Letter on Jeff & Mindy's Site

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Letter

Posted: Monday, December 22, 2008 3:18 pm

2008 A year of change.

New Years Day, we found out that Herb, our friend from the Nashville Rescue Mission had died.
He was living in our basement, but he was traveling a lot for his sales job. He was placed in El Paso where he was just too close to the border, and his addiction got the best of him and he overdosed New Year's Day.
This really rocked our house spiritually, we had just spent a week with him at our house.
The would have, could haves, how could we have prevented this...the Adversary was attacking.
So together we prayed and sought the Lord and the Truth and we were released from the guilt that had crept in.

In January Jeff left Bondware to try on the shoes of partnership. Unfortunately, it just wasn't the right fit.
We found ourselves in a very familiar place.
Without a job.
We had been in that place before- only Mindy was pregnant with Carrie at the time.
So we looked to God to lead us where He wanted us.

I had Carrie signed up for a Mother's Day out program at a nearby church, but she was on the waiting list.
So I prayed that if the Lord wanted her there, He would open the door. And He did.

So here we were- no job, open door for Carrie.
And so with faith, and only by faith were we able to walk through that door.

It's a long story, and we'd love to tell it if you want to hear it, but long story short:
The door to the place where we thought Jeff fit the most was closed.
Every thing that seemed to stand in Jeff's way was miraculously moved and Jeff is now a consultant for C3 here in Nashville.
And it is the best fit of all the opportunities that he had looked at.

Jeff is a disciplined athlete now, working out every morning. We have switched roles, I don't run anymore. Well, with the exception of running after my kids :) Jeff is happier and healthier than he's been in a very long time, and we are so thankful!

Walter started kindergarten in the fall. With the July birthday we just were not sure what direction to take. Do we send him? Do we keep him at home another year? After much prayer and seeking advice from our pediatrician and his preschool teachers, we, by faith, sent him to school. It didn't take long for us to see that Walter was right where God called him to be. He is a great reader, and he loves school. He has an incredibe teacher who knows Jesus and she has a calm warming approach to her teaching.
I know this because I volunteer almost every Wednesday. It is the best of both worlds for me. I take groups of students out in the hallway to play letter/sight word BINGO and I get to teach and love on the children, and then I get to go home- lfree from lesson plans and unneccessary paperwork.
Walter is developing into a fine little man. He has a compassionate heart, a peace keeper, a superhero of our house. He does a great job being a protective and loving older brother. I can't imagine life without him, he's such a joy. I love that we can have conversations about life and the Lord.

Carrie goes to a program that is much like a preschool. She goes two days a week from 9:30 to 2:15. She is learning what it means to sit still and to listen. For our energetic spirited child, it is an ongoing lesson. Sometimes a firecracker waiting to explode, her energy is never ending, but her laughter and her smile mixed in makes for one really fun child.

Walter and Carrie are very close already. There is a bond, a love there that is the root of something I get the privilege to see grow.

Me? I ran the half marathon in April and then hung up my running shoes for a spell. With Carrie and Walter too big for the jogging stroller, it makes it difficult to squeeze in the time. However, once the weather warms up, it won't be long until I am out there again. Sampson has been very patient waiting on me.
Carrie got a bike with a set of training wheels for her birthday, and Walter learned how to ride without training wheels, so it won't be long before we are hitting the park.

A year of firsts for the kids
Carrie learned how to ride a bike with training wheels
Walter learned how to ride a bike without the training wheels
Walter learned last year how to swim, and thanks to Carrie's lack of fear- they both can swim.
They both can whistle, and Walter can tie his own shoe. Sometimes :)
So it's been loads of fun to watch them develop into little people.

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