And I almost missed it!

My sweet girlfriends here in Miles City gathered together last night for a good-bye 'party', using quotes on that b/c usually a party is all fun and games, and as dear as this time was to me there was enough emotion flowing to dampen, literally, with some precious, precious tears, the thing and re-name it a sweet get together. I am abundantly thankful for these friendships. I cherish these women. God has used them to bless and grow my heart and last night will always be a sweet memory.
I had friends in Boise before we moved. We got in on something neat at our church there, in the 90's there was a young marrieds boom and we were part of it. We had a crowd of friends that were all newly married and starting there little families. We were in Young Married's Sunday School and Parenting classes with this group. We were in the 'Cry Room' beside each other, swapping maternity clothes, next to each other in the nursery, holding each other's babies, taking meals to each other after babies were born, going to Women's Bible Study together, shouldering diaper bags, raising each other's children in their little(actually the classes were plenty full, 15 little 2 year olds is enough!) Sunday School classes, and Awana, etc. We were doing life next to each other. And there are bonds there, bonds of doing life together. One of my friends, Chris, called it the Mommy Trenches, she would sign her notes of encouragement to me that way, "beside you in the Mommy Trenches". My friend, Brenda, says those years are crazy years and that is why my friendships now are different. I guess if we hadn't moved those friendships would have a chance these last few years to get deeper, but since we moved I formed those relationships with new friends. Some of those women probably did develop a new level of friendship with each other, and I hope they did.
I know part of the reason for me was letting God work His wonders on my heart, bringing me to a place where I could hear His voice say, 'Reach out to her, make friends with her.' And I would actually do it. I must have missed a blessing (or a hundred) before. But my God is faithful and here in Miles City, all glory to Him, I didn't miss a few! My dear friend Brenda is a lot UNlike me and I almost missed the blessing! But, thankfully, God whispered and this time I heard and believed, and she has become one of my closest friends. And I just remembered another of my closest friends here, Jamie, God gave her to me too! Starting a prayer group for moms and people kept mentioning her name to me, so, completely out of character for me, I walked up to a woman I didn't know and invited her to the prayer group! Crazy, sweet, amazing, wild God I have beside me. And my friend Vicki was another one, the Lord just kept nudging and nudging me and we became close friends too!
Last night some of my dear, dear Miles City friends came together, and they blessed me. It must be something like what the Bible talks about being anointed with oil, they blessed my heart, over and over and over again. What a privilege to experience the love and tender prayers flowing along with bittersweet tears of these sweet sisters in the Lord. What a glorious, extravagant blessing the Lord has bestowed. His lovingkindness reaches to the heavens, which makes the expansive state of Montana easy ground for Him. These girlfriends of mine lifted prayers to our Lord on my behalf and I will always remember and cherish that event in my life. One of many wonderous things God did with us, for us, to us here in Miles City, MT. Middle of Nowhere, USA.
Jackie was there, we have been friends since before we were married to our husbands. We went to each other's weddings and our first borns played together as babies. She has always been an encouragement and the friend who edifies, her love for the Lord and desire to follow Him is who she is. Marcy was there, our friendship started in Boise in a small group Bible study, and has grown over moves and years. Holly, a sweet gal here with her husband as missionary in the Baptist church, and once again, I just thought she was fine as I do with most women. "She is fine, she has friends. Maybe she doesn't need/want a friendship with me. Besides I don't talk to the friends I have enough." Nope. Reach out and be blessed by another woman! Precious. And Amber... sweet Amber, we were in a small group with Brenda, Jana, and Beckie (two more dear friends that couldn't make it last night and also are precious blessings to me!!) and husbands from the time soon after we moved here. These couples quickly became good friends, as often happens, studying the Word binds you with people. Amber is a darling, she is tender-hearted and I love her as I do each of these other women. Amber gave me the blessing of getting to take care of her babies and her family is dear to us. Her kids feel like part of my kids' family.
So, now off we go, back to Boise. I think of it as 'home' but as we learned from our Daniel bible study, Heaven is Home and while we are here we are sojourners in a foreign land, no matter what part of the land we are in, with family around us or not. I have tasted the sweetness of the Lord in this land and I do not want to miss what He has for me ever again, anywhere!
My Miles City girlfriends, I will love you and pray for you, thanking God for you upon every remembrance. I hope to see you again someday on this earth, but if I don't I look forward to catching up with you again One Day when we are all Home. You are precious to me, thank you for the blessing of your friendship and prayers and love.

Happenings...

I went on vacation...
to the Oregon Coast with my dear mother in law and sister in law!
It was so wonderful! First I flew out of Billings (because, in case you haven't visited the town we have lived in for the last 5 years, there is no airport for the common man here... there is an airport though, but I don't know who its for, and there is a restaurant called The Airport Inn... weird, but true!) to Boise, changing planes in Salt Lake City. I managed alright and didn't toss any cookies, whew! This was my first time flying alone and I was a bit nervous, but all went well. That night I got to meet my parents for dinner, we talked and laughed. It was nice!
The next morning my sister in law, Amber, and my mum in law and I flew out of Boise to Portland. Then we (read:"I" - due to car-sickness) drove to Lincoln City. We stopped for some lunch, drove on, stopped at a grocery store for provisions (coffee, creamer, breakfast, crackers, cheese, fruit, and wine! No, we didn't buy chocolate... because my sweet husband had already snuck some into my suitcase to surprise me! Along with a sweet card, yep, he did!:) Over the next several days we visited, walked on a few different beaches, visited morning, noon, and night, shopped a bit, visited some more, watched a couple of Jane Austen movies, visited into the night and in the early hours of the morning. It was the perfect vacation! Loved it! Those are two precious women I am thankful to have in my life! 

And in other news:
These three are growing, growing, growing! Taller, longer hair, (shorter bangs though! ha-ha:)

Look how big Penelope has gotten!

The wonder of the ocean waves and the vastness of the ocean itself is something I never grow tired of.

It draws me the Lord and His vastness. Wow...

I like to move it, move it. I like to move it, move it.

I LIKE to ...MOVE IT!
The time has come for a move!
John has accepted a job offer in Boise and he has taken his leave of Montana. He started his new job on Monday, the 6th. And we, the left behind, walk on day-by-day until the details are worked out and we are able to join him in Idaho! Our job is to tend to what we must and pack, pack, pack, Pack, PACK! And of course, remain peaceful and joyful as we go!

Oh yah - I love making dinner somedays!

Pork roast, seasoned with cumin, onions, salt and pepper, olive oil, garlic and a little o.j. and in the crock pot makin my house smell mouth-watering delicious! Love it.

Fresh Pico de gallo - why would you ever eat any other salsa?! Tomatoes, onion, salt and sugar, avacado, lime and cilantro!

Pork tacos for dinner.
Oh yah.
I love me some good dinna!

Good bye 2011...

and thank You, Lord, it was a good year. We were so blessed and drawn closer to You. You are the Faithful One. You have edified us, comforted us, corrected us, loved us, taught us.
Thank You.
And now... a new year, 2012. Maybe this year I will finally stop having to correct myself when I write the year starting with 200_.
May we come through it, knowing You better, loving You more, being a blessing.

AND-
Happy Anniversary to my dear husband. Today, January 1st 2012, is our 19th anniversary. Its been a trip, ups and downs and back up again. Not long compared to our parents and some others, but long compared to others. Lose the comparison as that is not God's way and we see that He is good. Caring for us and helping us to deal with each other and the things we needed to deal with. My husband is precious to me. I have much to be thankful for!

We have a baby!

Baby bulldog , that is! :)

John has wanted a bulldog since he was a kid...

dream realized! :)

Her name is Penelope Winifred.

She and Daisy are getting along well so far.

She likes to cuddle and nap on her back.

She is the cutest little pup!

Check out those baby-bully-rolls.

Cuteness cannot be denied.

Yep, its puppy-love.

Merry Christmas 2011

Well, Merry Christmas!

This has been one of our best Christmas'... on our own that is. 

We would have preferred to be with family but it wasn't to be this year, so, that set aside, we did good! 

We made cookies, butter cookies, sugar cookies, and Russian Tea cookies(YUM!). We visited friends and sang carols with the Dighans which was a very lovely evening. They are dear friends and we enjoy time with them. Luke played guitar and we all sang. 

John and the kids took cookies to the Bulocks and got to have another visit with the bulldog pups, and got to find out which one would be ours in a week or two. 

We skyped with McFam Christmas Eve and ended up opening presents with them all on camera! Which was quite fun, the kids kept running to the living room to get another present and then back to the Loft room, where the computer is with the skype and cam on it, to open the gift. Funny. 

Christmas morning they got up and opened Stuffed Stockings. We went to church and got hear Daddy sing for offertory, which was wonderful! Home to have a delicious Christmas Day Dinner, actually it was Linner/Dunch, of Holiday Ham, Roasted Red potatoes w/onions, sweet corn, and croissants. Cookies for dessert! 

After dinner we did our Advent Service, it was missing the rest of the McNamaras, but we did it nicely, and video-taped it! :)

Then we got to skype with Nana and Papa and Mimi, Nick, Madi and Mason! (and Pepper too!) It was so lovely to see their sweet faces and chat and be silly and push past those slightly awkward cam-silences -haha! 

We miss our family with a deep ache, but counting our blessings we find our cups runneth over. 

A delightfully relaxing day followed. 

Thank You Sweet Jesus for this family, in this time, in this place. You alone are able. You alone are worthy. We praise You for where You have brought us. May we be a blessing. 

Timer pic # 6 out of 8 or 10...Say BEEF AND CHEESE!

The Kids. Oo, I love them -they are SO cute, aren't they?!

Luke Dighans on guitar, Jacob to the left of him, Summer to the right and Jayna, far right.

Nate and Ellie

Phoebe and Alena

Elisha, Christmas presents abounding!

Pheebs made a good haul too!

Jam the Man

Nate and the croissants.

Phoebe and Ronnie.