Work Hard for Me

We are trying hard to establish deep-rooted work ethics in our children.  We teach them that anything in life worth doing takes sacrifice, dedication and yes, a lot of hard work.  On our journey we have had many teachable opportunities to demonstrate this for our little ones.  Although, each new day brings with it it's own set of challenges, we know that all of this is for a greater purpose.  

Often we will gather together before daddy leaves for work and pray for God
to help us work hard throughout our day. 

 We pray for strength, peace, joy and the ability to see every blessing that each day holds for us. 

(They are easy to miss if your not looking for them.)  

At the end of most days daddy will ask them, "What was your favorite thing that you did today?  What didn't go so well? and "Did you work hard today?"

Each one takes their turn telling him about their day, sharing the good and the bad!  They love this time with their daddy and it also helps to serve as a reminder during their day that they need to work hard!

Many times throughout my day a little one will tug at me and ask, "Mama where's daddy?"
I'll remind her that he is at work and then this sweet little voice will say,

  "Is he working hard for me?" 

Even if today gets hard and frustrating at times I will find the strength to keep going because if that sweet little voice should happen to ask, "Did you work hard for me?"..... I want my answer to always be, "YES!"

A Badge for A Stethoscope

When you take a family of five (which has recently increased to six) and elect to leave behind all reasonable sources of income and walk down a path of uncertainty, I think it safe to say that you have made a leap of faith!  And now that is exactly what we live by...... Faith!

I have married an extremely humble man, it's one of many characters that attracted me to him.   However, it is that same trait that almost cost me the opportunity to witness what would turn out to be one of my greatest blessings.  When my husband was leaving his career as a Charleston Police Officer after fourteen years, they had a retirement lunch for him.  He told me that there was no need for me to come because it was just going to be a few people, nothing really special.  I couldn't shake the feeling that I needed to be there and one day while intercepting a call from one of his coworkers, that feeling was confirmed.  I never told him that I was planning on attending...he can't stand to be fussed over and REALLY (to put it mildly) dreads the idea of being the center of attention.  I had asked his dad to come with me and later wished that we would had made arrangements for his mother to come as well.  Still we were envisioning only a few people and "nothing really special"!

When we walked into the restaurant I found myself in a room filled with about 50 people!  My husband, smiling sheepishly, greeted me with a hug and whispered in my ear, "I am so glad that you are here."  I knew that he was struggling with being the star of this party but he was also humbled by the many people that came to see him off.  As I sat and listened to these men and women talk about their memories of my husband and the way that he impacted their lives, my heart swelled with pride.  I loved hearing these stories about the person that I think so highly of and I couldn't help but be moved to tears.

I am so blessed to have a husband that would leave everything that he had worked so hard for, so that he could follow the path that God chose for him.  This was no easy decision for him, he had built a life and a career.  However, we knew that whatever the Lord had chosen for us would be better than anything that
we could ever desire for ourselves.

Where a badge use to hang, now hangs a stethoscope.  Both were created to help people and both have been worn by a man
 that desperately wants to follow a God that is so much bigger than we could ever imagine!

I am so proud of you honey!

2 years, 8 months, & 27 days into our "new" journey..... so far!

Beaming...

Late one night Kayla climbed in bed between daddy and me and giggled while we snuggled her from both sides.  She was having trouble falling asleep and came in for a kiss.  That is just what she got, we showered her with hugs and kisses and listened to her talk for sometime.  

In our home these moments are highly treasured events. 

 I could feel her beaming with happiness and it made me think, I want each of my children to feel this way in every minute of every day of their lives.  

Safe, heard, loved and cherished should not be feelings reserved for only rare special moments, 

they should be a standard of life.

I want my every action in every day to reveal to my children the way that I truly feel about them... 

       

so that they may learn to feel that way about themselves. 

Easter Egg Hunt 2011

It's my first Easter!

The Ultimate Sacrifice

Here I am, Lord, and I'm drowning in your sea of forgetfulness 

The chains of yesterday surround me

I yearn for peace and rest

I don't want to end up where You found me

And it echoes in my mind, keeps me awake tonight

I know You've cast my sin as far as the east is from the west

And I stand before You now as though I've never sinned

But today I feel like I'm just one mistake away from You leaving me this way

Jesus, can You show me just how far the east is from the west

'cause I can't bear to see the man I've been come rising up in me again

In the arms of Your mercy I find rest

'cause You know just how far the east is from the west

From one scarred hand to the other

I start the day, the war begins, endless reminding of my sin

Time and time again Your truth is drowned out by the storm I'm in

Today I feel like I'm just one mistake away from You leaving me this way

I know You've washed me white, turned my darkness into light

I need Your peace to get me through, to get me through this night

I can't live by what I feel, but by the truth Your word reveals

I'm not holding on to You, but You're holding on to me

You're holding on to me

Jesus, You know just how far the east is from the west

I don't have to see the man I've been come rising up in me again

In the arms of Your mercy I find rest

'cause You know just how far the east is from the west

From one scarred hand to the other

One scarred hand to the other

From one scarred hand to the other

~Casting Crowns

If This Was a Test Then I Get an F

You could say that I have never been one to assert myself!  I have always hated any type of confrontation or even the remote possibility of confrontation.  Now that I have children I have tried to overcome my inability to speak up.

It is pretty safe to say that I failed this time!  At the dentist office, I went up to the front desk to tell them I needed to go back with my daughter (my son was already back there too).  I was told by the receptionist to just wait until the dentist was ready to talk to me about all three of my children.  A little taken aback I said, "Well I would like to check on my daughter."  She then proceeded to look back towards the chairs where my daughter was and said, "I can see her she's doing fine."  I walked back to my seat in a state of shock.

The longer I sat there the more angry I became...

so I told them how I felt...

well most people would have I am sure, but of course I said nothing.

I kept saying (to myself), "You won't let me go to MY children!"  I could never bring myself to say those words out loud and as you can tell, I am obviously still upset.  Although, I never believed that my children were in any real danger, the thought of someone else telling me that I couldn't see them still blows my mind.

I WILL do better next time ...simply because my kids are counting on me.  No longer will my need to not offend someone, interfere with the needs of my little ones! 

Sweet babies your mama is a work in progress, I will never claim to be perfect.  However, I will always work hard to make your tomorrow even better than your today.

Addyson's first time letting the
dentist work on her teeth.

Ducklings All in a Row

It is a rare occasion when I walk down an isle at a grocery store when someone doesn't make a comment about my little gang.  I never have to wonder what someone is thinking, on lookers are usually more than willing to tell me exactly what's on their minds.  The most famous of all comments is, "Wow, you really have your hands full."

During one trip a very concerned patron asked me, "Are ALL those yours?"  I am assuming she meant children...I didn't even have my fourth little one yet.  The comment took me so off guard that I looked around to see if I had picked up a few others that I wasn't aware of.   I think the surprise for most isn't so much the amount of children I have but the age span in which they fall (however I could be wrong, it could be both).

Another one of my favorite comments is, "Four?  I don't know how you do it, I would go crazy!"  The answer...yes four, and I don't know maybe I am crazy... but I wouldn't change my life for anything!  So if you see me at Kroger be patient chances are there are at least two little ducklings following close behind me with their own little carts.

Midnight Giggles

My absolute favorite sound in the whole world is the sound of sweet laughter echoing through a still

 and peaceful house in the wee hours of the morning.  

There is just something so wonderful about 

each and every little chuckle that happens while my little ones are deep in dream.
 I suppose I have convinced myself to believe  that when children are
 so perfectly happy with their lives they can't 

help but dream so vividly that they laugh out loud.  

These special moments can be as rare 

as shooting stars.  

I anxiously await each and every one of these precious little midnight giggles.

Confessions of a Baby Holder

Giving that we live in a "Baby Wise" era I feel the need to make this confession......I hold my baby while she sleeps!"  I can admit to it...well at least I can now anyway.  I can't help it, I like my sleeping baby snuggles.. it's one of my "mommy indulgences."  Honestly, I have to admit that I feel like a fish swimming against the stream on this particular issue.  This isn't the only child of mine that I have held while they snooze, I have taken this liberty with each of my sweet little bundles of joy.  Now, before you judge me to harshly you should know that I do make sure that my babies have their time in their own beds when they have to get themselves to sleep.  It's kind of my happy compromise to the "Wise" theory.  Though I must say my children seem as well adjusted as the next child (for the most part).  Don't get me wrong I know the popular approach works, I have seen it's success many times.  However, I just felt the need to come clean and allow myself to no longer be ashamed of going against the grain on this one.   I just can't bring myself to give up those peaceful little sighs or the way it feels when those sweet little bodies just melt against me.  Well, since I am being so forthcoming I guess I can tell you....I'm holding a sleeping little angel right now.... and I won't make excuses about it.

Eight under Eight

We have borrowed a few more bullfrogs and butterflies for the day.  Take it from me if you want a new perspective on life spend the day with eight little ones under the age of eight.  As hard as it may be for anyone to understand it isn't any more challenging then it usually is around here.  Maybe it's because we have such a great chemistry with this family, whatever the case may be it is a great day.

I highly recommend listening to the conversations of these age groups, it really puts life back into perspective.  What are the ages you ask....  Two 8 year olds, a 7 year old, a 6 year old, a 4 year old, a 3 year old, an almost 2 year old, and a 6 month old.  So far today we have recreated the solar system, made our very own paper dolls, created lots of artwork, played house and even a very educational game of school (and the day is only half over).  Kids can figure out what they want to do and organize themselves so much faster than most adults.  Trust me I have my own focus group...I know!

These little ones have a unique view of life, if only we could all keep such an innocent perspective.  Why do we feel the need to complicate our lives with so much worry and fear?  In the words of the children, "Don't worry God will take care of you."  


Believe it or not... they are coming back in a few days and YES we really are excited to do it again!  Somebody call Ripley!

So His Horse Wasn't White!

Our story began 11 12 13 14 make the 19... years ago today.....

When we pulled away from our reception we weren't riding off on a white horse, however it was a green mustang.  To be honest I was in such bliss we could have left in a cab and I wouldn't have been any less excited!

I always knew that God was going to give me a husband that I would be able to depend on whole heartedly.  However, I could never have imagined that I would love him and rely on him this much.  Together we are so much better than we ever where individually.   My husband has always believed in me more than I ever believed in myself, he showed me my potential and gave me the confidence to achieve my goals.

Every time I see him hold one of our babies I fall deeper in love with him.  I am so proud of the man that he is and the example he has become to our little ones.  Our children know one of the greatest joys they could ever know... the unconditional love of an amazing father.

We are truly a love story and I am so thankful for each and every day that I wake up beside him.  After all this time I still get excited when I hear his car pull into the driveway at the end of everyday.

I look forward to walking through the rest of this life with you, honey. I am so thankful that you are the man that God intended you to be and the prince in my happily ever after!

I love you more today then yesterday and I will love you even more tomorrow!

Happy Anniversary Honey!

A Knock at the Door

When the dust settled and we had completely come to terms with the idea that life was about change, we began to compose a list of tasks.  There was so much to do to get from where we were... to where we needed to be.  Todd had to be in Lewisburg and settled by the beginning of August, which meant we had a lot to figure out in a short amount of time!!

How would we afford to live?
Believe it or not we were never concerned about our finances.  Most people may not understand this, but we always knew that if God was going to get us into medical school... then He would find the means to provide for us financially.  Now, I am a worrier by nature and to be honest with you I can always find something to provide me with the opportunity (unfortunately).   Even now when I type these words I can't believe how much peace we have always had about our financial state.  Our situation has never made sense on paper but we never doubted that God would provide for us.  I distinctly remember my first phone conversation with the financial aid department at the school.  The very sweet voice on the other end said, "The money you receive is only calculated for the student, there is not an allotment given for families."  She asked me how many children we had (at the time it was 2 and one on the way).  She hesitated for a moment and then said, "Well, I don't know of any family making it on this money with more than one child."  Amazingly enough her words still didn't shake the peace that we felt.  Todd and I still laugh about that conversation, apparently someone forgot to tell God that we wouldn't be able to survive on that money.

Where would we live?
There was the matter of our home to deal with.  We had spent years trying to renovate it, however there was still work to be done before it would be ready to put on the market.  We began to wonder if there was enough time to get it sold before Todd needed to be in Lewisburg.  So once again we decided that this matter was much to big for us to handle and we prayerfully turned it over to God.  To be honest I was relieved that it would be His concern and not ours anymore.

On a beautiful Saturday in February there was a knock at our door.  Todd answered it and was greeted by our neighbor that lived two house down from us.   Much to Todd's surprise our neighbor asked him if he had time to talk.  The two of them spent about an hour in front of our house talking.....I know this because my curiosity was just about to kill me!  When Todd finally came in the house I was anxiously waiting to hear what the conversation was about (this was not a neighbor that we had a close relationship with).  I will never forget what Todd said next, "Honey, you are never going to believe this....he wanted to know if we would like to sell our house."   Now, what makes this story even more of a miracle is that we hadn't even put our house on the market yet (nor did we have a sign in our yard).  Todd gave him a price that would not only cover what we had put into our home, but it would also allow us to be completely debt free!  Our neighbor excepted without hesitation or even coming into our home.  It turns out God is a really, really good Realtor...not to mention He's free!

Not only did God sell our very old home but he built us a brand new one on a large one acer lot.  This was a desire of mine that I thought I was giving up by agreeing to follow His plan (you only have to a renovate a house once to realize you never want to do it again).   Yet once again God had faithfully answered another prayer.  I had pleaded with Him to protect our children from having to make significant sacrifices on this journey.  I feared that we would be spending a large chunk of their childhood cramped up in a two bedroom apartment with no room for them to run and play.  But God answered our prayers in His amazing fashion, surpassing any desire that we could have had for ourselves!

A short time ago I read these words, "God not only gives you what you need..... but sometimes He also gives you what you want."  It turns out that we had enough money from the sale of our home to take our children on a much deserved trip to Disney World during the first year of school.

God has provided for us in ways that I couldn't even have imagined and I am so grateful.  We live a very blessed and comfortable life and it is all because we believe in a power that is far greater than our own.

You Know You Have Kids If....

You Know You Have Kids If....
Your shirts usually resemble a used napkin.

You Know You Have Kids If....
Your T.V. is not only covered in finger prints but mouth prints too.

You Know You Have Kids If....
The drain in your bathroom is now the proud owner of several toothpaste lids.

You Know You Have Kids If....
You find clothing items in random corners of your house.

You Know You Have Kids If....

You find wads and wads of toilet paper in your bathroom trashcan.

You Know You Have Kids If....
Every time your meal comes in a restaurant someone asks you to take them to the restroom.

You Know You Have Kids If....
Your feet hurt regularly from stepping on sharp objects that are lying around the house.

You Know You Have Kids If....
You can't remember the last time a conversation with another adult took place without an interruption.

You Know You Have Kids If....
The most frequent sentences out of your mouth are...Did you flush? and ...Did you wash your hands?

You Know You Have Kids If....
You have told another human being to get their finger out of their nose.

You Know You Have Kids If....
You have ever wiped another person's bottom.

You Know You Have Kids If....
You can't remember the last time you went to the bathroom by yourself.

You Know You Have Kids If....
You ever spit washed someone's face.

You Know You Have Kids If....
You have ever picked something out of another person's teeth (or nose).

You Know You Have Kids If....
You have told another person to not eat things off the ground.

You Know You Have Kids If....
You can't remember the last time you ate a hot meal.

You Know You Have Kids If....
You would eagerly volunteer to take on another human beings pain if it would save them from suffering.

But You Really Know You Have Kids If....
You would endure all of the above just to get those sweet little hugs and kisses because you realize that they are far more valuable than gold!


Thank you my sweet little blessings for teaching me what true love really is..... I wouldn't trade you for cleanest house in the world.

With a Click of the Mouse!

On a snowy November morning in 2008 Todd set out for a day that we weren't sure would ever arrive.  It was the interview of a lifetime, or so it felt like, he was scheduled to go before the panel at 2:00 PM (this time is significant later in the story).  The roads were so bad it took him twice as long to get to Lewisburg as it should have, but obviously rescheduling was not an option!

Earlier that month, out of faith we decided to register Todd for a class that he would only need if he was accepted into medical school, otherwise it would have just been a waste of money.  He was told that the class was full but he could be placed on a waiting list, but not to get his hopes up.  So we just prayed that God would work it out if He saw fit.

The day of the interview was a difficult one for me because I was left to watch the clock wondering how things were going.  I had committed myself to "pray him through the day," it was the only thing I could control and the only way I could help him.  I noticed the clock turn 2:00 and as I began to pray for him the phone rang.  I debated whether I should keep praying or answer it, my curiosity won out. When I picked up the phone I saw that it was a call from WV State University.  The voice on the other end said "I am calling to inform you that Todd has been accepted into our class for next semester," (the class he only needed if he got into med. school).  I knew in that moment that we had just received another one of our divine confirmations.

Weeks were passing as we waited for "the answer", this was the BIG DOOR!  We were now standing at the fork in the road that we had anxiously waited for.  Years of wanting to know what our future would hold was now upon us, we would finally know one way or the other what direction our lives were about to take.

 January 2009

We began to live and die by the click of the mouse.  Believe it or not you are notified of your acceptance through the computer first and then by letter.  Multiple times a day for weeks we would check his account for the words "Admission Accepted" or "Denied Acceptance."  I can still remember the feeling in my stomach every time we got ready to click the mouse to access his page. We were never sure when it would be "The Click," the moment that could redirect the rest of our lives and the lives of our children.

Todd was at work and I was home alone with kids.  I just wanted to take a quick peek, it couldn't hurt... I was confident that it wasn't going to reveal anything, just like the hundreds of times before.  But suddenly before me were the words "Admission Accepted," I felt my knees go weak and a thousand thoughts raced through my mind.  Life as we knew it had just ended and everything was about to change.  I think in the back of my mind I was still waiting on God to shut this door and move us on to a different plan (a simpler plan), but He chose this one.  This was such a bitter sweet moment for me, years of work and money had paid off, yet the change that laid before us was so overwhelming.

So I sat there, alone with God praising Him for His faithfulness and pleading with Him for strength.....

Better late than never....

Well I finally did it! I don't know if it was lack of opportunity or courage, but I finally plowed over the excuse and created my blog. I have wanted to do this for some time but I had to overcome the idea that "I" had nothing to say.....that statement even makes me laugh out loud! I decided to do it for my babies, there is just so much happening in our lives right now and I want to capture every moment of it. One day I hope that they will read these words and remember the amazing journey that God has led us on. We have come through so much and I hope to be able to go back and fill in all of the details that have brought us to the place we are today. We ran when we should have only have been able to crawl but because of a strength more powerful than our own we have been able to keep moving.

So if you feel so inclined to follow along on this journey with us, please understand that we are not perfect people. We make our mistakes daily (especially me), but know that our hearts will allows be in the right place. We make our amends, ask for forgiveness, and learn to be better because every mistake is an opportunity for learning humility and perseverance!

Flashback from Shutterfly

Score   

October 14, 2008

Todd Christopher scored three times in his game today.  I am not sure if it was because all of his practicing finally paid off or because Todd promised McDonalds if he scored a goal.  Whichever the case may be we are still very proud of him.

Pictures   

October 18, 2008

We went to Droop Mountain today to take some fall pictures. What an amazing view! The kids had a great time playing in the leaves and on the playground (which is what I used to bribe them through the pictures). It isn’t until I looked at the photos that I truly realized just how big they are getting.

Tests   

October 29, 2008

Well, we are in the middle of another round of tests (these are very stressful times for us). During test times Todd is gone a lot more and the kids get a lot less daddy time, which means mama is on fulltime duty. I know this is only temporary and we will get through it, but it is hard to watch Todd sacrifice so much of a "normal life" so he can study non-stop. He is going to take off a little time on Friday to go trick-or-treating with the kids, which should be a lot of fun. If we have learned anything it is to appreciate every moment we can share together no matter how big or small.

We are defiantly feeling the prayers so please keep them coming!

Funny  

October 29, 2008

Todd Christopher informed me the other day that he was going to be a school bus driver when he grows up (this comes after a recent field trip). He said that he was going to take kids to school in the morning and then go to his other job, building rockets during the afternoon, until it was time to pick up the children from school. Although it is interesting to say the least, I am thrilled that he at least has some ambition.

Homesick   

November 15, 2008

I realized something after this trip back to Charleston; I am more homesick than I realized. Don't get me wrong I love Lewisburg and our new house but there is something to be said for familiar faces and places. I didn't even realize that I was missing my old routines until I had a small taste of them again. We have so many wonderful memories back there and I guess they all came flooding back at once (triggering a small emotional awakening or breakdown whatever you want to call it). I am better now; maybe I just needed to have a moment!

Believe it or not Addyson will be a year old this Tuesday. To think that a whole year has passed since she was born just amazes me.

Please keep sending us your comments we love hearing from everyone!

Little Match Makers   

December 6, 2008

So tonight our little darlings decided to create a surprise for their mommy and daddy. They worked for at least two hours on setting up a restaurant in the girls bedroom. They made menus and signs (arrows lining the hallway directing us to their room). Finally, I asked them what they were doing and they said "making dinner for you and daddy so you can have a date." If that isn't the sweetest thing I don't know what is.... When Todd came in from studying they ushered us to the room where they had set a table for us with plates, silverware, and even a centerpiece (from Kayla’s princess tea party set). The closet was the restaurant’s kitchen where they prepared the food. The event came complete with a choreographed show to entertain us while we ate. I am so blessed to have such wonderful children! I think I will cherish this evening for the rest of my life.

I think Todd would agree that this was the best date we ever had!!!

Flashback from Shutterfly part II

The Race   

December 18, 2008

If you ever ran in a long distance race you know that there is a point in the race when you can finally catch a glimpse of the finish line. Still a good distance away but close enough to offer you a bit of hope. You know that this is where you must muster up the strength to not only finish but also somehow convince your exhausted body to sprint towards the line. You've worked to hard to go out with anything less than your best, but overcoming the toll the past few miles has taken on your body won't be easy. So with all that you have you begin to increase your speed and wonder if your efforts are being translated into results. Discouraged, exhausted, and hurting you press on at all cost because quitting is not an option….

This is where Todd is right now as he begins his 5th of seven finals. Please pray for his strength to endure what the next 24 hours brings. Although, this is only one leg of an exhausting marathon it does bring us a step closer to the goal.

Sick Babies  

January 13, 2009

Wow! What a rough few weeks health wise with the kids. They have all been so sick with everything from stomach viruses to pneumonia. I don't even have to sign in at the doctor’s office anymore, they get my paper work ready as soon as they see us.

Disney was great after the kids all got over their stomach viruses that they came down with on the first night. We still managed to see a lot and enjoy our time together. It brook my heart to see my babies feeling so badly when the really wanted to be excited. I knew just how bad it was when Todd Christopher didn't make much fuss over seeing the Power Rangers, if he had been well you wouldn't have been able to keep him in his skin. We did manage to chase down nearly every Disney character and get their autographs (this was a very big deal for us). It sure beat standing in line for rides for hours upon hours. We are so thankful for fast passes and parent swap, which made riding some rides easier!

I'll post pictures as soon as our rigorous routine of oral medications and breathing treatments (for all three) slows down.

We hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and a happy New Year.

Back To Reality  

January 28, 2009

Well it is very clear around the Bramlee house that vacation is behind us and reality is back. Todd just finished with six tests, two on Monday and four on Tuesday. Once again we survived the hardships that come along with testing time. We have a few weeks before we are back to that grind and until then we will just keep plugging along.

Poor little Addyson is having surgery on February 19 at CAMC Women and Children’s Hospital, they are putting tubes in her ears to alleviate all those nasty ear infections. Although, it is a relatively simple procedure she is still my baby and I can't help but worry.

We have prayerfully decided to homeschool the kids and took Todd Christopher out of public school after the holiday break. I can't be more excited about how well it is going. It amazes me how quickly they are picking up things and progressing. We have a lot of friends here that are also homeschooling and we get together weekly.

We hope everyone is doing well and not to affected by the winter weather (which by the way we have had none of here in Lewisburg, much to my children's disappointment). Stay warm and safe, you are all in our thoughts and prayers. We miss you dearly!

One Year Down, Almost!   

April 21, 2009

Well, believe it or not we are coming to the end of the first year. What a year it has been..... May 29th cannot get here fast enough, which is hard for me to say since I am not a person that ever wishes away time. We have been blessed a hundred times over this year and I am thankful beyond measure. There were so many times that it seemed so dark and every time the Lord shinned His light through only to reveal His amazing blessings. I am so unworthy of all the faithfulness that He has shown to us, and yet over and over again  He comes through. We have grown so much as a family, in ways that I never could have imagined. We have a new appreciation for so many little things in life, things that before we just seemed to look over. Please continue to pray us out of this first year, only a month and a half to go. Thank you for your love!

Miracle at Midnight

This journey all began when my husband told me that he thought he wanted to go to medical school. We hadn't been married long and I had already started school to earn a degree in elementary education. Now, I am a firm believer in God's will and allowing Him to direct us wherever He so chooses, but this seemed to me like it was going to be a stretch even for Him. Don't get me wrong, my husband is an intelligent man but we had a long way to go to get from Police Officer in Charleston to med school and becoming a doctor. So we did the only thing that we knew would work for sure.....we prayed.....and prayed.....and prayed. I guess you could say that we threw out the proverbial lambs wool and let God decide if this would be our journey.

After all the requirements were met and the do or die time approached, we began to feel the pressures of this life changing decision. So once again we turned to the only thing we knew, prayer! This time we decided to ask God to only open the doors that were part of His plan. Our fear of walking through a door that did not lead to His will was greater than any thing we could desire for ourselves. One by one doors began to open and they just kept leading us closer and closer to medical school (much to our surprise, I don't mind telling you).

The deadline for applications was approaching quickly and Todd had only one opportunity left to take the MCAT. So late one night I sat down to register him for the dreaded test, the one that seemed to determine our fate. My heart sank as I read the words "all seats full," over and over again. I checked a three state radius to see if anyone had any seats still available and found nothing. So I closed the computer at 11:30 PM and began to pray. "Lord if this is a door closing then we will accept it and begin to search once again for your will. I can't control this Lord, only you can, so if this is still your will then we need a miracle." A few moments later (11:50 to be precise) I mustered up the courage or faith I should say and tried again. What I saw next took my breath away, in big bold red letters across the web page it said

"New Seats Will Be Made Available At 12:00 AM."

I spent the next 10 minutes thanking the Lord for his faithfulness. Don't get me wrong if it had gone the other way I would have still thanked Him for His faithfulness. It was just nice to have divine confirmation that we hadn't veered of His path. This was just the first of many miracles that lead us to where we are today! 


We are proof that He is ALWAYS faithful!

Better late than never....

Well I finally did it! I don't know if it was lack of opportunity or courage, but I finally plowed over the excuses and created my blog. I have wanted to do this for some time but I had to overcome the idea that "I" had nothing to say.....that statement even makes me laugh out loud! I decided to do it for my babies, there is just so much happening in our lives right now that I want to capture every moment of it. One day I hope that they will read these words and remember the amazing journey that God has led us on. We have come through so much, I hope to be able to go back and fill in all of the details that have brought us to the place we are today. We ran when we should only have been able to crawl but because of a strength more powerful than our own we have been able to keep moving.

So if you feel so inclined to follow along on this journey with us, please understand that we are not perfect people. We make our mistakes daily (especially me), but know that our heart will allows be in the right place. We make our amends, ask for forgiveness, and learn to be better because every mistake is an opportunity for us to learn humility and perseverance!