Long Overdue!

I'm sorry it's been so long since I've written. Things around here are busy as usual. Let's backtrack a bit: Joshua is 15 months and started walking at 13 1/2 months. He's quite good at it now, though still has his falls and gets beautiful bruises on his noggin. He's saying...well, mimicking...lots of words like shoes, hi, mama, dada, socks, five (very random). He knows the meanings of so many things, it seems like we discover something new each day. He also likes to mimick sounds that the dog and cat make. He's a pretty good boy, though he's getting quite a bit into the defiance, not obeying Daddy and Mommy though he knows exactly what we're saying, and now hitting. He even hit other kids at church on Sunday- what a bully! If you know of any good Christian parenting books, please let me know!

Also, last week we found out that Joshua is going to be a big brother. Did you have to read that twice? That's right, your eyes did not deceive you. We're going to have another baby! BIG surprise to us, because we were going to wait another 6 months to try! God is so good. About a month ago now I was having a few stressful days, totally overwhelmed with all of my responsibilities, stressed that the shop had been very slow for sales. The Lord really laid it on my heart that I should discontinue my Etsy shop, in fact my business altogether. My priorities have been out of whack for months and everything seems to be suffering. So I prayed about it and committed to quitting the shop for now. I really need to sell as much as possible first, but hopefully most of that will be done by the end of next month. Anyway, I got such a peace when praying about this and even started to look forward to another baby (I haven't felt this way since Joshua was born because I haven't wanted him to grow up). Well, it was pretty much exactly when the Lord changed my heart that I conceived- completely unknowingly. If that isn't confirmation, I don't know what is!

Matt has been busy with his classes and work and getting in shape. He applied for the firefighter 1 academy which is mostly good experience and good for your resume. They only allow a limited number of applicants to take the physical abilities test, and then there is an interview. This physical is extremely difficult and Matt took it Saturday and passed! Thank you, Lord! Interviews are in December and if he gets this we're in for a long 4 or 5 months. He'll be working, driving to Bakersfield for the academy two weeknights from 6-10 pm and all weekend 8-5. Plus, he'll possibly take his very last class online as well as do his best to be there for Joshua and I. But we trust God to get us through if given the opportunity!

I will try to get some new pics up of Joshua soon, but I just wanted to finally write, especially since my yahoo email is being lame and hasn't been working the past few days. I hope all is well and you're experiencing the Lord's blessings to the fullest as we approach a day of Thanksgiving!