WOW it has been awhile!

I know that it has been awhile since I posted. Things have been busy and a little up and down. We have had a very trying few months and we are still on the roller coaster. Mike still hasn't found a steady job yet, and is working for a temporary service. It has been very hard on us, but God is getting us through it. Many struggles that we have really only God knows. I see the stress on Mike's face and some days it just breaks my heart. He is currently working very hard and doing what he needs to, to support our family. God has taught us many lessons during this journey. Some of them have taken us a little longer to learn than others. I am not going to paint this beautiful picture of how everything is working out perfectly and we have just been on the same page all of the time. We haven't, it has been one of the hardest things that we have had to do. Some days I find myself on my knees crying wondering when this situation will ever be over, some days we just do what we have to to get through the day, some days I have even said,"God are you there, do you see this". Not one of my finest moments, but a human moment all the same, what is wonderful about God is that even in those moments, he is still right there waiting for me to get over my pity party and jump back into things head first. But then we have those days also, where we know with every ounce of our hearts that we are so much better off than most of the world, where God reminds us that we have 3 awesome children and each other and really along with those things and God that is all we really need. He also reminds me of just how great of a husband I have and just how much Mike loves me and our family. He also reminds us of what he has already gotten us through and tells us that he isn't done with us yet and has so much more to use us for. We have definitely found out who our friends are, and who will truly be there when we need them. Our friends have been awesome as well as our wonderful church family. My sister and brother have been very good supports. My sister sends me encouraging emails and telephone calls and she listens to me when my day (or week) isn't so good. We have had friends loan us a vehicle and friends who have given me rides to work. We have had friends give us gifts at just the right time, and ones to give us prayer just when we needed it. Besides Mike, I have two best friends who I vent to and who offer me encouragement, I don't know what I would have done without them, they are true friends! Mike has had a best friend who has been there and just seemed to know when Mike needed him most. On the good and bad days they are there to listen and to offer support and to remind us that God is in control and is there. Then in those little moments God shows his face more than ever and reminds us that overall, he is in control.
I know that recently we have talked to Thomas' birthfather for Thomas' birthday. I know that during the phone call, he wished Thomas a happy birthday and wished him many more, then something he said really stuck with me and just brought tears to my eyes, he said, "Do good in school and listen to your mom and dad", then he said "you grow up and be a good person". That was his wish for his son. Not to have the next popular gaming system, or to have everything materially in the world, or to go to the most expensive places, or buy him everything he wants, but just to grow up to be a good person. Don't get me wrong, it is OK to want things for your kids and enjoy getting them things and having high expectations for them, but in a world where people are so consumed with everything materially and having the best of everything and putting themselves so far in debt for material things, we really need to remember that the most important thing we can give our kids is raising them to be "good people" and to follow God. His comment will always stick with me and I recorded their conversation so that one day Thomas can have those memories and hear his birthfather's voice, but I will share with Thomas just how those simple words touched my heart. Mike and I will raise Thomas with those words in our heart has well, we will work to raise him and our other children to most importantly follow God daily and to be "a good person". And I thank God for all of the "good people" in my life.

(hopefully it won't be so long until my next post:))