kitchen floor...

this was my Christmas present last year...

no more gastly blue carpet in my kitchen...

although the gastly blue, was a HUGE improvement,

over the 70's gold and green carpet we found

hiding out under there...
But...

after a lot of removal, repair and prep time...

and with the help of my super talented
*and hot* husband...
I now have this wonderful floor to come home to every day!!

*this project has been done for a long time...I just

hadn't yet gotten around to getting pictures of it to post*

patience...

something I need a whole lot more of!!!

I am going mad waiting for some news!!!

leaping and waiting

I sit here looking in the face of something that I have wanted so bad, for so long.
It is the thing that I set out to accomplish years ago.
I said this very "thing" out loud...and I meant it,
and I believed that someday it would be so.
But...now that I find it litterally with in my reach...
I am second guessing myself,
rethinking that belief in my dream,
maybe there is a different plan,
maybe I should just leave well enough alone,
not mess with a good thing...
but...I know this thing will be a better situation for me,
for my family,
I know that it makes all the sense in the world...
but...I know that it is not up to me,
I am who I am,
I have the skills He has given me,
and..,it is not up to them,
they might think it is...
but...in the end...
it is up to the One who has known the plan for 33 years,
it is hard to resign my hopes and fears,
to just leap,
to just have faith,
to just know that what is meant to be will be,
to just give it to God,
and just wait...patiently
but...that is where I am...
waiting...
waiting for Him to show me my path!

Amazing...

I'd like to think that in my short time here on earth I have been witness to some pretty amazing things...the birth of my children being a one of those amazing things, and believe me...the list goes on and on.

While at work today I was thinking about all the babies/children that are due to arrive between today *like literally any day now* and the end of this year.

In Cam's immediate family alone there are 4!!! 3 by way of adoption, and 1 by way of the womb! And there are 3 more in the extended Hassavoort family *this is Cam's mothers family*.

Now, if you know anything about the Hassevoort family...you know that it is a numerous bunch...we have taken Genesis 9:7 quite literally "Now be fruitful and multiply, and repopulate the earth."

Family gatherings are loud, rambunctious affairs...but these affairs are filled with GREAT love and happiness. And...at any given family gathering you will find our patriarchs sitting and watching...I would imagine in great amazement as to what their family has become. THEIR family...a family that started with just Bud and Gert almost 63 years ago. I wonder if they ever imagined how their family would grow?

While I sat at work today thinking, I did some figuring...and what I found out makes me smile...

...by the end of 2010...the Hassevoort family that started as a family of 2 in 1947, will have grown to an AMAZING 100 people!!!

Seriously...100 people in one limb of my family tree!!

And what is even crazier...this family is far...very, very far from being done growing!!

AMAZING!!!

* Hassevoort family STATS.

• 2 parents
• 6 kids
• 6 spouses
• 25 grand children
• 17 spouses
• 37 great grand children
• 7 great grand children on the way

GRAND TOTAL...100!!!!

Because it is beautiful...

and I just could not resist :]

Under Construction...

Since it is spring time in Michigan...and everywhere you go everything is under construction...I figured this would be the perfect time to have a little "renovation" of my own. I have been guilty of blog neglect for far to LONG. And I am hoping to get my act together and start keeping things updated from now on.

So...there will be some changes happening over the next few days to get this blog back "up to snuff". And then I hope you will regain faith in me and see fit to stop by and visit every now and again. I can promise that you will be brought through a whole range of emotions...you will certainly find yourself wide eyed and shaking your head in amazement, and you will most definatly come to a better understanding of what life is like in this crazy house!!

2010...Seriously??

I find it terribly hard to believe that it is a new year already. I feel like I have missplaced months worth of 2009...I think the years go faster the older I get!!

But...alas...here we are in 2010. We spent New Years Eve with some great friends...we played the washer game **the girls struggled a bit** and played some hand and foot...and as predicted...I totally dominated =] We also ate some great food...and today we start our new "fitness plans". Well, as I do every year...I am going to bullet point the goings on from our family in 2009...

• we got older


• some grew taller


• some successfully attempted to grow somewhat slimmer


• Cam was layed off for one week (but worked the rest of the year!!!)


• Cam got Bell's Palsy again =[


• Celebrated Mom and Dad Van's 40th Anniversary


• the girls finished 7th, 5th and 2nd grade


• we spent the 4th of July at the cottage, and the cabin


• we spent the day at Michigan's Adventure with the Nienhuis family


• Shannon was able to take a clinical position at Metro, and is now doing what she loves!!


• Labor Day the cabin


• the girls started 8th, 6th and 3rd grade


• teeth were lost


• teeth grew in


• Cam and Shann celebrated 14 years


• Celebrated Mom and Dad Nienhuis' 40th Anniversary


• there was much hunting...and much fishing


• we spent much time with family and friends


• we were loved


• we loved


• we stressed (some more than others)


• we laughed (a lot)


• we cried


• we took steps forward


• we took steps backward


• and...through it all we did our best to trust Gods plan for our lives

And now...we look forward with great excitement
to what the Lord has in store for us in 2010!!

Happy New Year to you and yours!!!