PA

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand we're back.

Its been way way way too long since I've updated but to say that I had zero time to write is an understatement. The months and weeks leading up to J's dissertation defense were crazy. I was stumbling around in my first trimester stupor of exhaustion and was pretty much solo parenting on most days, especially towards the end. Once the dissertation was defended, J needed to make his revisions, submit his defense for publication and finish writing articles for a few journals. So yeah, even busier than before, not sure how that happened....

Then came graduation, the big day we had all been waiting for. It was awesome. I simply can not express my gratitude to the Lord for bringing us to that moment of celebration and accomplishment. We are all extremely proud of J, not only for his scholastic achievements, but also for the tremendous way he lived his life during those five long, stressful years. He is an excellent husband and father and has always kept the Lord first in his life. He draws me closer to Jesus. He is both the head and the anchor of our little family.

A few days after graduation, J and I were cruising around Marco Island with the kids. His phone rings and within minutes we are parked outside a mini golf hut shaking our heads in disbelief, tear in our eyes, thanking the Lord for providing J with a job.

I knew God would provide. I knew he would. I just didn't know when. I was preparing myself for the long haul of unemployment. We know so many people enduring that particular trial right now and I felt myself bracing for it. But the Lord provided right on time. The cherry on top? This job was J's "dream job" out of all the jobs he had looked at or applied for. (I should mention that a job in Fairbanks, Alaska was on the list. This cuban was F-R-E-A-K-I-N-G out about that one).

We were given exactly four weeks to pack up our life and head on up to PA.

I tried not to hit the mental panic button. I really did. I told myself not to...repeatedly.

But ya know what? Aside from being pregnant, having three children, a husband that just went through a grueling five years of grad school and not having slept well in five years...  I am a control freak who hates packing.

So I am sure you can imagine my mental state this past month...actually please don't.

We finished loading the truck yesterday and as I write this J and Frankie are driving up to PA. The boys and I will be hanging out tourist style for the next ten days before heading up.

We'll be updating as much as possible over the next few weeks....lots to share!