Big changes ahead for our family!

Well, for those who don't know, we have big changes ahead for our family! Michael decided a few months ago to aim for a lifelong goal: joining the Army! It has been a dream of his for his entire life. His original intent was to join the service right after he graduated high school. However, his parents asked him to consider going to Bible college for a year first, so he respected their wishes and went. While at Bible college, he felt the Lord leading him to finish and get his Bachelor's degree, so he respected His leading and graduated from Bible college! Fast forward a few years, and here we are!

It has not been easy - he has had to work hard to get back into shape, and he's done an AWESOME job! He's lost about 40 pounds, and gained lots of muscle! (Woohoo!!!) The plan is for him to start basic training (boot camp) sometime towards the beginning/middle part of January. (Though we do understand that w/the military, things do not always go according to plan!) The kids and I will be staying with my parents in MO during this time, which of course I have mixed emotions about. (I know I just ended a sentence w/a preposition, but I can't figure out how else to word it where it sounds normal. Sorry Mom!! Anyhoo....) I'm THRILLED for us to be able to spend extra time with our family, but I really am going to miss my "family" here in Georgia. I've truly come to love our home here, and our "family" here.

Below are our Christmas pictures. I try to get a good family picture at least once a year, and this one took quite a bit of work, but we finally got it - lol!! (All of those with active 5 1/2 year olds, and emotional 2 year olds can relate, I'm sure!)

I hope everyone has a blessed and safe Christmas, and I pray that no one gets so busy or stressed that they forget the true meaning of this time.

Yay for Christmas Shopping!!

I'm so glad to say, that with the exception of just 2 gifts, I am totally done with our Christmas shopping! Woo hoooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is SUCH a good feeling! I took Jared with me today to pick up several items from several different stores, and he was such a good little boy. I even had 2 different people comment on his good behavior. That is in addition to the lady who stopped by our table at lunch today (Michael took us all out to Golden Corral - yummy!) - just to tell us how impressed she was with the kids' good behavior! Such sweet music to a mommy's ears. Makes me think that perhaps....just MAYBE......some of the stuff we're trying to teach them is actually sinking in! Lol!!

Pics from the last few months

Daddy and Laynie

Mommy and Jared

Jared's famous silly face!

Michael's 30th birthday cake - triple chocolate!

Lion Jared!

Princess Laynie

My little cowgirl and cowboy on Roundup Sunday.

Michael and me at Disney on Ice - Michael surprised me w/tickets for the 10th anniversary of our first date! Awww!!!!

Getting ready for "Girls' Night Out" with Aunt Bebe and Coco.

Jared and Laynie sitting by the pond at Gram and Grandpa's house.

Bad Laura!

Ok, so I pretty much knew when I started this that I'd be horrible at it. Since I haven't made an entry since July 22nd (4 long months ago!), obviously a lot has happened in our lives!

I'll start where I left off last time - we had a great visit w/my Mom, Dad, and sister (Holly) here in GA, then the kids and I went back to MO w/them for 2 weeks. While we were there I found out that what I had suspected for a couple of weeks was true - we were expecting Baby Schnellbacher #3!! Needless to say, I was thrilled! Michael was super excited when I called and told him, and it was so much fun getting to tell all of my family members! We all love babies!

In the month of August, my friend Amanda had a baby - Emily Marie - and we were so excited! Her arrival was hugely anticipated by the whole church! She is just as precious as can be and growing so fast! At the end of the month, Jared started school. He is doing the A Beka video program and doing so well! Of course, considering who his parents are, are you really surprised? Hehehe....

On the night of September 10th (late) every pregnant mama's worst fear started happening - I started spotting. Of course I completely panicked and called for Michael to come quickly (thank the Lord he was home at the time!). His first reaction (as was mine) was, "Call your mom!" So I did, and she calmly told me I needed to call my doctor right away. (It's a good thing she was calm, because I certainly wasn't!) I had no idea what to think - my first two pregnancies were beyond "normal" - no complications at all! This was totally unexpected for me. We ended up going to the ER (praise the Lord for my wonderful friend April who dropped everything and rushed over to stay with the kids while we were gone!). After some blood work and an ultrasound that seemed to last an eternity, the doctor came to us and gave us the news we were dreading to hear: Our baby was gone. Obviously it was a huge blow - so unexpected. I realize thousands, and probably even millions of women have gone through the same thing, but I've never felt so alone in my life. I'm so thankful for my Lord, for Heaven, for my wonderful husband, friends and family. Though I did feel alone, I felt very peaceful and so loved. I don't know why the Lord chose to take our baby to Heaven, but He did, and I'm ok with that. Sad, but ok, and hopefully He will bless us with another baby soon!

October was relatively uneventful here. We dressed up Laynie as a princess, and Jared as a lion for Fall Family Fun Night at church, and of course they were the cutest kids there! (In my own, unbiased opinion!) Laynie is talking more and more, and we're loving it! She has a hard time saying her "r's" which of course, I LOVE - it's too cute! Also, in October Jared got baptized (or "bathtized" as he says). This was a big step for him - he has been saved for about a year and a half, but did not want to get baptized. We've been talking to him about it, and letting him come in and watch when other people get baptized, without pressuring him at all. Finally he came to us and said he'd like to do it. We were so excited - he called Preacher himself and asked him about it. He did great! No chickening out or anything! :)

This year Thanksgiving was just the 4 of us and it was so nice! We love being with our families, but it just didn't work out this year, so we made the most of it. We ended up eating out for our Thanksgiving dinner - sooooooo delicious! And easy! Lol!! It was a very restful, relaxing day. Two days after Thanksgiving, we went over to my friend Leah's house and got to spend a wonderful day with her, and her family, and our other friend Carolyn - it was so much fun!

We're now in December, and gearing up for Christmas and Jared's 6th birthday! I can't believe my "baby" is going to be six years old! I'll get some pictures posted then we'll see if it's another 4 months before I post again! Lol!!