sPriNg into Summer

We had a wonderful day with family and friends yesterday on what felt like a hot summer day!  Yes, 85 degrees and sunny here in Michigan.  Its must be time to break the bottle of sunscreen, because Ryan and I realized at the close of the day that we landed ourselves a little sunburn!

While Ryan was at baseball practice, the kids and I started our day with church, and were blessed to have my parents and the Trins (my brother's family) join us!  After church we stopped at a local taco stand for some fifty cent tacos, their Sunday special.  We were even able to eat outside at picnic tables, chit chat and soak in the sun.

Later while playing housekeeper, Ryan asked me if someone was coming to visit.  Just as I said no, we received a phone call from Aunt Diane wanting to stop over!  Well this was perfect, because our plan was to go to the park after the house was polished.  We were excited to have her and her dog, Fly Girl come with us!

Aunt Diane was brave enough to take all of the kids along with the dogs, Fly and Buddy on a pretty long one mile walk!  They definitely got their exercise!  Rowan and the dogs came in ahead of the pack, while Ryan sent out to give Merrick a little help and the rest some moral support :)

We were also blessed to visit with some of our best friends at the park.  Here is Rowan with Sami and Marci (looking so tan from her recent vaycay to hawaii) happily taking a break from playing.

Here I am with my most handsome and amazing husband Ryan.  We were so happy to share this beautiful day with people we love so dearly!

I just had to share this most beautiful picture of the girls.  I just know these girls will be best friends forever.

To bring the day to a close Aunt Diane took us to the famous Pizza Primo for dinner.  It was so nice to be gifted this time to chat and catch up with each others lives.  We were a little bummed that the days events appeared to be too much fun for Kierce, who had been sick and was feeling a little better at the start of the day.  She is now resting up and getting ready to take on the world again!

The Sign goes Up

Wow, it may have been a shocker to some family and friends to learn of our new adventure, but not to everyone!  For as long as my husband Ryan has worked for my brother Dana we have known this moment was coming.  Ryan works for the company Web Design Solutions, a massively growing and extremely successful web development company, which is located in San Diego.  We have delayed the move for as long as possible, and it is a necessity that Ryan be in office, and that office just so happens to be across the country!  Wooo hooo.  Its fun, its scary, its exciting, its sad, but ultimately its exactly what God wants for our life.  I don't know that I have ever felt a stronger feeling about something which is to come! 

With fingers crossed, and praying for Gods timing we are hoping the move takes place over the summer!  Our oldest daughter Rowan was apprehensive at first, but now is embracing the idea.  Kierce, our daughter who is placed in the middle of her siblings was ready to move the instant we told her!  She can't wait till the time comes.  Merrick our only son and youngest of the crew randomly asks me if today is the day we are moving.  He is also excited for our new quest.  It brings me joy to see the thrill in their eyes, and I feel its my job to keep that thrill there amongst all of the unknowns.

As we are very sad to leave our dearest family and friends here, we are also excited to live near other family.  As you can imagine, my brother and his family live in San Diego.  Dana and Brooke have just given birth to their new baby girl (my niece) Eva.  The kids are excited to meet her for the first time, and create bonds with their Aunt Brooke and Uncle Dana.  I also have two cousins, Lori and Steph who live in San Diego and are ready to welcome us with open arms.  It is also ironic that Ryan's cousin Jessie just moved for a great job opportunity to Los Angeles.  We are looking forward to the opportunity to strengthen these relationships!  

With all of the emotional ups and downs we are experiencing as well as our family and friends, its important for me to look at this new experience with wonder and curiosity of the freshness which lies ahead!  How many lives do we get???  Some may say 9, but I say 1!  We are going to live this life to the utmost, I can assure you of that!