So I guarentee that we will never forget this Christmas season with all the pretty snow. As you all know, Troy has been gone for the past couple of months on Active duty with the National Guard. Well this weekend he earned himself a little R&R time at home. He came home yesterday (Sunday, December 14th) and will be returning to duty on Tuesday. It was beautiful when he got here, the snow was starting to fall, the roads were pretty clear, so we decided to go spend some quality family time together and go look at the Christmas lights in Keizer. Every year there is a large neighborhood that go all out with Christmas decorations and lights. We drove over to Keizer and thoroughly enjoyed looking at all the pretty lights.

But as we were headed home..........

We were rear-ended by a 20 year old kid. The entire back end of the van is crumpled. Our insurance adjuster estimated the repair to be around $1,700. We were stopped at a four way stop and he slammed on his brakes and slammed into us. The girls are all alright, but Troy and I both got whiplash.

Unfortunately since I saw him coming at us in the rearview mirror I tensed up and I got the worst of it............

So with a neck brace.... some vicodin.... muscle relaxers....and lots of motrin.....this too shall pass. I'm hoping things go quickly with the insurance adjuster, and that we can get our rental car, get the carseats all replaced, and get our van fixed! But through it all we are greatful that no one was seriously injured...and at least the other guy had insurance! God has blessed us!

Oh, and I over came my fear of driving in the ice and snow, Troy made me drive again today and I did just fine! I know I wasn't at fault, but it was very upsetting! I haven't had a ticket or an accident since I got my license at 16, so it sucks to finally break that. Oregon being a no fault state means that there is a really good chance that our insurance will go up as well as his. But we will cross that bridge when we get to it. Bottom line.... WE ARE ALL OKAY! I promise!

(Cendy I really wish I lived in Eugene.... I'd just bring it to you! I know Eron would take care of it for us!)

A Christmas never to be forgotten

The weather outside is freightful......

(and fridged).....

.......but Parades with lights are delightful!

And to help keep warm..........

The girls got to get up and do a cheer with the North Salem High School Cheerleaders!

They had a BLAST! It was worth freezing our butts off!

Changes of Life

Troy and I had a very deep conversation about 3 weeks ago, and came to the conclusion that it would be in our families best interest for me to go back to work. I called a few friends that work for the State of Oregon in various offices and asked if they had any recommendations on where I should apply. I was referred to the lady that recommends people for temporary state positions. I turned in my PD100 (state application) and my resume to her on Wednesday, I got a call on Friday for an interview at the Department of Adminstrative Services for Wednesday. I went to the interview yesterday and it went very smoothly. I was told that they would make thier decision by Friday this week. I got called today, and she asked me to fill out the background form, and as long as I passed that the job is mine and I can start on Monday. She said my two references had amazing things to say about me, and that she enjoyed meeting me during my interview, and I was the canidate for the job! :0) So I am now, gainfully employed! I thought it would take a lot longer to get on at the state, but God works in mysterious ways! I am excited to see where this venture leads me! I know that it will be really good for me to get back out there. Although the whole childcare thing is a little scary for me, I know that God will give me the direction and wisdom to select the right providers. I have several options available to me right now, which is a blessing. My biggest challenge is working around my kids' school schedules.

Sorry for rambling, I am just very excited about this new opportunity! Thanks for following me in this new journey! :0) I'll let you know how my first day on the job goes!

A Soldiers Wife.......

Why is it so hard for everyone to understand why I stand beside him and support him unconditionally? Is there so little faith in humanity that people don't believe there is such a think as faithfulness and devotion? Is it so hard to believe that marriage truly can last till death do you part?

So many people ask my how I can be "so" supporting of my husband and his military career. People say I have had to give up so much because he re-enlisted. But the truth of the matter is the only thing I have had to sacrafice is time. Time spent with my husband because he is called away from us for duty. But I have gained a whole other dimension to my family because of it. The military is like a big family. You may think that as wives we have to endure a tour of duty, or a deployment alone, but in truth we are never alone. Our extended family is always there for us.

Troy is gone again on active duty. This time he will be gone for two months, possibly longer if they don't get the project finished. So it long days and lonely nights for me. I take it one day at a time and sometimes minute by minute. He didn't enlist because he doesn't love me, he loves me so much he wants to protect me. God never gives us more than we can handle and as long as I remember that, I can get through anything!

Yes, I may have to spend a stent of time being a single mom raising four kids on my own. But the biggest difference is that my husband isn't gone just to be gone, he's gone to serve his country. And that is very honorable. But when you live the life of a soldiers wife you are given an amazing amount of courage and strength. If you ever see a wife stand beside her soldier as he goes to fight for everyone elses freedom, watch her face. There may be some tears of sadness to see him go, but if you look deeper you will see the pride she feels to be married to someone so honorable.

The Military Spouse Coat of Arms best describes what we stand for and why we are willing to make those sacrafices. We believe in the mission!

I am so proud to be married to Troy, and to be able to show our kids what honor truly is. I feel blessed that God has given me the chance to stand next to my American Soldier. Trust, Hope, Love and Honor, that is what it takes to be a soldiers wife...Oh, and a little pride never hurts either!

MAY FREEDOM RING!!!

I love you and miss you baby!

I will keep the home fires burning!

Sorry for rambling on, it's late and hard to articulate my thoughts! Thanks for bearing with me! :0)

57 more days and counting!

Halloween Costumes October 2008

Halloween this year was quite exciting!

We had a princess, a dancing duck, a fairy and a WITCH!

The girls had a blast trick-or-treating and visiting with family this year. They made out as bandits with buckets full of candy and treats! Thank goodness there are a few people that handed out sensible treats as well so it wasn't all a sugar overload!

Checkout their cool costumes!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Some shimmer lotion, a little blush and some sparkling gloss makes Tabbey the bell of the ball! What a beautiful princess she is!

A little green stage make-up and a black wart made from putty and Katie was the witch of all witches this Halloween! "Give me your candy or I'll turn you into a toad!"

A little shimmer lotion, some blush and pink lip gloss completes the look of this pretty little fairy. Just too sweet to be reckoned with!

What can I say......QUACK!!!!QUACK!!!!

Sam is the perfect duck, and you should see her wag her little tail!

The Hair Battle Continues......

So over the past several years we have battled alopecia with Tabitha. She is such a great sport about the whole situation, but we have discovered the only way to get her hair to grow back in after it falls out is to shave her head. Well it seems to come around this time of year that it is the worst, and this year is no different. She came home from school today complaining that her hair was falling out really bad, so I checked it and sure enough, when you run your fingers threw her hair it comes out in CLUMPS. So we shaved it! On the positive side, she doesn't mind having her head shaved because she thinks it's cool to look like Daddy who shaves his head for the National Guard. We bought her some special hats to show off, and keep her little head warm! Below are some pictures. She really is cute with a bald head! :0)

Carving Pumpkins is for Adults.... Not children!

Kathryn learned the hard way that she should leave the pumpkin carving up to Mom and Dad. She got a pretty good cut on the tip of her thumb. Because of the location the Dr. said decided to just dermabond (glue) it closed instead of give her stitches. Lessoned learned! The bandage should come off in a day or two.

Halloween 2008

Here are some pictures of our Halloween decorations. This year me and the girls made a scarecrow that we named Cousin Fred. We carved pumpkins, and we painted a jack-o-lantern on the window. Cousin Fred started out with a paper bag for a head, but then we carved his pumpkin head to complete the "look".

Asking for help..... why is it such a difficult thing?

So I went to visit "my other mom" today. I try to go over once a week and have coffee with her in the morning, today follows that ritual. While I am there I go to get some coffee creamer out of the fridge and to my surprise the fridge is bare! I check the cupboards and they are all but bare as well. It broke my heart! We are talking about a household that usually has overflowing cupboards, and they are all bare! I asked her what was going on? She said that since her son moved in he is eating them out of house and hold and isn't contributing enough to make up for it. Likewise the taxes on the house increased and she just can't get out from under it.

I can't stand the thought of them going hungry just so they can pay the taxes. So I decided to remedy that problem. I went grocery shopping and bought some staples, meat, eggs, milk, cheese, some Mac & cheese, fresh fruit, veggies...ect.

I go back over to her house with the groceries and she broke into tears! She said she didn't ask for help, and I responded with, "nope you didn't ask for it, I just did it, and you will accept it!" Although I know they were happy tears, and I know she is grateful, it hurts! I wish she would've come to me and asked for help. She has always helped us when she was able to, and she watches the girls for me. She is part of my family! She is my girls' grandma! She has been a part of our lives since shortly after Kathryn was born. I made sure to put all the groceries away where they belonged before I left the house. Her cupboards are now full. She asked what she could do for me, and I responded with, "just have coffee brewed for me, I'm still coming over to check on you every week!"

I wish people would learn how to ask for help when they need it. Everyone has a time in their life when things are hard. If you can't ask for help from your friends and family, who can you turn to? Why is it so hard to accept help from others? Just because you are facing a challenge doesn't mean that you are a bad person. In todays economy it is amazing that everyone isn't hurting! I wish that I was able to help more, but even with the little means we have right now, I help others where I am able to. If only people would spend a little more time thinking about what they can do for others, instead of always worrying about what others can do for them!

These are my girls

This is Tabitha. She is 8 years old and in the second grade. She is starting to figure out her place in this world, and growing up so fast. She love to dance and sing. I am hoping to get her enrolled into some dance classes over the summer. She loves to read and write and color. She is a good big sister as she is always looking out for you her younger sisters. She is sweet and caring and is always there to give you a hug when you need one!

This is Kathryn. She is 7 years old and my little tomboy. If you are ever looking for Katie she is probably on the soccer field, or chasing the boys! :) She is in the first grade and thriving. She can knock you off your feet with a smile with those dimples!





This is Jordan. She is five years old and in Kindergarten. She loves to dance and sing. She is kind and compassionate towards others and gives some of the best hugs a mom could ever ask for!










This is Miss Samantha! She is 2 and all that implies! She is definately trying to test her boundries these days, but she is a great kid! She love Elmo and Pooh! Her vocabulary is immense, and after her sisters go to school she doesn't stop talking until they come home! Her newest saying is, "Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease Mama, Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease!" I can't even begin to tell you how many times a day I hear that one! She is full of spunky and humor.

I hope you have enjoyed meeting my pride and joy! My children are my life! Although sometimes they are the cause of my insanity they are also my stability. My husband is often gone days to months at a time working for the National Guard, these girls give me a reason to get up every morning and get through the day. They are truly my special blessings! I wouldn't trade any of them for anything in the world.

Thank you girls for always giving mommy hope

I love you!

Introductions

I thought I would try this whole blog thing. Not sure I will be very good at keeping up with it, but I will give it my best shot.

My name is Victoria, I am 30 years old, married to Troy for 8 1/2 years and have four beautiful little girls. Tabitha is 8, Kathryn is 7, Jordan is 5 and Samantha is 2.

My husband is in the National Guard and I am currently a SAHM, but will be going back to work soon.