Football time!

(My future football player)It was exciting to be moving to Nebraska right in the middle of football season with us being Cornhusker fans. Clayton calls it "football game time." We got to enjoy a football game with my friend Leah, whom I have known my whole life, and her family. Their basement is the Nebraska football room and they have every Husker paraphenellia there is!
Clayton and Keegan

The first weekend after we moved here, Brody suprised me with tickets to a game. We had so much fun! I am not a huge fan of football, but being in Memorial Stadium with die-hard fans, seeing the sea of red is quite a breath taking experience.

We got to go to a second game with some of our family.

(Cousin Marcus, cousin Becki, my sister Joni, me and Brody)

(me, my dad, Joni)

Back on the farm

I grew up on a farm in a small town called McCook, 4 1/2 hours west of Omaha. I was a bit of a city girl growing up, but it is ironic, as I have got older my roots have come back to me. I have looked forward to spending time on the farm and helping my dad when Brody and I have traveled back to Nebraska over the years to see family. I never imagined I would end up back in Nebraska! While Brody was in training for two weeks, Clayton and I traveled to McCook to spend some time on the farm. His whole world opened up to a new level! He had so much fun being outside with Pappa feeding the cows, horses, riding on the tractor and exploring the farm. (Pappa's little shadow)

(Feeding cows right behind the house)

He also got to go for a ride on the combine. That is all he can talk about now! Brody bought him the Cars movie and although he has very little interest in watching it, he loves watching the tractor tipping scene and seeing the combine race through the field.

(Trying to eat a hard piece of corn)

While there, my sister and I took the boys fishing at the sandpits. Clayton has learned how to cast his pole and loves to fish so that is all he could talk about while waiting for the boys to get out of school that day.

(Nephews, Logan-Joni's son, Ryan & Clayton)

Ryan caught a huge wiper! Clayton wasn't too sure about the fish and wouldn't even stand near it, but all he could talk about afterwards was "Ryan caught a big fish" with his arms out.

A Season.......

3 years ago, Brody and I packed up our house in Nampa, Idaho and drove 500 miles to our new destination in Chico, California where Brody would start his new job as a sales representative for Stryker Medical. This was a new adventure for us. We left our family for the first time ever, friends since high school, our new home of 1 year and our new church family; everything that was familiar to us. During our month of packing, I struggled with this change, I was comfortable where I was. I envisioned starting our family in our new home and building our life together there.

One Sunday at church our pastor began singing "You Never Let Go" by Matt Redman, I broke down crying as I heard the words "Oh no, You never let go through the calm and through the storm. Oh no, you never let go in every high and every low. Oh no, you never let go. Lord, you never let go of me". I then knew that the Lord would take care of us through this change and that this was part of his plan for us. After church was over, a church friend came over to talk to me and said she used to live in Chico and she would give us the name of her friends to get in contact with when we got there. We did contact them and they became part of our Chico family. Right away God put great people in our lives!
Jenna and I were pregnant together with our boys being born 2 months apart. We walked every week in the park up until the day the boys were born. After birth, we needed more of a change, so we started rollerblading. Justin and Brody hit it off right away with their love to hunt! Jenna's parents welcomed us right into their family and we enjoyed many wonderful dinners with them and had lots of laughs.

Elliana, the big sister, was like a big sister to Clayton too. Tucker and Clayton, these two boys together are double trouble!

My dad's sister, Rose and her family, lived 20 minutes from us. We had lots of fun family times eating and playing games. My aunt and cousin Colleen were the first ones to welcome our new baby boy! They even kept Clayton overnight for us several times so we could have daddy/mommy time.

Uncle Don is a huge Cornhusker fan too, and Brody enjoyed watching many games with him.

We had the best neighbors ever! We were welcomed right away when we moved in and were blessed with food and gifts when Clayton was born. We had neighborhood parties and an annual Easter egg hunt for the kids.

After Clayton was born, I started attending mommy/baby educational classes. After the classes ended, us moms formed a playgroup, and we met every week sharing our mothering experiences and watching our little ones grow. It is hard to believe we just celebrated their 2nd birthdays!

(1st Birthday party)

Some people come into your life for a SEASON, because you turn has come to share, grown or learn. They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it; it is real, but only for a season. Our Chico family/friends touched for lives in so many ways during the 3 years we were there. They will never be forgotten and will be greatly missed! I could probably write a book on our life in Chico with all the memories that were made there. I am so thankful we got to experience life in Chico!

3 years later almost to the day, we said good-bye to the life we had built in Chico and moved 1700 miles to Omaha, Nebraska where Brody took a new job in sales with Bard Peripheral Vascular. We started over once; I have faith that we will do it again!