Where have we been?

So, we didn't end up updating this like we'd hoped. The truth was, we were at the start of a rough journey and I was having a hard time not writing about what I was really feeling. In June 2009 we started our journey to start a family, and we knew it might not be easy. By October, the last post before this, we were worried might be looking at a long road. We were correct. After a lot of stress, tears, prayers, and craziness, we have our daughter! Lucienne was born on May 5, 2012, was placed with us on May 7, and she is a light! (Literally, her name means light :-) ). Here is what else we've been up to in the last three years:

* We moved! Matthew was laid off from Lockheed Martin in September 2010 and got a job back in the Central Texas area that same month. I followed in October, and we sold our house almost 2 years ago. It sounds crazy, but this was an answer to prayer. We wanted so badly to be back "home". Matthew getting laid off meant we didn't have to pay back what Lockheed had paid for his school, and we got the chance to move back where our hearts were.

*Matthew finished school! He graduated in January with his bachelor's degree. He worked so hard, for so long. The last three years of school he was married, a home owner, a full time student, and working full time. I am so proud of him and all his hard work. He didn't get much downtime since Lucie was born just a few months after he finished school, but he enjoyed his few months off.

* Matthew is working on helicopters (his real love) and I have a dream-come-true job at a Methodist church here in the area. I work part time, and get to work with kids, senior adults, and people of all ages every day. I get to show them that the church loves them, that God loves them, and help them grow in their faith. Every day is a fun challenge.

*After living in a tiny two bedroom apartment (and downsizing from a three bedroom house), we are finally getting into something permanent. We just signed a contract to build a house here in the town where we live. We are hoping to move in by April and throw a house warming/Lucie's first birthday/Cinco de Mayo party.

I will try to be better about writing in this, but no promises. I've got an almost crawling-almost 6 month old, a busy job ("part time" means I only get paid part time- I work strange hours and work until the job is done), an apartment to keep clean and organized, a family to feed, and a husband to spend time with. But this will be a good place to document the changes in our lives, and we have a lot of them coming up in the next few months.