Work, Playgrounds and Beth Moore!

I kinda still can't believe that we are doing this whole seminary thing.  Oh it is all very real ... but I am often amazed at how God brought us to this place and at this time in our lives.  He is so creative!  And as Beth Moore so aptly put it this week ... NOT BORING!!

The past couple of weeks have been a bit of a blur.  Bryan started training at work last week and worked 5 nights in a row - with a double shift on Saturday.  So I was pretty burnt out on motherhood by the end of the weekend to say the least.  But alas, Monday came (which may be quickly becoming my favorite day of the week - weird!) and I had my husband home for a few days.  So nice!  Then he went in last night for his "final exam" and he passed with flying colors!  Woo hoo!   It was a bit overwhelming for him to have to study for work (learning the menu) and study for school - so we are so thankful that training is done!  And now he is working for the next 4 nights with a double shift on Saturday again.  At least now he will be making tips!  I think they are trying to give him the best shifts since this is a slower time of the year for restaurants and they know that he has a family and is in school - such a blessing in that respect.  But for Mama and kiddos - we are missing him.  So we are trying to fill our time with fun stuff until sweet Monday arrives (Bryan can't work on Monday because of his night class).

So you might be asking, "Corrie, what do you and the kids do while Bryan is studying or working?"  Well I can answer that in one word ... playground!  Jordan has made some really sweet friends here and loves to play outside with them.  Most of them are boys - so one game she is getting really into is Star Wars!  That's my girl!  I think we are going to have to have a Star Wars movie night soon so she can have some context and know that she can be Princess Leia. =)  And check this out, her birthday is coming up and she is asking for "a gun, a guitar, a puppy and chocolate."  Thankfully, the dog that she wants is a stuffed animal.  She cracks me up!

A fun trick she learned from Daniel.


This is Daniel Chapin - such cute friends!

Drew may be the one that is missing Daddy the most.  He is always really upset when Bryan leaves and asks for him a few times throughout the day.  Thankfully, he is being a bit of a momma's boy right now so that is actually helpful.  He has started to say a few more words this week which is really encouraging.  He has just been so much slower to talk and it has made me curious about this hearing - but I have talked to a number of people who say that can be pretty common in boys.  It just makes this stage harder when he is frustrated that I can't understand him - which makes me frustrated.  So we are working on that.

On Tuesday night we got to go on a date!!  It was much needed and so much fun (thanks for watching the kiddos Aunt Kat)!  We went to a Mexican restaurant that had an amazing patio.  We ate great food, talked, laughed, and just enjoyed being together outside in this beautiful weather!  We watched the sunset and were in no hurry.  We were there for probably an hour and half.  We tried to take a few pictures, but they don't quite do justice for the view.  We really did have such a great time.

Our view!

A huge highlight for me this week has been this Beth Moore Bible Study that I am going to on Wednesdays!  It is at a church close by and we are doing her new study which is called Inheritance - and it is going to be awesome!  This was the first week and it just got me so excited about what God is going to do this semester.  One of the things she talked about was that life with Jesus is NOT boring!  It is an exciting and wild ride!!!  She used the example of driving vs. riding in a car.  When YOU are driving, you know when you are going to turn and where you are going.  You are in control so the drive can be fairly boring.  And then she asked "How can you be on a wild ride when you are in the driver's seat?"  I feel like I got thrown out of the driver's seat this past spring when we were faced with the decision to go to seminary.  But man, what an exciting adventure it has been.  And I am so thankful that my Daddy is driving this car and not me - because he is going places that I could have never imagined!  He is so amazingly good.

This whole blogging thing is still a bit funny for me because a number of people have said that they are keeping up with us through it - which is awesome!  But it is just cool to me that friends like you actually read my scatterbrained thoughts and care about what is going on in our lives here in Colorado.  It honestly means more to me than I would have ever thought it would.  So thank you for caring and praying for us.  We love you all so dearly. 

Prayer Requests:
- Please continue to pray for us financially.  That God would provide exactly what we need in mighty ways.
- Pray for Bryan as he in now "on his own" at work.  Pray that things go smoothly.
- Pray for Bryan as he is trying to balance family time, study time and work.  It is a LOT!
- Pray for the kids and I - that we would make the most of every day.