Where am I?

Do you ever feel like you're having a hard time finding yourself, because as soon as you catch up with yourself, you're somewhere else?

Yes, I know that's life and everybody feels that way, but I really can't seem to remember if I left myself at the really large pile of boxes still upstairs w-a-i-t-i-n-g to be attacked or the upstairs computer slowly slogging through quickbooks tutorials or the downstairs computer getting our HSA account together or in the laundry room doing... laundry or getting Emma (who is sick today) chicken broth or trying to create files for the piles.

O well, I'm sure I'll end up somewhere.

In the meantime I just found out that a dear friend of mine has her own etsy shop for her beautiful hand painted cards. She has given me some of her cards as a gift, and I love them. They are truly hand painted by someone who genuinely wants to make people feel special. Kristen is someone I had the opportunity to "mentor" while she was a part of our youth group in Iowa. I always felt the most blessed by our time together. She and her husband and sweet baby girl are now here in Dallas while her hubby attends DTS. Check out her cards at thelittlestdaisy.etsy.com

May you know where you are today!

WOOOO-HOOOO!!!

I think that's how to spell what I'm excitedly yelling (just on the inside, because my children are sleeping).

We are officially UP AND OPERATIONAL. Mark's Brothers Big World Coffee Roasters has a website - and it's working! We are still finding little revision items everyday, so bear with us as we continue to tweak, but please visit us at:
www.marksbrotherscoffee.com

This is a huge step, which is why I'm having my little celebration on the inside. For all of you wonderful locals who have been so encouraging, please come see us at the roastery when you have a chance. Our hours are 10:00 - 2:00, Monday - Friday (and whenever else you see us there), and as exciting as filling coffee orders is, I'd so much rather visit with real people. We don't have our sign up just yet, but again, that's in the works. We're on the southwest corner of Park and Central Expressway - right near the Asel Art and behind Fishmonger's: 1915 Central Expressway, Suite 340, Plano, TX 75075

You are awesome; God is faithful; hills are being gotten over...

WOOOOOO-HOOOOO!

spring break fun

Fun at home

Fun at the roastery

Greg and Brian (Mark's Brothers) hard at work

Grace...

So I can tell Grace is feeling right at home when I walk into my kitchen and see this on my chalkboard...

She is a super confident artist, firmly believing that every piece of her original artwork deserves public acknowledgement and exposure. All she needed was to find my box of magnets.

And here is her most recent rendering of "how germs are shared" - her primary topic of conversation lately...

I thoroughly enjoyed taking her to the park today to enjoy the gorgeous spring weather. She was so happy to be in a sandbox full of wet, cool sand that she was inspired to skip and sing and dance while barefoot most of the time she was in it - pure joy expressing itself - fabulous!

Ammenities

This is my "I have a home, internet, and my camera all at the same time" post! Thank you for all of your wonderful comments and words of encouragement.

We are eagerly anticipating our first company in our new home: Jenny, Emmali, my Mom, my sweet sister Erika with new baby Stevenson hiding inside and precious now one-year-old Lucy. ALL AT THE SAME TIME! We'll be dodging boxes as we make our way around here, but I am so excited and I'm thinking it sounds like a seriously fun unpacking party in the making.

Now for some pictures, finally:

Here it is!

Grace enjoying her toys in her new room. We still haven't gotten the beds put together.

Abby working on homework at our kitchen table.

Emma crafting, of course, in her room.

Greg and I getting cozy in our computer nook; my arms are obviously not quite long enough to be taking self-portraits. That would be why it's all us and no nook, but that's okay we just started putting it together today.

One of my favorite spaces: our library/reading room with a view to the butler's pantry from the kitchen. This is one room that is almost done.

Thanks for your friendship; we can't wait to have you over!

Let the roots sink

WE HAVE MOVED INTO OUR HOUSE! We won't have normal amenities like internet access or home phone or t.v. for another week, but we love our home and feel so blessed to be in it. As soon as I feel a bit more together (and have internet access), I'll post some pictures.

Emma started at her new school yesterday and loved it! I was prepared for the terrible and scary first day, but instead I had a daughter who was so eager to go back she woke me up this morning at 6:15 a.m. fully dressed and ready for school saying, "You aren't up yet; it's already 6:15!"

"Yes, Emma, the alarm doesn't go off until 6:30. We don't have to leave for another hour and 20 minutes."

She didn't remember all of those details.

Abby starts school Tuesday. Grace is loving having her dress up clothes back. Greg is firing up his roaster, and my kitchen is completely unpacked.

God is good.