Happy Valentine's Day

a year in review  

The Valentine Nest

MARCH- In February we remembered how much we loved driving 22 hours with our bunch & decided to take our second trip to Texas five weeks after returning home from our last trek. Dallas was full of excitement including receiving the news that our newest niece Olivia had arrived. While we were in Houston we witnessed my Maid of Honor saying “I do,” took our first family trip to the Houston Rodeo & celebrated TWO buckaroos turning ONE! We had a cowboy party (of course) & Owen beat Anson for the only time ever in a chocolate cake eating contest. We recounted much of the past year of watching two babies in the NICU grow to healthy toddlers & were beyond thankful for the Lord answering the prayers of many. During that challenging time we began to discuss the possibility of moving back to Dallas & in January received the news that Robby’s company may be winding down. After much consideration we made the decision to head back to Texas. We were thankful God had allowed us to be part of laying the foundation of a church plant that went from small to thriving right before our eyes.

APRIL- This month was filled to the brim with saying goodbye. We spent many moments with those placed in our lives.  Over six years, friends had become family & our lives were intertwined making it all the more difficult to share that last hug. Our dear friends, the Lents, hosted a farewell dinner with our close friends & it was a wonderful time reflecting on all the Lord had done in the years we served alongside Celebration Community Church. Toward the end of the month I went to Dallas for a job interview & three hours after my plane landed Robby called to let me know he was taking Charlotte to the ER after a scooter/truck collision. Thankfully the truck was parked, sadly the tailgate was down & sweet scootering Charlotte met that tailgate with her cheek! A little glue fixed her right up & Daddy, Grammy & Papa took excellent care of her while I was away.  Once I retuned, my mom arrived & we got moving packing a house full of memories

MAY- Just a few days into the month my mom & I flew to Dallas with the kids & I flew back to Orlando hours later. The kids got to relax & be doted on by a Grandma & Great Grandma while we, along with my Dad, loaded a big banana colored truck & left the sunshine for a lone star. Our last 24 hours of time in our house was nothing sort of exciting including me touching up paint in the playroom with the wrong shade of green. The best part was when we were ready to leave & the car keys had disappeared. After a long (tense) search they were located in the trash can in the garage. I was such a good helper…not really ; ) The two day expedition was long but easier with one puppy than with our children. The Valentines along with many boxes graciously welcomed our chaos into their home. I started a full time position as a Labor & Delivery RN. Over the course of three weeks we celebrated an anniversary, Mother’s Day & three birthdays between all of us Valentines. The favorite celebration was Eloise’s 3rd birthday. The theme was “Wild about Elo” but could have also been titled “Elo is wild.” We took a trip to the Dallas Zoo which she loved almost as much as she loved her pancakes for dinner.

JUNE- In all honesty, this month was insane! Trying to work full time & being away from the kids that much was hard on us plus we were packing up to move…again.  The Valentines blessed us with their all weeklong care of our four which made it more than bearable. Owen & Anson took off on two feet or four to be more accurate. This accomplishment really increased their happiness & the overall danger level in the home!  While it was crazy on the weekdays, the afternoons & weekends were full of relaxing in the great outdoors. The girls helped Papa plant a garden & watched it grow. They played in the sandbox & enjoyed the swing he put up for them... well all except Anson who was the lucky one that was swinging when the rope snapped. He was dangling upside down until rescued. Father’s Day was full of smokin’ meat, swimming & cold drinks on the back patio. Over the course of the month, we caught up with friends & prepared to move into a new home.

JULY- When we think back to how we ended up in our house we just smile as we consider God’s perfect timing. A friend happened to know a family who would be moving at the end of June making their home available for rent when we needed it. It was right in our price range, in a beautiful neighborhood & more space than we needed. The owners live next door & have been so kind to us. We moved into the house just before the 1^st. Robby lifted one too many boxes & his appendix ruptured resulting in emergency surgery followed by a four night hospital stay. One week later we celebrated Charlotte turning 5 years old. It was a big bash with lots of friends & family. She ran her own lemonade stand & made some good money ; ) For the rest of the month we helped Robby recover & tried our best to settle into the new place we would make our “home.” In the meantime, I switched to working night shift 2-3 nights a week which was a big transition for The Valentine Six! By the end of the month I began having episodes where I would have a déjà vu feeling & blurry vision followed by nausea. We weren’t really concerned at this point thinking it was something insignificant.

AUGUST- Robby was feeling much better & able to lift children again, Hallelujah! We began exploring the walking trails around the neighborhood even though it was still brutally humid. There were lots of turtles to see & a bridge away from the street that was perfect for scooter riders. Best part- no tailgates. Indoors, this month was spent preparing for our first official year of homeschooling a kindergartener. We found a Classical Conversations community near the house. We loved the experience last year & were excited to continue. The one day a week offers structured learning in many subjects while we work on math & reading at home. Schooling at home has been a challenge with little bitty ones but we have truly enjoyed learning together as a family. Our day in & day out time really offers the opportunity to work through issues in light of who God is & how he works.  The wisdom & encouragement offered by homeschooling moms in Orlando has been vital to pressing on & getting used to a daily routine that brings about more opportunity for learning & teaching our children about Jesus.

 SEPTEMBER- Robby’s company carried us along with just the right amount of income & ended the week prior to him starting a new job. The new position is in the same field of business but OUTSIDE the home for the first time in 7 years.  It has been an easy transition due to the increasing noise level at The Nest & the office being 3 feet away from the kitchen table which might be the loudest part of the house. The best part is that his office is 5 minutes away! He eats breakfast with us, sometimes surprises us for lunch & usually makes it home in time to help with the dinner time rush. It has been lovely & he has settled in nicely to a new role. On Labor Day I had an episode that left me on the floor following me rushing to the door to the backyard to get Robby’s attention. That was the straw that broke the camel’s back & I was at an internist’s office the next week. He referred me to a neurologist that we saw at the end of the month. Testing began & we were awaiting results. The order I received from the doctor was to not drive or bathe my children without supervision….nice combination ; ) On a lighter note, we loved hosting Robby’s brother, his wife, our nieces & nephew. 11 people in our house was fun & extremely loud! Lord willing they will be Poland bound this summer to serve as missionaries so any time with them is extra special.

OCTOBER- This was the year of enjoying as many Texan things as possible which had to include the State Fair! We enjoyed seeing Big Tex, riding the biggest ferris wheel in the USA & eating some fried food. My mom kidnapped me & the the kids  & took us to her house for a week which was a blast. She & I got crafty & made Halloween costumes for the kiddos. Our projects consisted of our very own cast from Peter Pan: Wendy, Peter, Mr. Smee & Captain Hook. They looked darling & the pictures still have us laughing when we see Eloise with her mustache, hook & sword. By the end of the month, following an abnormal EEG, the neurologist was able to diagnose me with a seizure disorder, started me on a medication & house arrest began. We have felt a little trapped but God has provided rest in our home & we have enjoyed the change of pace. Who really enjoys packing up & buckling in four kids five & under to take them out alone multiple times a week? I was happy to have an excuse to avoid the stress.

NOVEMBER- We enjoyed our year-round sunshine filled days in Florida but were excited to experience some seasons in Dallas. One of our favorite days this month was when our yard was COVERED in leaves. The kids had been begging me to build a hideout covered with leaves complete with a giant leaf pile to jump into. We spent lots of time playing. We spent much time doing these things one week much to the Fab Four’s delight. It was a little disappointing that I failed to scoop up something stinky & there were some gross moments in our jumping. We celebrated Thanksgiving with the Ellis family & reminisced about our holidays spent in Orlando filled with neighbors & different friends each year.

DECEMBER- We celebrated 10 years of marriage with a kid free three night trip to the Hill Country & had a lovely time. We laughed a lot this month making our own Valentine 12 Days of Christmas & Our Ten Top Ten lists for 10 years of marriage. We took a few weeks off school & did lots of playing. We celebrated Christmas with the Valentines then headed south to Kingwood for New Year’s where we were able to celebrate my mom’s birthday & play a LOT of Liverpool Rummy. As usual the kids were wired playing with their uncles for three days straight. They are pretty entertaining!

JANUARY- Eloise has joined our Classical Conversations class since she didn’t want to hang out with the “babies.” Both girls love what they are learning & teach Owen & Anson facts which they repeat randomly. They have also taught the boys the Fruit of the Spirit. We are so surprised by the ability for children to memorize things at such an early age! It is also pretty cute when each one takes a turn saying what is next. We are finally a part of a church in East Dallas called Christ City Church “that seeks to proclaim Christ in the everyday until He cannot be ignored” to quote the website. We have laughed that the abbreviation is “CCC” just like Celebration Community Church. We should have known that was where we would end up! We are beginning to meet with a couple of families who live nearby & are thankful to begin new friendships & serve together to minister to those around us.  As we teach the kids, “God is everywhere,” we are looking forward to seeing how that unfolds in Dallas. 

FEBRUARY- Bella Blue’s 10^th birthday is fast approaching & she surprisingly loves the non-stop attention from our clan. She tolerates playing “Pet Shop” & might cringe a little bit when the boys yell “RIDE!”  On Valentine’s Day (how appropriate) we will rejoice as I grab the car keys & actually drive myself somewhere! Another bit of exciting news, I am officially a stay at home mama after resigning from a job I have loved for over nine years. We are looking forward to the ways God will use that decision to care for our brood & nest we have made in the Lone Star State.

Praying for a joy-filled year for your family

-The Valentines-

Robby, Lauren, Charlotte, Eloise, Owen, Anson & Bella Blue

and since there were more than five pictures....

We are grateful for these little Valentines!