8 Years Ago...

Today is Zack's birthday.  I spent this morning looking back at our pictures from when he was born.  This was a monumental and eventful time in our life for several reasons.
Here is a recap of our major events in 2004...
(While reading the first several events, keep in mind that I was due May 8th)

March 26th Dan and I moved to a new Apartment in Appleton, WI.  We were excited to have a washer and dryer for our soon to be family of 3!

April 7th We were both working for Humana Insurance when Dan came down to my desk in agony.  His lung had collapsed at work so I frantically rushed him 30 minutes away to our hospital in Appleton where he underwent 3 surgeries and stayed in the hospital for several days.  I was a wreck with terrible thoughts and HIGH emotions.

April 23rd is my last day working but not without a crazy ending.  Leaving 2 weeks before I was due was essentially like quitting and I lost all of my financial maternity benefits.  I did not care.  I was DONE. 

Sometime around May 3rd Dan gets a call from Epic offering him a job as a Computer Programmer!  I looked for the picture but could not find it of Dan's reaction after the call...it was one of his most animated moments ever as he was dancing around the living room! Oh happy day!  He no longer needed to work at Humana in the call center.

May 8th comes...and goes...no baby yet.

May 13th I am at the grocery store and a random middle aged gentleman asks me, "When are you going to have that baby?" 
My response: "The doctors said 5 days ago."  He chuckled. 

May 15th A week overdue.

Getting ready to go!  I had to be there by 7:00 (to be induced) which was no problem at all!  I did not sleep much at all because I was so excited!

Heading out the door to go have a baby!

               

We got things started at 8:30 and at 1:30...Zackariah Amos Fawcett made his debut!

We were so thrilled to have our son! 

(Zacky at 3 days old)

May 20th We travel down to Madison and endure a 13 hour day of house hunting.  Zack, being only 5 days old, did fantastic.  But, let me tell you...that was not a fun day for this new mamma!  We put an offer in on what we felt was the best option of what we saw.

May 22nd We found out we did not get the house and set up another day to go house hunting in Madison. Yuck. (Oh, and remember we just moved 2 months ago!)

June 7th Dan starts work at Epic.  For the next 3 weeks we live in Extended Stay...a hotel room.  A one room hotel room.  With a newborn.  Who wakes up every 2 hours or less. 

June 25th We closed on our first house and was it ever a joyous occasion!  Not only to own our first house, but to get out of that hotel room after 3 weeks! 

These major events, Dan's collapsed lung, having a baby, Dan and I each starting a new job (mine was being a mommy!), and buying a house made for quite an adventurous couple months. 

And now, 8 years later we still know and feel God's awesome blessing on our family.   

Dan is healed with limited restrictions.

He is still working for Epic.

We have our second home in the school district that is perfect for our boys.

And, Zack, he continues to grow in wisdom and stature. 

 What a great morning reminiscing 8 years ago.  God has surpassed my expectations for our family in every area possible.

I'm thankful for so many blessings.  Today, I'm especially thankful for my newly turned 8 year old (and Dan and Owen too!).    I am beyond blessed.



Bulging with Challenges

I've been bulging with challenges to myself in the last several months.  I want to better myself in so many areas and there are multiple pockets of my life that are surfacing that I want to improve.  Here are 5 goals (although there are more!) I have for myself:

1. I had never read my Bible from cover to cover.  I've read chapters and books at a time but never front to back.  I started in February and want to finish before school is out for the summer.  I hope I'll make it. There are so many things that I want to stop and study to learn more about as I am going, but I feel God is calling me to just read through and then go back after I finish. 

2. I want to be more bold and purposeful in creating and improving upon friendships.  I use the excuse of being shy and not overly outgoing.  This brings me out of my comfort zone, but all for good purpose.  People and relationships are more valuable than anything else.

3. I have been impacted by the simple line in 1 Cor 13, Love does not boast.  I think upon this phrase often while trying to be a better listener than talker.  It is easy to let insecurities take over and feel the need to live life to a monetary fullness.  But, that leaves emptiness... in your pocket and in relationships.

4. I want to be a wife of noble character.  This takes a change of focus.  I need to be more considerate and understanding toward my husbands work pressures and free time.  The good news...I want all the time I can with him!

5. I want to be a Mom that the kids remember as loving them and Dan more than anything else in the world.  That challenges me to be more hands on and physically focused toward them.

 I read a story that impacted me...

Son: Mom (from a different room)
Mom: Yes?
Son: Mom (still in a different room)
Mom: Yes?
Son: Mom
Mom: What? I am listening to you.
Son: You can hear me but you are not listening with your eyes.

Ouch.  I'm guilty of that. 

I am sure that everyone has their list of challenges as I do.  Perhaps you can not relate to some of mine, and perhaps I have brought new challenges to you through writing mine.  Whatever the case, God will reveal things to you as you are ready.  Be sure you are listening.  Then, be sure you are acting.