What really is "normal"?

Everybody wants to live a "normal" life...but what is normal? 

I have thought about this a lot lately...especially the few years.  Normal to us, so I thought, was living in a 3-4 bedroom house in a middle class neighborhood, Phil working 70-80 a week as a Tire Center Manager, I would home school the kids, have a somewhat clean house, go to and be actively involved in our church, and our kids would be involved in bible quizzing.  Then, one day, our normal changed.  We were living in a 30 foot trailer, Phil was working 40 hours a week changing tires (feeling like the bottom had been pulled out from him), I still home schooled the kids, cleaned my "trailer", we were still actively involved in our church and our kids still bible quizzed.  Now, at this time, we are back living in a 4 bedroom house, Phil works about 40 hours a week selling equipment to the automotive shops, I still home school the kids, do not have a clean house (hard transition from cleaning a 30 foot trailer to a 2300 square foot house!), we go to an amazing church and our kids are in bible quizzing. 

The amazing thing to me about these three different scenarios is that the only consistency over the last few years has been what REALLY matters to us.  I guess you would call them our core values; homeschooling the kids, being involved in our church and our kids bible quizzing.  All the other stuff is just surface stuff that, in the end, doesn't really matter.  WOW!!!  I am continually humbled by the amazing things God has taught me over the last several years. 

All I know, is that I want my normal to revolve around my wonderful family and a God that has given me abundantly more than I have ever deserved!!

A little catch up...

So much to do and so little time!!  That is our motto right now and has been since the day we moved into our house and hit the ground running.  January through July is major Bible Quiz season and is so busy for us...too busy to be moving and getting organized.  We moved, but are in no way organized.  That is what August is for.  In the meantime...life has continued to happen and I have missed blogging about each thing!!

EASTER:  Our first holiday in a home after living in a trailer for 10 months.  I insisted on cooking and eating at home, regardless of how busy we are.  I love, love, love cooking and preparing something special for the five of us.  I love, love, love all the oohs and aahs from my sweet family.  And...I love, love, love looking at their smiling faces after we are done eating. 

20 YEARS of HAPPINESS:  On May 16th, Phil and I celebrated our 20th Wedding Anniversary.  I can hardly believe the time has gone so fast.  I am so thankful for the amazing man God has blessed me with.  The love, joy, laughter and caring that we share is AMAZING!!  I am so thankful that I love Phil more today than the day I married him.  That is a true marriage...even during all the craziness of life, God has allowed us to grow in love, appreciation and admiration for each other.  Now...everyone asked us...what are you doing for your special anniversary.  Our answer?  QUIZZING!!  Our anniversary was on a Wednesday and we had a quiz that weekend in Napa.  So...we went to Napa and got to see all our sweet friends that we hadn't seen for a year.  It was a wonderful weekend and truly showed that neither of us need all the frills and romance...we are just happy to be together, enjoying each moment we are given.  We have plenty of years for anniversary celebrations once the kids are grown....

Mariah Nicole is EIGHT:  Yep...she had another birthday and wouldn't let me skip it.  Well...it kind of got postponed since we were at practice every day that week getting ready for BQ finals.  But, a sweet friend brought her cupcakes and cake, and Jamie showed up with her birthday card/present...so it was all okay for her!!

BQ Finals:  Woot-woot...we made it to the end of another year.  And...the Lord graciously showed each of our teams favor and we are headed to Missouri for a three week bible quizzing tour.  Wow!!!  Logan, Victoria and Mariah's teams all went undefeated.  Yes...each of our kids are in a different division and each of their teams did amazing.  Mariah was also the Second highest scorer in the Beginner division and was given the honor of "Runner-up Quizzer of the Year" for her division as well!!!

And...blogging has resumed!!

Moved and settled...well, moved!!

Wow...we made it...10 months living in a 30 foot trailer...and we are all still alive and love each other!! I can hardly believe it has been one year since our life took a change of direction. I am even more amazed at the grace and mercy of God that has kept us through this year! He has been so amazing to us over the last year...I know, to most people it sure didn't seem like it, but to us we know that He has been with us every step of the way.

I have a friend that kept me encouraged over the last year. I remember the day Phil lost his job, and I was crying on the phone and she just kept saying everything would be okay, that God had a plan. At the moment, I did not know how everything would be okay. I did not know where our life was headed and I did not understand why it happened. Some time later, that same friend said that some day she would get to tell me "I told you so!". I told her that I sure hoped she would get to say those words. And now, she gets to say "I told you so".

I honestly feel like the last year was actually a gift to us...in a very strange way...it was a wonderful gift full of learning, receiving, growing, giving, loving and being loved. We created some of the most amazing relationships with some of the most amazing young people I have been privileged to be around. We reconnected with old friends that we had lost contact with. We learned what it was like to just be us...with very little to give except our time and love. I am not asking for this all to happen to us again, but I want to take every experience and learn from it and appreciate it for what it was.

So...now we have moved back to California and have a home that is filled with a lot of noise, chaos, messes, laughter and love...and maybe a few "I told you so(s)!!"

Do we know what we are doing now? Lord willing!

So we ended 2011 with a bang....

Phil quit Les Schwab!!

Anybody that knows us, knows that this was NOT an easy decision to make. We are still hoping and praying we made the right choice! Phil will be a Sales Rep for a company called Hunter Engineering. He is so stinkin' excited and can hardly wait until all the formalities are done and we can move on with life.

His territory will be centered in the South Bay Area...woot-woot! Yeah...I know...we are crazy! Why in the world would we want to head back to that crazy, messed up, bankrupt state? I don't know, but we are super excited to head back there.

So...we have a long transition ahead of us and are praying for God to continue to lead and guide us through the whole process. For now...Phil is in St. Louis for a five week training course with the new company. The kids and I are still in Oregon trying to continue a normal life. However, life is NOT normal without the best husband/father around to keep us all happy. Thankfully, we are SUPER busy right now with quiz season coming into full swing. I keep telling myself...."I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me".

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" Jer. 29:11

Will blogging help?

It has been a long eight months since our world went crazy. And, I have to admit, I haven't liked it that much. Over the Thanksgiving holiday, my Mom told me that she keeps checking my blog to see if I have updated it. She said that when I update my blog it will let her know that I am out of my funk. Yep...I am in a funk. I haven't blogged because I don't like to be depressing to other people. My goal has always been to be the encourager to those around me. Unfortunately, I haven't done much encouraging lately. But, what I realize is that I have missed out on almost 8 months of life. I have trudged forward, putting one foot in front of the other, continuing on with "normal life" as best as I can, questioning things and not trusting myself to make a decision. I try to keep loving and laughing, but then the night-time comes and the tears flood my eyes....


So many amazing things have happened, but they all seem to be clouded by the reality of us not knowing what we are doing, where we are going, what our purpose is, or if we will ever see the end of this road. Everyone we see says to be patient, they quote "they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength...Is. 40:31", tells us that better things are in store, and encourage us to keep doing what we have always done....trust!

So, I will continue to be the person I am. I will keep loving, laughing and enjoying my sweet family God has given to me. And....maybe, just maybe, start blogging again...it just might help!

So stinkin' proud...

What an awesome weekend we had....it was so fun watching the kids quiz like "machines" and then enjoy the sweet reward of a three hour cruise on the Bay for all the quizzers, coaches, parents and anyone that wanted to join in celebrating an amazing year of Bible Quizzing in the Western District!!The weekend was spent with amazing friends that have filled our lives with so much fun and joy!! It was awesome that they were willing to sacrifice their weekend to celebrate with my kids. Nothing like enjoying good times and lots of laughs with great friends!!

Travis (above) talking with Kyle via Skype from Latvia (Kyle wanted to be a part of our fun weekend too!), Then, Travis walking to lunch with my kids!

The Copelands...faithful "Swank" quizzing followers....they make my kids feel so special!!

Jamie...our number one fan!!!

Here is how the quizzing part unfolded for us!

First Place Beginner Division!!

1st Place Highest Quizzer - Victoria Swank

4th Place Scoring Quizzer - Mariah Swank

1st Place Junior Division!!

1st Place Highest Scoring Quizzer - Logan Swank

"Beginner Quizzer of the Year 2011" - Miss Victoria Swank!!

"Junior Quizzer of the Year 2011" - Mr. Logan Swank It is hard to express how proud I am of my kids. They have worked so hard and stayed focused even in the midst of a huge move and major transitions that aren't even completed yet.

Logan, Victoria and Mariah....you ROCK!!!