I think of you...

Its crazy to think it has been 14 years this year....

I think of you when I look at my feet, you said they were as big as skis.

I think of you when I look at my kids ears, you would have made fun of them as you did mine.

I think of you when I see a cheerwine or the cheerwine truck, I think thats why it my favorite drink.

I think of you when I see a motorcycle, oh how you loved to ride.

I think of you when I see your children, Austin especially looks so much like you and has your sweet and gentle personality. You LOVED and adored them!

I think of you when we go hiking, I loved our adventures, especially to Bunker Hill Covered Bridge.

I think of you when I see Mamaw, oh how I wish she didnt have to feel the hurt of losing you!

I think of you when I think of heaven, I wonder what you are doing?!? I wonder what it looks like...

I think of you in all the little things and all the big things, I wonder what you would have looked. I wonder how you would have aged. I wonder what funny things you would have had to say about me and my kiddos.

I think of how much they would have adored you just as I did.

I think of you...

Pain may last for the night...

This is the song on my heart tonight...

I'm trading my sorrow
I'm trading my shame
I'm laying it down for the joy of the Lord

I'm trading my sickness
I'm trading my pain
I'm laying it down for the joy of the Lord

Chorus:
And we say yes Lord yes Lord yes yes Lord
Yes Lord yes Lord yes yes Lord
Yes Lord yes Lord yes yes Lord Amen

I'm pressed but not crushed persecuted not abandoned
Struck down but not destroyed
I'm blessed beyond the curse for his promise will endure
And his joy's gonna be my strength

Though the sorrow may last for the night
His joy comes with the morning

Sorrow and pain comes in many different forms...for the Gilliland family it has been job loss and money struggles...I lost my job 8/8/14 and began the search for a job. I put in over 100 applications and had about 15 interviews...the last two I felt really good about. I felt really good about the last two but prayed God would close a door because I had no clue what my decision would be and I didn't want to make the wrong one. I haven't felt so low in a long time, wondering why I was looking so hard with no return...finally my phone rang and I got the news I had a job!!!! 

12/4/14 I was almost 3 months in and beginning to feel we were caught up and comfortable again...I finally felt like the knot in my stomach was easing up and I could breath again...only to get a call from Bryan that he lost his job.

He began his search for a new job and that knot returned...however 12/15 he did get a temp/part-time job at Hobby Lobby setting up the store. While this is great and I am praising God for it, we have yet to see a paycheck from it and now missing two from previous job & not knowing when this may end with nothing else lined up, my head wonders...but in this my heart is certain, God has a plan and a purpose. God will use this for His Glory. God knows the outcome before all this began...I don't know who will read this or even if anyone will, this may only be so I can see it before me but He loves us, so much that He sent His only Son to save us and if He loves us that much what we face here (job loss, CANCER, loss of a loved one, whatever) is for His purpose so He gets the Glory!

So I will rejoice no matter the circumstance, in the ONE who loves me! 

Couting my blessings

What  day! I am stressed to the max...I keep focusing on my problems so I am going to count my blessings instead!

1.Thankful for a Savior who willingly laid down His life for even me when I didnt deserve it!
2. I have a husband who loves me and the boys & who works trying his best to provide for us!
3. I have two boys who I love with all my heart!
4. Parents who love me and would do anything for me
5. Grandpatents who love me and pray over me and kids continuouly and would give their shirt off their back if they could
6. My ability to run, I SO need a run!!!
7 My job, it is a job and has its bad days but I love my co workers and their sweet spirits
8 Iam thankful for food to eat
9 Iam thankful that even on my worst day I am promised Heaven with no more tears, no more pain
10 Iam thankful that even with my list of 10 I could go on and on!

Lord I am so sorry for my times of doubt, I am so sorry for the times that I know you have a plan but I break down anyway. Iam thankful that you love me through my tears and worry. Thank you so much for all that Ihave! Thank you that even though this you are teaching me to trust more! I am so thankful that Ican come to you with my worries, my fear, my tears...I LOVE you! 

Our Journey to the move...

Bryan, my family, and I have been praying for months...looking for something closer to town...something in a different school district (we have had SO many MAJOR issues) we looked and looked and nothing seemed to work out. I begin to doubt and wonder...then I got this 3/20/14 

So I rode by to take a look Thursday....

I LOVED it...but wondered if it would work out...

Friday 3/21/14 I contacted the water & power company...had then begin the switch to my name!!!! (Is this really gonna happen?!?)

Sunday 3/23/14 we got the keys to the house...how exciting!!!! Now one more week to wait!!!! Anticipation building!!!!

Monday 3/24/14

Another blessing: Grandma called and offered us her couch!!!! She is getting a new one...we have been looking and pricing and didn't feel like we could move forward...this is why!!!!

I also called Isaac's new school (Sharon, which excites me!!!!) Bryan went by and picked up Isaac and Eli's paper work to begin school!!!! Set Isaacs first day for 3/28/14 which is a Friday so I can take him!!! And while doing so we got Eli signed up for kindergarten too!!!! I have two Tunderbirds!!!!

Tuesday 3/25/14 another answered prayer!!!! Bryan and continued to look for a home for Pumpkin but felt like finding a home for a 4yr old cat might be impossible...until...

When driving her to her new owner, she cried and Isaac cried 😔 when leaving her at her new home Eli cried and Isaac offered his hand for Eli to squeeze (to sweet!) I took them, crying, into cvs and got them this pic of her to keep...

Yet another blessing!!!!! We just found out we got a table and china cabinet!!!! I can't wait!!!! As the days go on the more excited I get!!!

Wednesday 3/26/14 got news today that it could be as early as today or tomorrow and we can go see and start cleaning the house!!! I'm more and more excited!!!

Thursday 3/27/14 I didn't sleep much last night, feels like Christmas but better!!!! Went to bed at midnight and woke up at 2:30am...packed up clothes and cleaned out the closet...

Today is Isaacs last day on the Alexander County, Stony Point bus for the last time...

Today we also sent in our 30 day notice to current landlords!!!! AND I found a CUTE "Home Tweet Home" flag for our new house...I can't wait!!!!

I'm taking more boxes home...DVDs/VHS and blurays packed away along with most clothes now onto board games!!!! Cleaning supplies also packed and ready to go clean our new house!!!

Friday 3/28/14 

Isaac started at Sharon today!!!! He has Ms Brown (who was my kinder teacher) and when we left he had new friends already surrounding him! ❤️ Him & praying for a GREAT day!

He had a good first day!!!!

I wanna be...

We recently had "I wanna be night" in Cubbies...they are 3,4&5 so they wanted to be Hulk, a power ranger, strawberry shortcake...

We encouraged them to think of things like doctors, nurses, police, teachers, soldiers, etc but I got me to thinking "what do I want to be when I grow up?" 

A wise man at church once said "live until you die"! He lived that out! So God willing I still have growing to do...I want to grow spiritually! I want to appreciate the good times more and be prepared to praise God in the bad times! 

A wise woman at our church just lost her husband of 50+ years Saturday...I can't imagine how heart broken and upset I would be, my heart breaks for her...yet SHE re-assures me that God is still faithful and God is still good! 

Several people in our Sunday school class time and time again give when we need it most...I want to be that person! 

I am so thankful for what I have and pray God will use me. I wanna be more like Him! It's a wanna be that I know I will never be...but praying I strive for! 

"I'm just a wanna be" (wish I could find the song on YouTube we sing in Loft I cry every time!)

1-28-14 snow day

So weathermen predicted no snow for us...only east of Charlotte HOWEVER schools called me at 10:30 and said early real ease due to conditions at 1pm. They then called back at 11:20 and said conditions got worse faster than they thought and they would be releasing at 11:30! ❄️❄️❄️

Boys had to come to town to get me (were working on one car right now) and the road especially old mountain is nothing more than a sheet of ice!

That didn't stop the kids from enjoying it when we got home! I pulled them in a sled, they pulled each other, they made snow angels, and of course threw snow balls! Then I made them hot chocolate to help them warm up😀

I'm sure as soon as they get up today they will be right back out 😜 love those boys!!!

1-22-14 my little mess

What a day...

Yay God Isaac felt well enough to go to school today!!!!

I locked my keys in my car and had to be rescued making me 30 mins for work...

When I got to work and started it was non stop all day...doc had a surgery this am starting him off behind...so we worked through lunch...I worked 30 mins late trying to get caught up to then rush home...thankfully Bryan had supper cooking :)

Once I got home things took a different spin...Eli and I worked on his party invites for his daycare friends. He was set and determined that he NEEDED to help me, so I had him write his name on every invite (see pic below) he LOVED it, got practice writing his name and it's personalized 😀 now if only I had bought extras for me to keep one in his handwriting 😢 

Then as has become our new normal we go off to the bed room early. We have been doing 100 day bible challenge (boys, Bryan and me) 

We are reading from isaacs comic bible he got for Christmas...so we are a little off from the plan but trying to read every night!

Last night we read about Joshua and how God told him to be strong and courageous over and over...Isaac breaks out in song...I love music...one of the easiest ways for me to memorize scripture so I wanted to share. (I think this was even a vbs song)

http://youtu.be/NoG0DahAbDY

Tonight we read about Joshua taking over after Moses and how they came to the Jordan river...the men held the ark while the Israelites passed through the river on dry land. Eli excitably points out that this happened when Moses held up his arms at the Red Sea! This makes my heart so happy because we are not only reading through but it's sticking!!! They are listening and begging every night for me to keep reading!!!!

I beg of you, if you haven't started or your behind...jump in there...we give it 30-45 mins a night...that's one tv show and it means more than that show ever will! The kids are having time invested in them, and we are all learning! Every time you read through you see something new and different...God is so good and faithful. The Israelites failed him and questioned Him time after time...just as we do. Man and I thankful that He never fails me!

And today this is my "theme song" after being locked out, losing my cell phone (even though it was in my hand), rushing from here to there sometimes I forget how much I am blessed! I am thankful for singers who at the moment I need it point me back to Jesus! I would encourage you if you aren't already, listen to Christian music such as Klove...it encourages you and uplifts you by pointing you to Jesus when you need it the most!

http://youtu.be/Xe4SckesWLE

Night y'all!