So...I thought I'd take a "little" break...

Helloooooooooo?

I'm listening with my ear cupped to hear if there's just an echo in reply, since I'm not sure if any of you will be still be tuned in to this frequency! Yes, my "little break" turned out to be not so little...over two months, in fact!

And the amazing thing was that I had planned to at least read some of your posts during this break! But somehow, my blogging break became just that- a complete blogging break.
But don't think that I haven't missed you...I have! And I hope to begin visiting as many of you as I can...I'll just try not to look at the overwhelming numbers when I head over to bloglines...I just know it will be like a total of about 1000 unread posts waiting for me!

But a few of you- those of you who are Facebook friends- know that at least I didn't completely disappear off the face of the earth.
(And some of you may claim that is why I wasn't blogging...I was pulled into the vortex that is Facebook!) ;)

So...what have we been doing during this time? I mean, besides Facebook...
Well, probably just like many of you, the past two months have been filled to the brim and if I tried to catch you up here, you'd be settling in for a five hour read.

So, I'll make this a 2- part post, just giving you the highlights....

In March, just as our heavy hints from the workplace indicated might happen, my husband did indeed come home one day to announce that he was no longer working there. He had joined the growing ranks of the unemployed.
He had been miserable there for a long time, but being the sole sorce of income, he was still doing all he knew how to to do in order to keep his job. So it was with mixed feelings that we faced this news. Although we felt it coming, there was still a certain amount of shock, uncertainity, and fear. But underneath those feelings were relief, peace and a confindence that God was closing this door to open a new one, even though we didn't know what or when.

We were so thankful for so many who were lifting us up in prayer during this time...we could just feel the support and prayers!
And during this time, my husband was able to spend some incredible time with us as a family...in between his job hunting, he was able to play with the kids, and even helped in home schooling. WIth his previous stressful job, there was seldom enough time or energy left so we secretly savored our time with him.

Then miraculously, God DID give him a new job....just three weeks after being let go, he started his new position. And not only was having a new job an obvious blessing, but he says that of all the places he's worked in his life, this is so far the very best one.
God is so good to us.

Other highlights included....
My youngest turning seven in April. She invited several little friends to her pizza\Tinkerbell party and a good time was had by all!

A visit to Multnomah Falls...


Spending Mother's Day at a restaurant followed by biking at a park...

(And if you're a keen observer in this last photo, you'll notice that both girls got their hair cut short...my oldest being able to give hers to locks of love!)

And then there was the big musical production where my nine yr old played a solo and even danced...but I'll save that for next time!

No, it hasn't been all sunshine and roses, but we have seen God working in our lives and the lives of our family in exciting ways.

I needed this blogging break but I am so ready to see what all of you have been up to while I've been away.
And it occurs to me that it's been three years since I began this blogging journey. I know...it's cheating a bit since I didn't blog for two of those months.

But still, it is blogaversary so I think some kind of giveaway is in order...and will tell you more about it on Part 2!
In the meantime, I'm off to cook dinner and then try to catch up with you all a little at a time. Oh, and be in a live audience tomorrow of a local television show....which I'll tell you all about in...you got it...PART 2. ;)

Blessings!