quick glance back - and keep one foot in front of the other.

Well - I could/should go back to review the monthly adventures of 2011.... but I think I am just going to hit some highlights and move on.

Early in the year I had a blast running and racing - I ran three races in 2011 and got three trophies. Pretty cool stuff. Also had fun running with a good friend during the week - it provided such fun times just figuring out how to set our schedules to manage the kids etc. etc.

In the spring we found out that I was pregnant. This slowed down my running for a few months, but unfortunately in June, we realized that we were having another miscarriage. June has been a tough month for my pregnancies for sure!

In July we had a blast celebrating baby J's first bday party. He had a party in Alabama and also in Virginia - with good friends and family around us. He learned to walk just a few days later and is now learning to communicate with his word count being around 40 active understandable words! and a lot of sentences that we don't understand AT ALL! but he is just so cute when he starts jabbering. He walks and talks from the minute he wakes up to the minute he goes to bed right now.

In August, we got yet another positive pregnancy test.... and I will talk more about that shortly. All seems to be going well still with the little princess.

In November, R took a job in Alabama.... soo, the week before Christmas we loaded up the truck (thanks to good friends in VA) and moved our stuff down south. We unloaded into a storage building and are temporarily living with my family.

So.... those are the highlights.
Now, for what we believe is coming in the next few months!

We are looking at houses. We have already gone looking with the realtor in the last week and met with the lender as well. We are trying hard to buy our first house!! WOW.... growing up is kinda crazy. We have a few options and hope to be making offers soon... overwhelmed doesn't being to describe it.

We also are trying to prepare for the arrival of the little princess. At this point with J's pregnancy I was already moving towards being prepared.... furniture, registering, etc. etc. This time I haven't even started!!! If it weren't for a good friend in VA giving me a box of girl clothes back in July, I don't know if I would even have clothes for her yet....

A stranger asked me fore the first time the other night when I was due (I was checking out with two maternity shirts and a baby sleeper.... guess she felt safe asking the question)... then she asked if I already knew if it was a boy or girl... and then asked if I had my nursery ready.. Umm no. I don't even have a house in which I can put a nursery yet!! :)

R starts his new job next week. I am so excited for him to get to live his dream. I can see the excitement building in him daily. The only other times I have seen him have this kinda of anticipation was in the weeks leading to our wedding.... and in the days prior to J's birth. It is so reassuring to see him so excited about this endeavor.

So - 2011 was a roller coaster - the good was great.... the bad was really tough - I have expectation that 2012 will probably be a roller coaster as well - just in different areas. Here we go.

moving on

Well.... august - that's the last you heard info??

wow.

No big half-marathon for me this year.... we found out soon after the last entry on the ol' blog that I am pregnant.... again... 4 times in just over 2 years~ of course two of these pregnancies have sent little precious ones to heaven long before I got to meet them... one is now 17 months old.... and the other is growing strong!!

So, now, I am just shy of 19 week along - and we found out this past monday that she is a girl!! what a new world I am about to enter!

Also, we are moving - from the southern area of VA back to my home state.

that happens next week!

So, pregnant, with a 17 month toddler, moving, at Christmas..... when the Mayhew's do something - we do it FULLY!

ok - that's all for the update.... back to packing.

DNOW 2009 in Alabama

I will post pics later.

I shouldn't even be writing right now with my list of things to do being so long.... but sometimes ya just gotta get it out.

First, go to Mom's blog and watch this video. I should post it here... but again, its a time thing.

I just want to say that Ronnie and I were in bama this weekend working at a Disciple Now. This is a crazy thing that youth groups do in churches where students all go to one house (girls at separate houses than boys of course.) to sleep... go to lots of Bible studies during the day... play tons of silly games... eat a lot of junk food... and it lasts from Friday night till Sunday morning. Sleep is one of the things that is NOT on the list of things to do of course.

It was a blessing to be able to help lead in one of the Sr. High girl houses (Ronnie taught one of the guy houses.... with Jr. High boys!!)

First, the 7 girls at my house were awesome. 4 of them I have known since they were little... (two I have known since they were 2-3 years old!!) They are now 10-12 graders! (AM I REALLY THAT OLD???)

They are dealing with real things, living real lives... and struggling to find how Christ relates to everything in their life. It is such a priviledge to be able to help point them to Jesus...

The end of the weekend was the church service on Sunday morning. The praise band (all youth) played... and then the service culminated with the song you saw in mom's video earlier in this post.... since I KNOW you linked over to that before finishing the blog!

It's such a powerful picture of how many lives change when God finally gets control. Oh.... I could say so much here... but I have to get away from this computer and walk away....

now,.... go watch that video!

Jon's big day

Well, tomorrow is the day we have all waited for... My little brother... the one that has made the subject line more often in my blog than anyone else probably... is getting married.

He is the last of the three Warren kids to go through the wedding... umm... excitement. The first time mom and dad have been "mother and father of the groom."

Being at mom and dad's house this week has been exciting... but there is NEVER a dull moment here! I am reminded of how different my "life-pace" is in VA whenever I visit here. Its crazy here!

Since being here... here is a general list of the things that have happened to those of us already permanently attached to theWarren clan... this does not include what the bride and her family have been doing... because I dont even have time to get to that list... I am talking about less than 72 hours for us....

4 haircuts
2 eyebrow waxings (the haircuts and waxings have a long story in them too.... WAY too long for this late night blog)
4 pedicures
3 manicures
8+ hours decorating the church (Wednesday night till 1:30 am)
1 hour exercising
1 car accident - Jen had someone pull out in front of her Thursday - not her fault - totaled her car - she is ok - just sore... go to her page for more info.
1 day babysitting Aubrey
2 hours of normal Wednesday night festivities at church
1 trip to Hobby Lobby, the mall, Best Buy, Bruno's etc.
1 counseling session
3 trips to Starbucks
2 trips to Target
3 trips to Wal-mart
1 computer repaired (mine)
1 family dinner
1 rehearsal and rehearsal dinner

Ok - that's all I care to think about now.

The bottom line... tomorrow, in the evening, my little brother will be a married man. He is marrying a wonderful, godly girl. I have never seen my brother so excited about something in his lifetime. I am praying already that tomorrow is the day my soon-to-be-sis-in-law dreamed of. I am also praying that their marriage will be blessed by God.

For the random day that Jon and Brantley read this.... I love you both so much!

Home again

Here I am, back in VA. What? You didn't even know I was gone? Well, that's because I am a tricky little girl.

This will be short - last week Ronnie was gone for a while to a training thing in SC. Yep, I stayed home all by myself, which is quite an accomplishment for this little city girl... to be home alone for like 4 nights IN THE COUNTRY! Then, Thursday morning, I flew my little self to Alabama for a few days with the fam. I got to go out to eat with all my grandparents Thursday for lunch - there is nothing in the WORLD like Cracker Barrel when ya haven't had it for a while. Ronnie got down there on Friday evening and we got to have my bday dinner with my family. SO MUCH FUN to be with mom dad, jen, aubrey, andy and brantley having my bday dinner. It would have only been better had Jon been able to be home. BUT, we did find out, that as long as nothing changes (it IS the Army ya know) - he has done his last mission and should be home no later than Memorial Day. WOW! I am so excited. I also got to talk to him on webcam for the first time since like October Saturday evening - it was wonderful...

Sunday morning we went to church, and then made the trek back to VA. So here, I am - home again. Ronnie was sickly yesterday so we spent a majority of the afternoon in the doc office - but the meds worked fast and he is headed to work this morning.

I am off to try my new exercise (getting in shape for the cruise ya know) - roller blading! I haven't really done this since middle school, so it could be interesting - but I have all protective pads and stuff. I am going to the park down town, so maybe not many people will be able to see me make a fool of myself! (its kinda hidden in the trees and by the river and stuff). Then of course today is church work day and "pretend to know what you're doing as a college prof" day.

Have a good one.

Bama

Well - I don't NEARLY have enough time to explain all that is going on here in Alabama. It was wonderful to have Ronnie with me the first three days, and I miss him terribly now, however, it is also very good to have some family time! We have watched bama football (ROLL TIDE). We have had fun. I have gone fishing with Jon. Jon proposed to his girlfriend (now fiancee.... she said YES!)

It has been emotional, It is going to get worse. 10 years ago, I never could have imagined this type of.... pain?? fear?? pride?? love?? excitment?? terror?? All going through my mind at the same time. Our family is holding tight to a few things. 1. Jonathan was a gift from God. In a time when my mom had a couple of miscarriages, she prayed that God would not give her a child until it was HIS timing... and then Jonathan came. God promises that he has a purpose for our lives.... so, Jonathan, we believe, still has a purpose to live out.

2. Jonathan and Brantley have both been through so much to get to each other. We are trusting that they will be given the chance to go through with this marriage. 3. That the prayers of all of our friends and family will protect him. That our God will put a level of protection around him that is much stronger than the vest and helmet that he will wear.

Anyway... it has been an emotional couple of days, as we watched my grandparents, (who lost a son while he was in the military a long time ago) say goodbye. The emotions in that moment alone were almost unbearable.... As we watched a good family friend pray for Jonathan Sunday morning in front of the church. As I have watched my sister, through my own tear filled eyes, wipe the tears from her eyes while her husband holds her hand. As I have watched Jonathan try to fill every moment of this week with time with his family and friends but most importantly, with Brantley.

It will be a long weekend as we drive tmo to Mississippi, say goodbye on Thursday, and have that drive back either thursday or friday... leaving him to board a plane.

Please keep praying for my family, for Brantley and her family, but most of all for my brother, who I am so proud of, and for his safety....