Chapter Closed

  I never in a million years thought I would be writing this post!  As most of you know, my life has been a roller coaster since I last posted in February.  I guess you can say the coaster spun out of control!  To say the least! 

Since this post is going to be a part of the book that I am having published of this blog (for the boys to have) I am just going to say it how it is.... First and foremost, I feel blessed for everything that I have been given in life!  I truly do live life's dream by being a mother to the most 2 amazing boys ever!  My failing marriage never made me question the fact that I was living a dream with the boys! 

To look back over the last 15 years of my life is very humbling and bittersweet!  It definitely is not filled with ALL bad memories!  We had lots of good ones, but some things just cannot be mended!  It is a very difficult decision to pick up 2 little ones and move them out of a situation where they felt secure.....however, at this point I would not change it for the world!  For the first time in a long time, I feel aLiVe! and not under the scrunity of a power-driven object!

The boys and I have moved into Rocky Grove and are loving our new house!  Garrett has met a very special friend that actually lives 2 doors down from where Rocky lived!  We speak of Rocky frequently these days because Matt lives so close to her old house and to be honest, I would give anything to talk to her right now!  Kurt and I were separated once before and I lived with her for about 3 months!  It was 3 months that I wouldn't change for anything!  If only I had taken her advice then!  She could clearly see the road I was headed down back then!  She would always tell me stories about how grandpa would do certain things that meant so much to her and that I should feel the same way and receive treatment of such.....it was clear to me how much she loved that man and his love for her back!  When I went back home after my 3 month stay with her, she said to mark her words....that I would be back in this situation again someday!  That has stuck with me through this!  I have spent many nights asking her for guidance, even though I can't physically hear her voice I know she has answered me!

It is my intention to start a different blog of our new journey!  I will keep you posted....I hope to get it started soon because we are having a great summer this far!  For now, please keep the boys and I in your prayers!  Sending love to you all!

Fun in the Snow!

~* Almost Halfway to 40! *~

WoW ~ when thinking about my birthday this year, I thought "I am almost halfway to 40!"  I never thought I would ever be this old!  I remember turning 30 and thinking "Oh my goodness, my twenties have passed me by!"  To some that may be scary, but I refuse to let a number that represents how many years I have been given to live on this earth and be with those that I love, make me do anything but be happy. Today I am thinking about all the amazing things that have happened to me in my twenties and thirties (this far!) and I am looking ahead in anticipation for all the great things to come in the other half of my 30's!


In my twenties I became an aunt to the 2 best girls! I got married (much too young, I must say! ha!), graduated from college, became a mother to the one of the most amazing boys ever! (yes, I know that I am slightly parcial!) and earned my Master's Degree.  I also got to teach many wonderful children while enduring my twenties!  I then was blessed to turn 30.  It was then that I became a mother to the other most amazing boy I have ever known, earned my Autism Certificate and Special Education Supervisor's Certificate.  I continue to be blessed with the most amazing children in my classroom, landing a new job at Franklin that I LOVE! 

Don't get me wrong, everyday is not flowers and sausages!  I have lost 2 baby girls and 2 grandparents in my life during the past decade that have shaped the person that I have become and have endured many heartaches!  I try not to dwell on the mishappenings, but to gain strength from them!  I hope and pray that in six years, the night before my 40th birthday, that I am refecting and cherishing even more memories than I am today. So now here are some pictures of the two darlings that make my days AMAZING...

Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty."

John 6:35

~* How Do YoU Like It? *~

  So, I ventured out and transformed this blog to something new!  I am really liking the design and hope you guys do too!  I need to get this printed in book format and I think the design will be just perfect for that!

The new name.....Miraculous Memories was ok, it was a fly by night name for me!  I chose Life's Dream after the Lake Erie boat that my family had while growing up!  Kinda wierd I know, but I remeber as a young girl asking my dad and grandfather why they would name the boat "Life's Dream"  I mean come on, can't you come up with something better than that?  My grandfather responded "It is like living a dream when we are out here fishing on Lake Erie.  It is Life's Dream".  And that it was!  It was a dream to him.....kinda like my life is to me right now!  I love being a mom, I love my new job and I am just overall loving life!  So, how much more fitting can the name be?

I am really going out on a limb making that statement above as we have been couped up in this house for the past 2 days!  We have had snow/ice storms and 2 snow days in a row!  The boys are about ready to explode! and me too! ha!  I put on Facebook that I am going to work tomorrow NO.MATTER.WHAT! ha!  I hated missing today because we had a lot of fun things planned for Groundhog's Day!  It won't be the same doing the activities tomorrow!  We have tried passing the time with fun things to do.....if you call playing in the snow fun, which I don't :(  lol!  Anways, enjoy the pictures!

 Wally loves the snow!  If the kids are outside, Wallace has to be out there with them! 

 Garrett made his own snowman!  He didn't want to work on one with Ethan and Kurt!

 The snowman that Kurt and Ethan made....no face :(

 Wally helping Ethan get snowballs ready to throw at Garrett!

~* Some New Changes *~

So with a new year started, I am making some changes to this blog!  As you can tell, I sure haven't kept up with the picture a day!  But, that is OK!

Anways, I am excited for some of the new changes!  To begin with....I changed the name and link!  It will now be:  http://www.livinglifesdream.blogspot.com/

I liked Miraculous Memories, but time for something new!  There is a story behind the name I chose which I will fill you in on!  Until then, check back often! 

~* Simple Joy 3 *~

Nothing like the simple joy of a chocolate ice cream cone on a cold winter's night!

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."

Hebrews 13:5

Simple Joys Day 2

Today's simple joy deals with the game playing again......it is an ongoing tournament at our house with the game Guess Who.  My mom got Garrett the Guess Who Extra for Christmas, so that has tightened up the competition!  Here is Kurt and Garrett hard at it......

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

Matthew 11:28

~* New Year's InTeNtIoNs? *~

Happy New Year!  I don't have any feelings regarding 2010 and about it being over.....I mean, it always is bittersweet, but it was not a year that I was glad to see go!  I remember counting down the days until 2009 was over, but it was different this year.  2010 was good to our family:  Garrett finished kindergarten and started first grade at a wonderful school, Ethan turned 3 and FINALLY starting using the potty and gave up the BINKY! I took a new position with Franklin Schools and Kurt was continually blessed with all the overtime that he could handle to work.  I am excited to see what 2011 has in store for our family.....with that said, everyone makes these "resolutions".  As I sat and pondered what resolutions I would make this year, just to turn around and break them, I decided that I wouldn't make any!  Instead, I have "intentions" this does not commit me to anything! lol

A few of my 2011 intentions include:

• Of course, the almighty weight thing!  I would love to lose about 20 pounds and I have complete intentions to do just that!  I have downloaded the couch to 5K application on my iphone and that is as far as I have got!  It is my intention to look like this:

• I intend to focus on the simple joys in our life a bit more!  To mark my progress with this intention, I "intend" to take a picture (with my brand spanking new Canon Digital Rebel) everyday of the simple things in our life and post them here!  I get so caught up and only post the big events of our life, but truly it is the simple, everyday pleasures here that make us who we are.
• It is my intention to finish up this ESL certification that I am currently working on and calling it QUITS with taking classes for the rest of the year!  I have this inner voice that speaks to me, constantly telling me that since I have the opportunity for these classes to be paid for to keep taking them.  I am burned out and NEED TO STOP!
• It is another intention of mine to continue with the Bible study classes that I go to on Wednesday evenings and develop a stronger Faith.
• Healthier eating ..... that is all I am going to say about that!

Do you make resolutions for the new year? or are you making "intentions" like myself?  To start this off, I will leave you with my first simple pleasure.....we have done NOTHING over this Christmas break!  I think I got dressed a total of 2 times; once to go get my hair done and once to go to dinner for New Year's Eve.  We stayed home everyday and just enjoyed each other! It was so nice....the big thing at our house right now is playing board games.  Garrett LOVES playing games and little Ethan well, he would like to LOVE to play games.  Here is a picture of him, just so intent on thinking that he is really playing the game well!  Such a simple joy in our house!





 

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.

Joshua 1:9

Love,

Shawn

P.S.  If you are reading along with me, PLEASE take time to "follow" me on the right hand side!  Thanks so much!