Monday, April 28, 2008

It's Official!!

We have been busting at the seems to tell you...Randy has accepted the position of Full Time Worship Leader at Discovery Church!! He has been unsetteled the last few months in his job(s) and we have been praying for the right job to come along. Randy has known for years now that he was called to full time ministry, the right opportunity just hadn't come about yet. If you check out the Ebeling's Blog, Jason did a great job of posting how this whole opportunity came about. We can use lots of prayer as we take this step of faith, but we know that God has brought us here for a reason and we can't wait to continue on this wonderful journey! God is just so amazing and his timing is so perfect!

"Happy Day" performed by the Discovery Church Band


Needless to say, this made for a very long Sunday yesterday, both physically and emotionally.



And to our dear friends Davey and Janell, we love you both so much and we're going to miss you like crazy!!!

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Thanks!!

As you already may know I am working on the weekends now. I am back at the spa on Fridays and Saturdays. I also watch the Ebeling kids sometimes during the week on whatever day Lora works. Well, yesterday while I was right in the middle of a VERY busy day, ( and had just walked out of my treatment room only to have to run right back in and start over again!) one of the receptionists came to me and said that a "really cute little girl" brought me something...

They REALLY made my day :) It couldn't have come at a more perfect time on a more perfect day! And I love pop rocks and they know it, which makes it even sweeter! Thanks guys- I love you lots and lots, and I think you ROCK way more!!

Friday, April 25, 2008

Friday Friday

While I'm of working today, Ella and Randy are going to have some quality time :) I know Ella loves her field trips with daddy- they are going golfing today and to a softball game tomorow!!

I have lots to update you on..new teeth, sleepovers, and so much more..but not today :( Soon though I promise!!

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

A "Crappy" Situation

Howdy folks!!! Hope all is well. Again, way too long in between blogs for us so I figured I can fill in for Laci again. I'm sitting here watching the CNN coverage of the PA primary. Hillary is speaking now. Politics are crazy. There's this young looking kid standing behind the stage with boxing gloves on, decorated in Hillary stickers. Crazy stuff. Anyhoo, back to the family stuff because that's what this blog is about.

So, we have been under attack a little bit in the Strickland house. However, I think our family has never been stronger. I'll explain. First, on Thursday, we came home to some black stuff in the bottom of our showers. Washed it out and thought nothing of it. We've had a good bit of rain so I figured maybe our septic tank was a little too full from the rainfall. Well Friday, when we were running the washing machine, we ended up with soapy water in the showers. Everything was backed up. Our toilets had overflowed and dumped poop water all over the bathrooms and had soaked some of the carpet in our room. Crappy day! LoL! I was told by cousin David who is a plumber down in Florida that there is only one rule in plumbing: the poop has to roll downhill. It wasn't. So after three days of no indoor plumbing at our house, we got it fixed. 

Second, Ella and I are both a little under the weather. Ella has been having stomach issues. She gets constipated really easy so we've had to be giving her suppositories. Not fun for her or us. On top of that, she's cutting some new teeth. I'm in the middle of another sinus infection myself. Trying not to get mommy sick :-) 

Also, my Grandpa who lives Las Vegas has had a brain hemorrhage and is still suffering some memory loss and is not really getting any better and hasn't for the last month. My mom and her side of the family have had to make some tough choices and have had to try and clean up some things they never should have had t clean up. Tough stuff going on.

However, there's a ton going great. It's weird, sometimes when things are going wrong it's easy to get caught focusing on that. I get caught up in all the negative and even start looking harder for things hat aren't going right. It gets easy to compound things. I definitely fall into this trap. But I'm trying to get better. So, this time Laci and I are trying to audibly tell each other what God has one for us in the past and what He's doing for us now and it really has helped us (me) to remember that God is good in every circumstance we find ourselves in. Laci and I are really grateful and have been able to keep a pretty good attitude about things. God is good and He promises that he will meet our needs. The more we say that to ourselves, the easier it has been to stay focused on how good God is. I know I've totally been rambling, but just wanted to give everyone a little insight in our house. I'll get some pics up soon and I'm sure Laci will get some more Ella pics up too. Love you guys. 

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Christmas in April?!

For Christmas, one of the gifts Randy gave me was a gift card to Say Cheese (saycheeseofgreenville.com) He gave it to me so that I could go and have my picture taken with Ella. I FINALLY had the pictures taken and loved it- I wish I would have done it a million times already since she was born. It's crazy how a picture can catch a moment so well.

This one was my absolute favorite!

Sunday, April 6, 2008

Sunday

*Today is Discovery Church's 2 year anniversary!! It's really awesome to see what God has done with the church. We just love being a part of it all. We enjoy the ministries and small groups we're a part of. Today a girl that was sitting next to Randy and I asked us what time it was (she had somewhere to be right after church) None of us had a watch or clock nearby to check the time and it really got me thinking...I don't think I have EVER looked to see what time it was during one of the sermons..EVER!! That is just so awesome! Randy and I both look forward to it each week. Today after the service, everyone stuck around for hamburgers and hot dogs to celebrate 2yrs and we also had a baptism. It was a really great morning! *

THEN, we packed up some of the youth and a handful of adults and headed to play some paintball for one of the youth's birthday. It was alot of fun despite the cold, cold, weather. Ella spent most of the day wrapped up in her stroller so I have NO pics of her to show you. Weird, huh?









and.....



oh how I just love getting videos like this sent to my phone when I'm working..Good job Randy :)









Now I just about have Ella and myself ready for bed..it's not quite 8:30 yet..don't know the last time I got to go to bed this early..Yipee!

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Busy week!

My mom came to visit over the weekend. We had alot of fun. On Monday we had to move my sister Lynsey into her new apartment..not so much fun. It was raining and cold the whole time!! I must say I am impressed though..The three of us girls got ALOT loaded into the truck on our own (including the full size mattress and box spring!) Her apartment is SO cute and it really was alot of fun being together again! Today I'm off to watch the Ebelings...Sorry, gotta make this one short!

Moving was even MORE fun with this little girl there to entertain us the whole time :)