I have learned a very important lesson this past week: never say never. I am eating my words. I was wrong. And I can’t believe I am about to say this…

We’re moving back to Fresno/Clovis.

Yeah, I know. You can say “I told you so.” I deserve it. Matt, on the other hand, knew better. And believe or not we are SO VERY excited to move home. Ahhh… HOME. Family. Friends. Affordable housing. Yodigity. Dog House. Bubba-Lu’s… Ok so here’s the story:

Matt and I have been trying to figure out what we are supposed to be doing/where we’re supposed to be living, working, ministering, etc for the past 7-8ish months. It has been a very trying and difficult time for us. I have screamed, cried, pouted and shaken my fists at both Matt and God. I said I would NEVER move back to Fresno. I was wrong. This past weekend I started to realize (and God started to reveal) what life would be like in both Fresno and LA. In LA we’d be permanent renters. We would both have to work full time. I would not get to stay home with Jackson and his future sibling(s). And this did not sit well with my heart. I started to ask Matt “what’s keeping us here?” And he didn’t really have an answer—except Aunt Debbie and Marisa. (It is going to be the hardest thing, to leave them. That just breaks my heart.) From here my heart really started to change. If we moved to Fresno we could own a house sooner than later. We wouldn’t be living from paycheck to paycheck. Our family and friends live in Fresno/Clovis (or the surrounding areas.) So Matt and I talked about what it would be like to come home and it just started to make sense. Things started to fall into place.  And within a week we could see and feel and hear God say “Yes. Fresno. Do it.”  I am sad to leave LA, especially Pasadena. I will miss my girlfriends from Wives. I will miss La Canada Volleyball.  I will miss the farmers markets, the closeness to the beach, the shopping, the weather, New Moon (the restaurant), but especially Marisa and Aunt Deb.

Pray for us as we transition back. LA and Fresno, although close in proximity, are two very different worlds. One not better than the other. Just different. Matt and I have learned a lot here at Fuller and are excited to bring what we learned back home and somehow apply it…? For those of you who have supported us and prayed for us and kept in contact with us (despite my inability to keep in contact with you)… THANK YOU! We are excited for this next journey in our life.

GO DOGS!!

♥FEBRUARY♥

Jackson had a photo shoot with the famous photographer B. Davis

Sara’s birthday celebration

SMOOCH!!

the Group!

*MARCH*

Jackson on his actual BDay 3/19/09

Jackson's birthday party. He didn't like his hat.

CUPCAKE!

Matt, Steve and Dad/Opa at spring training in AZ watching the Dodgers

APRIL

Jackson and Auntie Lyndsey on the tram to Disneyland!!

DUMBO!

Jackson's Fresno birthday party at Oma and Opa's

Easter Basket!!

Paco and Grandma with Jackson on Easter

Opa and Oma with Jackson

(wow April was a busy month!)

~MAY~

not sure if this is in May... but had to add it in here. Jackson wearing Daddy's shoes

For Mother's Day, Matt got awesome Dodger tickets for us--it was a beautiful day AND the Dodger's won! (and we could be seen on TV)

me and my hubs

For our anniversary, I surprised Matt with a trip to the beach and stayed in a fancy beach house. this is us walking to the beach

the beach was a 10 minute walk from the house. too bad the sun didn't come out all weekend.

I’m sure I’m missing some events and have forgotten some pictures. But you get the idea. It’s been a busy past couple of months and summer is right around the corner. Hopefully I’ll update the blog more… hopefully. Happy Memorial Day!

It is almost 10:30pm on a Sunday night and Matt has yet to finish his homework and post it online. (It’s due by midnight.) This sums up his feelings about his homework:

Homework! Oh, Homework!
by Jack Prelutsky

============

I have been meaning to blog for the past month and a half now and am finally getting around to it. FINALLY!! We had a great holiday traveling all over… we visited our friends in snowy Portland, OR. Which was fabulous!! Jackson got to meet Reid, who is about 7 months young and almost the same size as Jackson. It was really good to see our friends and we miss them dearly.  a few pictures for your enjoyment:

matt excited to SEE his breath

sara talking with Reid

The Lloyds and the Lails in the snow

 there are so many more pictures of this trip, including a really cute one of me and anna, but this is already gonna be a very long post—i can feel it. 

Next was our trip to the ‘No to visit family for Christmas. Man, it seems like so long ago…. It was  a great time of hanging out with friends and seeing family. It was nice for Jackson to get to hangout with all his cousins. Let’s see… do I have some pictures? Yes, yes I think I do: 

jackson in a santa hat that is a bit too big for him

Matt and Sara by the Christmas tree

Missy playing with our camera... and our son.

Jackson on Christmas morning, after being up 1/2 the night with a fever

Christmas dinner at Oma and Opa's. mmmmmmmmm

As I’m going through my pictures, I am realizing that we don’t have any family pictures on Christmas. Which is LAME! I know we took family pictures… I just don’t have them on this computer. BLAST! Oh well–maybe family that does have those pictures will send them to us. (hint hint Oma and Opa and maybe Joni?)  

Since I’m having such a hard time remembering the going-ons of our lives, I’ll do updates by family member. Starting with… MATT

MATT: Ended his internship at MBCP with an amazing retreat in Glen Oak. He lead a workshop called “God and the media” or something to that affect, which went over quite well with the kids. *Jackson and I stayed home, unfortunetley, since J was sick.* Matt has 2 1/2 more quarters at Fuller. Which is both exciting and pretty freakin’ scary. He is enjoying this quarter with lots of Wii, free time (until he gets a J.O.B.) and hanging out with one of his BFF’s who recently moved with his family to attend Fuller. 

SARA: is really tired right now. I have recently become a distributor for Juice Plus+ and am very excited about the opportunities it has already given me. *I’ll post a link to my JP website soon* I am hoping to interpret a class or two at the local city college this spring semester. I will also be helping out a friend of mine start up a Young Life ministry called “Caperneum” I’m really excited about that!! Hopefully this Spring/Summer my best friend, Lyndsey and I will enter a beach volleyball tourney–more motivation to get in shape. I am enjoying going to my Fuller Wives Support group on Wednesday mornings. And now I get to walk with my good friend Gia who is married to Matt’s BFF that recently moved to Fuller. That kinda worked out nicely. 

JACKSON: is a very busy little man. He is cruising around the furniture and standing on his own for a few seconds at a time. Matt actually tricked him into taking his first steps the other day. I just about freaked out… in a good way. Jackson says ‘Ma ma ma’ and ‘Da da da’ and today he actually started saying ‘uh oh’. He thinks he’s a comedian and likes to dance. And thinks it’s funny to spit at you. He is growing and changing faster that I’d like him to. I can’t believe he is 10 mos already and will be a year this March.

I think I’ll end this post with some more pictures… and here’s to hoping I blog more often than I have been.

our last friday night with youth alive *tear*

Jackson and Santa

swinging at the playgroud

I’ve been meaning to blog for a while now… having many things to say and post and pictures, and such. Yet, time seems to get away from me. So while Jackson is napping right now I’ll update you on the most recent of things in our life: church. Matt has been serving as the youth intern at Mandarin Baptist Church of Pasadena (MBCP) for almost a year now. And it is with heavy hearts that we felt the call to be released from that ministry.  It hasn’t been the easiest decision–that’s for sure–since staying would mean possibly full-time work, with ‘full-time’ pay and benefits. But, as tempting as that is, we feel we would be disobeying God and not fully relying on him for our future. We will stay through December, but after that, we have NO idea where we’re going or what we’re doing. It’s scary, yes, but at the same time I cannot describe to you the peace we feel. We should be stressed out beyond belief! But we aren’t. We should be worrying about finances and debt. But we aren’t. We are holding fast to the fact that God has ALWAYS provided for us… always. I would ask for your prayers, as we figure out what’s next. Matt still wants to do youth ministry and needs to complete a 6 mos internship for his program.  So will you pray? Or pay our bills? HA just kidding. No… not about the praying, about the bills.   

Christmas is coming up fast! I’m so not ready. I don’t even have any decorations to put up. SAD FACE! And we decided not to get a tree this year. Jackson is crawling and into everything–so being in our tiny apartment and having a tree and an 8 1/2 month old doesn’t work out to well. It’s sad, but I keep saying “oh next year…” which gives me a little hope.    Well I’ll end with a few pictures. I mean, what’s a post without pictures?? Especially of my abnormally cute son! (hmmm that doesn’t sound right. oh well… it’s my blog and I can post what I want!)

Jax and Jus, hanging out on the floor

our amtrak trip to Fresno for Thanksgiving

cousins! Zach and Jackson--aka Zach-n-Jack-attack!

Jackson loves pulling himself up to stand now... and my Coach Purse handles...

Last Sunday we went to the Pumpkin Patch with our friends Benjie, Rebecca and their little man, Gavin. It was so much fun–so i’ll just post pictures for you to oooooooh and awwwwww at. 

Happy Halloween!

but somehow my time gets away from me. How does that happen? Oh yeah… I have a 6 month old. And a volleyball team. And an incredibly messy house. Where’s the maid when you need her? So a few weeks ago I went to visit Anna and Cody up in Portland. We had a busy, but good weekend. Here’s some photos…

So that was Portland. I can’t wait for Anna and Cody to have their baby boy so I can take Matt to visit Portland. We’re praying baby comes soon–she is due oct 7th–TOMORROW!

The other weekend my family came down to visit and we got a pictures of all the cousins on my side. Timmy, who just turned 6, Mercy to just turned 8, Zeke who is 9 months and Jackson, 6 months

Aww too cute! Since then Matt started school. This should be his last year… ish… in seminary. Which is exciting and scarey. But mostly exciting!

And last but not least… Jackson tried sweet potatoes. He wasn’t too sure about them at first, but ended up eating the whole thing. No… not the whole jar. But I’m sure he would have if I let him.

He’s too cute!! And almost crawling… yeah, did I forget to mention that? *sigh* Who said they’re allowed to grow up?

So today I (Matt) got to hang out with Jackson while Sara was at the gym.  Now that Jackson’s been in his “exersaucer” and figured out all the bells and whistles, it’s all he stares at when in our family room.  So I obliged and placed the little man in his seat and let him do his thing.  He bounced around for 7-10 minutes when I noticed something looked a little different.  I’ll give you a chance to figure this one out on your own…

Yeah…little man, perhaps caught up in the moment, totally bypassed his diaper and onesie and proceeded to pee all down his leg.  This wouldn’t have been such a big deal except we’ve been using one of my seminary textbooks (Synopsis of the Four Gospels) for him to stand on so he’s able to bounce and trigger the music.

Luckily this book has an amazingly absorbent cover so nothing leaked on to any of the pages.  Looks like this book is a keeper!

Slept in this morning and missed the gym.

Did a little Wii Fit.

Shopped in the afternoon with my little man.

Bought my little man an exersaucer (which he LOVES, btw.)

Made an amazing dinner with my hubby! AND pumpkin pie for dessert.

Now… watching Fresno State football.

Could it get any better?!

How was your day?

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Jackson is 5 months now and growing like a weed!! He’s rolling and drooling and cooing like the big boys. Today he had a weight check appointment with our Doctor. At his last appointment he hadn’t quite gained what she had hoped he would and was slowly falling off the charts. So I started supplementing him with formula and ALAS! he has gained some pounds and length. Jackson is now 13 lbs and 12.8 oz and 24 inches long. I’m one proud Mama!! 

Dr. Scanlon (that’s his doctors name–she’s our favorite!!) also said that we could start him on solids. YAY! This kid has been watching us eat and drink with anticipation for what seems like 5 years! So… we did! We bought some rice cereal, made him some dinner and this is what happened…

Can’t wait to share with you what’s next!