Kelly's Korner - Show Us Your Singles!!!

This is my Sister, Lynn.

 

 



Lynn loves the Lord and loves her family.  She loves her 3 nieces and enjoys spending time with them.

 

 

Lynn is so willing to help me and pours into the lives of my girls.

 

 

 Lynn is an Administrative Assistant to the President of the company and is also the Office Manager.  She serves at our church in many different areas.  She enjoys spending time with her friends

 

 

Lynn has a gentle spirit and has a deep relationship with the Lord.

Lynn is waiting on the Lord for the man He has for her.  She is looking for a man who loves the Lord and who will put Jesus first and then her.  If you are interested you can e-mail me at fastykaste@yahoo.com.  Send me some pictures and information about yourself.

Zoe Elise!!

I have a new little niece and I could not be more happier!! What a cutie she is. Tim's sister, Libby, had Zoe last Saturday after a very long labor that ended in a c-section. Zoe came home last night and is doing great! The girls have not got to hold her yet or spend time with her because they have colds. (Great timing with the colds, they had not been sick in months!) They are bummed about it, but know they can when they are better. Grace is so thrilled Zoe is a girl! She wanted a girl cousin because she has a boy cousin! We hope Zoe and Affie will be good buddies!!

We leave tomorrow for my cousins wedding in Michigan. Our flight leaves at 8:45 tomorrow. I have a ton to do today, but my step-mom offered to take the girls after we finish school this morning! I am soooo thankful!!! Time ALONE to get things done!!! Praise the Lord! I don't have a lot of alone time anymore - so this is a real treat. Even if it is spent busting my butt to get ready!! :)

Been busy!

Wow...it sure has been a long time since I have posted. We have been really busy with a ton of different things Tim has been off this week and we have been remolding the kitchen. I will post pictures of the before and after. We are almost done with it and we really like it.

Tonight is the open house for the school where we would have sent Gracie. We still have peace in our schooling decision and we praise God for that. Knowing the open house was tonight made me think it all through again. We start school on Monday and Gracie is getting excited! The schoolroom is almost ready and I think I am almost ready. God is good and I am so thankful for the peace and direction we have had in all of this.

More to come... :)

Friends....

I usually look at the glass half empty. I tend to focus on the negative. I know, not the best thing for me. Tim and I went through some things with friendships about 3 years ago and it lasted for about 2 years and it still effects us today. It wass really hard and made us seek the Lord a lot and grow closer together. I still struggle and think about what we went through. I was in the shower this morning and felt like the Lord was reminding me of the wonderful friendships I do have. I decided to take some time to be thankful for the friends I do have. These will be in alphabetical order...not in order of importance!


Daun ~ I have known Daun for about 8 years now. We became good friends after Tim and I got married. We have watched our families grow with a total of 6 :) kids between us. She is one I can talk to about almost anything. She gets me and is there for me. She is always willing to help when I need help - like bed rest! I love having play dates with her and her boys. Our kids get along so well and it makes our friendship even stronger. Daun - Thanks for being an example of a Godly woman. Oh, and thanks for freaking out with me on our schooling decisions!! :)


Lynn ~ I have know Lynn since the day I was born. We may be sisters, but we are best friends as well. I am so blessed to have a sister and a sister I am friends with. We talk everyday....more than once a day, and I love that! We have been through a lot together....good and bad. I am glad she has been by my side even if she doesn't understand what I am going through. She is a wonderful aunt and sister-in-law. Lynn ~ wow....there is too much to say in a couple of sentences. Know I love you and thank God for what we have. I am truly blessed. My prayer is that my girls will have just what we have.


Misty ~ Not sure how many years I have known Misty. I was in our College and Career class at our church when I met her. We had a lot of fun time together back then! Although Misty moved away and I don't see her anywhere near as often as I would like, we just pick up where we left off. I love this about our friendship. Misty is real. What you see is what you get. I LOVE this about her. She is genuine and sincere. Misty - thanks for our friendship and who you are. You truly are like me in a lot of ways...and I like that! I love watching your family grow!


Mom ~ Yes, she is my Mom, but she is my other best friend. I don't need to give any background on how we know each other. I also talk to my Mom more than once a day, and love it! She truly is a Goldy women that I look up to. She is always there when I need advice, need a friend, need help...the list goes on and on. Mom - Thanks for raising Lynn and I like you did as a single parent. I know the Lord was guiding you every step of the way. Thanks for raising me in a Godly home where I watched you serve your God and obey Him. I serve Him today because of decisions you made.


Sarah ~ I have known Sarah since she was born. Sarah and I grew up next door to each other. We did EVERYTHING together - no joke!! I love the fact that Sarah knows so much about me. She gets me. I love the fact that we now attend the same church. I love our Wednesday nights where we "work" and talk. I think it is neat we are still friends and are now raising our families together. Sarah - thanks for all your years of friendship. I am truly blessed to have you in my life. You and your family hold a special place in my heart. God knew we needed all of you.


Rebecca ~ Becca and I grew up in the youth group together. We were inseparable. We just clicked from day one. I have so many memories with Becca. I wish she lived here, but am thankful that after all these years and the miles that separate us, we are still really good friends. I love our phone chats and love comparing our families. We are in the same stage of life and it is great to share that with her. Becca, you are a great wife and Mom and I appreciate that about you. I saw your marriage when I was out there and took note of some things I needed to change in my marriage. I am so happy you are loved by James and blessed with your cute family. Thanks for being such a dear friend to me.


Tim ~ My hubby! I have known Tim for 16 years. We truly started out as friends...in the youth group. We were not real close, but were friends. We then grew closer in College and Career. And then eventually I fell in love. He truly is at the top of my friend list. He really gets me and he really loves me in spite of my issues, and I have many. We love to spend time together even after a long day. I love going to bed with him and waking up with him. He is my soul mate. Timothy, thanks for not only being my husband, but my friend. Thanks for listening to my issues and helping me through them. You are the best friend a girl could ask for.


The Lord gives and takes - I believe that is what He does with friends. I need to keep my focus on what I do have and not what I had. I am truly blessed with these friends.

Our decision....

Came easily after the pressure was off. Once that pressure was off it just fell into place. What fell into place you ask? Our schooling decision. We have peace.....peace that only comes from the Lord. In the fall, we will embark on a new journey - home schooling. Over the last couple of weeks it has been made clear to us that this is the direction we are to go. I am excited, thrilled, nervous and apprehensive. When Gracie was first born, it was a journey - a hard one that came with so much joy and and many blessings. But there were days (and still are) I wondered why God picked me to be a mother. I have a feeling this journey will be the same way. I just want what God has for our little family. I want to be in the center of His will. I am so blessed we have a decisions and are making preparations for the fall. We continue to see Gods hand in this decision. I am expecting to be molded and made more like Christ as we embark on this new journey.

Blessed

Why is it that I question God and wonder what He is doing? He of course knows what He is doing. He knows my needs and my deepest desires. After having Avery, life seemed to be all about 3 little kids, laundry, food, and cleaning. It was not about me, Tim, and my relationship with God. I was also struggling because my hormones were all out of whack from having Avery. I had shots of progesterone when I was pregnant with her for a little over 24 weeks. The shots were stopped when I was 36 weeks pregnant with her. I then had her and my hormones never went back to normal. I didn't really realize it until a couple of months ago. I know I was feeling "different", but chalked it up to being a busy mom with 3 little ones. Long story short, I am now on medicine to regulate my hormones and am feeling MUCH better. What a difference! I was also in need of some me time and some time with God. I am now doing a Beth Moore Bible study through our church and I love it! It gets me out of the house and into the Word. My Mom and Sister offered to watch the girls one night a week for Tim and I to have a date night. Wow....this has been so nice. Just him and I, enjoying a quiet meal and being able to talk! Thank you Mom and Lynn for doing this for us. What a blessing it has been.

I decided to do our mentioning program at our church. They pair the younger women up with a mature lady. I met the lady I was paired up with and was excited to get to know her better. She had me and the girls over for lunch today. It was just what I needed. I had a really good time and have enjoyed getting to know her. She is so sweet and just loved on my kids.

With all of the changes I have mentioned, I feel like a new women. I am enjoying the summer with my kids, enjoying being a wife, and enjoying being me. I still have my moments where I want to pull my hair out and wonder which end is up. There are dishes in my sink, laundry piled up, things to be taken back to the store, and the list goes on and on.

I am blessed. Blessed to have an incredible husband. Blessed to have 3 darling little girls. Blessed to be a member of a wonderful church. Blessed to have a wonderful family. Blessed to worship and serve my Savior. I am blessed.

My curly headed little girl....

....turned one today!! I can't believe a year ago today Avery Margaret was born. What a blessing she has been in this family. We got home this morning at 9:00 from our trip. Long story short, we were going to drive yesterday till we got home. We should have gotten home around 1:00 in the morning, but decided to stop 3 hours from home. There were really bad storms that we knew we were going to run into if we continued to drive. So, we woke up this morning, in the same clothes we went to bed in and got back on the road. We gave Avery her birthday gifts after we got unpacked. We then had a quiet dinner at home with the 5 of us. It was nice to sit and enjoy each other. She had her first sweet after dinner. We let her have a cupcake! She liked it at first and then decided it was better to just play with it. She was so cute!! We will be having her party next weekend, but it was nice to have a little celebration for her today.

Dear Avery,

To me, you are my Avery girl, my Affie, my Affers, and my Avery Margaret. You can light up a room from a mile away!! Out of all my girls, you smile the most and it takes nothing at all to get you to smile!! I love your curly hair and your big blue eyes. You have brought joy to this house. Your sisters love you to pieces. When you get up from a nap or in the morning, you look for them and then you give them the biggest smiles. They both think the world of you and love to look after you and "Mother" you. I love our Wednesday's alone. Just you and me...running errands and playing.

We named you after your great-Grandma and I often think of her when I look at you. The Lord knew she would never meet you. It saddens me, but I know she would love the fact that she was named after you. She would have loved to hold you and sing to you.

I rocked you to sleep tonight (you always fall asleep on your own in your bed), because I wanted time with you, I wanted to think about the last year, I wanted to tell you things I don't always tell you, I wanted to just hold you, love on you and kiss you. You fell asleep in my arms and I loved every moment of it! I then prayed and thanked God for you.

I thank God for you, Avery. You are a gift from above. I know the Lord has entrusted you to Daddy and I. I know it is our responsibility to raise you in a Godly way. I pray we will continue to do that. I know I have said this before, but I am often asked if we want a boy or if we wanted a boy when I was pregnant with you. The answer is a very firm NO. Daddy and I were thrilled to pieces to know you were a little girl. You are our little girl and we are more than thankful you are in our lives. You complete this family and we can't imagine you not being here.

Little Affie girl, know you Mama loves you! Happy Birthday!

Love,
Mommy