Ah... life...

It is inevitable.  Just when life seems like it is going in one direction, BAM! God throws a fork in your road!  Now I know that He has a plan and I am sure it is a great plan, it just is alluding me at the moment.

So I realized that it has been over a month and a half since my last post so I guess I should start by giving a brief recap of what that time has held...  So of course my job is no longer... and now Chris's job is no longer.  So the Craig family is completely unemployed (feel free to pray on that for us - we are!) and trusting that God has something for us.  We're both looking for jobs (mostly focused on Texas jobs that will bring us HOME) and spending our days with CJ.  And boy is CJ exercising his right to be a terrible-two-year-old!  So I guess that is the brief recap for you.  :)

So on to what fun things we've done.  We went to the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum - CJ was in heaven around all those airplanes! 

CJ in a helicopter

CJ running back toward me - startled by a loud sound

Chris & CJ next to a helicopter

I've taken up bicycling and CJ really enjoys riding in his trailer (helmet and all) and often catches a brief nap while I pull all 70+ pounds behind me.  Lucky, boy!  We've been doing a lot of deep cleaning around the house (I guess that's not fun, but totally necessary) and figure at the very least, we're lightening the load before it all gets hauled off to Texas.  It's also been really encouraging "cleaning out" my closet - donating clothes that are too big is reassuring in my quest for weight loss and will help ensure I never get that big again!

Now the CJ updates... I love that boy!  He is terribly smart, probably too smart for his own good (and ours).  He is also so independent and very stubborn (hmmmm... wonder where he gets that from?).  I guess all of this adds up to some pretty intense tantrums.  I think he may have burst some small blood vessels around his tempers with these tantrums... yowza!!!  He is hitting both me and Chris and we're trying everything we can to stop it.  We definitely don't want a hitter on our hands... but nothing we do seems to work.  We're trying to be patient and really remove him from a frustrating situation before a melt-down, but obviously we can't always catch them in time.  And I think a lot of his short fuse is stemming from his lack of sleep... the boy won't eat, won't sleep and I don't know how he is even functioning at a basic level.  When we first started putting him in bed in the "big boy bed," he was an angel - wouldn't get up to even get something that fell over the edge... but fast forward to the last few weeks and we have a boy that plays peek-a-boo with his bedroom door mere minutes after tuck-in.  (Oh, and the "child-proofing" door knob things - he has mastered the art of opening those after we had them on his bedroom doors to help keep him in...)  Tonight was a little better - trying new tactics and a more rigid bedtime routine.  We'll see how that goes tomorrow night...

And as far as the potty-training front goes, it is a slow movement there.  He likes to sit on the potty, isn't afraid of the potty flushing... just doesn't really have the timing down or the desire to drop playing for pottying.  Oh, well... I knew that potty-training a boy was going to be an adventure and it sure is proving to be just that.  We're just going to be patient and encouraging and I'm sure it will all click at exactly the right time.

So keep us in your prayers - for employment opportunities and for some patience and guidance with our dearest son... and I guess for my self-diagnosed insomnia.  :)

Growing up

Well I guess our little boy is growing up... as much as I wish time would just stop, I know it is inevitable.  Not to mention, it feels like such a privilege to be his mother and to be given the distinct job of raising him to be a kind and generous person and to learn and know God's presence in his life.  With all that is going on in my own professional life right now, I know that my job as a mom will be a little tougher.  I need to deal with this, Chris and I need to deal with this, all while showing CJ how to follow God's design for our lives.

Bye-bye crib!

Standing next to the box his new big boy bed came in.

I realize he is a blur, but he usually is in photos!

I've gone off on a tangent here... really my purpose of this little blog entry is to simply announce that CJ will (hopefully) be sleeping in a toddler bed tonight!  I will post pictures later of his new bed and bedding set and maybe even one little boy (sitting or lying down???) in it.  This will be an interesting new adventure for all of us.

Checking out the new bed for the first time.

The blur is ready for bed!

Next step will be full-on potty training...

A brand new day. A brand new chapter.

Suffice it to say, yesterday and the day before were two of the toughest days I've been through in my professional life.  I now no longer work for the company that I have worked for since March 6, 2000.  Fortunately, I did get to leave of my own free will which will save me from explaining why I am not "rehirable" at the company I spent 11 years of my life working for.  Of course, leaving of my own free will was more or less the only choice to save me from being fired and was suggested by my now-former boss.  Thanks?

Now for those of you who know me well, you know that I can roll with the punches, but don't often really "welcome" big changes, so this is very tough on me.  The amazing thing is that I can already see how God is working in my life and my family's life.  I have been incredibly blessed with the people He has placed strategically in my life. 

For instance, today I went to CJ's daycare to officially un-enroll him and gather his remaining pull-ups, wipes, etc. and we left there feeling so completely blessed I can barely explain it.  Before I continue, I should give a little back story to his daycare (and a little "shout out" to them as well!).  Little Lights Learning Center is a part of the ministry of The Lighthouse Church.  While we are Christians, we had no ties to this church prior to selecting them as CJ's daycare providers when he was not even 3 months old.  We loved the daycare from the very beginning.  Everyone from the director to each one of the teachers and staff are wonderful with the children and us parents.  We started to attend Lighthouse Church at the beginning of December and have felt right at home ever since.  When I walked in to Little Lights today, the director of the daycare (a member of the church) was there.  I apologized to her for not having my withdrawal letter with me.  She quickly said that she was glad - they had tried to call us last night.  She wouldn't let me withdraw CJ... instead, she insisted that I bring him for the occasional Mom's day off and when/if I have any interviews or meetings.  Seriously, words cannot express the sheer gratitude I felt with those simple words.

With several tearful hugs with the director and several of CJ's teachers we left there feeling refreshed and comforted.  My first thoughts were of how great God is.  That I could just feel His embrace and guidance and see how He is already working in our lives.  To be so far from family and friends in Texas and to be told that we are family to the daycare and have them be such a support in a difficult time is just simply wonderful.

So now I begin a brand new chapter in my life.  My dad keeps saying it is an "exciting" time... I wasn't prepared to use that particular word to describe this, but I think it is an accurate way to describe it.  I get to spend some time at home with CJ and look for jobs in Texas full-time.  I am exploring new paths and trying to find something that will make me happier (professionally) than I have been for a while now.  I continue to pray and ask for prayers that I am diligent in listening for God's divine will for my life and that His light flows through me and guides my footsteps.

For now and for always, I will put my faith in Him and allow Him to work.  I can't wait to see what is in store!  I guess you could say I'm excited to see what the future holds...  Thanks, Dad!  :-)

CJ sings his ABC's!

First blog ever!

Welcome to my first blog.  I don't know where this is going to take me but I thought it would be fun.  I will begin by telling you a little about our little family.

My husband Chris and I got married in May of 2007 and the day we got back from our honeymoon, we moved thousands of miles away from our families to SW Washington state.  Here we have bought a house and started a family.  And now we are anxious to return to the state that we really consider home... Texas.

Our son CJ was born November 2, 2008 and is simply the sweetest boy.  He has a heart of gold!  I'm sure I am a bit biased being his mom and all... but honestly he is just a kind-hearted little boy.  He loves to move, as most 2 year olds do... he runs (hardly ever walks), jumps and hides behind doors and blinds and curtains.  He is one of the funniest kids I've ever known.  He has a very contagious laugh and a smile that can just make you melt.  It amazes me how smart he is and that he is constantly learning something new.  Last night he sang the ABC's for Chris and then for me.  We have been singing the ABC's to him since he was a baby and I know that his daycare is always teaching the kids new things... but it just took us both by surprise.

Enough gushing on this little guy.  I suppose this blog will take on a life of its own as I go through life.  I'll try to post often and include pictures so friends and family alike can share in our journey.

May God bless you all!