(I'm really trying to get back into the blogging grove.) 

As I'm putting laundry away, I'm thinking about how blessed our family is with everything that's happened to us over the past few months.  Decisions that we made in the summer of 2009 were definitely God's work.  I remember praying for His guidance on where we should move.  Brian & I both wanted to stay in Europe for numerous reasons, but that wasn't transpiring.  Our wants were obviously not what God had planned.  We ended up with 2 choices that would allow Brian to be home for longer than a year, Korea or N. Carolina.  Korea was in immediate "NO", and Ft. Bragg, NC, was a place Brian said he'd never bring his family to.  If I couldn't be in Germany or San Antonio, I wanted to go to Virginia so badly due to friends & location.  Ultimately, God "knew the plans He had for us"-Jer. 29:11  This is a verse most of us can quote, but I know I often only refer to it in times of trouble.  In the mist of what we wanted God provided us more than we could imagine.

Here we are in Fayetteville, NC!  We are together as a family!  We have a wonderful 5 year old daughter, I'm 6 1/2 months pregnant, we have a nice house, being on the E. Coast provides great travel opportunities, and God has given Brian a new job as an instructor. This could have him home for 2 1/2 years; this is almost unheard of in the Army these days. God definitely knew what he was doing!  This morning, I'm thanking Him for all of our blessings!

On February 25, 2005, our world was forever changed.  Brian & I welcomed the sweetest, baby girl into this world.  Little did we know how blessed we'd be by her everyday.  At just a few moments old, she amazed us with her coos & expressions. Now, she amazes us with her personality & intelligence.  She has grown up way too fast!  I can't even imagine how much she is going to change during her 5th year of life.  

We've spent the last 2 months thinking of ways to "ring in her new year" since we couldn't have a party with her friends from Italy.  Well, this girl has had 2 days of non-stop Kennedy celebrations.  Here is her 5th birthday documented in pictures....