The Next 13 Weeks

After much prayerful consideration on our part, we have signed a new contract for our next 13 week adventure.  We threw around ideas from Charleston to New York to Texas to Florida and have decided to accept the offer here to extend for another thirteen weeks.

There are many reasons why we decided to stay...let me explain.  One, we still haven't seen everything that there is to see around here!  We still have many things on our bucket list that we didn't get to accomplish due to my illness and flat out running out of time!  Things like the WHITE HOUSE for crying outloud, the Jefferson Memorial, Botanical Gardens, Monte Cello, National Archives, Fords Theatre, inside the State Capitol, state parks, etc.  Plus, the boys are really loving our church family up here and were super excited about all of the fall activities coming up.  Also, we have sold one of our homes in Tennessee and have to come back in a few weeks to close on that home and move that stuff into storage.  And the main reason, not to mention the most important, we feel that this is where God wants us for now.  And, we love it up here!

So there you go!  After September 13th the weekly counting restarts!  We will be here for another 13 weeks and for sure be done on December 13th where we will then head back to Tennessee for Christmas and decide where we want to spend the first three months in the new year!

God has blessed our family in so many ways over the last few months and I am so thankful every day for this opportunity and lifestyle change!  Zachary said it best to a lady up here once when she was asking him about his mom doing travel nursing.  She said, "Wow.  So your mom's new job has really changed your life, huh?"  

His response was simple.  

"No m'am.  God allowing my Daddy to have heart disease changed our lives.  And we are loving every minute of it!"

Maryland State Fair

In honor of the two year anniversary of Nathan's heart stopping, we decided to go and do a fun activity that really does stop your heart!!  (too soon?)  Come on, if we can laugh about it so can you!  Lol.  No, we took the kids to the Maryland State Fair!  Now I will say that it isn't anywhere close to being as good as the Wilson County Fair, but it was fun just the same.  No big rides for our family but we did shed a few tears on the kid rides...literally.  Let's just say the just because all three of your kids are tall enough to ride the ride, it doesn't necessarily mean that they should.  :)  Fun times though.

August 29th: Two Years

I can't believe it's been two years since Nathan first got sick. Our family has been through a lot (to say the least) over the last 24 months, but we've made it through everything Satan has thrown at us and we have kept our heads held high. If there is one thing we've learned through all of this is that we cannot control what happens in our lives, but we can control our attitudes. And instead of ever asking, "Why us?" we will continue to praise God and use our story as a testimony to Him. And we will continue to celebrate every day as if it were our last day as our family of five. We are stronger than anything that is thrown our way because He is on our side.

Here's a quote I came across a while ago...it is ever true even today.

"I've got a lot of things to do. I have to rediscover life because it has completely changed for me. In a sense it has been tragic; in another sense it has been a blessing. I am going to be a better person when this is all over."

This post is below is from this day last year...

One year ago today was a typical day for our family. Zachary was at school, Nathan at work and Eli and Tyler played in their rooms while I took a shower. When I got out of the shower I realized that I had missed a phone call from Nathan's phone - and I called him back. One year ago today is when I heard all kinds commotion going on as someone other than my husband answered his phone only to tell me that Nathan had collapsed at work and they were taking him to a local ER.

One year ago today I drove like crazy to the hospital to find my strong, handsome husband lying on a stretcher, whiter than the plain walls that surrounded me and hooked up to every monitor the ER had available.

One year ago today I was sitting in a local ER with Nathan while we were learning of all the crazy findings from his heart tests. And while I was very familiar with the terminology they used and the clinical findings that they were presenting, my mind was fuzzy because I couldn't grasp or understand that this was my Nathan that they were talking about.

One year ago today, Nathan and I prayed in the ER that God would have his hand over the situation and that God would protect our family through this journey. Little did we know at that time that the journey would become our daily battle and that "protecting our family" would soon have a new meaning.

One year ago today I almost lost my spouse. But God intervened in a way that only He could and saved Nathan's life.

One year ago today started the process which resulted in genetic testing and lead to the finding that two of my children will most likely have this disease as well. A test result that we would not have known had Nathan not collapsed that day. A test result that I believe will be what saves both of their lives.

One year ago today I could look in the mirror and think to myself that I was a strong, Christian woman of faith who could trust God in everything. Little did I know that the next 12 months would really teach me what faith was all about. And how, as a mom and a wife, really step back and trust God to take care of my children and my best friend.

One year ago today was a day that changed our lives forever. A day that we will never forget. A day that forced us to fully rely on Him. A day that challenged me in every way possible. And a day that I will thank God for without ceasing.

It's the day that our family witnessed a true miracle. It's the day that God will allow me to forever use as a wonderful testimony of what He can do and of how He is ever present.

One year ago today Satan tried his hardest to destroy one of God's children. But one year ago today God stepped in and mercy said "No."
One year ago today I drove like crazy to the hospital to find my strong, handsome husband lying on a stretcher, whiter than the plain walls that surrounded me and hooked up to every monitor the ER had available. 
One year ago today I was sitting in a local ER with Nathan while we were learning of all the crazy findings from his heart tests. And while I was very familiar with the terminology they used and the clinical findings that they were presenting, my mind was fuzzy because I couldn't grasp or understand that this was my Nathan that they were talking about. 
One year ago today, Nathan and I prayed in the ER that God would have his hand over the situation and that God would protect our family through this journey. Little did we know at that time that the journey would become our daily battle and that "protecting our family" would soon have a new meaning. 
One year ago today I almost lost my spouse. But God intervened in a way that only He could and saved Nathan's life. 
One year ago today started the process which resulted in genetic testing and lead to the finding that two of my children will most likely have this disease as well. A test result that we would not have known had Nathan not collapsed that day. A test result that I believe will be what saves both of their lives. 
One year ago today I could look in the mirror and think to myself that I was a strong, Christian woman of faith who could trust God in everything. Little did I know that the next 12 months would really teach me what faith was all about. And how, as a mom and a wife, really step back and trust God to take care of my children and my best friend. 
One year ago today was a day that changed our lives forever. A day that we will never forget. A day that forced us to fully rely on Him. A day that challenged me in every way possible. And a day that I will thank God for without ceasing. 
It's the day that our family witnessed a true miracle. It's the day that God will allow me to forever use as a wonderful testimony of what He can do and of how He is ever present. 
One year ago today Satan tried his hardest to destroy one of God's children. But one year ago today God stepped in and mercy said "No."

One year ago today I drove like crazy to the hospital to find my strong, handsome husband lying on a stretcher, whiter than the plain walls that surrounded me and hooked up to every monitor the ER had available. 
One year ago today I was sitting in a local ER with Nathan while we were learning of all the crazy findings from his heart tests. And while I was very familiar with the terminology they used and the clinical findings that they were presenting, my mind was fuzzy because I couldn't grasp or understand that this was my Nathan that they were talking about. 
One year ago today, Nathan and I prayed in the ER that God would have his hand over the situation and that God would protect our family through this journey. Little did we know at that time that the journey would become our daily battle and that "protecting our family" would soon have a new meaning. 
One year ago today I almost lost my spouse. But God intervened in a way that only He could and saved Nathan's life. 
One year ago today started the process which resulted in genetic testing and lead to the finding that two of my children will most likely have this disease as well. A test result that we would not have known had Nathan not collapsed that day. A test result that I believe will be what saves both of their lives. 
One year ago today I could look in the mirror and think to myself that I was a strong, Christian woman of faith who could trust God in everything. Little did I know that the next 12 months would really teach me what faith was all about. And how, as a mom and a wife, really step back and trust God to take care of my children and my best friend. 
One year ago today was a day that changed our lives forever. A day that we will never forget. A day that forced us to fully rely on Him. A day that challenged me in every way possible. And a day that I will thank God for without ceasing. 
It's the day that our family witnessed a true miracle. It's the day that God will allow me to forever use as a wonderful testimony of what He can do and of how He is ever present. 
One year ago today Satan tried his hardest to destroy one of God's children. But one year ago today God stepped in and mercy said "No."
One year ago today I drove like crazy to the hospital to find my strong, handsome husband lying on a stretcher, whiter than the plain walls that surrounded me and hooked up to every monitor the ER had available. 
One year ago today I was sitting in a local ER with Nathan while we were learning of all the crazy findings from his heart tests. And while I was very familiar with the terminology they used and the clinical findings that they were presenting, my mind was fuzzy because I couldn't grasp or understand that this was my Nathan that they were talking about. 
One year ago today, Nathan and I prayed in the ER that God would have his hand over the situation and that God would protect our family through this journey. Little did we know at that time that the journey would become our daily battle and that "protecting our family" would soon have a new meaning. 
One year ago today I almost lost my spouse. But God intervened in a way that only He could and saved Nathan's life. 
One year ago today started the process which resulted in genetic testing and lead to the finding that two of my children will most likely have this disease as well. A test result that we would not have known had Nathan not collapsed that day. A test result that I believe will be what saves both of their lives. 
One year ago today I could look in the mirror and think to myself that I was a strong, Christian woman of faith who could trust God in everything. Little did I know that the next 12 months would really teach me what faith was all about. And how, as a mom and a wife, really step back and trust God to take care of my children and my best friend. 
One year ago today was a day that changed our lives forever. A day that we will never forget. A day that forced us to fully rely on Him. A day that challenged me in every way possible. And a day that I will thank God for without ceasing. 
It's the day that our family witnessed a true miracle. It's the day that God will allow me to forever use as a wonderful testimony of what He can do and of how He is ever present. 
One year ago today Satan tried his hardest to destroy one of God's children. But one year ago today God stepped in and mercy said "No."

One year ago today I drove like crazy to the hospital to find my strong, handsome husband lying on a stretcher, whiter than the plain walls that surrounded me and hooked up to every monitor the ER had available. 
One year ago today I was sitting in a local ER with Nathan while we were learning of all the crazy findings from his heart tests. And while I was very familiar with the terminology they used and the clinical findings that they were presenting, my mind was fuzzy because I couldn't grasp or understand that this was my Nathan that they were talking about. 
One year ago today, Nathan and I prayed in the ER that God would have his hand over the situation and that God would protect our family through this journey. Little did we know at that time that the journey would become our daily battle and that "protecting our family" would soon have a new meaning. 
One year ago today I almost lost my spouse. But God intervened in a way that only He could and saved Nathan's life. 
One year ago today started the process which resulted in genetic testing and lead to the finding that two of my children will most likely have this disease as well. A test result that we would not have known had Nathan not collapsed that day. A test result that I believe will be what saves both of their lives. 
One year ago today I could look in the mirror and think to myself that I was a strong, Christian woman of faith who could trust God in everything. Little did I know that the next 12 months would really teach me what faith was all about. And how, as a mom and a wife, really step back and trust God to take care of my children and my best friend. 
One year ago today was a day that changed our lives forever. A day that we will never forget. A day that forced us to fully rely on Him. A day that challenged me in every way possible. And a day that I will thank God for without ceasing. 
It's the day that our family witnessed a true miracle. It's the day that God will allow me to forever use as a wonderful testimony of what He can do and of how He is ever present. 
One year ago today Satan tried his hardest to destroy one of God's children. But one year ago today God stepped in and mercy said "No."

TBA: Week 5

Only two pictures from this week but they speak of our moments...

Perks from being the teacher and the mom!

Another epic fail on my teaching instructions. "Tyler, we have to draw a line to get the hamster to his friend."

Week 11...Almost through the first assignment!

TBA: Week 4

I only got to help out one day of school this week while I was sick, but I did get some pictures before I went back to bed.  :)