auditors’ questions. We will be heading to Florida for Christmas. We will spend Christmas in Orlando with Mike’s family and then head to St. Pete. I am looking forward to seeing family, friends and the ocean.

It is getting cold here. It has gotten into the 20’s at night. The dew has turned to ice at night and it almost looks like it has snowed. We have seen a few flurries, but it doesn’t stick. I have enjoyed having seasons, colored leaves and cooler weather, but I am not looking forward to January and February. I keep telling myself, I will survive since I survived in London during the winter.

In-laws visit

2007-10-06T10:37:00.001-07:00

Fall

2007-10-06T10:33:00.000-07:00

This is a drive-by shot.

2007-10-06T10:31:00.000-07:00

It has been a busy couple of weeks. Mike is doing well in school. He is getting ready for a presentation, a paper, test on 60 leaves and other tests. I have been quizzing him on all the scientific names he has to know for trees and ducks. Very interesting… There is so much to memorize and he is doing great.

What have we been up to…

moved friends from their apartment to their amazing house…

surprise birthday for a friend at Carrabba’s, my alma mater (haven’t been there since I quit at the end of March...missed the 50% discount)…

Stampin’ Up workshop at a friend’s (Don’t know if you all know, but I am a demonstrator. I signed up under Beckie b/c I wanted a hobby and more girl time. I sell stamps to scrapbook, make cards, decorate, etc. Let me know if you want any. J)…

purchased our 1st grill, a gift from 2 special people. Yeah!!!! It is so much easier to cook this way…

Sunday school social…

Mike’s parents came to visit us last weekend. We had a lot of fun. We drove on the parkway, went to Texas Roadhouse for some good steak and ribs, church, coffee and dessert at our neighbors and relaxed.

The weather has been amazing. I am experiencing my first fall since living in PA when I was 6 years old. The leaves are starting to change color. It is a beautiful time of year.

Sammy

2007-09-08T09:58:00.001-07:00

I don't like hardly any pictures of myself, but I love this one with Sammy and I.
He liked trying to get the flash when I was taking pictures of him.
He loves to play chase and dance. I can't remember which was going on here, but I thought it was a great picture of Sammy with Ethan.

Andy

2007-09-08T09:56:00.000-07:00

No he is not as tall as Ethan. He was standing on a chair. I think he will be a football player when he gets older. :)

Elaina

2007-09-08T09:48:00.000-07:00

These pictures crack me up. She is not even two and she has these expressions that are so funny. She is quite a character.

Labor Day

2007-09-08T09:36:00.000-07:00

I went to Nashville to see my brother and his family and my best friend. I had a lot of fun. I got to meet Luke, my newest nephew, for the first time. He is a month old and very precious. It was great to see everyone again. It took me four 1/2 hours to get to Ethan's on Friday. Then it only took me 4 hours, 15 minutes on the way home on Labor Day after I met Ethan for lunch with Sharon and the kids. You can bet I will be going over as much as I can.

Andy just started 1st grade. I can't believe how fast he is growing. He was 3 when Ethan & Sharon got married. Time flies. Ethan & Sharon will be celebrating 4 years and Mike & I will be celebrating 6 years this month. He loves playing legos. My Mom saved Ethan's legos and now the kids love to play with them. Sammy just turned 3 years old and is very precious. He is a lot of fun and very sensitive. He ran out of the house and gave me a big hug when I arrived. He even let me hold him a little and it had been a year since I have seen them all. Because Sammy did this, I think it helped Elaina, "Laina," warm up to me. She is hysterical. She is very animated and has the funniest faces. She is a very happy girl. She will be two in November. I will post pictures of them in my next post. I took lots of pictures and then realized I forgot to take pictures of Luke. Probably b/c I was holding him all the time. :) You can go to http://www.beavas.com/ to see lots of pictures of them all. I was sad to leave them b/c I so enjoyed my time. I wish we all lived closer. Maybe in a couple of years when Mike is done with school, we can move to Tennessee. We will see what God has...

I don't know if you all know, but I am a Stampin' UP demostrator. I signed up under my best friend, Beckie, to have a new hobby, and meet people. I wanted something to do outside of accounting and to get in touch with the right side of my brain. :) She had 2 workshops on Saturday. I went with her to both to learn more of how to do a workshop. I am having one this month with some friends of mine here. I am hoping to get them interested so we can meet up and have girl time monthly. I want to catch up with my scrapbooking.

Mike is doing well in school. He is very busy. Sometimes he feels overwhelmed. If you think of it, please pray for him. He want to a luau while I was gone at P&K. They have one every year for Labor Day. He had a lot of fun.

Mike's parents are coming up in a couple of weeks. We are looking forward to seeing them. We miss them. I miss Florida. I miss my family and friends, the open sky and ocean. We are hoping to go home for Christmas.

Fly Fishing

2007-08-18T07:44:00.000-07:00

You know how this city girl is. I took a chair and sat by the river and read while Mike fly-fished. I did keep turning around to make sure there were no bears. I know, I have fear issues. I told Mike if he ever goes to shoot bears for school or as a volunteer, I want to go. Maybe it will help me not be so afraid of them. He would be shooting (not killing )them to get samples for Biologists. That is what he is going to school for. He has a class this semester called “Animal Immobilization” to train for that sort of thing. Interesting…

Here are some pictures. He is getting good. He has been meeting up with a friend who is teaching him.

This friend is thinking of starting a fly shop. I told Mike to tell him that I would do the books for him. Mike also may work too. We will see…

Story: Earlier that week, Mike had gone fishing with Matt at this same place, but they walked in 3 miles. They started seeing snake skins. Mike was walking about 10 feet ahead of Matt when Matt yelled. Mike turned around and saw Matt jumping out of the way of a huge snake. It jumped from a big rock next to the trail into the water. Mike said it scared him and he doesn’t get scared easily. It was a water snake and wasn’t poisonous. Needless, to say, Mike won’t be going there alone. Moral of the story: Don’t walk 3 miles into a forest. I think he is crazy. He does go places by himself, but these areas are more open and not so dense and filled with snakes.

Saturday, August 18th

2007-08-18T07:40:00.000-07:00

Mike started school on Thursday. Very exciting. Please pray for him as he starts this new adventure. There will be a lot of memorization and work.

Not much has been happening over the past couple of weeks. Been busy at work. I worked about 36 hours in 3 days at month-end close. I survived, but now I will be a lot more prepared this close. I might not be able to take off on Labor Day as that is the 3rd and we were about closed on that day this month. I work for global company and Europe will not have that day off and may be expecting some numbers. We will see. I hope I get off because I am hoping to go to Nashville to visit my brother and family and best friend. I haven’t seen my brother in about a year. Two weeks ago today, my youngest nephew, Luke, was born. He is doing well and I can’t wait to meet him. If you want to see pictures of Ethan and crew go to http://www.beavas.com/. I love it because we get to see pictures of them all the time.

Mike and I are going through a study together, Search for Significance, by McGee. Very good. We are going back to the basics, who we are in Christ. We have been struggling, believing lies from the enemy, which is very easy to do. I guess that is why scriptures says to focus on what is not seen, but on what is unseen. It is very easy to get discouraged by what is going on and to forget the promises of God and who He is.

We also started a Life University class at church. It is called Victory over the Darkness by Neil Anderson. It goes along with our study, Search for Significance. We are also starting another class next Sunday. It is the video version of Crown Ministries. We want to review things, like getting of debt and preparing for the future.

We are continually amazed at what God has done for us in North Carolina. Some of the things we are thankful for:

1. Meeting our friends, Paul & Kendra on the 1st day
2. Invited to church and a Biblestudy by them. We are blessed by our Sunday school class and new friends. The teachers are godly and love the Lord.
3.Found a home instead of an apartment.
4.My job being so close to home (10 minutes away).
5.The salary. We are amazed. I almost took a job that was way lower and looking back, I now see why God closed that door.
6.The timing of my job. (a) The girl I replaced had wanted to leave and a job came to her. She left and I was able to have her position. (b) I temped for a month which gave me good experience before I started.
7. My boss. I can overwork myself and she has been watching over me. God has been showing me why I work so much and I am trying to learn from Him and to slow down.
8.P & K are looking into installing a heat pump which is an answer to prayer. We were looking to pay $1,350 (for fuel) to heat the house this winter. AAHHH! We thought we might have to look elsewhere to live next year with that kind of expense. They told us this the other day and we were very grateful!!!

Hope you are all well!!!

Our friends, Paul & Kendra

2007-08-18T07:31:00.000-07:00

Finally, here is a picture of our friends and landlords, Paul and Kendra. I talk so much about them. They have been a wonderful blessing. I took the picture before we played Phase Ten for three hours. Kris would appreciate that. She taught me how to play in London many years ago. I did win!

July 28

2007-07-28T09:47:00.000-07:00

I have a job. Praise the Lord! And I am making more than I thought I would. Praise the Lord! I have 3 weeks of vacation, 2 personal days, 401k and retirement. Very good benefits. We were hoping Mike wouldn't have to work, but he is going to still have to get a part-time job. We accumulated some debt moving up here and we want to get back out ASAP. Please pray we can do this soon.

Holly came up to visit. We had fun. I was able to take 1/2 days on Thursday and Friday to spend time with her. She left this morning to go visit her best friend in Columbia, SC. It was sad to see her go. As I get older, I realize how important family is and wish we were all together.

We are going to Belshare this weekend. It is a big event that takes place very year in downtown Asheville. They have crafts, performers, etc. We are going after church tomorrow to walk around and hear Newsong, a christian group.

Mike has 2 weeks left of work and he is grateful. He is ready to start school.

Finished my Beth Moore study. It was very good.Holly was able to come and meet the girls. Sad to see it end, but we will see what else may come.

Found out Thursday that our pastor is leaving the church to head up the Haggai ministry. Please pray we find a good replacement.

Pictures of our guests...

2007-07-18T16:42:00.000-07:00

Paul & Kendra's house from our driveway

2007-07-18T16:40:00.000-07:00

Some pictures of our Blue Ridge parkway trip...

2007-07-18T16:00:00.000-07:00

July 2007

2007-07-18T15:40:00.000-07:00

Sorry it has been so long...

We enjoyed having my best friend, Beckie, in town with her son and Mike's sister and her family. It was sad to see them go.

July 4th we walked around Main Street in Waynesville with Beth Anne, her family and their friends. It was fun visiting all the cute shops. I was tired so afterwards I stayed at the cabin with the friends while Mike and his sister's family went hiking for a couple of hours. After dinner, we left because we were so tired and had to work the next morning. Beth Anne and friends went into Maggie Valley for the fireworks. We saw them again Saturday. The boys went fishing and the girls went shopping and Starbucking. Never can have too much Starbucks. Mike cooked his famous spaghetti and cheesebread for dinner. Yum Yum!!! When it got dark, we ran around outside catching fireflies. It was a lot of fun!!! Yes, I still run around at 34. Child at heart.

Beckie came into to town the next day. I took off Friday and we hang out at Starbucks and drove around a little. We then stamped and stamped and talked and talked. It was good to finally be the hostess and take care of her. She is always being the hostess for me when I visit Nashville.

I am still temping at the same place. They have offered me a job and I am thinking about it. They work a lot of hours and I am nervous about accepting the job. I don't want to work more than 45 hours a week. Please pray for wisdom.

Mike is still working hard. Only 3 1/2 weeks until school starts on August 16. He is excited. He is so tired all the time. He has been working manual labor for 50 to 60 hours a week. I am so thankful and blessed that he is such a hard worker. I have a wonderful husband!!! :)

Holly is coming next week to visit. Yeah!!! I am so excited. It has been a blessing to have so many people come to visit. The in-laws will be here the week after Labor Day. Then they will be back with Beth Anne and her crew for Thanksgiving.

The weather is still good hear. I am so glad not to be in Florida. They say it is so humid.

Beth Moore study still going good. Last week was about God's love and it was probably the best video yet. Like I have said before, I want what she has, a real, close relationship with God & Jesus.

Cooked out with Paul & Kendra and Jason & Heather this past Sunday evening. We played Route 66 and had fun. We like to laugh.

June 30, Saturday

2007-06-30T08:27:00.000-07:00

Sitting at Panera for internet access...

Mike is getting overtime which is very good as we need the money. My temp job is still on. I go back Monday. Please pray they will find work to keep me going until I find a permanent job.

Beth Anne, Mark and kids are coming for a visit next week. They will be here from Tuesday - Sunday. We are so excited. They are renting a cabin in Maggie Valley with friends through Friday and then they will stay with us one night, Saturday before they leave.

My best friend, Beckie, is also coming through next week. It is wonderful having so many visitors coming through.

We got to have dinner with the Binfords last night. They are friends of Mike's parents who we also know. They are up here visiting for a couple of weeks. It was nice to see friends from Florida.

Tuesday, June 26

2007-06-26T14:37:00.001-07:00

Praise the Lord! I am back at my temp job for awhile. They called me around dinner time last night. Hopefully they will need me until I get a permanent job or maybe they will eventually hire me. It was very encouraging to me for the Lord to open up this opportunity. He is providing.

Mike is going fishing tonight with a friend from S.S. His 2nd favorite thing to do. (His first is being with me. :) )

I am at the library right now using free internet b/c I disconnected our phone and dial-up. Who knows when we will have internet access at home. I can live without it. I will survive. :)

June 25, Monday

2007-06-25T12:02:00.000-07:00

Sorry, it has been awhile...Let's see if I can remember some specifics...

Saturday, June 16

Went to our Sunday School class social at Daryl and Trisha's house...we were the first to arrive which was good to give us a chance to talk to them. We started playing a game and then it started pouring. We sat on the porch and huddled just so we could hear each other talk. Then gradually everyone started arriving. We played some volleyball. It was pretty interesting as the grass was wet and the guys kept falling. I was the only girl to play besides our teacher's teenage daughter. It was fun. Then we cooked out. Yum!!! I love grilled hamburgers. Eventually we played an icebreaker game. We all had to write down three things we thought the others would not know about us. The facts were read and we all had to guess who it was. I think Mike's was the best, "I once lived with cannibals." That got them all. We ended up staying until 10pm, sitting around a fire pit. Mike loves fire. It was a lot of fun.

Sunday, June 17

Not much happened...we did go to a lake in the evening. We had to hike and let me tell you, I was scared. There are bears, cougars, coyotes, etc around in the area. I am totally a city girl and it is going to take awhile to get used to being in nature. Of course, Mike was loving every minute of it. Don't get me wrong, it is very beautiful. I just don't want to come face to face with the animals that live here. :)

Monday, June 18

Can't remember...oh yeah, I did hear back from the guy I interviewed with last week. He was impressed with me and my skills, but regretfully, I wasn't chosen. I was glad. It wasn't enough in pay. Talk about small world...one of the girls in my Sunday school class knew him and had worked for him a long time ago. She hestitated when I asked her if he is good to work for. This confirmed everything.

Mike did start his job. He works very hard, maintains grounds for a big hospital in the area. The people are nice so that is good. He will do this through the summer.

Tuesday, June 19

I went to the mall to get shoes that would go with my suit better. Then I met a friend (from my SS class) for lunch. She has a 2 month old and I got to hold him. Babies are so cute and fun to hold. Afterwards, I got my hair cut. Finally...I haven't had it cut since I got a perm to liven up my natural curl. I then went home to get ready to drop my resume off at a potential workplace. A friend of Kendra had suggested that I do this at her workplace. They will eventually be expanding and needing more accountants. I went and the lady was in a meeting. So I left my resume with the receptionist. Then I went grocery shopping. I was still in the area so I stopped by again. This time the lady was not in a meeting, but was busy and unavailable. I was discouraged.

Wednesday, June 20

Can't remember...Did get a call for an interview for tomorrow. It is for an auto dealer. I am not sure if it will be for entry level accounting.

Thursday, June 21

Not much...did go to the interview. She isn't sure how she is going to set up the office (another dealer bought this dealership) and therefore, not sure of the pay. Went to Beth Moore biblestudy. Mike and Paul were left without us girls, so Paul's mom cooked for them. How sweet!!!

Friday, June 22

Can't remember...I am sure I went to the coffeeshop to look for jobs online. Did sign up for dial-up until we get DSL. So slow...

Saturday, June 23

We went to the 18th annual Smoky Mountain Trout Festival. It was fun. We got to meet one of Mike's teachers. There was a fishing class for small children and Haywood ran the event. I got to meet another one of his teachers that he had already met. Mike was having a guy show him how to fly fish when Matt came up and offered suggestions. Matt is teaching a fly fishing class and a fly fish tying class at Haywood this summer. So of course, Mike is going to sign up. Matt will probably be calling Mike up to go fishing. Mike was flying high.

Later in the day we went to P & K for fellowship. There were 3 other couples and two small children. (Eli - 8 months and Aiden {spelling?}-19 months.) We had good food to eat and played the newly wed game. That was interesting. We had to skip over a few questions that were embarassing.

Sunday, June 24

We went to S.S. and church. The youth pastor spoke in church. He talked about "Christ in you." He said, "Rules without relationship result in rebellion." I thought that was very good and true. I have done most things right (on the outside), but not from love for God, but from fear or obligation. I am over it. I want the abundant life (1. God filling me and not other things and 2. Him being in control instead of myself). Please pray that I will see Him correctly and that I will want to do what is right because I love Him and because I know His ways are good and for protection. There is rebellion in my heart, partly because I don't see Him right and don't trust Him and partly because I am a "pip"(according to my Dad and Mike-family joke) a.k.a. sinner. :)

In the late afternoon, P & K took us downtown and we had pizza at the Mellow Mushroom outside on the patio. It was nice. It was cool out and the pizza was good. Downtown has many shops and it was fun walking around. The waitress was not very good so we get to eat free again. Yeah!

Today

I cleaned and took the garbage to the dump. One thing that is different here is that you have to sign up for garbage pick-up. They don't automatically pick up. We have been taking garbage to the dump. Not after today... I took it for the first time. Mike did it last time. It was smelly and there were flies. Yuck!!! I was not happy so I talked to Mike about it and we are signing up. When I start working, I am not going to have time to take the garbage.

Please pray as I am discouraged...I know I can trust God and that He will provide the right job...It is hard waiting...

June 15, Friday

2007-06-15T16:39:00.000-07:00

Basically, we spent the week looking for jobs. I did get a temp job for Thursday and Friday. I also had an interview on Tuesday. The guy called me back today and left a message. I returned his call, but he hasn't called back. I would like the position, but the pay is too low. Maybe he will agree to pay more...I will keep you posted.

Mike did find a summer job. He starts on Tuesday. Praise the Lord!!!! He will be doing maintenance for a hospital. He also registered for classes. How exciting!! He has so many labs. He will be at school every day from 8 to 4 except Wednesdays, he doesn't have to go in until 1. He won't be in classes the whole time, but still those are long days.

I was able to unpack more this week so we are starting to feel more settled. It has been raining in the afternoons, which reminds me of the summer storms in Florida. It has really cooled things off. There was actually hail the other day. Can you believe it?

Everyone is so nice here. Why is that? People aren't as nice in Florida and I don't know why. There are also more believers. At my temp job, I met yet another person that goes to my church and more that go to church.

My Beth Moore study was good as usual. I want to know God & Jesus like she does. I want Him to satisfy/fill me. My "broken cisterns" (food, job, material possessions, people, etc) do not fill me and leave me miserable. I am over it. :)

Mike and I took a walk, a very short walk. Man, those hills kill me. I am so out of shape. But boy was it beautiful and you could smell the air. I love the air here. You can smell the trees, grass, rain, etc.

Love and miss you all. :)

June 10, Sunday

2007-06-11T08:19:00.000-07:00

We went to church. They were four new couples in Sunday school so we actually weren't the newbies (sp?) anymore and it was only our 2nd week. We talked about discipleship. They were going through a book in the Bible, but now the whole church is going through a topical study. It was a good review. We talked about the cost of discipleship and how it costs everything. What does that mean to you? What will it cost you? What is your cross to carry? Very thought provoking questions.

The class is having a cookout next Saturday so we will be able to get to know people more. We talked to one of the new couples, Drew and Rachel. They have only been married a month. The class is for married people, 25 to 35. Half of the couples have children (meaning one baby less than a year). A few of them are pregnant and then the rest don't have any kids. It is a good group to be a part of. (Drew likes to fish so Mike was happy about that.)

We had lunch with P & K and P's parents. Stuffed shells was on the menu. Mmmm good. Then we went home and unpacked some more.

In the evening, we went to P & K for pizza with Jason and Heather. We all then played Canasta. We weren't able to finish the game, but Heather and I are winning. Woo Hoo!! We had a lot of fun and laughed a lot (my husband is very goofy and we already have inside jokes with P & K).

I continually am amazed at how we met P & K and have gotten to know them and hang out with them. Furthermore, that we have found a church and other friends, such as Jason and Heather and others. Tears come to the eyes when reflecting upon our blessings...

June 9, Saturday

2007-06-11T08:12:00.000-07:00

I had a fun day today...

We first went to a community garage sale. You should have seen the community. The homes and neighborhoods were beautiful. Some of them faced a lake. I found lots of goodies...$150 picture for $10 that goes well in our bedroom, 2 small, touch lamps for $5 that go well in the living room, a shredder (broke our last one), a 3 shelf rod iron planter (don't know if that is what you call it), picture coasters, etc. Mike was disappointed, he didn't find any fishing items.

We then went shopping for suits for interviews. Since I worked at Carrabba's for 3 years, I really didn't have anything for interviews. Finally found 2 suits on sale at Dillards.

Then we got to move in!!! Yeah!!!! It didn't rain like it was suppose to and so the former tenants were able to move out. I am so excited to have my own space and not to be living out of suitcases anymore. I will take pictures soon. We got some good Mexican food with Paul and Kendra after they helped us move in. We were going to play card games, but we all were tired and plus Mike and I needed to get some things unpacked to be able to go to church tomorrow.

June 8, Friday

2007-06-08T15:15:00.000-07:00

Paul & Kendra don't have internet access. The tenants in the rental now have dial-up. We are in the country if you haven't noticed and access is difficult. Therefore, I had to go to a coffee house for internet. That is why I haven't been able to update the blog. I am here now again...

I went to my appointment. The interview went well and I did well on my tests. She doesn't have any positions, but will pass out my resume and let me know if anything comes in. Also, someone from the Biblestudy knows a contact for a job online. When I am finished updating the blog, I am going to apply. Many seeds are being planted and I know God has the right job for me. I am waiting patiently. Thank you for your prayers.

Mike is happy. He finally got to go fishing today and is still fishing...I hope he caught/is catching a lot of trout. :)

Mike is been waiting to hear from the job he applied for. He is going to go in tomorrow and check the status. If it doesn't work out, he will start looking for a job Monday.

June 7, Thursday

2007-06-08T15:12:00.000-07:00

Today, we just relaxed. I watched the Beth Moore biblestudy videos that I missed. I liked what she said about getting free from captivity. You have to study the Word. It is not enough to have a quiet time or read a few verses. The truth sets us free and we know the truth by studying His Word.

Then I went to Biblestudy with Kendra. It was very good. The girls are not afraid to share what is going on in their lives. Another blessing!!!

I also called a contact that Paul had for accounting jobs. I made an appointment to meet with her tomorrow.

Furthermore, the girls at the Biblestudy are praying for me for a job and asking around. :)

June 6, Wednesday

2007-06-08T15:07:00.000-07:00

We moved out of the hotel and then hung out at Panera so I could look for jobs online.

I then had an appointment at the DMV. I read through the book and I am so proud to say that I didn't miss any questions. I got my license!!!!

We celebrated at Chick-fil-a with a cookies-n-cream shake.

We had dinner with Paul and Kendra and then moved in with them. What a blessing!!!

June 5, Tuesday

2007-06-08T15:03:00.000-07:00

We went to the DMV. Mike passed his test. I didn't. Boo Hoo! I couldn't believe it. I have been driving for almost 20 years. Oh well. Life goes on. Mike was able to turn in an application for a particular job now that he had his license. We also went to the social security administration office to request a replacement card for Mike. Then we just hang out the rest of the day.

Paul and Kendra offered to let us stay with them until we moved into their rental. So I asked her when she called. We are going to move in with them tomorrow night. Yeah! That will save us money. Again, they have been unbelievable!! And God has been unbelievable. He is taking care of us.

June 4, Monday

2007-06-08T14:59:00.000-07:00

Crazy day...went to the DMV 3 times. Everything that could go wrong, did. We misunderstood what they required. Mike doesn't have a social security card so we needed his passport which was packed away at Paul & Kendra's. We also went to the license place and found out it would cost almost $400 to trade our FL tags for NC tags. We have 60 days and we are going to take full advantage of that. My goodness....that is a lot of money for 2 small metal tags. :)

We went to Paul & Kendra's at night to get the passport. We ended up staying until after 9pm hanging out. It was nice ending to a trying day.

Keeping the faith...

Sunday, June 3

2007-06-03T13:07:00.001-07:00

We went to Paul & Kendra's church. It was good and we are going to keep going. We also went to Sunday School and I saw some of the girls that I met at Biblestudy on Thursday night. They are all very nice. We also went to Paul's parents' house for lunch. They are our neighbors too. It was a very nice meal and they are very kind. We have been "adopted" into the family. I am just so amazed at how quickly we have made friends. God has been very gracious to us. We are truly blessed.

May 31

2007-06-02T15:50:00.000-07:00

We got up late today, which was good since we needed to rest from all the driving. We had lunch in Waynesville on Main Street, which is a cute main street. Then we stopped at two real estate agencies to see if they had rentals. We looked at one condo, but the deposit was too expensive and it was only available until May. We had dinner with Kendra and then I followed her to the Bible Study. It was good. Beth Moore is a good teacher. The girls were really nice. Then it got hysterical....I was called a "flatlander." There were six of us parked in the driveway. I was pulled in last at an angle. First, I couldn't get the parking brake off. I didn't pull it toward me first before pushing it back. So Amanda did it for me. Then I couldn't backup. When I put it in reverse, I started rolling forward. I didn't want to hit Amanda's car. If you don't know by now, my nickname is "freak out." So I had Amanda hop back in and reverse the car for me. She called me a "flatlander." I told them my excuse was that I was from Florida and we have flat lands. It was a good laugh. Mike thought it was funny too.

Our rental house

2007-06-02T15:08:00.001-07:00

Not our furniture. :)

June 2

2007-06-02T15:04:00.000-07:00

We decide to go to the bank to open a bank account. We stopped at CVS and guess what...our Accord breaks down, again. I couldn't believe it. I just laughed with a few tears. This is why you have to look to Him...or you go crazy. A nice guy picked us up and the car. Hopefully, it will be fixed on Monday. We are thinking the starter that was put in last Tuesday is bad. Then we went to P&K and unloaded our truck. We are now relaxing. Please pray we will keep looking to Him.

Pictures of the school

2007-06-02T14:51:00.001-07:00

June 1

2007-06-02T14:12:00.000-07:00

We spent the day looking at houses. One was too small. Another one was a huge mobile home, but it was far out. A third one was exactly what we wanted. It was a 3/2 with two fireplaces. It was a former vacation rental with a deck and views of the mountains. Mike loved it. I wasn't totally convinced because it was older and had a lot of dead bugs. It was up in the mountains a little and secluded, perfect for the bugs. I am used to clean and newer conditions. (I know, I am very spoiled.) I felt bad because I knew Mike really liked it, but we decided it was too far out. Maybe we can get one like that when Mike is done school...

We also called apartments. Out of the 20 or so apartment complexes in Asheville, only 1 had an apartment ready now. Some didn't have any available until September or October. The rental industry in Asheville does very well. Things don't stay vacant for long. We were getting discouraged...

We talked and decided to rent the 2/2 from Paul and Kendra. We don't have to have a fireplace. We can't move in until next Saturday or Sunday, but they are letting us unpack the truck tomorrow and put the stuff in their garage. They have gone above and beyond for us.

I was sad because I thought things would go a lot smoother. I thought we would find a place right away. Now we have to live in a hotel for a week and are not able to get settled. I started wishing we had rented the 3/3 townhome before we moved down. Then Mike reminded me we wouldn't have met P & K. They are very sweet. I realized he was right and that God was working things out. It isn't always how we think it should happen. Our ways are not His ways. God sees the big picture and I can trust Him. I somehow grew up thinking things would always go right for believers, but it isn't true. Life is hard and we need Him. We need to look at who He is and not what is going on. I Cor. 4: 18 - Therefore, we do not lose heart...For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." So I had a good cry and now am fixing my eyes on Him...

Oh yeah. We went to the school. I will post pictures.

May 30

2007-06-02T14:06:00.000-07:00

We arrived about 2pm. Yeah! We made it, safely. We looked at a 3/3 townhome, but it is not available. Someone rented it before we could see it. The landlord does have another one, but the tenant is still there and he doesn't know when she will be moving out. Oh well...The parking was going to be crazy.

We also looked at a cute house, 2/2. It is in Candler between Asheville and the school. It is out in the country and you can see a mountain from the property. The landlords, Paul and Kendra, are very nice and invited us to their church. Kendra also invited me to a Beth Moore Bible study tomorrow night. I am going to go. God is good. We met believers the very first day in NC. We are still going to look because we want a fireplace. The house has one, but it isn't working.

May 29

2007-06-02T14:05:00.001-07:00

We are off. Our car was ready about 11 and so we left after having some lunch. We were able to have dinner with my sister, Holly, in Jacksonville. We made it to Savannah tonight.