Have you ever felt like you are at a cross road in your life???  I remember a few that I can point out specifically.  Times where I needed to choose which direction I wanted my life to go. 

I feel like there I am again.  And while it is not as significant as what I want my profession to be or who I am going to marry or how many kids do I want.....it is significant.   I feel God's call on my life in a way I have never ever felt before. 

I have always acknowledged God and His presence and authority in my life, but I don't think I DID life with God.   I feel like it is similar to spouses when they are not communicating and just living together.  Often it feels like you are just roommates living under the same roof, not a team working together intentionally. 

God has placed some people in my life this year who are intentionally walking out their faith everyday.   I was blessed with parents who have also lived that way.  Which was an amazing foundation for the time I was ready to choose it for myself.  Watching these people has just motivated me that going through the motions is just NOT enough.  I need to make specific choices in my life....and that is so hard for me.  I LOVE living in the gray areas.  Black and white is not my thing. 

I feel now like, if we are intentional about reading our Bible and praying and going to church...then why would we not be intentional about what we watch on tv, read in books or listen to on the radio.   What and where do we draw the line.   How do we change without offending others?  Or do we just not worry about offending others?  Do we stay silent or are we called to have a voice?  How do you move on once you hit a point where you know it's time to change but others aren't choosing the same things you are? 

I don't really think anyone reads this...but if you do....these are just thoughts that need to go somewhere.  I am definitely not trying to offend anyone.  Just journaling out loud.  :)  Enough rambling...til the next time my thought life is overflowing. 

I am not a writer by any means...but I feel like there are things I need to put somewhere lately....so here we go:

Almost a year ago, on a whim I signed up for Mary Kay. Not really knowing much about the company or the product, I just needed a change.....and I change I got.

I started out asking people just for practice....and every face I did I LOVED watching the transformation and women sitting taller in the chair after I gave a few tips and tricks. Or maybe they already knew everything I knew and we just got to visit for 3o minutes and chat...i LOVED that too. People intrigue me and this gave me the opportunity to reach so many more than I ever could just doing hair. I honestly never cared if i sold $1 or $100, I just loved every face I saw.

But the change didn't stop there. Every week I got to go to a meeting with women of integrity. The real deal who were committed to running their busin...

esses the way Mary Kay the woman intended! With honesty, encouraging everyone to run the race together, not alone....and the way GOD would want you to. Placing GOD FIRST, FAMILY SECOND and our CAREER THIRD. I was also encouraged to do just that. Get in the word. Spend time with God every day and make HIM my business partner...and I truly believe that's where I started becoming Sarah of today.

I am not content to just "talk the talk" anymore I want to "walk the walk" that Jesus himself showed us how to do perfectly. In my home, with my friends and in my business.

Thank you so very much for your support, for the fun I get to have with all of you and for growing with me!!! This business has blessed me in ways I NEVER thought imaginable and I hope your pink products on your counter tops can remind you of great things too!!!

my cousins

I don't have the gift of writing.....and only creativity sometimes...(definitly not during craft time!). BUT, I do have the gift of reading and an easily moved heart.

I have A LOT of cousins....so really, we have never been super close. But because of the computer and blogging/facebook I have gotten to know a few of you in a more intimate way. Thank you to those of you who share your heart/stuggles/joys/faith online for me to read. You are an encouragement more than you know! The way you parent, turn to God, make me smile and even just vent makes me want to strive to do better and be a better everything in my life as well:)

Your gifts are a blessing to me. Thank you for using them. God touches me through your words.

mini skirts

It seems like the only emails I get lately are junk mail or bills I need to pay. But my inbox this morning actually held an email that made me laugh out loud. APPARENTLY the new thing right now is mini skirts and they are ON SALE at Express this week. LOL. I guess it's time to officially "unsubscribe" to Express emails....because you won't see this chick in a mini skirt EVER again.
Thanks for the smile though Express. Very thoughtful.

dear blogging friends.....
just because i don't update my blog does not mean you have to quit updating yours.
thanks very much in advance.
Sarah:)

MAJOR pic update

ok, if anyone who like to give me a blog tutorial.......all my pics are always backwards and on TOP of what i write! good grief.....but you get the point right?
this is the new garage.....finishing step:) the boys working away (steve, Tyler, Nate)

The boys watching daddy mow the lawn.

Jared doing his two favorite things: standing and playing by the bath tub!

Tim has decided to be nice to his brother......most of the time:)

play hard.....sleep harder...(but he obviously didn't want to take a nap, which is why he ended up there!)

ok....this is partly bragging my child up and partly pure fear as a mother of a climber.....he was just 6 months when he did this! (next 3 pics ....start at 3 and move up, backwards sorry!)

this puppy momentaritly melted my heart.....but no worries he's not a permenant member of the family!

terrible coloring, but still.....my family:)

feeding birds with daddy at the zoo:)

As we all know: I just am not very good at updating. So, I will try to let you in on our summer with one big blog.

Honestly I am not quite sure where summer has gone. We have done lots of fun stuff though! We have been to the zoo at least 5 times! The boys love it. (and thanks to grandma, it's a cheap way to get out of the house!)

We have spent some time with my cousins at the lake in June and then a couple times at my Aunt Esther's pool. That was great! It was especially wonderful not being the only person with kids, we can commiserate a little. (that's a new concept for me....my friends are still working on adding babies to their families)

THis month it seems we've spent plenty of time in Grandma's pool too! (if there really was reincarnation I think Tim would come back a fish, although his first choice would be a lion....he roars at anyone and everyone, including the lady behind us in the checkout aisle at meijer).

We've also been at Grandma Boone's helping grandpa and daddy and some other guys put a new garage on their house!! lots of fun....lots of mess!!!

The next couple weeks are going to be packed with fun too. This weekend we'll be going camping in Ludington with a girlfriend and her family!:) they are adopting us for a few days....it's been a LONG time since I have camped up there, should be lots of fun!

The NEXT weekend Steve and I and two other couples are piling in the minivan and heading to Cedar Point to celebrate our anniversaries! We decided to go a little fancier for the occasion and are staying in one of the cabins on the lake, Rebekah is even bringing cupcakes for the celebration!:) Can't believe it's been 5 years already! that sure went fast!

ANYWAY.....here are some new pictures. In case you've forgotten what we looked like:)

growing up

I find myself somehow in the middle of July, 2009!!! We were talking the other day about this decade....and honestly i felt like it had just started! i remember so vividly new years eve 1999, when everything was supposed to crash and the world was supposed to end.....everyone was prepared for the worst! (i think my mom bought a few extra cans of green beans!! haha, i am sure that would have helped a ton! sorry mom) ANYWAY back to the point it is almost 2010! how did i get here?! In these ten years i have
*graduated high school
*graduated hair school
*bought a house
*gotten married
*had 2 babies!!!
*and grown up
it's crazy and wonderful all in the same. I honestly have been blessed more than I could've ever hoped or imagined! (thank you, Lord) My life proves that this is true.....the Lord gives and He takes away, but BLESSED be the name of the Lord.

this is not where i was even remotely going when i started this post, so i guess it was hidden somewhere and just had to come out. I guess lately I have been worried about all the bad things, it is good to remember the good and think about those things!