YOU guessed it!!!!

Mama Henley's family is enjoying our new adventures in CHATTANOOGA!!!! We never expected to move around as we have the past three years, but it is always great to be in God's will. This move came about unexpectedly and has allowed DH to have a great job with an incredible boss. We are very thankful for the Lord's provision in all of this!

So.... we have left the beautiful Florida beaches to live on a mountain!!! We are enjoying life in a small town with all of the resources Chattanooga has to offer. Chattanooga has been greatly revitalized with fun shops and restaurants. Some new favorites are Public House, St. John's Restaurant, and Taco Mamacita!!! Life on the river is beautiful and the crisp winter days create lots of occasions for warm snuggles inside! Our children have enjoyed all kinds of adventures climbing rocks and playing in the creek. I have enjoyed our wonderful new kitchen where I have been able to experiment with lots of fun recipes. It is not easy to eat fast food here which is a good thing. Hopefully our waist lines will thank us! Unfortunately, it seems to be more of a license to enjoy more dessert at home! Ha!

I can't wait to share our new adventures with all of you. I have missed blogging. It was a tough spring with lots of change. Our prayer is that 2012 will be a year of little change and more of the SAME:).

Happy New Year!!!!!

Happy New Year from our new home!!!! I hope 2012 has had a wonderful start for all of you. The holidays are a happy time for most people but can be a very difficult time as well. For some reason, more deaths tend to happen this time of year. We lost DH's daddy just before Christmas four years ago. It is strange to celebrate without him. I am praying for those of you who have experienced loss in the past or this year.

This year we began 2012 in a NEW CITY!!!!! I will give you some hints about our new place of residence....

-Our city is the fourth largest city in the state where we now live.

-We are at a much higher altitude than we were before

-Our city is home to a great aquarium, a river, and many fun restaurants and shops.

-Miniature golf, the Krystal hamburger, the tow truck, and the Moon Pie were invented in our city!

-Bessie Smith, the most famous female blues singer in the 1920s and 1930s was born here.

-Our city is absolutely beautiful but it used to be called "The Armpit of the South".



Can you guess where we live?!

19 days... the countdown begins

I cannot believe we actually begin our move in 19 days! I just realized that Christmas is close, and that soon I will be watching strangers pack all of our earthly belongings and I will watch them drive off with them headed to the unknown in Florida. I think I might be a little overwhelmed just thinking about that. There is so much to do that I don't even know what to do!
I think the best thing to do is just to pray over all of the details and to enjoy my time here. It is making me very aware of how I spend each day.

My DREAM HOUSE

Everyone has their idea of a dream house. Perhaps yours would have a room for cubbies for each of your children, or the craft or sewing room you have always desired, or a beautiful closet fit for a princess. Maybe you desire a fabulous cook's kitchen where you can make culinary delights each day for your family. I am so thankful.... I live in my DREAM HOUSE!!! Our house is not the biggest on our street nor is it the smallest. We do not have a wine cellar, silk draperies, or surround sound (we're surrounded by the sound of children, yes, but not the kind of surround sound you buy!). However, THIS IS MY DREAM HOUSE. THIS is the house where all of our dreams were made!! This is the home where each one of our precious children came home from the hospital. This is where three premature infants shared a room with three cribs lined up in a straight row. This is the home where three 2-year olds happily welcomed a baby sister. This is the home where our MH and four precious angels welcomed home another baby sister just 2 days before Jesus' birthday!! This is the home where DH(Dear Hubby) and I have prayed, dreamed, wept, loved, danced, sang, worried, laughed, and grown. THIS is our Dream House. For that, I am so thankful.

It is true that by the standards of many, we need more bedrooms, or more space, or different colors. Thankfully, we have been filled with contentment in this home. We LOVE this home. Now I must leave this precious Dream House. Some days I don't know if I'll be able to handle it emotionally. After all, THIS is our dream house... this is where all our dreams were made!

On those days, I cling to Scripture, and the promise that unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Clearly the Lord is moving us to a new home, a new city, a new state. And, once again, He will lead us to our Dream House, just as He led us to this one. I don't think I'll ever love another home like I have loved this one, but I can trust that a new home will bring new dreams. May we rest in HIS sovereignty over all things!!!!