My Friends, My Friends.

We’ve been busy around these parts, but then again – what’s new?

1. Sydney is being married on Saturday!

Everything will be beautiful, and she is so excited.  Her fiancé is Briant, and we couldn’t have asked for a better addition to our family.  He is kind, works hard, dependable, giving, he has a darling laugh, he loves dogs (which is a HUGE plus for Syd), and most of all – he reminds me of Jon.  Seriously people, he looks like Jon so much, it almost creeps me out sometimes.  It isn’t exactly, but enough to make me do a double take quite often.

2. We are MOVING!

We have decided to move across town into a beautiful home, that has more room for our very large family.  Our house now is a good size, but the rooms are rectangular and have lots of slopped ceilings that make it hard to put drawers against the walls for clothing storage, and the closets are very small.  This home has huge square bedrooms, and a TON of storage space.  No more messy garage, filled with decorations.  They will have a nice little home inside the house.  I will show more pictures over the next  few weeks, but here is one of Marley to get started.

3. I started working out at EXL Fitness again.

It is really hard, but I can already begin to see results.  I have a long ways to go after my health issues over the past few years, but it will pay off.  I am trying to focus on the end goal, and not just how I feel right now when I look in the mirror.

4.  I attended a week long trip to Seattle Washington for the council I was asked to be on.  (Alliance National of Parents Partnership Council)  We had many days of conversation with the National Children’s Trust Fund Leadership, to work on problems such as abuse, neglect, and using strength based support systems such as the five protective factors framework.  The parent’s council will be making a companion guide for the Strengthening Families online training guide, for the parents.  Lots of work to be done, but it will be awesome! I got to go with one of my favorite people, Barbara Leavitt.

You see, we had fun!

I will miss the lady being next door, more than anything I can begin to imagine.

I year and a half ago, I had a dream of her husband.  He has passed on, and left behind Barbara and four daughters.  She has become my biggest hero, and one of my closest friends.  I look up to her and will  strive to emulate the kind of person she is, for the rest of my life.

In the dream, her husband told us that I only had 18 months left to live next to Barbara, and to enjoy every day of it because we wouldn’t ever live by each other again.  I have been wanting to move for awhile, and it helped me to stay put for a bit.  I really didn’t believe that in the end, it would be the exact month that we would move.  Messages come to us in interesting ways sometimes.

Have a great Holiday season!

When I get more pictures of the house, I will post some.  It has been so fun picking out furniture and decorating to my hearts content.  I love colors, textures, and design.