Closing a chapter and starting a new one

I've really been neglecting this blog...not on purpose I promise!  Seems like we've been pretty busy lately, but it's a good busy.  Last week Levi  officially completed his master's degree, which included yet another trip up to South Dakota.  He had his last day as a student on clinicals last Thursday, then we drove to KC to drop the boys off with my parents and our plan was to leave the next  morning for SD...as we got closer to KC it became clearer and clearer that the weather the next morning was not going to be good for travel.  The worry is that I-29 would  be closed due to ice and snow that was coming in later that night.  My Dad suggested we just drop the boys off and keep driving that night to get as far as Omaha.  We did this, and although that put us in Omaha at midnight, it was definitely the Lord watching over us and getting us to this "exit interview" appointment on time.  Long story short, we made it to SD,  and Levi had his exit interview with the director of his program.  I've never seen such a big smile on my husbands face as when he walked out of that meeting!  I was so happy for him and excited to celebrate.  It was a really fun evening together, we went to dinner, did a little shopping, and stayed in a hotel that night before driving back that next day.  We were both so relieved and thankful to get to this point. As a CRNA here in town, Levi's schedule will be SO much more family friendly than his schedule as an RN working nights.  While this past 3 years has been a lot of work for Levi, it has also been a wonderful time for our marriage and our little family of 5.  To think that when we started this little journey together all three of  the boys were 2 and under...we have SO many wonderful memories together and a million blessings to be thankful for.  

Levi is home studying for boards full time, and should get his approval to sit for boards in the mail sometime in the next couple of weeks.  He will schedule a time and take those, then start his job on April 1.  We are so excited that he is going to be working for this anesthesia group, and he loves all of the people he works with.  

The boys are doing very well.   Marcus has spirit week at preschool next week, so he'll be dressing up everyday next week based on the daily theme.    I'll have to post some pictures on here from that.  Speaking of him and school, please be praying for his teacher.  She is very young, but in the past week and a half has had two minor heart attacks, and is awaiting an appointment at the mayo clinic to have an extensive evaluation to see what is going on.  She is such a sweetheart, and truly has been an answer to prayer for our son.  Her and her husband have definitely been on our hearts and in our prayers.

Carson and Cole have been keeping busy, their newest interest is craft projects and cutting and pasting stuff like big brother.  Most of the time our house looks like a craft store exploded...Cole has been doing our daily exercises with Levi and I.  It's really cute, I can't believe he can actually do some of the things.  I can't say I've ever seen a 3 year old do a pushup, but he can.  

Levi and I have continued to follow the P90X program, and are doing well.  It is very hard physically, but we are noticing small changes and feel so much better.  At times the eating plan is difficult, but mostly it has been very manageable for us.  Monday will be day 30, when we will weigh and take measurements again, so I'm praying the results so far are good. That would be very encouraging and motivating for us.  I have to admit it has been hard not to step on the scale, but we are not supposed to until day 30, 60, and 90.

Well this has turned into a rather long post...guess I need to get back to posting more frequently.  If you are reading this, you probably have prayed for our family at some point over the past 3 years, and we thank you so much for that.  It means so much to have wonderful family and friends who have supported us, prayed for us, and cared for us.  Have a wonderful weekend!  

The Weekend

It's a quiet Friday morning here with the snow falling down.  It's beautiful, I love winter so I'm really enjoying it, but I'm always thankful for the spring.  Guess that makes me a true midwest girl huh?  We have a fun weekend ahead.  Tomorrow I am helping with a baby shower for Levi's cousin, so today we'll be busy making dessert treats for that.  Sunday we're having some family and friends over for the super bowl.  Levi is home all weekend, so to me that is the best part! In fact, two weeks from today he will no longer be a student.  He will be done.  

F I N I S H E D... and he'll use the following 6 weeks to study full time for his boards exam.  It will be such a relief to pass that and have it behind him.  Please continue to pray for him if you think of him.  

We have really been making an effort to get more disciplined in all areas of our lives.   We're finishing up week 1 of a very strenuous work out routine... let me just say we are SORE all over, and in places we didn't know existed.  But it's good.  We're following a nutrition plan, so I've been trying to keep up with all of the cooking and stuff too.  Again, we need prayer in this.  

The Lord has been so good to give me such encouragement this week in my daily readings, and in conversations with friends.  He always knows our needs, and loves to be in all the details.  Also Charles has been going through 1 Corinthians 13 over the past three Sundays, speaking on "The Necessity of Love", "The Character of Love", and "The Permanence of Love"...all very good and such a blessing.