The end of an incredible year

It is December 31 and I am sitting in the basement of the Winslow's house in Colorado Springs. I look to the last time I sat down to write, and it has been way too long, 2 months. Not just any 2 months, but two of the biggest months of our lives and I am so sad that I did not do a better job of journaling throughout this time.

We have a bunch of pictures on our phones, I just can't get them onto the computer. I will post them once I get it figured out again.

When we returned home from our journey this summer, we had pretty much decided that we were going to sell our house and move to Colorado. This wasn't a sudden, or rushed decision, it was something that had been on our hearts and minds for about 4 years. We took a trip about 4 years ago to Seattle and we fell in love with it. We wanted to move there and then. Paul was in his first semester of law school and we even looked into transferring schools and moving out there. The doors very obviously closed for us at that time, so we didn't push it, we decided to keep enjoying our lives in Texas. From that point on, every time we went on a trip somewhere, or were able to see another part of this beautiful country, we both came home with the feeling that we wanted to move, to be able to be in the middle of beauty (not that you can't find something beautiful right in the middle of where you are ) but the time was just not right for us. After Paul graduated, we took our trip and toured the country as a family and decided that it felt like the time had come for us to take a step toward moving. Colorado Springs felt more like home than any other place we visited, so....... Paul got signed up for the Colorado Bar this February and got accepted without difficulty, we put the house on the market in September, and then we waited....

It seemed like the house would never sell. It was our first experience selling a house and it was tiring! Constantly keeping it clean, not that it is a bad thing, just hard with a two year old! We actually enjoyed having the house always picked up a decluttered. Maybe I will do that in our new house all the time! Well, it's a good goal at least! Anway, September and October came and went with no offers on the house. Paul ran his Ironman in November, we came home and then the offers started! We got an offer on the house, then next day got someone else wanted to put an offer in on the house, and things looked great! The first contract fell through on the 10th day of their option period. That was pretty hard to take. We had our plan to move set around that contract, and then just like that it was gone. But that night we got another contract from the couple that saw the house the day after we signed the first contract. Praise GOD! Here we are, December 31st and we got the check in the bank today!

It seemed like each step along the way the decision to pick up our lives and move became more and more real. The last few weeks before we moved became alot more difficult for me. I am a pretty sentimental person, so thinking through leaving the only home Paul and I have ever lived in, the house that our kids were brought home to, the house that we have grown so much in, became alot more difficult. I cried alot. The house was in shambles for 2 weeks while we packed. Being surrounded by chaos makes my stress level rise a little, so needless to say, the stress level was rising! The first goodbyes came with Halie's soccer teams end of the year party, I cried. Then they just kept coming. I cried more. Rebecca and Renae gave a us a family farewell party. I cried more. Then it was time to leave. Chewy went home with Grandpa and Grandma, I cried. We got the house all packed up and into the truck on Friday night and left to go to Nana and Papa's, I cried. We drove away from Nana and Papa's house on Saturday morning. I cried again. Then I was ok for a while, probably the adrenaline of driving to Colorado with 2 kids in the car by myself. I remember vividly, we were driving through New Mexico, Paul was in the moving van ahead of me and all of a sudden it hit me, "my entire house is packed into that van, my house is sitting empty in texas, we have nowhere to live, (pardon my language, but this is how i felt) what the hell are we doing????? Did we make a mistake????" Then the tears came back again. I made a few phone calls to some friends who had recently done big moves and was given the encouragement I needed to keep driving toward Colorado. We finally made it here. The next day we woke up to beautiful weather, no jackets needed, an incredible view of the mountains, and I felt absolutely nothing. I was so exhausted mentally, physically and emotionally that I was just drained. A few days later life returned to me, thank goodness! Things are much better now. I still have ups and downs. Finding a new home is hard, but we are lucky to be able to get a new home, so I am thankful for that. I know I missed a tremendous amount that went into this move, but those are the highlights.

The kids are doing well. Austin has a little buddy, Noah, that is here at the house most of the time. They are nothing but trouble together, buy get along great and just laugh and laugh as they get into things they are not suppose to do! Halie is doing ok, misses her friends and school. She has boycotted her new school and says she isn't going. She is so ready to get back in with kids her own age, she just doesn't know it!

Paul has started studying for the bar, we are diligently looking for a house, and are so thankful for John and Sheila opening up their home to us.

Christmas was nice, but hard. It was our first Christmas to not be with family, and it was right in the middle of the move and an emotional roller coaster. The kids had a blast. Halie got her easy bake oven (which by the way is a piece of crap!) and Austin got his shovel from Santa. Paul and I are getting each other a house for Christmas!

So, here we are, the last day of 2010. Looking back it has been an amazing year for our family. Huge changes have taken place and many more are to come. I am so thankful for God's hand in our lives, His constant guidance and never failing love and patience. I pray that my walk and growth with Him continues into this next year. One thing I have learned this year, that He will give me the grace and strength for today, I will worry about getting through tomorrow, tomorrow.

Trailblazer Award

Halie was choosen by her teacher Mrs. Coe for the Trailblazer award. Mrs. Coe said she nominated Halie because she represents all the character traits of the Bolin Blazer Creed.

Believe in yourself

Learn everyday

Always have a positive attitude

Zero in on your goals

Expect your best

Respect others

Stive for success

Way to go Halie, so proud of you sweetheart!

Ironman Florida

Months and months and months of training. Miles and miles and miles of driving. All to get us to this moment right here. An Ironman. I am so proud of Paul and all the work and effort he put into training for this race. To sit back and think about what this race is, 2.4 mi swim, 112 mi bike and 26.2 mi run, is absolutely amazing. Here they are, Josh and Paul, standing on the beach in their sleeveless wetsuits on a 40 degree morning. It was freezing!!!

Here we are....freezing! But ready to cheer!

The masses taking off for the swim. 2500 people swimming next to each other, sounds like a blast!

Austin spent alot of time on Grandpa's shoulders, he probably had one of the best seats in the house.

I wasn't able to get any pics of Paul on the bike, but here is a great smiling shot of him taking off on the run.

The cheering section.

Austin and Halie did a great job of finding stuff to play with while we were cheering on all the runners.

They fixed the pipes...

Go Daddy!!!

It was so cold by the end of the race. Here is A-man all bundled up in the stroller.

Here he comes, limping and all across the finish line!

They made it, they are both Ironmen! So proud of you guys! Paul had some problems with his ankle. He hurt it 2 weeks before the race and the pain crept up on him the last half of the race. He had to walk to whole 2nd half of the marathon and was disappointed with that. But you know what, it didn't change the fact that he did it, he finished it, and I am so proud of him.

After the race we got to spend some great time on the beach. It started to warm up the next day so it was pretty enjoyable to spend sometime out by the water.

Halie loved looking for seashells and Austin was happy as long has he had a bucket and a shovel. He loves our little sand box here at home, so he was in heaven after he found the biggest sandbox ever!

Nana and the kiddos. It was nice to have Nana and Grandma and Grandpa along to cheer for Paul. The kids loved every minute of it!

Grandpa and Grandma taking a stroll.

Halie wrote this one. I love you too, bug!

She loved the shells that looked like butterflies.

Austins sweet little feet

We had a great little hot tub right outside the condo door.

I love this one.

The race is done and we are back home now. It has been nice to have no plans and no where we have to be. This weekend we actually got to relax and just hang out at home as a family. It was great.

October

October was a great month for us. We finally got to start enjoying some nice weather and I got to start opening the windows during the day. We were busy with soccer, school and helping Daddy train for his big race.

At the beginning of the month it was Halie's turn in her class to be the Blazing Star. She got to make a poster about herself that she got to share with her class. She was very proud of her poster.

One day the kids helped me bake some pumpkin bread. They are great little bakers!
My little princess.

Sometimes when Paul mows the yard he will carry Austin around with him on the backpack carrier and Austin loves it! He came up to me one day and asked me (in his own little language..."backpack, baby, backpack, baby", pointing to his back). After I got his backpack carrier and the baby on, he went and grabbed his lawn mower and started mowing!

Later on in the month Halie's class had a field trip to the Dallas Zoo. I got to go with them and had a great time. They have done some impressive improvements since the last time we were there.

A few weeks ago, Halie and Jaxson ran their first race together. It was a 1k and they were both very excited about it!

Daddy ended up signing up Austin to run too!

On your marks, get set.....

Daddy carrying Austin for part of the run.

Halie finishing strong!

Go Jax!

Austin running it in!

Happy Halloween! The ballerina and Handy Manny had a great time! We went over to Nana and Papa's house and were joined by Grandma and Grandpa for the evening. Halie was there to teach her little brother the ropes!

Aren't they sweet! I love you guys...

Austin thought it was hilarious to put his hat on Grandma!

My prince and my princess.

Halie had another big event on October 31 besides getting tons of candy, she lost her first tooth! That tooth has been loose since August, I didn't think it would ever fall out! She was super excited, to say the least.