Hi, I'm Natalie and I'm a terrible blogger. I can't seem to keep up these days. Where have I been?? Well, life has changed A LOT!
Let's start at the top. Jonathon is now home from Korea and officially out of the military. Admittedly I really didn't want that to happen at first, but I really came around to the idea of being a civilian family. There's a significant difference in the pressure and stress we feel - a change for the better! I miss little things, like washing Jonathon's uniforms and shopping at the commissary. However, I also know that the military really turned into something different than it was the day Jonathon signed up. We always thought we'd be a career military family, but I really believe that God has his own timing.
I had Jonathon home for 2 solid weeks before my dad called from North Dakota saying he's short handed and really needs Jonathon. It's an opportunity we couldn't turn down and within days he was on a plane. For those of you who don't know, my dad is a land surveyor with over 30 years experience. He's worked in Alaska (every picture of him from those days makes him resemble a yeti with him covered in snow gear) and Saudi Arabia and tons of places in between. He's been working in the oil and gas industry since I was in high school - which brings us to North Dakota now. He's an office guy now, but needed extra field guys - and so with that, Jon was his #1 pick.
My dad is an amazing teacher, so it's perfect that Jon needed teaching. He's absolutely loving his new job and I'm loving hearing enthusiasm in his voice again. It's been a long time coming! Jonathon works 3 weeks on (in theory, sometimes more) and 1 week off. He's enjoying being outdoors all day, working in a relaxed environment and seeing all the pheasant that he'll hunt later this year.
In the mean time, Jackson and I moved a few weeks ago to a house in Windsor, Colorado. It took FOREVER (not kidding!) to find a suitable place. I might be a tad picky, but this was getting ridiculous. I looked at about 25 places, and by the time I'd look further into them, I'd find out they were already taken. Great. Finally after upping the budget (boo!) and expanding the location search, I found this home. It's spacious, has a nice yard and it's in a new subdivision. Having a new place surely has it's perks. Jackson is enjoying a jetted garden tub now. :)
All of the changes have just been such a blessing. Trusting God to just give me what I need has become easier with each passing year. I THANK Him for all that I have, and all I ever will have. Mostly for Jackson and for keeping him healthy, happy, secure and safe. It's amazing to me how much I can love one tiny little person. It's amazing to me that we haven't ever had to worry where his next meal is coming from or how we'll buy him new clothes. It's easy to take for granted that we've been so incredibly blessed, but I'm reminded that not everyone has that luxury and while we look for ways to give back (I've found a few charities that I really love recently) it's also important to pray for those families and thank the Lord that we have so much.
That last paragraph may be a bit disorganized, but it's just my heart spilling over with gratitude. During our 6 years together, Jon and I have experienced so many twists, turns, disappointments, obstacles and struggles - mostly from being a part for so long - but we've made it. No outside influences, or negativity, or even the thousands of miles that have separated us in the past have beaten us. We're here, still standing -stronger than ever - and that is something to be proud of.
