can we say spoiled....

Ray started his new job last night and absolutely loves it!! Isabelle on the other hand decided that she did not want her Daddy to leave...what a Daddy's girl she is :)

God always has a plan for us....

He really does, it may not be the plan we have in mind but He always knows.
Ray starts his new job tonight at 4th street live, he is now the Operations Manager!! Awesome/Amazing job, great for him and us and the best part is.... it found him!! I can't wait to see what this new journey of our life holds, we have been patiently waiting for this door to open and thankfully it finally has!! I am happier then I have been for awhile, not that I have been sad but things (financial things) have been rough. Ray and I have a wonderful marriage and we are closer then ever., we have 2 great kids, amazing family and friends and the best church family ever!!

God is good ALL the time :)

I'm back...again...

I have been seriously slacking for awhile now, I have good reasons though! We recently went on vacation for 2 weeks to NH and then when we got back our new addition was ready for us to move into. Needless to say I have been busy busy busy!!
On top of this all I have decided to pursue my dream of being a Professional Photographer and have had lots going on with that too. I apologize for being such a slacker, I also have a Photography blog to tend to so my time is torn (www.garabellephotograpy.blogspot.com/)

Some new news:

1. We drive to get Garrett Aug 1st
2. Isabelle has potty trained herself


that's about it for now :)

The photos are from a volunteer appreciation day for our church at Camp Hi-Ho

I have been slacking...

Hi, it's me..yes I know it's been awhile....

I have been slacking ever since the bad news we got a few weeks ago, I just haven't really known what to write here..

I received this in an email this morning and I really really like the advice it gives...it was written by a lady from Ohio who just recently turned 90

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your firs t paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep brea th. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
25. Frame every so-called disaster with these words ''In five years, will this matter?".
26. Always choose life.
27. Forgive everyone everything.
28. What other people think of you is none of your business.
29. Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.
30. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
31. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
32 . Believe in miracles.
33. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
34. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
35. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
36. Your children get only one childhood.
37. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
38. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
39. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd
grab ours back.
40. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
41. The best is yet to come.
42. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
43. Yield.
44. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

Hurry up and wait So close, but so far away Everything that you've always dreamed of Close enough for you to taste But you just can't touch

Disappointment

We got the phone call this morning that we have been waiting on for month and months....obviously it was bad news (read my post title)....Ray didn't make the June 29th academy :(
It is such a HUGE disappointment as we have been going through the process for lmpd for a Long..LONG time...almost a year.. I am waiting for this day to be over, and for the frustration I have to go away. I know it won't go away ovver night, but I am sad and angry and frustrated...ugh He will be considered for the academy in Nov. this year but that seems forever away at this point. I know we need to put our faith in the Lord and trust Him that things will happen in His time not ours...it's soo hard though.

Paint and a Pantry!!

Master Bathroom with paint
Dad painting
Hallway with pantry


Hannah and Ray Trying to make the pantry fit

Kenny making the pantry fit
Dad painting the Master Bedroom

We now have paint and a pantry up!! Yay!! The paint has been the easy part, yesterday trying to get the pantry in place was a HUGE mess...but we made it fit thanks to kenny!! We actually had to cut out part of the drywall and put notches in the boards in the wall...not fun..but it is there, 2 of the doors need to be fixed though and then it needs to be stained before we can use it.
Tamie said yesterday that she wants to get everything that they can do done this week, of course then we still will need to get the flooring put down in the bedroom and the hallway. After Tamie and Kenny are done then we will have to have 2 inspectors come before we can move into our room...but very very soon that will happen!!

The waiting Game

We now are in yet another "waiting game" as we sit and wait for news from the police department. I am actually much less nervous about this part then I have been about any of the other parts. I know Ray's name has been submitted to the Chief and it is ultimately in God's hands now. This song is from the movie fireproof, but it sums up perfectly how I feel about this process now.

John Waller - While I'm Waiting (Official Music Video) from Provident Label Group on Vimeo.

God is soo Good

Today has been the most stressful day associated with Ray's application process for LMPD, we were waiting and waiting for a phone call to be made and it was finally made..now his file can be handed to the Chief for review and we wait from the phone call from his investigator to find out if he makes it for the academy starting the end of june!!! There is still some stress, but it's in God's hands now and I feel at ease with that.

I continue to ask all my friends and fmaily for lot of prayers during this time.

thank you all :)

May Happenings!

Yesterday was Mother's Day, I got a Beautiful card from my hubby and a very sweet card from my kiddos with a pin to wear that says "#1 Mom" Very cute :) We also had Izzy's baby dedication at church yesterday, Grandmother and my dad were there and I guess my mom came in late and sat in the back. The church gave Isabelle an awesome "Faith Box" to put important spiritual memorabilia in to keep forever!! Ray and I wrote her letters, and when she is 18 we will present her the box as a special gift to keep forever and cherish. After church we went to my Grandmother's house in Ballardsville for lunch, there was a quit a crew there!
Saturday was my sister Hannah's college graduation and graduation party, it was a busy busy weekend for us again!

The sun is shining!!

I woke up this morning to the sun shinning and birds chirping..oh what a nice way to greet the day!! I am getting ready to take Garrett to school and hopefully izzy and Ray can sleep in until I get back. Izzy is still not all the way over being sick, or maybe it's just allergies but she coughs all night still. I can't even remember the last time we slept all the way through the night uninterupted..it's been way too long for sure!!

I am not sure what our plans are today, but it looks like it will be a beautiful day to get out and enjoy the weather! I really need to get my hair cut, and I bought a self highlighting kit last night...hahah...we will see how it all works out!!

Doors and Trim

Today we got doors and trim and the under flooring in the bathroom!!! One step closer :)

Trucking Along

We are just trucking along here, I am no longer working right now and am enjoying every minute of being home with my hubby and beautiful little girl during the day! Garrett is in school all day, but it is getting closer to the end of the school year and then he is going to spend the summer with his Daddy! He's very excited about this, and I know his Dad is happy too!! He was also accepted back into the school he is in this year and into an awesome program that is perfect for kids who need to learn with the "hands on" approach!!
The dry wall is all done and tomorrow my Aunt and Uncle are coming to start more work on the addition, I am praying that by the time we come back from our vacation in June that we will be able to move into our new space! Of course if we get to move in there before then that's even better!
This coming Sunday is Mother's Day and we are having Isabelle's Baby Dedication at church along with several other families and their babies!! It will be a wonderful day for all :)

I found the PERFECT bathing suit!!

I went shopping with my youngest sister Maggie last night at Target, I really had no intention of coming home with anything..but then I found it..the Perfect bathing suit!! I absolutely love it :) It's very sophisticated, but sexy at the same time. I also found an awesome hat to go with it!!

Maggie, Izzy and I decided to have a little photo shoot when we came home, how fun!!

The Lord is with Me

"You are with me." Yes, you, Lord, are in heaven. Yes, you rule the universe. Yes, you sit upon the stars and make your home in the deep. But yes, yes, yes, you are with me. Moses proclaimed it: "What great nation has a god as near to them as the Lords our God is near to us" (Deut. 4:7 NLT) Paul announced it: "He is not far from each one of us" (Acts 17:27 NIV) And David discovered it: "You are with me." Somewhere in the pasture, wilderness, or palace, David discovered that God meant business when he said: " I will not leave you" (Gen. 28:15).

Being sick is no fun :(

Last night I had to go to Norton's Immediate Care Center bc/ I was coughing so hard I could not even breathe..turn out I have an Upper Respiratory Infection..yuck...

The Dr was great, and my Great Aunt Kate went with me and watched Garrett while Izzy and I went back with the Dr. I got a prescription for z-pac, took my first 2 doses (as prescribed) last night. I actually don't feel quite as worn out today, but have been coughing a lot still. I am sure within a day or 2 I will be feeling a lot better!

I am sitting here hanging out on the couch today, trying to relax..it always seems there is so much to do around the house that I can't sit still for long...the life of a Mommy...haha..

The Dr. yesterday told m Izzy was the most Well Behaved 2 year old she had ever met...what a compliment!!

drywall 3

drywall 2

Dry wall 1

Oh wait.......is that drywall I see????? FINALLY.....

Soo we now have some of the drywall installed....Thank You Lord...literally!! We can't wait to have our "own" space again, it has been way...way..too long! We have been sleeping on our couch for almost 6 months now...ugh...need I say more huh...anyways there is drywall being installed now...it is the next step in the process...maybe we will have the addition livable by June...I guess time will tell...

I am still sick today, coughed my head off for over an hour this morning...hopefully they were productive coughs!! If I am not feeling any better tomorrow I will be going to the dr for sure....

Garrett is at school he had a "green" morning..yay...we are off to buy him some organic/vegetable based adhd supplements from the health food store today..please pray it helps him for our sanity and his...

Isabelle was dancing so cute this morning, swaying and gracefully waving her arms in the arm..adorable!

Our Beautiful Girl!

I can't believe how quickly she is growing up, what a blessing our baby girl is to us :)


I love this song, it makes me cry every time I hear it.

Darius Rucker, It Won't Be

Lyrics

Like This For Long

Artist: Rucker Darius Song: It Won't Be Like This For Long Album: Learn To Live

Darius Rucker Sheet Music Darius Rucker CDs

He didn't have to wake up
He'd been up all night
Layin’ there in bed listenin’
To his new born baby cry
He makes a pot of coffee
He splashes water on his face
His wife gives him a kiss and says
It gonna be OK

It won’t be like this for long
One day soon we'll look back laughin’
At the week we brought her home
This phase is gonna fly by
So baby just hold on
‘Cause it won't be like this for long

Four years later ‘bout 4:30
She's crawling in their bed
And when he drops her off at preschool
She's clinging to his leg
The teacher peels her off of him
He says what can I do
She says now don't you worry
This’ll only last a week or two

It won’t be like this for long
One day soon you'll drop her off
And she won’t even know you're gone
This phase is gonna fly by
If you can just hold on
It won’t be like this for long

Some day soon she'll be a teenager
And at times he'll think she hates him
Then he'll walk her down the aisle
And he'll raise her veil
But right now she's up and cryin’
And the truth is that he don't mind
As he kisses her good night
And she says her prayers

He lays down there beside her
‘Til her eyes are finally closed
And just watchin’ her it breaks his heart
Cause he already knows

It won’t be like this for long
One day soon that little girl is gonna be
All grown up and gone
Yeah, this phase is gonna fly by
So, he's tryin’ to hold on

‘Cause it won’t be like this for long

It won’t be like this for long