The Twists and Turns of Life

It is has been WAYYYYYY too long since I updated my blog!! I am sorry about that!! Since my last post I have been pretty busy!! Let's see if I can sum it all up quickly!!

Moved to GA-LOVE THE SOUTH-had baby #5 Creed Joseph-unpacked and homeschooled-found an amazing church with amazing people-made some amazing friends-Carley turns 11-Hubby begins to get into teaching at the college level-Hubby gets a job offer back in FL (literally 4months after we get there)-it snows on Christmas day-Hubby accepts the job in FL-family is making adjustments to the idea of leaving our niche in the south-Caydence turns 2-Camden turns 9- Carter turns 5-we pack our house-cry our tears-say ours "see ya laters"-move back to FL-unpack . . .




. . . And that is where we pick back up!! I skipped a few details because they are boring and overrated!! We are now living in FL again and loving it!! We have been here about 2 weeks now. Hubby is working at Trinity College and is already excited about the possibilities!! He is the Program Director of the Management and Ethics degree. He is thrilled and feels like he is a very good fit for this college. He is also working on the final semesters of his Phd. His goal is to be finished with everything in 2 years!! If anyone can do it, I know he can! He is stressed about some aspects, but I have faith that the God who brought him this far will see him through to the end!

The children have been troopers through all of the chaos! Their emotions are up and down. The Lord has been their strength through it all and they will gladly tell you all about it!!


While in GA Carley, made lots of friends-good friends!! There were girls her age everywhere! They all seemed to be into dancing and singing so they got along great!! They were always making up a dance to a song or acting out a skit!! She played basketball for the first time ever and she also played softball and took dance. She has a passion to worship God with her dance. Carley also loves reading and writing. Right now she is into The Lord of the Rings Books. She is constantly learning something new about the characters and the symbolism within the literature (and movies). She is looking forward to seeing some of her Wesley Chapel girlfriends at VBS in a few weeks.

Camden is into all kinds of things too! While in GA, he played soccer and excelled at goalie. He played basketball, his favorite sport and his team went undefeated in the league. He even tried dancing with the dance team at church. He did a great job too, but I think he decided he wanted to stick with sports!! Camden is very sanguine, meaning he is a people person and he always has to be having FUN!!!! He made some great friends in GA too and got to do lots of sleepovers. That was a highlight for him! Now he is glad to be off of school for a while!! When it starts back up again it will have to be FUN!!! (on my to do list . . . make life FUN for Camden!!)

Carter has grown into such a sweet boy! You may know him and remember that when he was two, we wondered if he was going to live through those years!! It seemed he was never going to learn to comply with the family culture. He has a very strong personality, which God will use to glorify Him!! In GA Carter had a friend that had the same birthdate as he does, so that was an instant bond for the 2 of them. One friend had him over to spend the night and they slept in their homemade fort!!! So fun!! Carter starts Kindergarten this school year!! He can't wait to be "in school" like the older children!!

Caydence is now 2 . . . need I say more!!! Her name means "the beat of movement as in dancing or marching". This is so true for our Caydence because she definitely "marches to the beat of her own drum!!!" She keeps me on my toes!! She loves to "help" Creed, her baby brother. Really she is torturing him!! I know she loves him deep down!! She is starting to play dress up and pretend to be a princess. She has a "princess club" and only the most professional princesses are admitted. She is hilarious and she loves music! I am going to post a video of her singing Jesus Loves Me. It is super cute!


Creed Joseph is our newest baby boy! He was born on Sept 16 at 5:55AM. (Six weeks after we moved to GA) He was 8lb 14oz and was 23 1/2 inches long!! He has been a joy since the day he arrived. He is always happy and smiling and like his sister, Caydence, Creed loves music. Creed means, "a confession of faith" and we have learned so much over the past 3 years; most of which was spent unemployed for our family. FAITH has been the key element that has sustained us. Creed is a great reminder of that faith!! His smile and his energy are such a blessing!!

As for me, well . . . these children are my life!! I love every minute of the chaos! I spend most of my time cleaning up spills, doing laundry, changing diapers, picking up the same toys 20 times per day, etc. There isn't anything else I would rather be doing with my time!! I have been given the opportunity to mentor and discipline the children that have been entrusted to me for this season. I am so blessed!

I have managed to find myself involved in some wonderful life giving relationships with some wonderful women of God! They must really love me because they always seem to welcome me and my chaos. I am so very blessed to be living in such a place of opportunity in all areas of life!!!

I am planning to blog more about . . . well . . . whatever!! I am just so thankful that whatever twists and turns in life are around the corner, I can be sure that I am loved unconditionally by my Heavenly Father!!

20 Months, hundreds of rejections, and thousands or resumes later . . . .

There is good news to report!! My Hunny got a job teaching at a Christian college in a VERY small town in the deep south. I am so proud of him. The teaching portion of his interview was flawless (in my completely unbiased opinion!!). You know how you watch a sports event and you realize that the players seem to make their "job" look so easy??? I always think, "If I threw a ball . . . it sure wouldn't look like that!! How do they do that and make it look so easy??" That is what Shannon did!! He taught a mock class on a given topic. I sat in the back and observed with tears in my eyes!! He did amazing!!

He embarked upon this journey 20 months ago when he was struggling at his job. He was working himself to the bone day and night and NEVER receiving the benefits promised him from the beginning. He was promised employees to help with the work load, an office space, just to name a few. While dealing with those unfulfilled promises, he was being degraded and demoralized on a daily basis. It was one dramatic scene after another. Since he was working from home it became a family affair. He had no co-workers to bounce things off . . . there was chaos and confusion everyday. We know that isn't from God, so with very heavy hearts and timid spirits, we agreed that he would quit that job!!!

I am sure that most people thought we were crazy!! But we took the step of faith!! The Lord had showed us a Scripture that confirmed the decision. So we felt . . . . timidly confident!!! Of course we thought that he would have a job within only a few months. We never dreamed it would be a journey that would last nearly 2 years.

Through the months, we have had our ups and downs and our faith and doubt. There were times when we wondered if this season would EVER end!! Sometimes it feels too surreal and we wonder if we are dreaming. But we are alas so thrilled at the opportunities that lie ahead.

This is a dream come true for Shannon. As a professor, he is looking forward to doing life with people on a new level!! His humble spirit, energy for life, and creativity are going to keep him learning and mentoring for a long time!! I am so proud of how he has been faithful to obey the Lord during this time and keep our family afloat during this very LONG roller coaster of emotions and circumstances.

WHAT AM I LOOKING FORWARD TO?? Well, I am looking forward to taking my kids out of the city and into the country!! I am looking forward to new homeschool field trips. I am looking forward to a change of pace. I am looking forward to meeting new people and making new friendships. I can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for our family in Georgia. It is going to be a blast!!

Wood-burning Kit Brings Dad Back

My Hubby's parents recently moved and as my MIL was cleaning out the basement she found an old wood-burning kit that belonged to Hubby. He was probably about 12-14 when he used this to entertain himself "WAYYYY back in the old days," the kids would say!!

Well, the kids begged him to get it our yesterday so he did!! They had a blast . . . he had a "blast from the past!!" When he opened the box, there were pieces he had made as a kid that were still in the box. The kids were fascinated and Hubby was too!!

As they painted and burned their pieces of wood they kept saying, "MMMM, I love the smell of the burning wood!!" Should that concern me??? At any rate they had a great time and they all made "Keep Out" signs for their rooms!!!

My Hubby

I know that everyone thinks that their husband is the "best is the world", BUT I think mine is "THE BEST" . . . . he is pretty amazing!! I have been blessed to have been married to him for 11.5 years now. We dated for 4 years prior to getting married. We have been together for almost half of our lives at this point (and we are YOUNG!!). Everyday, I look him in the eyes and ask him, "how did we get this happy??"

We met when Shannon came to IN to see his family at holidays and summer breaks. I was friends with his cousin and her family. Their home was like a second home to me in those days! So naturally, I knew her family and extended family. Well her family extended all the way to Virginia. It's funny how the Lord works out those details!!! Thanks, B family! The Lord used you back in those days to bring this young gal and guy together forever!! I will forever be grateful for those precious moments of being welcomed in your home . . . on what always seemed to be "cleaning day!!!" HAHA!!

When we started dating, it was long distance. I was 16 and he was 17. I lived in IN and he lived in VA. He was a SR and I was a JR in high school. I had been a Christian for a few years and he was newly saved. We talked on the phone a lot . . . but not too much!! Neither of us wanted to seem too eager!! PLUS we couldn't afford the phone bills. Even though we were long distance for 2.5 years, we still managed to see each other about once a month. I counted the days from one time of seeing him to the next. It seemed like I was always counting days!! Sometimes I would fly out to see him and most of the time he would drive 10 hours to see me!!! We did all the same fun dating things as other couples. Movies, dinner, parks, walks along the river, hikes in the woods, walking the mall, etc. I remember when I lived at home. I would walk into the door from work and the first thing out of my mouth was, "Did Shannon call???" He was my best friend!!

He was a friend like I had never had before. He was patient, kind, gentle, not easily angered, humble and not boastful . . . . sound familiar?? That was and is my best friend.

After all these years together . . . he still makes me laugh everyday!!! He is hilarious and he reminds me of that often!! He has grown to be an awesome man of God and a wonderful father to my children. I can't believe we have four kiddos!! Family means the world to us. We want to change the world by impacting our kids. They are already awesome people to be around!! They love the Lord with all their hearts. The main reason for this is . . . their Dad!!

He has an amazing relationship with the Lord. He has been blessed with so many gifts and talents. I am blessed to call him my best friend!!

We have been through some of the toughest moments of our lives together in the past year . . . the new job "YEAH" . . . the new job "OH NO!!" . . . the new job "what have we got ourselves into??" the new job . . . gone . . . for the last 8 months . . . He has been unemployed!! I have seen him go through a lot during this time, but the Lord had remained faithful. Shannon reminds me all the time of where we could be . . . where we are . . . and the blessings we receive daily!!! We are blessed!

Today, Shannon got a job as an adjunct professor at a local Christian College. It isn't enough to pay all the bills yet, but we are thrilled. This is what he has been wanting to do for a long time. We are praying that it turns into something more permanent with more pay. Or maybe the Lord will use another avenue to bring full time work . . . we don't know?!?!?! BUT we are standing on his promises!! He has not left us yet . . . and He never will!

I just want to say that I am sooo proud of Shannon! He has been through so much, yet he holds his head high with the blessed assurance of Christ's love. I want the world to know that he is an AMAZING person. He is full of wisdom, integrity, and God's grace. He is thankful for the little things in life . . . and I . . . . am thankful for him!!

We Will Wait

SIGH - - - I am taking a deep breath! So much has happened since my last post! I am sorry for keeping quiet, but life here has been busy and crazy and exciting all at the same time!!

I have been "nesting" and getting ready for our new little addition. She is scheduled to arrive on March 30, but we know she can't wait that long!! Mom is already dilating and feeling like something is happening . . . ya know when you just KNOW??

So in the meantime, I have been getting ready! Ya know, trying to keep the house clean, laundry done, getting things together for the birth, making my last minute phone calls, appt for this and one for that . . . it seems like things are never DONE!!

This has really been my best pregnancy OVERALL, but these last few weeks seem to be the most memorable and miserable all at the same time! I am in constant back pain! This little sweetie is comfy and cozy right on the pelvis area. It causes sharp pain all night long and I dare not try to roll over at night!! I have to get up and then lay on the other side!! I walk like an old person whose bones are deteriorating!! I guess I know why some people that deal with pain all time are on the grouchy side! It gets to you after a while. My family still loves me in spite of the grouchy moments! Thank goodness!

I am reminded of the Scripture in Ecclesiates 3 that says:

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born . . .

This gives me hope that IT WILL HAPPEN!! My midwife assures me of the same even thought it feels like we have been waiting forever!! I am only 38 weeks along and it just seems like this baby would want to come on out and see the world, but she is comfy and cozy right where she is at!! I will wait . . .

So many have asked about the job situation. It is still the same! It too is a waiting game! God has shown his provision many times over and over and we feel blessed every day! But as of now there is no job and no possible leads! So we will wait!

Thanks to our friends and loved ones for your prayers, support and kind words! You don't know how much it means! God is using this time of waiting to show us many things! I know that in the end He will be glorified. So with patience, we will wait!

FINALLY GOOD NEWS

Well, it seems like we would NEVER receive any good news! I keep telling myself that this is only a season and "this too shall pass!"

Yesterday, Shannon got the good news that he was accepted into the PhD program at Regent University. Well . . . for those of you that may not know . . . that is HUGE!!! Only 50% of the people that apply get accepted AND the average age of students is 45! He beat the odds, to say the least!! We are sooo excited about the opportunities that this opens him up to!!

Let me just insert a few details here that no one really knows:

This week, Shannon decided to take a break from his fruitless efforts of resume sending. All this has done is keep him busy and disappoint him like crazy! He has probably sent more than 100 resumes and the ones that were even looked at have ALL been rejected!! How frustrating! He keeps saying that "there are SOOO many jobs out there . . . why is there so much unemployment??" It a competitive market, I guess!! He felt like the Lord was saying to "sit and wait!!" Well, Shannon sent his Regent App last Friday and this week on Wednesday he got an email saying the the board has received all his paperwork and that they would be reviewing his application soon. We thought that we would hear from them in a month or two. We weren't really expecting to hear from them any time soon. Then 2 days later, we get the GOOD NEWS!!

We just feel like the Lord is reminding us that HE provided this opportunity. It's not been by our efforts. He totally gets all the glory! In reality, Shannon and I BOTH thought that he would be rejected. Not because he wasn't qualified, but because there has been no good news lately. We just expected more of the same!!

So, we are not sure what else will follow this awesome news. All along he has said that his DREAM would be to teach in a University, but he has looked at every Christian university in the country and every local university here in FL and they were not hiring in Dec & Jan OR you had to have a PhD in order to teach for them . . . so that was a closed door in his mind. (Hence the fruitless efforts of applying for ministry positions) But now that he is going to get his PhD AND has been accepted into a program . . . his opportunities are much more open!!! We are hoping for the best and we are knowing that God wants to give him his dream . . .

Ephesians 3:20
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,

Thanks to ALL friends and family that have prayed! We are truly blessed to have so many people that care!! We have seen God work in so many ways in the past 4 months. I can't wait till this season has passed and I can share ALL that God has done in me!! Thank you so much, Lord Jesus!

Still Waiting

**UPDATE: We got the news on Friday about 5:30PM! Shannon was told that they went with someone else for the position in VA! We were EXTREMELY disappointed. That is why it took me so long to update you all. I have been struggling a little. But in the end, I know that God is in control and I wouldn't want it any other way!! Instead of looking at what we DON'T have, I have to focus on what we DO HAVE!! When I think that my husband has been out of work for 4 months and we have never missed a bill to be paid, we have 3 healthy kids, and 2 good cars, to name a few . . . I think that His HAND OF PROVISION is at work in my life!! Thanks you, Lord!! Thank you friends and family for all your kind words and prayers!! It means so much!



It's no secret! We went to VA last week for another job interview at a church. It was fun! We had a cool experience and learned a lot about ourselves and the Church as a whole. The kids went to visit with the grandparents while my Hunny and I were grilled with questions over a 3 day period. It was exhausting for us but well worth it! We were told that we would know by the middle of the week THIS WEEK.

Well . . . yesterday (Wednesday), we STILL hadn't heard anything! We have been on pins and needles to say the least. Every time the phone rings my heart jumps!! I am probably more psychotic that my Hunny. I keep asking, "Is your phone charged? Where is your cell phone?" or when it rings, "who is it?" before he even has a chance to look . . . So he sent an email yesterday to ask when we might hear the news. The pastor eagerly replied and said that they just finished interviewing all candidates yesterday and they would be making a decision this morning. He said we'd hear from him sometime today. That was so satisfying to us! We just wanna HEAR SOMETHING!!! We don't even mind, if it's a "you're not what we're looking for . . . " Just anything . . . the silence was killing us!!

So today has come and gone and we still have NOT heard anything from them . . . My Hunny says that there must be a reason and he is probably right . . . but waiting stinks!!! I guess this is how the kids feel when they are waiting for something really exciting to them . . . like Christmas . . .

Thanks to everyone who has prayed for us!! This has been quite an experience. I would have to say . . . it has been one of the most trying times we have faced in a long time. We thank the Lord for sustaining us through it all!!

Eleven Years With My Best Friend!!!

Yesterday my Hunny and I celebrated our 11th year of marriage!! It was low key, as usual! We aren't real big spenders on such occasions. We took the kids to their aunt's and we were off on a DATE!! We went to a movie that wasn't a kids movie!!! It was "adult time!!" Then we went to dinner at the Toasted Pheasant. Someone blessed us with a gift card to go there and it was AWESOME food!! We were full when we left!! It was such a nice evening to be with my sweetie!!



I am so blessed to have him! He is my very best friend. He is so encouraging and funny!! He is an awesome man of God who seeks the face of Jesus to see our family moving in the right direction!! I am so blessed to have him!! Sometimes I look at him and say, "How in the world did we get so happy???" I know it doesn't "just happen!!" God is the center of our lives and so we live in rich blessings surrounded by Grace and LOVE!!! We are so RICH!!

What a great day!!

If you know me at all you will know that I really don't like to be the center of attention. I really prefer to be in the background and I don't need a pat on the back. When my birthday rolls around, my family celebrates together, but I really don't like to have a big birthday "party." I like to go out to dinner with my husband and kids, and extended family. (The gift here is the fact that I don't have to cook!!) This year was no different.

The weekend started out simple. We invited some friend over to play a Euchre Tournament. That was a blast!!! I love to hang out with fun people and I love to play cards AND eat food!! Then on Saturday we just hung around the house doing chores and planning our coming week. On Saturday, Shannon decided that he and the kids would give me my presents early (They do this every year, at Christmas AND Mother's Day too!!) I was thrilled when he gave me exactly what I asked for!! I asked for the Anne of Green Gables Trilogy.

I was sooo excited!! The kids were too! We didn't waste any time! We began watching the movie on Sat evening. I even made Shannon sit and watch it with me and . . . don't tell him I told you . . . but . . . he likes it!!

This movie totally brought me back to childhood. I remember watching it on PBS and getting interrupted by those silly telethon things!! I hated that! Although I loved the movies, I had never seen them all from start to finish!! There are 3 of them! This time it was 9 hours of bliss!! The kids would beg to watch more!! I told told them that when we take a long trip to Grandma's or Nana's we can watch the entire movie without stopping!! They liked that idea!!

Then Shannon surprised me with something that I have always wanted . . . a Garmin GPS!! I love maps! So he thought I would like this gadget! He was right! It practically drives the car for me!! We all have fun and we even turn it on when we are going to church or home from the store!! We are trying to come up with a cute name like Becky did! Stay tuned!


On Sunday, which was my actual birthday, I was greeted first thing in the morning with toast and a glass of milk in bed. I got lots of hugs and kisses and I think that was my favorite part of the day. . . oh, I have another favorite part . . . I didn't have to do the dishes all day!!! Thanks Hunny! I love you so much!! What a great day!!!

I realize what I have got

Shannon and Camden went on a "boy's trip" to Arkansas to see Shannon's grandma. Shannon's dad and brother met them there and they are having a hum-dinger-of-a-time!! I don't know if you have ever experienced Arkansas, but it is one you would NEVER forget nor want to repeat!!

Shannon's grandma Hogan has Alzheimer's and lives in a nursing home. She really isn't that bad, but she can't be left alone because she looses stuff constantly!! She mixes people's names up and asks the same questions several times a day. It really quite funny . . . comic relief!! She hates the nursing home! It is full of invalid elderly people that sit around and do nothing. Grandma is up and moving all the time!!

She lives in Hardy. It's a tiny little town!! She talks about how people are moving in like crazy and building stuff . . . but I think she means the McDonalds, Taco Bell, and KFC!! That and Walmart are the high lights of the town!! Shannon said they went to Walmart 2 times the first day they got there!! It is Grandma's favorite place to go. She loves to shop . . . and buy lots of junk that we don't need and give it to all of us as gifts!! Sweet, huh? Well, her whole family lives there and they have since the beginning of time!! She tells all kinds of stories about that place as you drive down the road.

Shannon's dad wanted to try and save some money and not stay 5 nights in a hotel, so he booked a resort that is just outside of town!! He said it was half the price of the only hotel in town, so they gave it a try!! Shannon says that the "resort" is a hum-dinger too!! He says it's a little old 2 bedroom and 1 bathroom house that creaks and squeaks at every move. He says that you can hear everything through the walls, including Grandma's terrible coughing (just like a smoker's cough because Grandpa smoked in the house for 50+ years). So he isn't sleeping much!! (I forgot to say that Grandma is staying at the resort with the boys. It's like her vacation away from the nursing home!! She hates it there!)

This is Camden sending me some love from the great state of Arkansas!!

The fun part is that they boys are going fishing, golfing, and creekin' (that is the official Hogan term for looking for critters in the creek!). They are having a blast and Grandma is tagging along to each event! Camden is having a blast because he LOVES everything BOY and messy and gross!! He is keeping everyone in stitches!! Whenever they are creekin' or fishing Camden is the first one to fall in the water and get as wet and messy as possible!! It's a little boys dream!!

I am at home with my oldest and youngest Munchkins! We are bonding in different ways, of course! We made lots of sweets in the kitchen and on Monday we are going to make a "Welcome Home" cake for Daddy! Carley has been keeping me company in bed at night and we have been staying up till about 11 and even eating snacks in bed!! (She thought that was so cool!)

But in the end . . . I miss my Hunny!! Since he works from home now, we are pretty much always together!! We talk about everything and nothing all at the same time!! He is the source of laughter in this house and the source of silliness!! I just miss him!! I hate it when I put something down . . . and it's there when I get back to it!! No one has moved it because no one is here!! I am looking forward to seeing his face on Monday evening when he gets home!!

"decaf, please"

The other night my Hunny and I went out on a date. Our Sunday School Class coordinated a group date!! So, we went to the Japanese Steakhouse and the filet mignon was awesome and the laughs were even better!!! Then we went out for coffee with the gang.

. . . let me go backward for a moment . . . . normally my Hunny would get a Mocha (his mistress) at the coffee shop and then he would plan to stay up late and work because he would be zinging from all the caffeine. He works so hard and I knew he was pretty tired, so if he went home (without a visit with the mistress or at least a decaf version) he'd konk out!!

. . . back to my story . . .

SO, I ordered him a decaf Mocha and told the barista NOT to write decaf on the cup!! About an hour or so later we got into the car and I asked him if the caffeine had kicked in yet. I asked if he was planning to work late or go to bed. Wouldn't ya know it? That stinker said he was tired!! I told of the deception that had taken place and he laughed. But, guess what he did when we got home?? He konked out as soon as his head hit the pillow after he said "Thanks for ordering me a decaf!!"

I just love US . . .

This is my Hunny!! He is my best friend! I love the way he makes me laugh, makes me cry, tells me he loves me, writes me love notes, shares his struggles, opens his arms to those who don't deserve it, gives out of his weaknesses, leans on Jesus, loves to learn, accepts a challenge, . . . . I could go on and on!! But most of all I love the way he serves Jesus!! He is my greatest example of the love of an earthly father. I know that because he loves the Lord, our home will be blessed!!

Thank you, Lord for giving me a man of Strength and Honor!!

I love you, Hunny!