I have let myself go...

In the bloggy world, that is. I kept meaning to get on here and update the goings-on of my life, but life kept going ON! To try and catch you up on every detail would be virtually impossible and a REALLY long, probably somewhat boring read. So I’ll fill you in on one very big, super exciting piece of news and then recap a very special 1st birthday party. (O:

First, JASON GOT THE JOB!! (I know most of you already know this since you’re among my bestest of friends, but just in case someone else out there is reading…) Jason has been offered a preaching position at a small, country church about 1 ½ hours from where we live currently. We are excited and a little sad all at the same time. This is such a great opportunity for him to finally get into a church and start doing what he loves. Add to that the fact that I will get to STAY HOME with Emilia and be an at-home momma/wife! Woo hoo! I am so looking forward to this. I know it won’t take long before I start going stir crazy in the house all day, but I am already thinking of ways to get involved in the community, setting up play dates with friends, taking a Zumba class, etc! Also, my momma is giving me a hand-me-down sewing machine and I’m intending to learn to make some cutesie baby dresses and continue working on baby quilts. We are really looking forward to a slower pace of life and cannot wait to get to know our new church family! We won’t be moving out there until April 17th-ish, because I decided to give my employer 3 weeks notice. A group of men from the church came last Friday and helped Jason move the entire contents of our storage unit to the new house. This weekend, we ordered living room furniture, dining room furniture and office furniture. It was a little bit expensive of a weekend, but we had to get all these rooms filled because we had none of it! At least now we have items we love and will use until the die (seriously, forever).

Also this weekend was EMILIA-PALOOZA! It was a wonderfully fun party extravaganza! My FIL counted roughly 70 guests! We had a cupcake decorating table, an arts and crafts table, an Easter egg hunt, oodles of snacks and a whole table devoted to sweets (cupcakes and brownie bites!) Emilia was given so many awesome gifts- books, clothes, stuffed animals, you name it, she probably received it. I am still working on getting a good picture of her to use with the Thank You notes, which I will be writing for weeks to come! (O: It was just the best day. What is better than being surrounded by one’s family and friends to celebrate the completed first year of my baby’s life!? As with any party of 70ish people, I didn’t get to spend nearly as much time as I would have liked with any certain person. But, I know they all understood and I was just so glad to share the day’s excitement with each one! Three favorite pictures from the day (the rest can be seen on none other than, Facebook!):