Boy, it's been a long time.... We had a wonderful Christmas with my in-laws who where visiting for about 10 days. Finnegan had such a great time playing with his Grandma and Grandpa. What a sweet time! I have tons of photos and will probably post some, but just don't have a ton of energy to do so right now. Ken has been off this week from work, and I am blessed to have him home. I just love having him home with me and the kids (especially this week as we are finding out Penelope is having a HUGE growth spurt and is pretty cranky most of the day!). He is enjoying his vacation, playing lots of video games and sleeping in. We are currently watching the first four season of the Office on DVD. That's pretty fun! We seem to run marathons of DVD watching after Christmas. The last 2 years we've watched LOST non-stop. This year, it is the Office.

I got a wonderful camera for Christmas and hope to grace the pages of the blog with some new photos. Although I really wanted an SLR, we decided to go with another point and shoot camera for the ease of care and the life style that we have. I don't have the luxary of just throwing the camera in my purse or bag when it's a huge SLR model. So, we went with a smaller model. I'm still learning how to use it on each different function to get the best photos. It has a lot of stuff on it that I don't yet understand, but I'll get it soon enough!!

No news yet about the potential move. We won't know any more information for another week or more. But we're patiently waiting on the next move of our adventure together!

Hope you all have a splended and safe New Year's celebration! God Bless!

Waiting for Our Next Step

In January 2005, my groom and our trusted Boston Terrier ventured across the country to see where God would take us. He brought us to a company with a trusted name and a long history in aviation. My husband quickly made a name for himself within his department and within this new project. He's been awarded great reviews and numerous praises for his problem solving and wonderful work. And now, that adventure that brought us across the country, will soon take us back to the direction that we came. Although, this leg of the journey, we not only travel with our darling puppy, but also another pup, and two babies too! For weeks, we've heard about an opportunity to transfer to a Navy Airbase in Maryland to work with the P8A Poseidon aircraft and it's flight tests. The transfer is a temporary position (2 yrs or less) and we'll travel as a family. We are very excited about this opportunity and are now waiting on God to work out all the details (which He will, because He always does, and He already has!). I'll keep you posted on all the wonderful news and timeline as it unfolds.

I can't begin to explain how proud I am of my husband and the work that he has to to further his career for the good of our family. I look forward to taking this new leg of the journey together with our little tots! And what a great time to visit back east and be closer (although still a nice drive) away from our families.

Getting to Know You: The Holiday Edition

Here is one of those questionnaires that you normally get in an email, but I thought I'd post my answers here...And as always, I really struggled just offering one answer per question. I know... But Christmas is one of my favorite times of year and it's so hard to choose!! If you repost it on your blog, let me know, I'd love to see your answers!

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Egg Nog

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? He sits them under the tree!

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? white

4. Do you hang mistletoe? No, but I think I'd like too!

5. When do you put your decorations up? the day after Thanksgiving

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? excluding dessert? are you kidding me? ok, probably stuffing.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? Reading the Christmas story in Mom and dad's room on Christmas morning and mom bringing us hot cocoa... Or caroling around the trailer park in Florida where Grandma and Grandpa lived...

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I don't really remember

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? A couple of years we were able too, but that wasn't until we were older and talked our parents into it!

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? Normally with a hodge podge of ornaments, but this year it is with all the same color scheme of non-breakable ornaments. We'll keep the breakables away until the kids are older.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love to look at it- HATE to drive in it. And since moving to WA, I'm really out of practice!

12. Can you ice skate? I can stand on ice skates. Not very confident on ice skates!

13. What was your favorite gift as a child? A cash register with a conveyor belt... or Barbies.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Setting a tradition for my family that focuses on the real reason to Celebrate Christmas, while enjoying each other and showing our love to our community and each other.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Cookies... Or Peanut Butter Balls.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Going to Disney World, I suppose. But these days, it's tending to be with my little ones on Christmas morning watching the Christmas parade after we've read the Christmas story.

17. What tops your tree? Tinkerbell

18. Which do you prefer, giving or receiving? giving

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? I've always had a few, but I'm a fan of "Mary, did you know?" and "Let there be Peace on Earth".

20. Candy Canes! yuck or yummy? I have a 1 per year limit!!

21. Favorite Christmas Movie? National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation... Or Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas (now, my son's favorite Christmas Movie too) :)

Video Post

If you are able to watch this video and enjoy it without getting sea sick, I will be impressed. Even just listening to the audio will bless your heart as Finnegan sings his new favorite song, and shares a new phrase "Daddy's gonna getch you" Sorry as the toddler isn't able to sit still for long!! :)

Enjoy!!

Yes, Jesus Love Me!!

Finnegan is a singer. And I love it! When he was born, my aunt and uncle sent him a CD of what I would call "church songs". You know, the classics... Jesus Loves Me, The BIBLE etc.

Over the summer Finnegan started singing more and more. His first favorite was the BIBLE. He then learned Climb, Climb Sunshine Mountain. He would sing it each time he'd climb up into his chair at the table. It is pretty cute! But recently, he's started singing a new song. He'll be real quiet and then shout out "YES" "Jesus... Loves ME! YES!.... Jesus..... LOVES ME!!" Then... "The Bible tells me SOOOO!". Oh how precious to hear the songs of a child's heart!

Praises!!

We are rejoicing today for a successful surgery for Emily! Continue to pray for her as she is still in a drug induced coma and will be for a little bit longer. God is so good and we are praising Him for the success thus far...

Above, you'll notice that I've posted a new photo from when Penelope was born. Our birth photographer, Mandy, brought our birth photos the other day. I am so excited to share a few with you as this was such a special day and now we have a few photos to remember the day so vividly!!

Prayer for Emily

Friends -

I have requested it before, but the day has arrived. Emily's surgery is today and could take between 6-24 hours to remove the full AVM from her brain. Please be in prayer for her, the doctors, her husband (Dan) and her family. Please pray for a full extraction of the AVM and a quick and seamless healing!

Luke has posted this slideshow to aid in your prayer time...

http://app.sliderocket.com/app/FullPlayer.aspx?id=2cb5d966-1bcc-40d0-959f-9adfaf367e8e

Our God is Good and will be with Emily and her family the full time during the surgery. We know He is the perfect healer and we rely on Him to heal Emily!!

Continue to check www.therumleyfamily.com for updates throughout the day.

xoxo

Happy Thanksgiving!!

So I know that I'm a few days late, but here are a few photos from our Thanksgiving celebration!! We celebrated again this year with our Washington Family. It is always so nice to celebrate with those that we love even when our biological families are far away. Here are a few photos from the day!

Daddy and his Sweetie

Our Family!
Adult Game Time during Child Nap Time!! Ahh... Bliss :)
Liam wanted to hold the baby. This was the best set up for him to love on her!

Smilie girl after shopping in Black Friday... Mom's shopping, not baby shopping :) And NO, I didn't take her with me! :)Happy girl... I was busy trying to get a good shot for our Christmas Card... and finally got one (this is another that I took).

Daddy enjoying some time with his little girl in front of the Christmas tree!

Well, in other news, I was curious to know if you're planning to pray for Emily this week during her surgery?? If you haven't committed to pray, I would encourage you to read her story and be in prayer for her during her surgery on Thursday and Friday!

I have begun to work out again... trying to get that "pre-baby" body back. Ok, so I never really had a great body, but I worked pretty hard before Penny was born to lose 20lbs. I did it and I am on the bandwagon again to lose that weight plus more. I'd like to lose a total of 50lbs this time before I get pregnant again. I know I can do it, but it will just take some determination and perserverence. I'm back to working out each day for about an hour or so. These first few days are pretty rough and I'm trying not to push myself too much in the beginning, but already feel comfortable doing many of the moves I was doing before and doing them much better. I'm hoping the first 20lbs falls off and my body remembers where it was before this baby was conceived :)

I am almost done with my Christmas shopping. I have about 6 more people to purchase for but and a few to finish shopping for. I am SO under budget already and I'm pretty proud of myself! We'll see how everything ends.