I know you've been waiting in great anticipation!

Wow!  I have not posted anything in a long time!  I'm sure that you all have been waiting to hear from me, pulling your hair out wondering what's going on!  LOL

I had a stressful fall.  Four craft fairs, Operation Christmas Child, class parties, MOPS, volunteering at church ... I was busy!  Now that things have calmed down, I can actually write!

*I have been doing awesome with keeping up with my daily Bible readings!  I have already finished reading 16 books!  I have been using the YouVersion app on my iPhone.  The reading plans on there are great for me!  I am currently doing a 30 day plan through the Gospels, but I usually finish them early.  I have bookmarked SO many passages!  When I finish, it will be my first time reading through the whole Bible!  I am looking forward to that accomplishment!  I have also been doing daily devotions in addition to reading through the Bible.  I am finding myself slowing shedding the anxiety that I usually feel during daily life.  I am SURE that it if from the comfort that God's word provides!

*In the spring, Jon and I did Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace class at church.  It was VERY motivating!  We have incorporated many of the things that he taught us into our financial planning.  Not everything was "right" for us, but I think that no matter which financial study you do, there will always be things that you need to tweak in order to make it fit your situation.  We are very close to being debt free (aside from our mortgage), which is a very exciting thing!  I always had the mind set that debt is just a part of life, but now I see that it is something that weighs you down and keeps you from realizing the potential for your life!  We have set our semi-long term goals for buying property and building a home.  I posted it in my dining room where I can see it everyday.  Hopefully that will help me work harder toward getting out of debt and saving up for our dream home!

*We had a wonderful craft fair season!  Three of the four craft fairs exceeded my expectations, the fourth was a flop.  That's ok though, it evened out.  I have made my plan for 2012 and am excited to get to work!  I learn ways to make things better every year!  We are locked into to GREAT booth spaces for next year!  We networked with some wonderful and talented crafters, which is important so that we can get the "scoop" on which fairs are doing well! 

*Christmas was great!  Spending time with family, celebrating the birth of our Savior is so special!  Having Madelynne home from school for winter break was so much fun!  I can't wait until summer break!

Some amazing things happened over Christmas and some sad things happened as well.  The Lord is so mysterious.  A woman who was my neighbor my entire childhood passed away tragically and my dad's cousin also passed away.  A family member of mine was blessed financially by an anonymous donor.  It was a substantial amount of money and it was exactly what he needed at that time.  This reaffirms my belief that the Lord hears us ... The exact gift that he needed at the exact time that he needed it! 

*Now January is here.  Surprises keep coming!  Via Facebook, I have connected with an entire side of my family that I haven't met since I was a baby!  I learned a little "claim to fame" ... Allyn Stout, who was my Granny's uncle (I think that's right) was a pitcher for the Cardinals from 1931 to 1933.  He then went on to play for the Cincinnati Reds, New York Giants and the Boston Braves.

Allyn Stout

Kaitlyn is getting ready to turn 2 this month!  I can't believe how fast time has flown by!  She is talking up a storm!  It seems like she learns new words everyday and she is forming sentences!  It is so cute hearing her gab!
Madelynne is doing great in first grade!  She is a straight A student and is an advanced reader in her class!  She loves school most days ... others she gets "bored" with the work.  She has an awesome teacher who she loves!