Thursday, April 19, 2012

In whom shall I place my trust?

Sometimes, I wish I could just start things over. Go back to my junior year of high school and make better choices and choose different directions. Sadly, then I probably wouldn't have my wonderful husband or my beautiful two children. That just wouldn't work. I may enjoy getting to do it over but then I would regret having given up my wonderful family.

Sometimes I think I should go back to just a few years back...before I became a stay at home mom. Maybe I should have just given into the pressures and went against my beliefs. Things would surely be different today. That is for sure. Sadly, then I would have to live with knowing that I had done less than my best. That won't work either.

Sometimes, I regret ever moving to SC. We left family and got into severe debt by going out on our own. That really would not have worked though. I would not have met my beautiful LaMiracle. She is such a perfect fit into our small but perfect life. I cannot imagine having not met her. She is now a permanent part of my heart. Staying in MI would definitely not have worked.

Aren't these horrid thoughts anyway? That's just me. I am a horrible, sinful person and that why we are going through these struggles in the first place. The world is sinful, and we all have to face those consequences in some ways. Some less than others.

The good thing is that I have God on my side. I can pray those thoughts away. I can read my bible and know that God is good. I have no idea why He allows families to go through struggles, why He allows children to die, why He has allowed cancer to run rampant, why He leads us in ways that I cannot understand. I do, however, know that God allows all of these things for a very perfect reason. After all, He is perfect. I also understand that every trial makes us stronger and draws us closer to Him if we trust Him. I choose to trust Him.

In reality, I wouldn't take any of it back. I wouldn't, couldn't change even one thing about where we are today. God's plans are not my plans. He has given me, my whole family really, so much. We have our health, and we are together. This roller coaster of life is completely scary and mind boggling, but He gave me the BEST people to enjoy the ride with! They even let me scream once in awhile when I'm scared out of my mind....or just plain cranky.

Thank you Lord for my family. Thank you for all that You have given us. I'm so sorry for every being ungrateful.

"As for me and my house, We will serve the Lord" Joshua 24:16

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Easter 2012

We had a WONDERFUL Easter! My kids had spring break the week before and my parents came all the way from Michigan to enjoy the fun week! We don't see them enough so every chance to see them is  made as fun as possible! We spent a lot of time just visiting. I love that I have a close family. It does my heart good to see all the cousins playing together and the adults visiting and laughing!

The kids colored 7 dozen eggs....WOW! It sounds like a lot but everybody had to take some home so we needed tons! Everybody had fun trying to be artistic for a few hours!
Earlier in the week, my parents van that they drove down started to have some issues. My dad had already put a large amount of money into fixing it up and was really upset to have another major part go out while they were close to 900mi away from home! After getting it into a mechanic down here and after much prayer, they decided that they would buy a new car. They had been planning to do so in the fall anyway....so it all worked out OK! My mom was beyond happy to get her dream car! She raised five kids and almost always bought used....this is her first new car!!

On Sunday, we all got up and got ready for church. I, of course, had to snap a few family pictures. My kids have gotten so big! They both looked great in their new outfits!

After church, we headed to my sister Christy's house for a huge dinner and an Easter egg hunt! This is a picture of my wonderful family minus one brother in law. He had to work:(


I love, love these people. God has been so good to me in giving me this family! We had so much fun together and made lots of memories! Here are a few more of the family pictures...

The Splan Clan

All because two people fell in love!


After our big, wonderfully tasty dinner, the kids geared up for our big Easter egg hunt. They all got a ton of candy! The kids really enjoyed it!

Nana and Papa love to spoil the grand kids. They gave each kid a little bunny that could be stuffed with candy. It was pre-stuffed by Nana of course...with nothing but sugar:) The kids loved it!  Thank you Nana and Papa!


All in all, it was a great week! We were all sad to see it come to an end! In all of our celebrating, we all took the time to remember the wonder of the day. He is risen! Our wonderful Savior! Praise the Lord for His wonderful gift to us!

I hope you all had a pleasant Easter too!