And once again...Monday morning came!!

A few weeks ago, our week got turned upside down on a Monday morning with Phil having a herniated disk and an eye that wouldn't quit swelling. Well, this Monday just turned our entire world upside down!!!

Phil has been transferred to Napa, CA and he leaves on Thursday.

Shocked, happy, scared (terrified), proud....I don't think there are enough emotions to express what my day was like yesterday. Our entire life has been here. For 18 years I have been part of a church that has helped make me what I am today. I have friends that I can hardly stand to not talk to every day (yes, Kelly, that is YOU!!). How do you just say goodbye to friends and family that have become a part of you? I am not sure, but I think I am going to find out....

Are we happy, oh yes. Phil has been working towards this for 16 years. Surprised? Not really, we knew it was going to happen eventually. Scared? Oh, yes, everything we have ever known is about to change. But, it is an awesome accomplishment for Phil. Everyone says the area is gorgeous and a great place to raise our family. It is an awesome place for people to visit us (did you hear that all my friends and family.....visit us!!).

So, yes, Phil leaves Thursday and starts working on Friday (amazing, huh??). The kids and I will stay here and tie up all the loose ends and pack our stuff. The kids can't decide what they think. Logan was the most emotional, but he has made such awesome friends it is hard for him to ever imagine making those kinds of friends in another state. He frets over having a Bible Quiz team to be a part of. But, we know all these things will work out in time.

I asked Phil if he could call up and say he changed his mind, but that is not an option. And yes, it would be easy to just stay here and never have to travel this road...but easy doesn't always make good character (in us or our children). Our desire is to be where God wants us to be, and this is where he has sent us. The details are for Him to work out. Thank God for Verizon mobile-to-mobile and for the internet and this blog....

To my friends that read this....I love you and can hardly imagine life not being in the same town as you, but just know - you have a great place to visit!! To our family that lives within a few hours of us... you have loved us unconditionally and been so wonderful to our children. We love you and know you will come see us (for as long as we still have the three little munchkins under our roof!!). If nothing else the last couple days I have felt such love from everyone...the tears let me know we will be missed and that we truly are loved - and that makes life worth living!!

38 Things I Love...

So...As we all know, birthdays come faster and faster every year. So fast, that I was reminded last week, by Phil, that he never got his cheesecake from his 37th birthday. Does that mean I have to make two for this birthday? This might just be the first birthday that Phil has really felt his age. So, here are 38 things I love about my 38 year old husband.

38 things I love about you, Phil:

1. You are a Christian in the true sense of the word. How awesome to share life with someone that tries to see things through Christ's eyes.

2. You love and adore me after ALL these years. It is wonderful to be adored by you, my best friend, after 16 awesome years of marriage!!

3. You are the best father to our children - you love each of them with such a true, complete and unique love.

4. Hard worker - You work so hard so that we can live our dream of me staying home to raise and teach our children.

5. You never complain - even after a 14 hour day of dealing with immature employees, high expectations, and irate customers and then you enter your messy house, noisy kids and grumpy wife - without a single complaint!!

6. Faithful - you are faithful to everything in your life....your family, job, and church!!

7. Energetic - I love the energy you have...no one would guess your age:)

8. Slow to speak - even when quick words would get your point across but would hurt someone deeply.

9. You make life FUN!!

10. You are giving of your time, energy, money, and possessions

11. You love to share so that others can enjoy what you have

12. You never hold a grudge - even when I do

13. You are soooo likeable - everyone likes you (unless you intimidate them - hee hee)

14. Strong in your convictions, but slow to pass judgement - everyone knows the standards you uphold for yourself, but you are not judgemental of those that don't hold the same standards.

15. You speak what is on your heart with love - even when it is not what someone wants to hear, but they NEED to hear it.

16. Life of the party - this makes my life easy...you are our entertainment!!

17. Easy to love - you open your heart and life to everyone...."Everyone loves Phil"

18. You Never Give Up

19. You trust God to provide all your needs - even when we have no place to live in five days!!

20. You love and honor your parents and would do anything to help them

21. Dependable

22. You are willing to put your plans aside in order to stay where God wants you.

23. Patient - with everyone

24. You are a teacher - you can teach anyone to do anything...think - you taught me to ride a four-wheeler (and it isn't an automatic!!).

25. You are the best story-teller ever (just ask all your former and current Sunday School kids)!!

26. You are the "eternal optimist"...everything will always work out, even with a hiccup (or two)in the plan.

27. Supportive - you will do whatever you can to help me accomplish the things I want to do...Not everyone would pick up all the dropped pieces to the Christmas Cantata (their wife was directing) at the last minute - and make it the best EVER!

28. You don't like to "divide and conquer" - even when I have to run to Wal-Mart at 10:00pm and the kids need to go to bed. We just all pile in the car and go together. Truly I love it - no matter what I say at the time!!

29. You choose to spend your vacations with your family. Of all the hobbies you could choose - you chose one that includes the five of us.

30. You can fix ANYTHING....according to your children - they believe you are the best and you will take care of anything and everything they break!!

31. You will not accept the "age" factor. You continue to play and act like you are a kid - which makes you a GREAT Dad (with some pain in the end!!)

32. You are fair - you never take sides

33. You let me be me

34. You married me even though I came from a completely different life than you did!!

35. You love my family - even though they were a little messed up when we first met (and, to all my family, you know that is true!!)

36. You don't mind when you don't get a birthday present - sometimes money is just tight!!

37. You are handsome - I know people say looks don't matter, but let's be honest...it really does.

38. You are Phil and you never change - I love you more today than I did when you were 18 years old...You are the love of my life and I adore you!

Happy Birthday to the best man around.....