Thoughts from Cobblestone Drive..

This is the 2nd weekend in a row that has included yard work! And, next weekend is going to include a garage sale (people actually come and by your junk), which is going to be like pulling weeds! I am back on my flylady kick. For those of you that don't know about flylady. Check it out at flylady.net. So, with the help of flylady I have been "decluttering" the past few weeks.

Things have been so busy around here. I have been working lots to supplement Sams income, so know that Sam is working..it is time for mom to get back to a regular schedule. I have tried this "office nursing" thing..and, well have decided that I do much better with an operating room schedule. 6 am-3..that means I get my evenings at home with my boys. I am such a morning person, that probably stems from working in the OR for almost 11 years. So, it looks like I am going back to OSE at lease a few days a week.

Sam and I had the "baby" talk again last week. I did remind him that I was 34 (as of last week), so its time to decide something. I sometimes REALLY get the baby bug, and really want another biological child. Sam, well he wants to adopt. So thats where we are on the baby issue. Still no absolute answer. Sometimes I think..Bray is 5..another baby means starting all over. He is about to begin "big school"..do I really want to start back over with diapers and mid-night feedings?

O.k. guess that was random enough..

Faithfulness..

Wow..I'm reminded today of just how faithful God is! Many of you know Sam has been without a job for going on three monthes now. Sam has always been our "income." I have worked on and off throughout our marriage, but Sam has been our "source." Well, 3 mon. ago that all changed. Luckily, I have a career that I can go anywhere and get a job, and work as much or as little as I want. So, note "to women that don't have that safety net"..word to ya..GET A CAREER! You never now when your husband may lose his job. So, I have been carrying most of the weight. Even though Sam has been doing little side jobs, that alone wasn't enough.

So, we have been praying and fasting that God would send him a job. Not just any job..but, where God wanted him. I specifically prayed that God would open a door for him that would otherwise be shut. He has went on several interviews but nothing came of them.

Last Tuesday we had a pastors conference at our Church and Sam was asked to video it. He thoroughly enjoyed the conference, so I believe that it was the Hand of God that ordained him to be there. I have seen such a "spiritual" change in Sam since all of this has taken place. Anyway, so on his way home from Church Tuesday evening he said (and those of you that know Sam knows he isn't your..I had a dream..I had a vision type of guy) that he had this ice cold chill that went down his spine and a scripture in Isiaiah came to his mind. When he was telling me this my immediate thought was..oh my gosh, is something bad gonna happen! So when he got home we looked up the scripture in Isaiah..and it stated.."...peace for you and always.." Sam said, "Amy, its gonna be ok..we cannot worry any longer." If we lose everything we have we have to realize that it is just STUFF! That "stuff" doesn't define who we are and nor does losing it define who we are in Christ! At that moment I had such a peace.

Wed..he gets a call about a job interview. A job that is a step-up for him in his career and salary. We didn't get to excited. I had a peace and, again, prayed for God's favor. He had the interview on Thursday... He said the interview went well and that it would be something he has always wanted to do..

Friday..he got a call and got offered the job! How good is my God! This isn't any job..it is a job that is a peak for Sam in his career, and a salary more than he even asked for!

A nurse I work with texted me today and asked me, "what has God taught you through this journey." He has taught me to TRUST HIM!! I think we have to get to that place, and believe it, that if we lost everything we had..would we still be o.k.! Tuesday evening I got to that place! Even though we had to cancel our yearly Disney trip, I had to miss spending time with my little man , not eating out as much..it was all worth it!!!!

Thank you, Jesus for your faithfulness!! For loving me enough to take me through the fire!

Things are Changing..

Been awhile since I posted anything so I thought I would send a Harris update! Our family is definately on a journey..Sam lost his job a couple of weeks ago. So, with that we are in the midst of really learning how to trust Jesus! I am thankful for the journey He is allowing us to walk through. Because I know the other end is going to be bountiful. Since I think I last posted I had come to a 65 lb. weight loss. I currently have lost 141 lbs!! I am getting ready to run my first 5K. Since Jan. 2008 God has taught me so much about myself and about making good choices. I never thought I would come to this place but am so thankful for every pound. I have been able to help so many other people. Again, I am thanking Him for the journey.

And, their is the light of my life, John-Brayden! He will be graduating pre-school in about 3 weeks. I cannot believe how much he has grown. He is growing into such a little man. I can't get enough of hearing him say, "I Love You, Mommy" and "I Love You, daddy, too!" He is definately a little mommys boy. He is learning to read, and I love hearing him sounding out letters. I love hearing him say his night time prayers. We pray for everyone in his class Tucker, Gracie, Brayden Russell..we pray for Mrs. Chancey..he has such a big little heart. If anyone is every sick, something hurts..his solution is "mommy, lets pray." My prayer for him is that he would always always run to Jesus for every need. Jesus is his solution now, I pray when he is 13 it's the same, when he is 20.

The Harris' are in a transition now in more ways than one. Their are lots of changes going on, and I don't do well with change. But their is one thing I do know. I serve a great big God! It is in times like these that He is refining Sam and I. When we got married we said that God would be the center of our marriage, that we would allow Him to lead us. Well, 7 yrs. into our marriage, God is more real to us now than ever before. We are trusting Him for our very next breath. It's exciting because I know at the end of all of this its gonna be good!!

Been awhile...

Haven't blogged in awhile so thought I would catch all of you up on the Harris'..we have been pretty busy! Brayden has started TBall so thought has consumed a lot of our time. Nobody waren't me that when your child played community sports that you would live at the baseball field. He is enjoying it, and that is all that matters. He got the team ball last week, so that was a BIG deal to him.

I am still on my 'lifestyle journey' I have lost 65 lbs. and have dropped 6 pants size. We are getting ready for our Disney trip, which btw is only about 3 1/2 weeks away...YAH!!!! So, last weekend I went clothes shopping b/c I absolutely have NOTHING that fits..and, well, I hate to brag but I could have scremed while in the dressing room and tried on a pair of shorts that I could NOT have wore a few months ago. People laugh when they ask, "how do you have so much will power?" My response, it is truly a God thing! I look at food differently. Food is not a pleasure I only eat because my body needs it for fuel. I exercise because I know it's essential to having a good heart! I know it's cliche but if I can do it anyone can..I have not had a potato, any type of white bread or soda since Christmas day! Does it bother me? Nope..because I know I am going to be around to see my grandchildren!

Another adventure..I have started Tennis lessons. Misty Pruitt and I started a few weeks ago. And, I have to say it is REALLY addicting. You can have a good cardio workout and have fun at he same time. Sam has even bought him a racket and we have played a couple of times!

Guess it's off to lunch with my dad now. I am off work today, so Brayden and I slept in and are just enjoying the sunshine!!

And..God is really up to some awesome things not only in our Church but within our home!!

God is soooo good..

Well..gotta give an update on Sam's job situation. Last week one of the attorneys he works with ask him for a copy of his resume..On Monday Sam got a call from a law-firm that had received his resume (not from Sam but from Frank the attorney)..and wanted to talk with him. So, on Tuesday Sam talked with them. Today he got a phone call and was offered a job with them!! Then they began to talk about money/benefits..well, Sam had just asked for what he presently makes..well, they offered him a salary INCREASE!!!

That is just how good my God is!! When He does something He does it big!! I am so thankful that MY footsteps are ordered by him!!!

Feeling very accomplished...

Things have been busy around here in '09, but I must say we are getting things accomplished. Sam and I sat down after Christmas a made a list of things we wanted to do this year and things we wanted to change. The top of that list was to remodel our kitchen. We have gotten the cabinets finished, now it is onto the re-painting and then to lay the cermaic tile. I am very pleased so far. It is amazing how a little paint will change the look of a room.

We are always still on the 'healthy' bandwagon. As of this morning I have lost 27 lbs. I still have a ways to go to get to my goal..but I am taking it one day at a time. I thing when I complete this weightloss..I will have to write a cookbook! I have gotten so creative with food. I have always cooked like I was raised..lots of frying and lots of bread!! I have had to change all that..I haven't had a piece of bread in 6 weeks. That is a BIG deal for me..I am not a sweet eater but I love my Bread and Potatoes..oh by the way, haven't had potatoes eaither! Around Christmas I began reading a book on Fasting by Jentzen Franklin..and I think I really began convicted about my weight. So, it has became a spiritual issue for me. People have asked me, "Amy, you seem to have sooo much will power"..it isn't will power it's a God-thing. I work out 6 days a week, and basically eat healthy. Lots of chicken and fish and fresh vegetables and fruit. I think I have finally realized what it means when God speaks about our body being the temple! I am not getting healthy to fit in those 'skinny jeans'..I am getting healthy because it is not only the right thing to do for my family, but it's the right thing to do for my spiritual body!

Update on Sam and the job search..he had one interview yesterday. So, we will see how that turns out. We are at peace and we know that God is going to take care of us. I am actually kind of anxious to see how this turns out! We are in complete and totally trust in God! The other side of this mountain, I know, is beyond my expectations!!

Just having to trust Him..

Have you ever been in that place where you felt the walls just caving in on you? Well, that is me...Sam was told yesterday that his last day at work would be March 20th! They did offer him a severance package and will pay him through May 15th...BUT!! Sam got home from work yesterday and laid that on me..and, well, the floodgates opened!! I think in the back of Sam's mind he has known over the past year that this might take place..he has already had several job interviews and nothing has worked out. But..to finally now that their is definately going to be an end to his time at HandArendall has made us both really uneasy.

I know that God will take care of us..I guess this is where Faith kicks in. I have found that it is sometimes a little harder to 'trust God' then we think. It is all and well to trust Him when jobs are going well, everyone has good health, and their is plenty of money in the bank..but, when it comes to having to trust Him for your next breath, your next meal..that is a little hard!

I feel like we have been in struggle after struggle these past few monthes..but, I remember something a roommate I had while in college would always say, "the devil isn't going to bother someone he already has.." Sam, said that to me last night. I was the one breaking down..and he looked me and said, "Amy, we serve a God that is much bigger than we know...He has it all in control.." Sam has a peace about the situation..and that makes me feel good. As the leader of our home I am so Blessed to have a man like Sam! He and I are so opposite..I am the worryier..the planner..he doesn't think about right now..he sees the big picture..and the big picture is that, "My God tells me that He WILL supply all of my needs.."