The Crowleys

Deep Breath

2012-01-04T15:34:00.000-08:00

Wow - where do I even begin!? I have been thinking for some time that I need to update the blog, but to be honest - I just haven't had the energy or the clarity of mind to write down my thoughts!! =) So much has happened over these last few months that it is too overwhelming to report on everything - so I will just deal with what is current. And will post some fun pictures at the end to explain the rest.

Ever so thankful - things have changed a lot since my last post about our miscarriage. God was so faithful and allowed us to get pregnant again the following month and I am now in my 17th week - crazy! This pregnancy has been a bit of a roller coaster. There was a lot of anxiety at the beginning following the early miscarriage that we had recently experienced. And around the time I began to settle down - the nausea started. With Jordan and Drew I had about 2 rough weeks and then I was good to go. But I am still having some off days with this one. I am a lot more tired and my stomach can be a bit of a mess at times. One of the biggest triggers for my anxiety is sickness and obviously pregnancy has presented a lot of challenges in that area. If I am being honest - it is a daily fight - but one that God helps me win most days. We are praying that my energy will return soon and that I can "settle in" and enjoy this pregnancy. We find out the gender in a few weeks so we are excited and praying for a healthy growing little Crowley.

We had a great Christmas holiday spending time with family in both Little Rock and Kansas City - we are so blessed. We wish we could have seen all of our friends in both places, but we weren't in one place long enough to do much of that without it costing us family time. But please know that we miss all of you and think about you often. It has been a bit rough getting back into the swing of things this week - which may be good evidence that we were able to really relax and let down while we were away. It was a much needed break before this last push!

Bryan is about to start his final semester of seminary! It is going to be a very full spring for him with taking 16 hours and working 20-25 hours a week - but I know he can do it. I could NOT be more proud of my husband - it has been no easy task! He has had to juggle school, work and family and has done an amazing job. He has jokingly said a number of times, "I may not be smarter when I graduate seminary, but I will be older." God has grown both of us in ways that we would have never fathomed and while it has been hard, it has been very good.

As we look ahead, it is hard for Bryan and I not to get too overwhelmed with all that needs to be done. Between finishing seminary well, looking for a job, having a baby and hopefully moving by July or August - we have just a few things on our prayer list! When I look at it as a whole it feels daunting and impossible. But one of the big things that this "planner" has been learning over the last year is how to take life one day at a time. Honestly - we are truly so excited about whatever lies ahead. We know that God has a perfect plan for us and we find amazing peace in that. We are so ready to settle in somewhere and have a new place to call home. It is as if we having been missing it without even knowing where it is! And yet - that is this life isn't it? God is preparing the ultimate home for us. And that longing for home is the echo of eternity in our hearts - when we can be with our Father!

Well this momma is needing to get dinner going in a few minutes so I need to wrap this thing up! Here are a few of our prayer requests:

- Baby #3 - Please pray for health for both baby and momma. Pray for energy for me and against any anxiety. With all the changes coming (mixed with pregnancy hormones) I know there will be some "uneasy" days. Please pray that I can take everything in stride and hold tight to God's very capable hand.

- Bryan - pray for strength and endurance to finish this race well. It is encouraging to see a light at the end of the tunnel, but the tunnel is still long. There is still a lot to be done.

- Job after seminary - the job search will begin in the next few months and while we are excited about where we will end up, job hunting is just hard. Please pray that God would direct us and that we would be sensitive to His leading.

- Finances - oh how I long to not have this on our prayer list! Bryan is increasing his hours of work (which will be a bit of a stretch for him), but we are still going to come up a bit short. With what has been given and pledged, we need about $5,000 to not have to take out a loan. We know God will provide however He wants to. He has already provided so much (example: I was approved for Medicaid so this baby will not be stressful for us financially - HUGE praise)! And so many of you have sacrificed to help us out and believe me when I say that we are humbled and amazingly grateful - and our prayer for you is that God would bless you back abundantly! However - the need remains. If you would be interested in helping us out, please send any contributions to the following address (and all contributions are tax deductible):

Fellowship Bible Church
Attn: Rosie Stephens
1401 Kirk Road
Little Rock, AR 72223

Ok - so here are a few pictures to highlight the past 3 to 4 months!

Our big girl turned 5! She is such a joy!

Drew learned to ride his big boy bike!

Halloween is always so much fun! We had Jessie and Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story.

The holidays in Colorado!

Happy New Year everyone! Thanks for reading and keeping up with us!

Be still ...

2011-09-08T17:27:00.000-07:00

"Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10

This has been one of those weeks that I have felt God carrying me, refining me and whispering to me throughout each day. And I know it is because I have been so in need of His presence - needing to know He is there. Needing to know He is in control. Needing to know that He is peace. Needing to know that He has purpose in ALL things. And in one of my deepest moments of need - He brought me back to this quiet verse in Psalm .... "Be still and know that I am God." What a wonderful place to rest.

God has been tugging on my heart the past few days to update the blog, and I have been pushing back on it because I haven't been ready to share what all has been going on with us. But He has continued to nudge, so here we are.

This past Saturday we had our first miscarriage. We were not very far along but were already getting so excited about adding to our family. It was a hard day just waiting to see what would happen. But as I prayed, God gave me such peace in knowing that He is in control. Although I was not fearful, the saddness was more than I was expecting. That afternoon was when God brought me to the verse in Psalm and it was like He was speaking directly to me, "Corrie, be still and know that I am God." Thank you Daddy for your precious words for they were my comfort and strength. By that evening we knew I was miscarrying and we were able the grieve the loss of that little life. It was just so sad.

After a couple of days, I really felt like I had dealt with the miscarriage and was feeling ready to move on with life (not to sound harsh). But my body was feeling very off and my stomach was a mess. I was feeling a lot of the same symptoms as when I was dealing with all the anxiety back in the winter, which was very discouraging. I got off my anxiety medication in June and had been doing so well. It was all so confusing, trying to figure out if it was a result of all the emotions I had experienced, the pregnancy hormones, anxiety, or possibly just a common stomach bug. I was very fearful of sinking back into the anxiety battle which was beyond daunting to think about.

I am thankful to say that I am doing much better now. I got on some medicine for my stomach which has helped a ton. And I am fighting off the anxiety well without any medicine. Every day I am feeling better and that is a huge praise. My biggest struggle right now is all mental. It is hard not to think about the "What Ifs" when it comes to getting pregnant again. But I know I can't dwell there.

I went to a new Bible study yesterday. We are going through Beth Moore's study of David (she has revised it) and I cannot begin to tell you how timely it is for me. What better time to do a study of a man after God's own heart, when my heart is so raw and weary. I feel like it has been used as a punching bag over the last 15 months and I am needing some time of healing. I am prayerful that that is what this study will bring. Even this morning as I was doing the first lesson - I was amazed at how thirsty I was for His Word - and how quickly I was refreshed by it. Oh God - wash me in the water of your Word!

I don't want it to sound like the last 15 months have been bad ... they have actually been amazing in so many ways. But they have also been some of the hardest of my life as well. Funny how that works. God has been refining and molding me in ways I would have never expected. But when I look at how God is equipping and preparing Bryan for ministry - I can't help but think that God is preparing me as well for whatever lies ahead for us. God has already used my struggle with anxiety to help encourage other women. What a creative and mighty God we serve.

In the midst of all of these hardships, we are so thankful to have two amazing children who are a constant source of joy for us. Drew has been potty training for a little over a week now and is doing amazing! I cannot tell you how much I was dreading it, but he has exceeded all expectations - praise God! And Jordan had her first day of preschool today and loved it! When I picked her up she was glowing. The only downer was poor Drew missed his buddy all day - it was really sweet. What a blessing that they love each other so much.

Although these last few weeks have been a roller coaster, we have had so many great things going on as well. Just to name a few: We got to see all our family in August which was so much fun. Our boy turned 3 years old - crazy. We got a mini van from some dear friends who gave us a great deal. My sister Katherine and Sean are expecting baby #2. We got to see the Zac Brown Band and Red Rocks - so cool. Bryan's new job is going great. And we are all healthy ... God is oh so good.

I would like to share a few prayer requests:

- Please pray for us as we continue to process these last few weeks. Pray for peace both emotionally and physcially.

- We are still raising support which is just hard. We are so thankful for what all we have been given and we are so tired of asking for help in this area. Please just pray that God would provide in a mighty way.

- Bryan is scheduled to graduate in May which means that we will need to start job searching soon. Please pray for guidance in this area.

Corrie

Here are a few pictures from the last month:

A morning at the park for Drew's Birthday

An awesome day at Breckenridge when my Dad and Nancy were here!

Zac Brown Band at Red Rocks for $20 - awesome!!!!

First day of preschool!

Rockin' the potty training!

Ready to do some downhill mountain biking!

Fun at the lake!

Summer brings change!

2011-06-28T14:12:00.000-07:00

It honestly makes me laugh how much things can change between my blog posts! It is just a perfect picture of our life here - always something around the corner! Not bad necessarily - just new.

The main thing that has changed for us is Bryan's job. After a month of training at The Tavern, he came home after his second real shift and said, "I don't think I can do this. I truly hate waiting tables." We hoped that a new restaurant would be better, but it was honestly more stressful. It was causing him to not sleep well and dread going to work - it just wasn't worth it!

But God has been so good and has already brought along another job. He just started working for a ministry for the elderly. There are these 6 assisted living homes around town where he will be doing maintenance 20 hours a week. He is already a handyman of sorts, but he will be learning some new things as well which will be nice when we are home owners again. He can decide which hours work for him each week and can back off on weeks where he has a lot of tests or papers. We are amazingly thankful - God is so so good.

Our one hesitation with this job is the fact that we only have one car. Thus far we have made it work with very few problems, but this job will make it a bit harder. So we are praying that God would either provide a second car for us, provide money for a mini van, or that He would work out our schedules so that it would not be too difficult. I know that he can do any or all of the above and we are trusting Him with it. He has given us a "peace beyond all understanding" - which is just a testimony that it is truly from Him.

On a lighter note, we have had some visitors over the last few weeks which has been a blast! Bryan's parents were here for a good long visit. We relaxed, laughed, ate good food and played a lot of cards (which Bryan or Alice always won). So that was a blast. And then my Mom just left yesterday and we also had a great time. We had a girls day where Kat, Mom and I did some shopping, ate at a fun lunch spot and just enjoyed time together. We also just played and got caught up. Time with family is always so refreshing for us!

We truly feel like we are soaking up the summer which has been awesome. Bryan has been playing Frisbee Golf like crazy (I do believe that he is a bit addicted). There is a course across the street from us so he goes over there most days for at least 20 or 30 minutes - and a lot of time with a couple of buddies. Nothing like some fun free entertainment in Colorado in the summer!

We also got up to our uncle's condo with some dear friends over Father's Day weekend. It was stunningly beautiful! The crazy thing was that one day we were hanging out in the village in jeans a t-shirts, and the next morning it looked like a blizzard - it was awesome!! See pictures below!

I can tell that my time is limited due to nap time with 3 kids (we are watching our nephew Tate for a few days with Kat & Sean are on a trip). So here are our main prayer requests!

- A second car. As I said above - we know God could answer this in many different ways. But it is a big one right now.

- My anxiety, I am starting to wean myself off my medication so we praying for a smooth and healthy transition! I have been feeling normal and like myself for awhile now, so we are very hopeful.

- Finances. We are going to make another push on support raising soon to help us in this last year. If you are at all interested in hearing more about where we are financially or how you might be able to help - please let me know. We could NOT do this without help - so every little bit is a huge blessing!

Here are a few pics to highlight the last month or so!

Fun times at the Children's Museum with PaPa and Grammy!

Frisbee Golf with some buddies in the mountains - they were all loving life!

Father's Day Weekend in the mountains

My boys!

The next morning - CRAZY!! And so beautiful!

Fun in water fountains at such a cool park!

Focus on the Family in Colorado Springs with Nonie

Semester End!

2011-05-20T10:34:00.000-07:00

It is really hard to believe that by this time next year, Lord willing, Bryan will have graduated. My how time does fly it seems. We are two semesters down here at Denver Seminary and we are so thankful for God's reassurances that we are right where we are supposed to be. He has continued to break and refine us in ways that I am not sure we would have experienced anywhere else, or under any other circumstances. He is molding us to be more like Son - and for that we are so thankful.

Bryan just finished his second semester about a week ago and he did great. We are so proud of him! It was pretty stressful at the end when he wrote 30 pages in a weekend and had to study for 2 big finals - but he finished strong and is thankful to be done for a little while. He is taking 6 hours this summer which will consist of 2 intensive classes that will each be 2 weeks long. One in June and one in July. So that will allow for some non-school time over the next 3 months which is much needed.

Thankfully, the kids and I were able to go to Little Rock while Bryan was so busy with school and we had such a great time. Thank you so much to all of you who were praying. I was a little "anxious" (for lack of a better word) about going home after such a hard trip in December. But God was so faithful. I prayed for it to be a FUN trip, great time with family and friends, and anxiety free - and I am so thankful to report that it was all that and more. The kids had a ball and loved time with their Nonie and cousins. What a blessing!

Big news - Bryan got a new job!! He is waiting tables at a really cool new restaurant in downtown Littleton called The Tavern. They officially open next week so he is training right now which is pretty extensive since it is a brand new restaurant - but he is excited about it. The best part is that it is about a mile and half from our apartment!! And with one car, that is huge! He has already ridden his bike to work a few times which he loves. We are so thankful. So our prayer now is that it is a good fit, that he can be a light for Jesus, and that it is a job that he will want to keep until he graduates next May.

We have some great praises in the ways that God is moving and providing for us! Obviously, Bryan's new job is a big praise in that department. He also got another scholarship for this next year for $2000 to help with school - amazing! I am going to start helping out at Jazzercise as a class manager that will allow me to do Jazzercise for free! And we have continued to be amazed and humbled by the generosity of friends and family who have sacrificed to help us financially. I think I say this every time, but we honestly cannot begin to express our gratitude. We could NOT do this without the help of our home church, friends and family. Thank you a thousand times over!

One of the things we are really excited about for this summer is fun family time. There are so many things to do and see here in Colorado and we are really wanting to take advantage of that while we are here. For example, we drove down to Colorado Springs one day this week and just got to explore which was so fun - and everything was free! We went to the Focus on the Family Adventures in Odyssey area which was so cool and the kids loved. We also went to the Garden of the Gods and had a ball. Bryan and I could not stop talking about how majestic it was. It is so beautiful here and we are wanting to soak it all in this summer.

Well, my downtime is about over! Here are a few prayer requests:

- As I said before, please pray that Bryan's new job is a good fit and that Jesus would shine through him!

- I am starting to explore a new job opportunity doing some photo editing. As funny as it sounds, pray that I am good at it and that God would help me make some good connections.

- Finances. Again, we have been so blessed, so it is really hard for us to ask for more. But we will still come up short in the end if we don't raise more support. Please pray that God would provide for us in a mighty way.

Amazed and Thankful,
Corrie

Here are a few pictures from the past few months:

At the Little Rock Zoo with Nonie and the McConnells

Riding the train at the Zoo.

My little troopers on the airplane.

Fun family day!

The Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs.

Lots to be thankful for ...

2011-03-10T18:34:00.000-08:00

I just reread my last blog post and remembered how I felt when I wrote it ... I am so thankful to say that God has done and is continuing to do a mighty work!

First I just want to thank all of you so much for your prayers, encouragement and support. This whole anxiety experience has honestly been one of the hardest things that I have ever been through - but I have learned so much. Bryan and I were laughing the other day when I remembered a prayer that I prayed back in the fall (before all of this started), just asking the Lord to "keep us all healthy over the next 2 years because we really can't afford to be sick while we are here." That just struck us as funny when we considered how many pills I have taken over the past 2 months!! Between my anxiety, my stomach, a terrible cold and my first sinus infection - I had never taken so many pills in my life! But I know that God has been carrying me through every step and is continuing to deepen my faith in Him as my Rock, my Strength, my Portion and my Comforter. He is so good.

The anxiety has been so much better! I have been feeling more normal that I had in months and that just feels good. A huge teller for me was when Jordan threw up the other night and I didn't freak out thinking that I was going to get sick. Weird I know - but "being sick" was something I feared so much in the midst of my panic attacks. I have been able to work out at least 4 times a week which has helped so much. I try to have fun or worshipful music on when the kids are playing around the apartment (music makes such a big difference for me). And Bryan is only working on the weekends and that has been huge for both of us! So - I am thankful to be able to report that I am doing much better - thank you again for your prayers. I go back to the doctor next month - I'll keep you posted.

We have been staying pretty busy around here! It is hard to believe that Bryan already has midterms next week! We have had some fun stuff going on lately so the time has been going by fast. A huge highlight from the last month was when we got to go back to Arkansas to go to Sr. High Winter Chill (the winter retreat with the youth group that Bryan worked at for that last 5 years). It was a surprise to all the kids which was so much fun - we felt so sneaky! It was just so refreshing to be around such dear friends that we have such great history with. Three of my small group girls were there which was awesome, and catching up with the staff and some of the volunteers was amazing. We miss you all and are so thankful for the time that we got to spend with you. Thank you FSM - for a great chance for Bryan and I to get away and reconnect with all of you. We love you all so dearly.

This last weekend my mom came to visit which was great. We went to the outlets, ate good food, went to the Children's Museum (amazing), and just got some good play time with Nonie. The kids were in heaven and were so sad to see her go. But we will be visiting Little Rock the first week of May while Bryan stays here to get ready for finals.

The weather here is amazing today! It is 67 degrees and I think I got a bit of a sunburn while we were out on the playground. You really can't beat Colorado weather!

Once again - I am amazed that anyone would read any of my posts, so thanks for caring enough to do so! Here are a few prayer requests:

- Bryan's Job - he has put in a few applications at some restaurants close by. He just isn't making the money he could be making at other places. And being closer would save on time and gas.

- School - as I said before, Bryan is gearing up for midterms next week so he is spending a lot of time at the library. Pray that he is able to absorb all the information and finish well before Spring Break. He is doing such a great job - but it is still stressful.

- Finances - I don't know if there will be a time while we are in seminary that this won't be a prayer request. :) Please pray that God would continue to provide for us. We have been amazed and humbled by those of you who have given to us financially and we truly cannot thank you enough. Every dollar makes a huge difference. One of the things that we are truly looking forward to when we have a normal job again is being able to bless others with whatever we might have. After being on this end of support raising, I understand how significant even a small amount can be!

We are so thankful for our friends. So thankful for our family. So thankful for our life here at Denver Seminary. So thankful for our Father who loves to lavish His love upon us. While we were at Winter Chill, we were introduced to a new song that has become a favorite for me, especially with where we are right now. Here is the chorus:

Oh my God - He will not delay
My refuge and strength always
I will not fear
His promise is true
My God will come through always
Always

What an awesome promise!
Corrie

My small group girls and Andrew Glenn at Winter Chill - so fun!

The Hedlunds - we love and miss you guys!

This picture just makes me smile!

Silly girls!

Changes ...

2011-01-20T15:25:00.000-08:00

Finally ... I am sitting down to update the blog! It has honestly been on my to do list for awhile, but it has been a bit crazy around here. I haven't posted since before Thanksgiving, so I will do a quick recap and then fill you in on what is going on now.

We spent Thanksgiving in the mountains with Katherine and Sean as well as Sean's family which was fun. It was nice to be with some family. Katherine and I actually cooked the meal - we were very proud of ourselves. The next week was mine and Bryan's birthdays and we both got sick - such a bummer. The upside was that the kids and I watched the entire "Avatar" series that week!! If you haven't seen it and you have kids, I would strongly suggest it. Although - I'll admit - I may have enjoyed it even more than the kids!

Christmas ... honestly, was rough. It was so good to be with my family and see some friends, but the circumstances were hard. I was really struggling with some anxiety which was totally new to me. It isn't hard to figure out how I got to that point when looking at the last 6 to 8 months (moving, raising support, doing a lot of single parenting) - but it still really caught me off guard. So a lot of Christmas break I was processing and learning about anxiety and panic attacks. On top of that, there was a stomach bug that went through our family which is always lovely. Honestly - I was just very disappointed with how things played out. I had been so looking forward to going home - and it turned out to be a really hard couple of weeks.

We got back to Colorado and the anxiety was better, but still an issue. So Bryan and I decided I needed to see a doctor before school starts up again. I went last Friday and am now on some medication so we are praying that it helps. I have had some normal side effects such as fatigue, sour stomach and dizziness - but most of the things I have heard and read is that those tend to wear off as your body adjusts. And it usually takes a couple of weeks to really start noticing a difference. So we will see. I keep thinking about something that I heard in a sermon/talk recently - "If you are struggling, struggle well." In other words, glorify God in the process. Easier said than done, but I am trying. He is deepening me, refining me and growing me - and while that can be painful, it is so good.

I was debating on sharing all of this on the blog, but it is a huge thing going on in our lives right now and those of you that care enough to read this far would probably want to know. So thank you for caring about us - it means more than you know!

On a lighter note!!! Bryan's family came up last week and we got to go skiing - we had so much fun! We skied, played games, ate good food and just had sweet family time. Bryan and I got to ski quite a bit with our oldest 3 nephews which was a blast - they are growing so fast. And we even got Jordan on some skis! She has a free pass and ended up using Eli's rentals skis (he is 6 months older than her) - and she loved it! It was exhausting for me, but such a highlight. It was just the two of us and we had ball.

We have been soaking up time together while Bryan doesn't have class which has been so nice. But everything starts back up next week so we are trying to gear up for that. With all that being said, here are a few prayer requests for us:

- Please pray for my anxiety. I am doing a little better every day which is encouraging! But with school starting up next week, our schedule is going to be kicking into high gear again. So I need to be feeling good. And it is hard for Bryan to be gone when he knows that I am not feeling well.
- Finances. We are still raising support and Bryan is working, but obviously we are having a some unexpected expenses with doctor visits and a few other things. So just pray that God would provide exactly what we need.

- Bryan's job. We are praying about if/when Bryan should look for another job. Things have picked up some at On The Border, but it could be better. We are just praying for wisdom with all that.

Thanks for reading and for walking this journey with us. It has been a crazy ride already - but God is at work and we are excited to be a part of it! Here are few fun pictures from the last few months.

Cousins with their Nonie! They all loved being together!

Such fun with family!

That's my girl!

Gray Hair and Country Music!

2010-11-14T15:01:00.000-08:00

I have always loved this time of year. I love pulling out the winter clothes and coats. I love the warm colors and cool air. I even love how it gets darker earlier - it makes me feel cozy! But I think one of my favorite things is that it is a great time to reflect on the year that has almost passed. It is a time of processing and thankfulness - and this year has provided a lot of reasons for both!

One thing that I am processing is the number of gray hairs on my head!! They have probably quadrupled over the past 8 months! But it isn't the actual hair that I am processing ... it is the reasons for it. If you would have told me last November that one year from now we would be living in Littleton, Colorado I would have laughed and said that was crazy. If you would have told me that the reason we moved there was for Bryan to attend seminary ... I would have said that YOU were crazy! This was not our "plan." But God has a great way of lovingly (and often times not so gently) redirecting us to where we need to be. The circumstances around our decision to come here were hard, but so so good for us. We loved the people we were with and that was, in our minds, reason enough to stay where we were. But God had more for us - and I am so glad that we didn't miss it! He is deepening and sharpening us in totally new ways ... preparing us. We don't know what for yet - but we are excited for the ride!

Another thing that has probably caused a few more gray hairs is a little man named Drew! I cannot express to you how much I love that kid. He is a true JOY! But he keeps me on my toes and is teaching me to go with the flow more. We had some rough/frustrating spots this year - but I feel like we have turned a corner. Although he still isn't talking much (at least not words I can understand) ... he is understanding tons - and that has made all the difference. I am learning a lot about parenting and am so amazingly thankful to be surrounded by so many incredible mothers that I get to watch in action on a daily basis. And I pray that am a better mother because of them. Thanks DenSem mommies!

Isn't he a cutie?

A few of those amazing mommies I was talking about!

I must confess that I have been missing home some lately. I have been working on our yearly album so I think some of that is due to looking at pictures. And although I am truly loving it here in Colorado ... it still doesn't feel like home yet. Maybe that is why I have found myself landing on the country radio station lately! There is something about country music that feels like home to me. For all of you friends from the north, west or Australia (haha) - NO, we don't just listen to country music all the time in Arkansas!! I love all kinds of music as many of you know. But I do love me some country - it just makes me smile.

I would be remiss to not mention stress in relation to money. I wouldn't say that we have obsessed about it - but it is continuously on our hearts. And that may just be the nature of support raising. Even now, my eyes are welling up with tears when I think about those who have already given so much to help us get here. It amazes me EVERY time anyone gives us anything. It humbles me to my very core. Knowing we have people cheering for us and believing in us gives us strength. Your prayers are powerful and effective!! "Thank you" never feels like enough ... but thank you all the same.

So yes - the gray hair has multiplied (although I am hiding it pretty well). And although a lot of it I am sure has to do genetics (love you Mom) ... it has also been a busy and stressful year. Which is why I am so thankful for this holiday season. I want to soak it all in and be fully present in it - not looking to tomorrow. I want to truly experience Immanuel - God with us! Thank you Jesus that you are here ... with me.

As always - thank you for reading!!

(here are a few more pics)

Our little Tinkerbell at Halloween!

We had two Halloweens! Jordan was what I call a "diva" this night. Drew was Spiderman. And Bryan even dressed up as a ninja (No wait - he was about to leave for work)!

I love this picture.

Birthday Girl, Mid Term ... and Thank You.

2010-10-27T06:41:00.000-07:00

How in the world can it be October 27!? September seemed to crawl by like a snail, whereas October is flying by so fast I almost missed it! It has been a busy month to say the least!

First - and most importantly - our baby girl turned 4 years old! Her birthday weekend was so much fun. My Mom and Cade (our nephew and Jordan's buddy) came to visit and Jordan was in heaven! As if that wasn't enough fun, we had a birthday party at the park and all of her new friends were there. It was a beautiful fall morning which was a huge answer to prayer. And although we had to relocate at one point, it turned out to be a perfect picnic and the kids played, fed the ducks, ate doughnuts and chocolate chip pumpkin muffins - and the adults got to just relax and visit. All in all - a success on all counts! Here are a few pics:

I also HAVE to include this picture which just makes me laugh! Cade and Jordan being so silly after bath time!

So we started off the month with a BANG and didn't stop moving from there. Bryan has been working 5 nights a week and class on 1 night as well. He is keeping up with his school work which is a blessing and I am SO proud of him. We are at the half way point of this first semester!! We were talking the other day about where we are right now and we just kinda looked at each other and said, "We're doing it." After the long journey of getting here and the challenges that we are facing now, God is sustaining us and we are moving forward. I think it will feel really good to have a whole semester under our belts come December. We will be thankful for a long break as well! We have booked our tickets to be in Little Rock for Christmas and are hoping to hug as many people as we can while we are there!

The kids are awake now so I need to wrap this up ...

I wanted to give a HUGE thank you to all of you who have supported us and have been praying for us. My last post entitled "Money" was a hard one to write and your responses have meant so much to us. It is humbling on so many levels to raise support and it has taught us so much. I am thankful to report that we have raised 44.5% of our overall need. God is so faithful ... and we are clinging to that promise! We have come to the realization that while Bryan's job is a blessing and is filling in the gap some ... he is not making enough for the time he is putting in. The restaurant simply isn't busy enough so he isn't able to make what he needs to be making. SO - we are praying for a new job. He is going to start working on that today. He would LOVE to get a job in ministry since that is what he has been doing and wants to do! But he is open to a lot of things. So with all that in mind ... here are a few prayer requests:

- Please pray that Bryan would find a new job. He doesn't have a lot of spare time to put much effort into this, so my prayer is that the job would find him.

- Bryan asked me yesterday how I was doing on a heart level. Well - to be honest I have no idea. I feel like I am dealing with all the immediate stuff that I haven't thought too much about my needs. My time with the Lord has been so sweet which I am thankful for ... but being a wife and mommy has pretty much been all that I do throughout the day. So how is Corrie doing ... good question. I am trying to figure that out.

- Finances. Sorry for the repetition on this one.

Love you all and thank you for sticking with us. We don't know what we would do without all of you in our corner.

Corrie

Money ...

2010-09-26T13:24:00.000-07:00

I have been debating on writing this post for a few weeks, and God has really stirred my heart to be transparent with all of you about where we are right not in regards to finances. As some of you know, we have been trying to raise support all summer to help us get through the next 2 years. We have been amazed and humbled by the generosity of some of our family and friends. I have been brought to tears many times by the love and support that we have received - it has been truly amazing. Thank you so much to all of you who have given so sacrificially - we are doing our very best to be good stewards of every penny!

With all of that being said (and here is where my heart starts racing as I type) ... we still need help. Bryan has been the one that has been writing our support letters and meeting with people to ask for help, but this is the first time you are hearing from me - and my take is a little different because for one, we are actually here now ... and for two, I am seeing the burden that Bryan is carrying. And it is just really hard. So ... I have been told that in support raising it is best to just lay it all out there ... so here we go (deep breath Corrie).

If we were to raise 100% of what we need for the next two years - we are only about 37% there. With that being said - we have raised enough to pay for tuition and books which is AWESOME!!! What we still have to pay for is rent, health insurance, car insurance, groceries, electric bills, etc. All the regular day to day stuff. And please trust me when I say, that we are trying to cut wherever we can. But living costs money as we all know.

Bryan is working at On The Boarder waiting tables. He feels real purpose in being there and is excited to see what all God has in store. But he is having to work a lot to make the money that we need (and to be honest we are still coming up short). Supposedly this is the slowest time of year for restaurants. The last number of weeks he has worked 5 nights in a row with a double shift on Saturdays. And he has class on Monday nights, so we have had him home one night a week. Thankfully, we do get to see him at random times throughout the day and at lunch which is a blessing. But he is having to spend numerous hours a day at the library to study and get all of his school work done. So needless to say ... between school and work, he is one busy guy.

We honestly hadn't planned on being able to raise 100% of what we need for the next 2 years - not that God couldn't do that!! We did expect that we would need to work some ... just not quite this much. The pace has been a bit nuts to say the least. And that is why I am writing this - to ask for your help to ease Bryan's load. If he could work more like 3 or 4 shifts a week, it would make a HUGE difference in not only his life, but our life as a family. Here are a couple of ways that you can help:

1. Financial Support. We have a scholarship fund that our home church has established for us where donations to our account are tax deductible. Monthly or one-time gifts are huge. Simply make checks payable to Fellowship Bible Church with our name in the memo section and mail them to:

Fellowship Bible Church
attn: Rosie Stephens
PO Box 7123
Little Rock, AR 72223

2. Resolve to pray! It is so exciting for me to think about how God might surprise us in this way! I want to ask that you would pray specifically that God would bless Bryan financially at work. One night he had a table that gave him a $50 tip from a $45 ticket - it was amazing. When Bryan told me about it, I really felt God saying, "Corrie, I have got this. You just have to trust me." Oh how He loves us!!!

Well, thank you for reading this. I literally just let out a deep breath ... this is just hard stuff for me. Bryan said it best for both of us in one of his support letters. He wrote, "I hate asking anyone, for anything, ever. It exposes my pride and humbles me at a real level. But God has convicted me that I often don't have because I don't ask him or his people." I couldn't have said better. Again - thanks for reading and for loving and supporting us. It honestly means more than you could ever imagine!

Humbled,
Corrie

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen." Eph 3: :20-21

Work, Playgrounds and Beth Moore!

2010-09-16T14:48:00.000-07:00

I kinda still can't believe that we are doing this whole seminary thing. Oh it is all very real ... but I am often amazed at how God brought us to this place and at this time in our lives. He is so creative! And as Beth Moore so aptly put it this week ... NOT BORING!!

The past couple of weeks have been a bit of a blur. Bryan started training at work last week and worked 5 nights in a row - with a double shift on Saturday. So I was pretty burnt out on motherhood by the end of the weekend to say the least. But alas, Monday came (which may be quickly becoming my favorite day of the week - weird!) and I had my husband home for a few days. So nice! Then he went in last night for his "final exam" and he passed with flying colors! Woo hoo! It was a bit overwhelming for him to have to study for work (learning the menu) and study for school - so we are so thankful that training is done! And now he is working for the next 4 nights with a double shift on Saturday again. At least now he will be making tips! I think they are trying to give him the best shifts since this is a slower time of the year for restaurants and they know that he has a family and is in school - such a blessing in that respect. But for Mama and kiddos - we are missing him. So we are trying to fill our time with fun stuff until sweet Monday arrives (Bryan can't work on Monday because of his night class).

So you might be asking, "Corrie, what do you and the kids do while Bryan is studying or working?" Well I can answer that in one word ... playground! Jordan has made some really sweet friends here and loves to play outside with them. Most of them are boys - so one game she is getting really into is Star Wars! That's my girl! I think we are going to have to have a Star Wars movie night soon so she can have some context and know that she can be Princess Leia. =) And check this out, her birthday is coming up and she is asking for "a gun, a guitar, a puppy and chocolate." Thankfully, the dog that she wants is a stuffed animal. She cracks me up!

A fun trick she learned from Daniel.

This is Daniel Chapin - such cute friends!

Drew may be the one that is missing Daddy the most. He is always really upset when Bryan leaves and asks for him a few times throughout the day. Thankfully, he is being a bit of a momma's boy right now so that is actually helpful. He has started to say a few more words this week which is really encouraging. He has just been so much slower to talk and it has made me curious about this hearing - but I have talked to a number of people who say that can be pretty common in boys. It just makes this stage harder when he is frustrated that I can't understand him - which makes me frustrated. So we are working on that.

On Tuesday night we got to go on a date!! It was much needed and so much fun (thanks for watching the kiddos Aunt Kat)! We went to a Mexican restaurant that had an amazing patio. We ate great food, talked, laughed, and just enjoyed being together outside in this beautiful weather! We watched the sunset and were in no hurry. We were there for probably an hour and half. We tried to take a few pictures, but they don't quite do justice for the view. We really did have such a great time.

Our view!

A huge highlight for me this week has been this Beth Moore Bible Study that I am going to on Wednesdays! It is at a church close by and we are doing her new study which is called Inheritance - and it is going to be awesome! This was the first week and it just got me so excited about what God is going to do this semester. One of the things she talked about was that life with Jesus is NOT boring! It is an exciting and wild ride!!! She used the example of driving vs. riding in a car. When YOU are driving, you know when you are going to turn and where you are going. You are in control so the drive can be fairly boring. And then she asked "How can you be on a wild ride when you are in the driver's seat?" I feel like I got thrown out of the driver's seat this past spring when we were faced with the decision to go to seminary. But man, what an exciting adventure it has been. And I am so thankful that my Daddy is driving this car and not me - because he is going places that I could have never imagined! He is so amazingly good.

This whole blogging thing is still a bit funny for me because a number of people have said that they are keeping up with us through it - which is awesome! But it is just cool to me that friends like you actually read my scatterbrained thoughts and care about what is going on in our lives here in Colorado. It honestly means more to me than I would have ever thought it would. So thank you for caring and praying for us. We love you all so dearly.

Prayer Requests:
- Please continue to pray for us financially. That God would provide exactly what we need in mighty ways.
- Pray for Bryan as he in now "on his own" at work. Pray that things go smoothly.
- Pray for Bryan as he is trying to balance family time, study time and work. It is a LOT!
- Pray for the kids and I - that we would make the most of every day.

Labor Day Weekend Adventures

2010-09-08T13:11:00.000-07:00

The last two weekends have been full of fun adventures with family. As I said in my last post, Grammy & PaPa came 2 weeks ago. And this past weekend we were able to spend some time up in Keystone with my Dad, Nancy, Kat, Sean and Tate which was so much fun! So I am feeling a little whiplash with jumping back into things now. We had this laid back weekend - and then it took us double the time to get home due to traffic coming down from the mountains which was frustrating, Bryan jumped back into classes yesterday and has his first official day at On The Boarder is tomorrow. So this is the first week of what our "new normal" will be - kinda weird.

Yesterday was the first day that I really felt homesick. I think some of that is because I was looking through some pictures from our home church that someone posted on Facebook. A number of our dearest friends either help lead worship or are campus pastors - so it was so fun to look through them. But I found myself sad afterwards. We also found out this weekend that a woman that Bryan worked with for 4 years passed away very unexpectedly. It has been kinda hard being here when so many people we know are grieving that loss. I also found out that one of my small group girls is going to be on the homecoming court which is awesome - but I am just sick that I am not going to be there. So yeah - it was a weird day yesterday. Not that I am not enjoying it here ... I truly am. But I found myself missing my friends and family in Little Rock ... and I know that that is ok. It just made me sad.

Ok - let's move on to the more fun stuff!

I LOVE the mountains!! The are just so majestic and stunning! One of my favorite things that we did in Keystone was go on an 18 mile bike ride from Copper Mountain down to Dillon! The views were amazing and the weather was perfect. Bryan is the biker in our family - but I was surprised how much I enjoyed it (although my rear was telling me a different story the next morning - haha)! We had the kids in a "basket" that Bryan pulled behind his bike and they loved it. Jordan has not stopped talking about it. The only bummer from the day was that my Dad took a fall and had a minor concussion. We are pretty sure he fainted after going up a hill. He is doing well now - but it was a little scary! Here are a few pictures.

This is where we started - beautiful!!

Happy us!

The kids just got to sit and enjoy the ride! Way to go Daddy!

The rest of the weekend was great too. We watched football and cheered for our Razorbacks as they won their first game - Go Hogs! We ate good food. We did some shopping - great outlets! And Kat, Sean, Bryan and I played one of the longest games of Spades ever! But there is something about being in the mountains that is so peaceful to me. It is just one of those places that God speaks to my heart - and just tells me He loves me. What an awesome God we serve! I hope that we get to spend a lot of time in the mountains while we are here - Bryan and I both love it!

I need to go for now. They kids are down for their naps and I need to take a break! But here are some cute pictures of our kiddos - don't they look so Coloradoan!?

He is getting to that age where it is hard to get him to stay still for a picture!

Happy girl!

And so it begins ...

2010-09-01T15:31:00.000-07:00

This has already been a big week for the Crowley family! First of all ... BRYAN GOT A JOB!! Thank you all so much for praying. He will be waiting tables at On The Boarder - very fun! He also started classes on Monday and has been spending a lot of time at the library (he actually left a few minutes ago to spend some more time there). Bryan's parents were in town Saturday - Tuesday which was great. The kids were in heaven having them here ... and Drew is still "seeking" PaPa after playing so much Hide-N-Seek. Thanks for making the trip Grammy & PaPa! We love you! So yeah ... we have been busy.

Needless to say with this week ... our lives are changing. Thankfully Bryan and I aren't the type to shy away from change, but that doesn't mean that it won't take some getting used to. I am so proud of Bryan and his attitude towards school. It has been fun watching him get organized with his "school supplies" and think through what method will work best for him. He is so determined to stay on top of everything - that is his biggest concern for school. He hasn't started work yet. He is waiting for his training schedule, so I will keep you posted!

I think I am adjusting well so far. I was reminded this morning of God's amazing blessing to us of living on campus. From about 9:30 to 11:00 I sat outside talking to a friend while our kids played (actually, Jordan wanted to hang out with Aunt Kat so I just had Drew). We came inside and had lunch. Kat came by for about 20 minutes just to hang out, and then Bryan came home and helped get the kids down for naps. In a time when it would be so easy to feel alone and isolated, God has me in a place where there is always someone around - and not just "someone," but other women that are in the same stage of life whose husbands are doing the same thing. And amazing women at that! God has been so sweet to me throughout this whole process. He is so good!

This may seem small, but another huge blessing for me has been exercise! After doing Body & Soul for 3 years, I was really missing aerobics and strength training as part of my week. Not only was it fun and I loved the music, but it kept me in shape! And thanks to some precious friends of ours who paid for me, I have been able to start going to Jazzersize!! Katherine and I have been going together and we are loving it. I thought I was in decent shape going into it, but I have been huffing it in each class!! Whew! How long can I blame that on the altitude!?

I would say the only bummer lately has been the fact that I have poison ivy and it has been driving me crazy! And it is in the most random places - my wrists, under my arm, and on my inner thigh?? What in the world!? I got it when we went to Estes Park so thankfully I am on the downhill slope. I haven't had it in so long I didn't really know what it was at first. I thought I was having an allergic reaction to something. But alas, it was just plain old poison ivy. Lovely!

Well, the kids are waking up so I need to wrap it up.

Prayer Requests:

- That God would continue to provide for us financially (we are still raising support)

- That Bryan would pick things up quickly at work

- That we would be able to find a church home here

- Balance

Here are a few pics from the week!

First day of school picture! Love it!

PaPa is such a fun toy!

Pure joy!

A great visit with Grammy and PaPa!

Something that can always make me laugh!!

2010-08-23T22:39:00.000-07:00

I have been meaning to post this for awhile and I keep forgetting! Check out our little boy a few months ago when he fell asleep while eating lunch!

Big Boy Birthday and Estes Park!

2010-08-23T15:39:00.000-07:00

I love music! It is amazing the difference it makes in my day. I have been sitting here stewing about a few things - and then Bryan turned on some music and it instantly took my focus off of our circumstances and on to Jesus ... where it always needs to be. "Lead me to the cross, where you love poured out. Bring me to my knees, Lord I lay me down. Rid me of myself, I belong to you. Lead me to the cross."

And with that in mind I can share how God has been loving me in such sweet ways this week. Just to mention a few: Our external hard drive crashed and I thought we lost ALL of our pictures over the last 5 years - but when I pulled out our old computer, every picture was there ... and I could have sworn that I had deleted them. Not to mention the flash drive that had all the pictures that my friend had given me to do a scrapbook for her. I don't remember putting them there! I truly believe that God restored it all. It was awesome. We got a check from our mortgage company that was very unexpected. And God has blessed us with meeting so many great new people that we forming great new friendships with. He cares about every detail of my life ... and I am amazed by Him!

Our boy turned 2 last week!! I still can't believe it! We had a fun family morning going to Chuck E Cheese for games and then Chick-fil-a for lunch. I made some yummy cupcakes for that night, so after dinner some friends came over and we sang to him. Then we went outside and let the kids play and gave people cupcakes. Very fun! And then more friends came over that night and they stayed up late playing together. So Drew had a great day which made me happy.

Jordan helped me make cupcakes! Love it!

This weekend we got to go to Estes Park with our friends Nick, Sarah and Evie which was a blast. It was so beautiful and our first real adventure since we moved here. We all packed lunches and didn't really have an agenda. It was just nice to get off campus with friends and have some fun. We still can't get over the weather and the beauty here. It is truly marvelous! Well - just check out the pictures!!

The kids were not too thrilled to take pictures - they just wanted to run and get in the water!

This is Sarah! Already such a sweet friend! And did I mention they are from Australia - I could listen to them talk all day! =)

Jordan and Evie - precious!

I mean really!?!?!?

See what I mean - BEAUTIFUL!! And so much fun.

Well - the kiddos are waking up and we are excited to see Kat, Sean and baby Tate since they just got back from a trip! Please continue to pray for a job for Bryan - he has been applying places but hasn't heard back from anyone yet. We know God will provide just what we need - we are just trying to be patient.

Settling In

2010-08-14T14:50:00.000-07:00

Right now, everyone in my house (apartment) is napping. And for those of you who know me well, you know that I am not a napper. So I thought I would try and catch everyone up on what all has been going on here in Denver!

It is hard to believe that we started our journey here one week ago today. It has been a whirlwind to say the least. It has had its emotional ups and downs - but all in all, it has been better than we could have hoped. And can I just say that the weather here is AMAZING!! I walked outside this morning at about 7:45 and it was really chilly ... in August!!! I still can't get over how beautiful it is here.

Monday was "Move-in Day." We had everything unloaded by about 10:30 and the unpacking frenzy began! I had had a pretty rough night of sleep the night before, to be honest I think a lot of it was anxiety, but God provided the adrenaline that I needed to get through the day. Thankfully my Mom was here to help out with the kids so we were able to get a LOT done. When Bryan and I both get into task mode, we are knock stuff out quick. We had 80% of the unpacking done by the following morning - woo hoo! The apartments are great - I will post pictures soon.

Then Tuesday came - probably the most emotional day for me. I drove my Mom to the airport that morning and we both were teary most of the way. I hugged her goodbye, drove off, and started sobbing. It was a 40 minute drive home and I just asked God to hear the cries of my heart because I didn't quite have words to give at that point. Yes it was hard to say bye to Mom, but I really think that that is when reality started setting in. We live in Denver, Colorado. Nothing is familiar. Bryan is going back to school. We live in a two bedroom apartment where my son is sleeping in a storage room (which he loves by the way). We are raising support. Bryan is going to have to work and be a full time student. Our lives are changing ... and although I am ok with that ... it is still hard.

Ok - on to a lighter subject!! Have I mentioned that we live in the on-campus apartments and ours is on the bottom floor and looks onto the playground? Yes - we have played there every day and it has provided such a great avenue to meet people in the exact same stage of life! Jordan and Drew are having a ball and meeting new friends (maybe I should just say Jordan is because Drew just runs around and rides a little scooter everywhere). It has been a huge blessing and so much fun. We are excited to see what the Lord has in store there.

My only complaint is our neighbors - they are so annoying and won't leave us alone .... haha!!! JUST KIDDING!! Having Katherine and Sean right next door has been one of the sweetest blessings of this whole thing. It is so easy to walk next door and just say hey. Jordan is loving it probably more than anyone. She loves little baby Tate and always wants to know what he is up to. And Aunt Kat is pretty cool too! Drew is warming up to them like family which is fun to watch. Not that he was hesitant, but he is starting to realize how close we all are and he is joining in on that. What a joy!

Ok - I realize this is a long post so I'll wrap it up with a few prayer requests:

1. Please pray for a job for Bryan. He picked up a number of applications yesterday for some restaurants within about 2 miles of us so he is working on those. Please pray that God would lead and that he would get a job quickly so that he can get training over with before school starts.

2. Please pray that God would provide for us financially. Depending on how much support we are able to raise will determine how much Bryan has to work. And being a full time student, it is going to be a challenge. So the more support we can raise the more time Bryan will have for school and family.

3. Please pray for me. I am mentally and emotionally exhausted. The last two weeks have just been a roller coaster of emotions with saying goodbye to people we love, moving, and now trying to get settled and connect with new people here. I am trying to find the balance of letting myself be sad about leaving and still excited about being here. I feel both very strongly so it is a bit overwhelming and a lot to process.

One more thing. We have seen a number of rainbows since we moved here and they have been stunning and of course they remind me of Noah and the flood. What an incredible story for me to cling to right now - a true story of obedience. And every time I have seen a rainbow this past week, God gently reminds me that He is faithful. And that His promises are true. He is my Rock and my Fortress - and in HIM I will put my hope.

Here are a few pics:

Just driving home. Can you believe that scenery!?

Loving being outside!

Cheez-Its, Apple Juice and Mountains!!

2010-08-08T15:00:00.000-07:00

We made it to Denver!! I still cannot believe that we are here! And can I just tell you that the weather here is amazing! Hot but not humid. And the mountains are stunning! Bryan and my Mom pulled out from Tulsa at about 7:30am and should be here in a few more hours - they are of course driving through that "wonderful" part of Kansas. But they sound like they are having fun.

The kids did awesome on the plane! I cannot thank you all enough for your prayers! We actually got to have 3 seats which was a huge blessing! Between Cheez-Its, apple juice and the Backyardagains - we were good to go. Going through security was a bit of a task with Drew running away from me every 30 seconds - but we got it under control. I basically just let them play as much as possibly before we got on the plane so that they enjoyed the down time once we were seated. Honestly - the biggest hurdle was changing Drew's diaper in that crazy airplane bathroom!! Talk about NO room. I mean come on people - if you are going to put a changing table in a bathroom, make it wide enough to actually change a diaper!! It was pretty hysterical. And the moment we landed - Drew feel asleep on me and was knocked out!

My sister picked me up at the airport and we are just chillin' at their apartment - which is right next door to ours! We move in tomorrow morning at 9am! I'll post more about that in the days to come. It feels so surreal being here ... but it is time. We are ready for the adventure to begin!
7:30 this morning. Ready for the day!

Heading out! See you in Denver!

Get that energy OUT!

Troopers! Jordan was holding ear phones to her ears. I was SO thankful that it wasn't a full flight.

We made it!!

Moving Day Eve ... Saying Goodbye is for the Birds

2010-08-06T20:59:00.000-07:00

So ... the truck is packed. My Mom's garage is almost back to normal, although the rest of her house may need awhile to recoop. I am sitting at the dining room table staring at a computer screen with so many thoughts and emotions that I want to write down and explain ... but my mind is mush and I am emotionally exhausted. So forgive me for the lack of creativity or bluntness. This is all I got.

It really has been an amazing and hard week on so many levels. We have had such sweet time with dear friends which has been so good for my soul! We have been blessed with great friendships here and we will miss you all terribly. We take great comfort knowing that we will be back around the holidays and summers. But goodbyes are just hard ... and I am just really sad.

Today alone has been an emotional roller coaster! I had my last Body & Soul class which was hard - it has been a huge blessing in my life. Afterwards, all of the ladies gathered around and prayed for me which was amazing. I couldn't hold back tears to hear them praying the cries of my heart. From safety for travels, to raising support, to finding new friends. So many of my fears were lifted up before the Father and I couldn't help but weep. I am so thankful that I serve a God who is walking this road with me and is holding me up. Thank you Jesus that you care about every detail of my life - and that YOU are in control of it!

Bryan spent 5 hours packing the truck today!! He is sore and exhausted - but he did such a great job. Then we went to a fun birthday party for one of Jordan's friends and got to spend more time with friends that we love. So it has been a full day ... but a tiring one. And we begin THE BIG MOVE tomorrow so I need to get to bed. But just so you all know our schedule for the move (we have had this question a LOT):

Saturday, Aug 7 - Driving to Tulsa to spend the night with my aunt

Sunday, Aug 8 - Bryan and my Mom drive from Tulsa to Denver in the Penske towing our car. I fly with both kids to Denver (please pray for me!?)

Monday, Aug 9 - Move in to the apartment!!!

Our last night in Little Rock. So hard to believe. G'night.

My Mom's garage for the past 3 weeks! Just thought this was funny!

My messy boy at the birthday party today. He was in heaven!

My Girls

2010-08-03T21:45:00.000-07:00

My heart is sad tonight. I had to say goodbye to some of the people that I am going to miss most of all .. my sweet small group girls - aka. "My Girls." I started with them when they were giggly 7th graders and they stole my heart. It has been an amazing 4 years and I am so sad that I am not going to be able to stick with them these last two years. When we first talked about moving, one of the things that I really had to surrender to the Lord was this group. Not because they need me or that I am worried about them ... but because I just love each one of them so much and will miss them terribly. I am so amazingly thankful for email, facebook, skype, cell phones and texting because I know that I will be able to keep in touch with them - but I am still sad. Megan, Julia, Tori, Caylie, Chloe, Elizabeth, Kaitlin, Anna, Bliss, Taylor Ann, Katie and Grace ... I love each one of you dearly and am so thankful that God put us all together. You are all so precious to me and I am so excited to see what all God has in store for you!

This was taken in 2006 at our first Christmas party! They have grown up so much! I love you girls!

Lots of Changes!

2010-06-15T09:51:00.000-07:00

The past two weeks have been a whirlwind! We went to Kansas City for a few days to visit Bryan's family which is always so much fun. But this time we left the kids with PaPa & Grammy while Bryan and I flew to Denver to spend a few days learning our way around and visiting Denver Seminary (thanks again PaPa & Grammy).

Let me just say ... if you have never been to Colorado in the summer, then you haven't seen it at it's best!! We went without much of an agenda which was nice. We ate good food, went on a hike, did some shopping, drove around a lot, went to a movie and got some much needed R&R. I actually took a nap 2 of the days we were there - and I don't take naps. It had been a long and exhausting few weeks, so it was great to get away. But the highlight of the trip was our time at the seminary.

Look at my man on campus!! We still can't believe that he is about to be a student again! We got to go on a tour of the campus - which didn't take long. We met a number of the people on staff and Bry got to register for his fall classes. We got to see where we will be living which is just bizarre! For those of you that don't know, we will be in a two bedroom apartment on campus. Bryan will have about a 30 second walk from our front door to the main building where he will be having most of his classes - which means we will probably get to see him more - such a blessing. And another INCREDIBLE blessing is that Katherine and Sean are literally right next door to us! Our Father is so creative! It was a great trip - but we missed our kiddos and were ready to see them!

We got back to KC and had more time with family, including the Gaffs which was awesome! They are some of Bryan's cousins who live in Denver - we will be living about 10 minutes from their house! It was fun to get to talk to them about our trip. We are so excited to get to spend more time with them over the next 2 years! (See you soon Rob, Amy, Caity, Dale and Andrew)

We all went to Worlds of Fun on Friday and rode tons of rides! Jordan rode her first roller coaster and LOVED it - I was so proud! (Believe it or not - I am more into theme park rides than Bryan) The kids went home with Grammy after lunch and all us "big" kids went back to the park and rode all the grown up rides - we all had a blast!

So after a week of traveling, we finally got home to our clean home (spotlessly clean since we had to make sure it was ready to show). It was a little weird to be home at first to be honest. After being where we are going to be for the 2 years, and then coming back to where we are currently - it feels like we aren't settled anywhere. It may just be like that for the next 2 months and that is ok.

And in other news - WE SIGNED A CONTRACT ON OUR HOUSE YESTERDAY!! What a huge relief. The market has obviously slowed down since the tax credit ended - so we are just thankful that God brought a buyer. Now we are just praying for everything to go smoothly.

Ok - long post! Sorry! Swim lessons post coming soon - our girl is a rockin' it!

Denver Bound!

2010-05-15T05:17:00.001-07:00

If someone would have told me a month ago that we would be going to SEMINARY in DENVER, COLORADO this fall - I would have laughed hysterically and said they were crazy! It is amazing how God works. We have been through just about every emotion over the past month - and I am sure it has only just begun - but I can honestly say that we are truly excited about where the Lord is leading.

For those of you that may not know the whole story - here is the VERY shortened version. Bryan has been with FSM for 5 years - but over the past 9 months or so, he has felt God calling us to something new ... we just didn't know what that was. Through a number of meetings with godly men that have helped him process what his giftings are and what his passion is ... seminary kept coming up. Bryan actually asked me one night, "Will you at least pray about the possibility of seminary?" - I said I would - but my prayer was something along the lines of, "God - Bryan asked me to pray about seminary - so ... I really don't want to go. There I prayed about it."

Boy God must have a weird sense of humor!

A few days later, the two of us were in a meeting with Tim Lundy and Brandon Barnard - two men that love us and that we have a lot of respect for. Tim started asking Bryan some great leading questions about what he wants to do. At the end of it he ask, "Bryan, when you look around you, what job do you see that you would want." And Bryan said, "A Community Group Pastor or a Campus Pastor ... something along those lines." And both Tim and Brandon said, "YES - you would be amazing in that role!!" And as we talked about that it became very clear to me that seminary would be the next necessary step for Bryan to get to where he truly wants to be ... and to do what he is so designed for!

So after that meeting, Bryan and I went to grab lunch and I said, "Bryan - is this what you want to do with your life?" He said yes. And I said, "Ok - so where are we going to seminary?"

We considered DTS, but Denver was the only place we ever got truly excited about. Not only is it a great school that is in Colorado (as if that wasn't enough) - but my sister's husband Sean will be starting classes there in the fall as well! So we will all be there at the same time ... isn't God creative!? You should see the way Bryan's face lights up when he talks about being around mountains for the next 2 years - he is like a 5 year old on Christmas Eve!!

Now we just have to sell our house, raise support and get moved ... just a small 'to do' list!! It is easy to start feeling overwhelmed ... but it gives me great hope seeing the way God has led us to this point - He has led us this far, so I know He will get us there!

Crazy Weather Weekend

2010-05-03T14:56:00.000-07:00

I am thankful to report that not only did we make it through all the crazy storms from the weekend - but we had a lot of fun at the same time! We were hanging out with the Hedlunds when the sirens starting going off - so we decided that we would just hang out in the hallway. The sirens went off about every 5 to 10 minutes for like an hour - but the storm stayed further east. It was crazy though!

Rik was following the storm on his iphone, and Jordan liked to feel like she was helping.

Jordan and Piper just enjoyed the adventure!!

Drew loved staying up after bedtime!! He felt pretty bigtime!

Jordan wanted to be in all the pictures - she has become a big fan of the camera!

All in all - we stayed safe and had fun with friends.

Fun Videos from Austin!

2009-06-09T14:33:00.001-07:00

I got a couple of really cute quick videos while we were in Austin. This first one is of Kat and Jordan being silly together. They came up with this the first day while we were waiting for Sean to get home from work - and then they did it for the rest of the weekend. Jordan loves to watch it on the computer now.

We spent a lot of time at the pool which was so fun! Drew loved the water and will probably be thrilled when he is able to swim on his own. I am learning more every day that this one likes to GO, and thus far he isn't affraid of anything. He loves to explore ... and he doesn't meet a stranger. Does this remind you of anyone (hint: he looks just like him)???

And of course - Jordan LOVES to swim! This is her first year in floaties and she is doing great. Each time we got in the pool she was more confident. She is such a big girl!!

Fun Times in Austin!!

2009-06-09T14:18:00.001-07:00

I did it!!! I made a trip with the kiddos all by myself - and they did great! We headed down to Austin on Tuesday and stopped in Dallas to see DD and Nancy which was very fun! The kids did well, but were very ready to get out of the car. We swam and played - Jordan was in heaven and Drew was Mr. Wiggle Worm as usual - especially after being in the car all day. Then on Wednesday we headed on down to Austin to see Aunt Kat (or "Tat" as Jordan calls her) and Uncle Sean. We had so much fun!!! We swam, played ping pong, watched airplanes, went shopping, went out to eat (Jordan ate like there was no tomorrow - it was amazing), and just played with Tat and Sean. Jordan is at such a fun age where you can really start bonding with her - and I must say that she misses Tat a lot! But we had such a great time!

Thankfully - Mom flew into Austin on Thursday night and rode back to LR with me. Praise the LORD!! I could not have done that one on my own. The kids did awesome. Drew had about a 45 mintue window where he was pretty miserable - but we gave him a bottle and that settled him down. We are headed up to Kansas City next week which we are super excited about - but we are planning some strategic stops on the way to really let the kids get some energy out! Here are a few pictures from our trip. Kat got the best pics though! We miss you Tat and Sean!

Cade's Birthday at JUMP ZONE!!

2009-06-01T20:43:00.000-07:00

Cade had his 4th birthday party at Jump Zone and it was so much fun!!! The kids had a ball and played hard. Jordan loves to slide so she was in heaven - and Drew got to slide and bounce a few times as well. I cannot believe that Cade is 4 years old!!

First Haircuts!

2009-06-01T20:29:00.000-07:00

I never thought that I would take both my kids for their first haircut at the same time - crazy! We went to a really cute place in town called Pigtails & Crewcuts that is designed just for kids which made it more fun for them. Jordan sat in a yellow car and Drew sat in a red airplane - and they did great. Jordan was happy because of her sucker! We really just got trims for the most part - but they both look older, especially Jordan. She also lost most of her curls which makes me sad, but I like the length. Drew was a wiggle worm as usual which made it a little tricky. We had to touch up the sides later. But all in all - we were happy with their cuts and it made for a fun outting! Here are a few pics from the day!

Kris Allen

2009-05-10T14:37:00.000-07:00

As most of you probably know - we are big American Idol fans!! So it was super exciting for us to go and see Kris Allen when he was here Friday! We went to the evening event in Conway which is about 30 minutes from here - and there were said to be around 20,000 people there! It was really cool to see him - he sang 3 songs and there were some presentations. It was really hot and sticky, but worth it. The kids did really well - all things considered. By the end they were ready to go and they all crashed when they got in bed. We had a pretty good spot where we could see him on stage, and were in great view of the screen which was nice. From everything we hear, Kris has an amazing heart for the Lord which is just cool. He was pretty blown away by everything which was neat to see. We are going to the concert which we are pumped about!! Vote for him this week if you get a chance!! Here are a few pics from the evening! GO KRIS!!

Big week for Drew - Here Comes Trouble!!I

2009-05-06T13:56:00.001-07:00

All I can say is that our boy is growing up fast!!! Just in the last week, he has learned to sit up from crawling as well as totally pull himself up which is crazy! I walked into his room yesterday morning to get him up after his nap and he was just standing in the crib leaning on the rails - smiling away! Same thing this morning - wow!

His first tooth is also coming in! It hasn't seemed to bother him too much - which I am very thankful for! I tried to get a picture of it - hope you can see it! Jordan didn't get her first tooth until she was 10 months old!

It is getting really hard to change his diaper because he doesn't want to stay still! He wants to GO! And I must say that he is one fast crawler! He is loving his new found freedom and independence. I remember when I was pregnant with Drew and I said he was either sound asleep or bouncing around all over the place ... things haven't changed much. I really love it ... but I need to start preparing myself for the next number of years. This one is going to keep me on my toes ... and smiling at me the whole time!

It has been so rainy and yucky here lately so we got out of the house and had a little family lunch at Wendy's today. I got a cute video of Jordan and Cade singing "Rock A Baby" (Jordan's title) with their Nonie. Cade and Jordan are such good buddies!

I gave in ...

2009-05-01T11:22:00.000-07:00

Ok - so I have NOT wanted to do this for awhile because the idea of blogging is a bit intimidating to me. But, I realized that since we have a lot of family out of town - it would be nice to have a place to post pictures, videos and updates - so I have decided to give this a try. I think the reason that blogging is so intimidating to me is that I sometimes read other people's blogs and they are either witty, creative or thought provoking. The idea that other people will be reading what I write is just a lot of pressure! But I have decided to put my fears behind me and press forward.

Moving on ...

Things have been a bit crazy around the Crowley household! We had a couple weeks in a row where someone was always sick - not fun! But I think we are all better now. Bryan's schedule has been a bit crazy as summer gets closer. Luckily, his summer schedule is much better this year - only one longer trip in June, and then one in July. But we are ready for a break from routine and ready to have some fun in the sun!

The kiddos are precious ... of course. Jordan is really starting to communicate with at least half sentences now - which I love. She loves to sing and play. She loves her little brother and is so sweet with him. She makes us giggle constantly. Drew started crawling at about 8 months or so. He has a cute army crawl that is so fun to watch. He has gotten fast too! He is much more curious about things than Jordan was - so we have to keep an eye on him. But it is so fun! Here is a quick little video with him crawling and with Jordie ... being Jordie!