Summer 2008--Part 1

Holden got a new toy today from Nana.  It is called a Ripstick.

The newest form of a skateboard with only two wheels!!  

Tomorrow we are gonna go out and make his first attempt at making it go.  He has knee and elbow pads and wrist guard, and he knows he looks so cool when he has it all on.

As we begin our second week of summer vacation, we are really having a good time!  Things are going very smoothly.  Last week Holden went to baseball camp at the high school, and next week he goes to church camp for the whole week!!!  Last year he was only gone for 3 nights.  Last year when he went to camp he was so excited, but this year I don't think it has sunk in yet that he is leaving next week.  I am so excited for him!  

We are not going to go on a big family vacation this year, but we are going to enjoy our new home!  This summer is much easier on Holden because he isn't cramped in a little apartment with just me for three months.  He has Travis across the street, and he has made some really good friends at church!  I couldn't be happier about how he has adjusted to our new life in our new home.  

There are all kinds of fabulous changes going on for our family.  Jason has gotten a much earned promotion!  (I told you he has an amazing work ethic!)  I have accepted a teaching position MUCH closer to home!  I will be teaching 5th grade next year.  I am excited about being home earlier for Holden next year.  

I am also going to facilitate a women's bible study this summer.  I am excited about reading a book by Elizabeth George  A Woman After God's Own Heart.  I am definitely no expert in this area, but knew that I would be held accountable if I am meeting with women weekly to discuss the book!  I knew God is going to do BIG things through this opportunity.  I can't wait to meet new women from church!

I will update our summer as the weeks go by....Stay Tuned!!1

Lord Holden Ivy

Friday  night, Jason and I surprised Holden with a trip to Medieval Times to celebrate his TAKS scores!!!

Fourth grade students in Texas are required to take 3 tests.  Reading, Math and Writing.

Our son received 100% on ALL THREE tests!!!  That is a huge accomplishment!!!  We are so proud!!!

Holden was knighted by the king and had a blast!!!

Click on the pictures and you can see them much better!!!

Mother's Day

Today was a perfect day!!!  This isn't going to be a fancy blog, but just a list of what we did to remember my second Mother's Day.

Jason, Holden and I got up this morning and went to a beautiful church service!

When we got home, Holden made chocolate chip cookies for MeeMaw and Granny.  They were yummy!!!  

I got to lay in bed and read my book for awhile and take a nice long nap while the boys played the guitars in the front room.  It was so peaceful!!!

When I woke up, the boys were playing Mario Kart Wii.  I got to play while my men grilled steaks in the backyard.  Jason made steaks, baked potatoes and corn on the cob!  It was sooo tasty!!!  

I got two amazing gifts!!!  Jason's bought me a digital picture frame.  I love it!!!  But I must say the best gift I received was from Holden!  He made a TIME magazine at school with me on the front cover!!!  It was bound together filled with short articles about ME!!!  It is something I will cherish FOREVER!!!!  

Right now, Jason and I are in the living room relaxing in the recliners watching Forrest Gump.  I can't even begin to explain how I feel about a perfect Sunday!  

Anyway....Thank you , Jesus, for the perfect Mother's Day!!! 

My son is TEN!!!

I just left Holden's room & tucking him in for the night.  I wonder how many more years he will want us to tuck him in?  

Today our son turned 10.  Seems like only yesterday he was 8.  haha

When I met my sweet boy he was 8 years old.  I remember that first meeting like it was yesterday.  

Jason and Holden met me at the movies to see CARS, then we went out to lunch.  Holden wanted to ride in the car with me from the movies to the restaurant.  I thought Jason was crazy to send his son with someone he had only met twice, but I knew I wasn't a crazy maniac.  Holden was very pleasant, and I enjoyed our short conversation on the way to Red Robin.  That summer, I spent quite a bit of time with Holden.  Swimming, eating out, and just hanging out.

Little did I know that less than a year later, that young man would be escorting me down the aisle to his father.  And I would become his mother.  What an honor!  

I have made many mistakes in the last 13 months, but my love for my little man hasn't change.  He is MY son, and I am so proud of the young man he is becoming.  He has grown so much in the short time we have been together.  Physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.  

A few months ago, I shared this promise from God's Word with Holden--

"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future."   Jeremiah 29:11

I don't know what those plans are.  Jason doesn't know what those plans are, and neither does Holden.  But we don't need to know.  God knows!  What we do know is that it will be special!  I truly believe that God is gonna use Holden is a BIG way!  

Trusting HIM

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding."  Proverbs 3:5

I memorized that verse when I was in Junior High at Hume Lake.  It was the last week of June every summer.  The week I looked forward to all year long.  But this verse has stuck with me for the last 25+ years.  Today it is more meaningful to me than ever.

A week ago today I got a call from my doctor's office.  My blood work revealed that I am not ovulating.  This medically explains why we have not gotten pregnant yet.  

As devastated as I was, I know that there is a bigger explanation.  Bigger than any medical tests can prove.  It is very simple....it hasn't been God's plan for us yet.  As hard as that is...I don't think before now we were really prepared.  Is anyone ever really prepared?  But we didn't have a room for a baby.  Now that we are in the house we have a room.  That is important, but that doesn't necessarily mean that God will say, "We'll that's all I was waiting for.  Here's your baby."  :)

But now we are seriously going to start steps to solve any medical issues.  A year ago, my doctor told me to give it a year and if I wasn't pregnant to come back for some tests.  I began those tests a little over two weeks ago.  I am proud to say, my sweet hubby is completely healthy.  I never imagined it would be me.  

The current issue we face can be easily solved with the right medication.  I started taking Clomid on Tuesday.  I have another test today.  We are praying that there is nothing else "in the way" (literally),  but as we go through this I am trusting that Jesus has the perfect plan for our family.  He is in control.  

Yesterday Holden and I were leaving to go get stuff for his birthday party, and he saw me take the pill.  He asked me what it was for.  Jason and I believe that we need to be totally honest with him, so I explained to him in the simplest way I knew how.  He seemed a little concerned and asked if I would have to have surgery.  I told him that I didn't know much more about it other than the medications.  But I reminded him that God is in control and it will happen when God is ready.  I also told him that if having a baby isn't part of God's plan for our family, then we would still have him.  Then my sweet boy looked up and said, "Please God make it part of your plan."  

So as we all pray for a new miracle of life to show itself in our little home, I am going to continue to "Trust in the LORD with all my heart" and repeat Holden's prayer.  "Please God make it part of your plan."

My Husband's Work Ethic

Jason left this morning for his first business trip to Maryland. I am so proud of him!
Let me tell you about my husband's work ethic!

When he comes home from work he is exhausted because when he is at work, he is there 110%. He takes his responsibilites very seriously and is often the recipient of a complimentary email from a client or upper management. This week he has been chosen to go to the coorporate headquarters to be trained for something new. Jason said he is being treated like he is "someone important" instead of "just an escrow person". Well, my sweet husband, you are someone important and you deserve to be treated like it.

Jason is so good at being a people person! He knows how to talk to people in a tone that is never condescending and yet gets his point across. I can remember when I first met Jason, I used to love calling him at work because of his voice. I must admit--I thought it was rather "sexy". It still is. But my husband knows how to communicate with people. He knows how to make them feel comfortable and makes sure he has heard their concerns and tries his best to work with them until they are satisfied with the solution (even if it isn't what they originally thought they wanted the solution to be).

If there is a tough situation at work (or home), Jason is the peacemaker. I don't personally know everyone he works with, but I do know he is respected by everyone at work--even when he isn't doing the "popular" things. Jason is a man of integrity and makes sure that if he is at work, he is earning his paycheck every minute. He doesn't expect anything of anyone else if he isn't willing to do it himself.

Jason is not in management nor does he have a lead position right now, but he is still the man that people look to when a problem needs to be solved. I am so proud to be able to say, "He is my husband!"

I love you, Jason Ivy.

Our First Guests

Today we had our first house guests that weren't family. :)

Holden went to Andy's house to spend the night, and Andy and his mom came over to pick him up. Holden was very proud to show off his new rooms.

Then after they left, my friends Xandra and Sarah came over!!! I was so excited to get to show off my new home!!! Xandra arrived first with a beautiful Easter Lily in a yellow pot! It smells so yummy!! Sarah and Gwen arrived at exactly 12:44 (just as the GPS said she would)! Sarah brought us the coolest new address announcements on cardboard! I can't wait to send them out to my 10 favorite people. haha Just kidding!

We went out to lunch at Jimmy's Pizza in "downtown" Midlothian! It was so fun to have "girl-time"!!! We ate, made silly faces at Gwen, and then stopped at Dairy Queen on the way home for dessert!

It was so nice to sit at my kitchen table and visit with friends! We have officially decided we like not working and hanging out in the kitchen with the girls! I hope this will be just the first of many afternoons with friends in our home!

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On Thursday and Friday, we had more guests! Elena brought Matthew and Alex over Thursday evening. The boys enjoyed playing. Alex wanted me to take the cats down from over the door frames. My aunt Dorothy came over on Friday. We ate cheesecake and visited.

It is so nice to have a home and to be hostess.