Long time

I've gotten into the habit I wanted to avoid, so I am breaking it today! I've missed out on updating on the last few major holidays/events in our lives, so this may be a long one.

We had so much fun with our family at Christmas and are so thankful for their generosity to us and their willingness to put up with us for so long at their house! :)It's amazing to me that I now have a 2 year old! Corrie's birthday was the day after Christmas and we celebrated with our family at Pappy and Mimi's. She had so much fun opening presents and eating cake! I am so thankful for her and cannot imagine life without her silliness and sweet spirit. It's so fun to watch her grow from a tiny baby who cried all the time into a little girl with a personality and humor that is so distinct in just 2 years! I can't believe we'll have another soon that will be like her in two years! I also had the pleasure of being in my best friend, Joy Armstrong Mason's, wedding! She was so gracious by allowing me to be in her wedding party when I am so pregnant that I needed a different dress! We were able to spend good time together the week leading up to the wedding catching up on life. I've missed her, but am so excited about the life she is starting with Randall! We love you both! When we arrived back in Clemson, we geared up to tell our church about our decision, with the pastors of Crosspoint Church, to follow God's leading to plant a church in Mauldin, SC. As of last Wednesday night, it was out in the open and we had a great, encouraging response from those in our congregation and youth ministry. We are so excited about this adventure that God has called us to join Him in and were glad that others could also see His hand at work in our lives to confirm His leading. We will be moving to Columbia and Rock Hill over the summer to raise our support and will hopefully be on the ground in the Upstate in August/September. We would love your prayers and support as we move forward! Corrie finally went pee pee on the potty last week for the first time! I've been putting her on the toilet every night before her bath, waiting a couple of minutes, handing her toilet paper to wipe her dry bottom, then flushing the toilet just to get her used to the motions. Last week, I did the same thing, expecting the same results, but heard the sound of quietly flowing water! I said, "Oh, Corrie!" really loud and scared her so she stopped, but after some reassurance, she finished and wiped a wet bottom this time! :) I've never been so excited about someone peeing! Hopefully this will continue and we will only have one child in diapers...

And speaking of that one child, only 5 weeks left before my due date! I am largely pregnant at the moment and so ready to hold this little one and know what has been growing in my belly for the last nine months! Matt is still not talking about names as my "punishment" for not letting him find out the sex, but I have my list ready so we can choose when he or she shows up! We're so excited!

Last major event in our lives over the last few weeks occured this past Thursday as I was teaching my class of adults. I was in the middle of a lesson with the lights off (because we were using the projector) when one of my students came in and turned the lights on. I looked at him like he was crazy and was about to say, "What are you doing?" when I saw a cameraman and reporter behind him! My "What are you doing?" turned into "What in the world is going on?" and I was informed that he had nominated me for WYFF News Channel 4's Golden Apple Teacher Award. The reporter and cameraman stayed for about 45 minutes to video my classroom and did an interview with me, and it showed on the 5 o'clock news that night! You can click here to see the video. It was great exposure for our program (we've already had one student come in to start classes because he saw the segment on the news), and it was a great way for me to go out! As of the arrival of this new baby, I will officially be a stay-at-home mom! I have loved my work as a teacher and am so excited to see how God has prepared me through that career to be at home full-time with my kids - patience, motivation, planning, goal-setting, facilitating, and so many more skills I have learned as a teacher that will carry over into my home.

Please be praying for us as we make these transitions - that God would be glorified in us, that we would be sensitive to God the Holy Spirit as He guides and teaches us, that the relationships we've developed would endure the move, and that Corrie would adjust well as she has many relationships and won't fully understand when she no longer sees those she loves everyday.

For more Christmas and Birthday pictures click here.