Thanks to their Aunt Jill and their doting daddy...

My kids have awesome rooms!

Mike did all the carpentry, and Aunt Jill (my sister) did the murals. Aren't they amazingly talented?? 

All I did was accessorize.

Eva in her room- right before her first birthday

Samuel's room

We moved the crib and changing table to his room, and now Eva has a big girl bed and a new glider.

Mike even did the wallpaper :)

Best Husband Ever (pics of new basement)

Last October Mike began our basement finishing project.  He worked tirelessly on weekends and during the evenings to provide this new living space for our family for about 3 months. I can hardly even begin to describe how happy I was when it was over for one reason- I HAD MY HUSBAND BACK!!  I had a little taste of what it might be like to be a single parent those few months, and I didn't like it one bit!! But my man got the job done- almost all by himself. Thanks to my mom who helped with painting, my dad who helped with painting and drywall, mike's dad who helped with drywall, and our brother in law's neil and bryan for help with painting. Seriously though, he did literally everything else himself and alone. He's absolutely amazing, and the finished project (pics below) is almost as amazing as he is :)

BEFORE

EGRESS WINDOW INSTALLED

FRAMING AND STUDS

DRYWALL, PAINT, CARPET, TRIMWORK (and Eva)

AFTER: 

DREAM PLAY, LOUNGE, WORKOUT SPACE FOR OUR GROWING FAMILY

              FULL BATH

I'm Believing God

Several years ago I did a Beth Moore study entitled, "Believing God". It changed my life- really changed my thinking.  Her overall challenge was to forget about believing IN God, and focus on believing God:
That He is who He says He is.
That He can do what He says He can do.
That I am who God says I am.
That I can do all things through Christ.
That God's Word is alive and active in me.

In other words, the study began a process in me of taking God at His Word. As if He wanted to really cement the concept in me, God began to take me through various struggles so that I could prove that I really meant it- "God, I believe you!!"
The most recent came a few Tuesdays ago when I got a phone call. One of the scariest phone calls that I have had in my whole life, and I hope that they don't get any scarier in the future. Bottom line: my dad has prostate cancer. The word that strikes fear in people instantaneously now applied to my very own dad. Of course, my human mind went right to all the what ifs, and then all the things that I learned in that study 3 years ago came flooding back, including my "Five Statement Pledge of Faith" (posted above). And I just said, out loud, to God, "I believe that You are who You say You are- the Great Physician. That You can do what You say You can do- Heal the sick. That I am who you say I am- loved, whole, chosen, redeemed. That I can do all things through Christ- even endure this trial. That Your Word is alive and active in me- the God who created the heavens and the earth hears and answers my prayers. I'm choosing today to believe You, Lord."
My dad does have cancer. There are a lot of unanswered questions. The cancer is in its early stages and there is great hope that He will be fine. My heart is at peace despite a great amount of uncertainty. I am praying that my dad has many wonderful years ahead of Him and that Evangeline and Samuel will have many more wonderful memories of their Papa- that they will know him and love him the way that I do. It is a privilege to be the daughter of such an amazing man. My dad rules! He is the best man I have ever known. No matter what happens next- God be glorified! I will trust Him because I believe Him.

My Dad & Evangeline on Easter

My Dad & Samuel on Easter

My Dad & Eva- Christmastime 2008