Big Things are Happening for the Parks

God never ceases to amazes us. First he blessed us with an amazing miracle (we named her Ella Ruth) last year. Then I began praying for a job opportunity. I was given one and took the job. Then we began praying for a home, our dream home and again things worked out. It is truly humbling to watch what can happen when you trust God and put your worries in his hands (something I certainly need to do more often)! This past month we are celebrating not one, but two huge milestones in our family! Ella Ruth is now 18 months old! She is such a "big girl" and is quickly becoming her very own version of Miss Independent. She enjoys doing everything for her self and is even starting to show her more stubborn side (Bless her heart...she sure gets it honest!). Her newest trick is sitting in the chair at the dinner table without a booster seat. This has certainly caused lots of "more difficult" dining experiences when we go out! Although she can hardly see over the table she loves it! Her vocabulary is really growing too. It seems like each day she is learning a new word. The other night she said "help me down." Preston and I both looked at each other thinking "did she really say that?" She repeated it so we were sure to know she did! One of our favorite new things she does is "read" to herself. She chooses a book, sits down with it, and begins "reading." In her own secret language she tells a story. She even points to the pictures as she goes. Needless to say, it makes this reading teacher SUPER happy to see her enjoying books the way she does. I hope she will continue to love them! Aside from living with an official toddler we also have had some major changes in our family! We have MOVED! As I said, we prayed for a new house and well...GOD is GOOD! About a year ago Preston and I decided that although we loved living in the city, our hearts were really somewhere else. I think we always knew we would come back home at some point, we just weren't sure when. Preston has always had his eye on his childhood home, which happened to still be "on the market" so once I got my new job we started the process of making a deal! This Sunday we made the move back to the country and we couldn't be happier! I have to say as much as we enjoyed our last home, it was amazing how "peaceful" we felt after we were moved in. Preston says we are on "permanent vacation" now and I honestly feel as if a weight was lifted. Sometimes living in a city made me feel as if I always needed to be on the go to be happy. Needless to say a new chapter of our lives has started and we are especially excited to share it! I recently updated this blog because I hope to begin documenting the adventures we have "down the dirt road." We are really excited to see what lives ahead because we know we have so much to look forward to! Mother's Day on the Farm "Put me in coach..." Such a happy girl!