Happy Father's Day 2014

It's a BOY!

Hey folks, Kevin here ... in case you don't see my or Margaret's updates on Facebook, Margaret asked me to post here as well.  Charles Owen Welch was born yesterday afternoon at 1:32 pm.  He was 8 lbs 2 oz, 21 inches long, and is doing super.  He stayed in the room all night with us last night, and is eating (and other stuff) just as he should.

VBS 2012

I can't believe that less than a week before having a baby, the girls and I were doing VBS (June 25-29).

It was an amazing week and the girls both had so much fun.  All the songs, like "Life is Good," "O Happy Day," and "Rise and Sing" were stuck in our head for days afterwards.

This was Caroline's first year to do the main VBS program and she was in the 1st grade Lemon Yellow group.  Wow, I can't believe she's entering 1st grade!  For Charlotte, this was her first time to get to do the preschool VBS program.  She was in the second preschool, purple group.

We wore our VBS shirts everyday, which I had to take in and cut down to fit the girls.  I used the leftover fabric to make slipcovers for their headbands.  We had quick mornings at home with dry cereal and juice in the car as we were on our way.  This was also a big week because we'd moved the girls' car seats to the back row of the van and Caroline buckled and unbuckled Charlotte for me each day.

I helped run the preschool program, along with my friend, Cristina.  I was on my feet a lot, but I was also in the snack room a lot.

The girls took turns taking pictures of us on the last day.  I think it's funny that Charlotte's first few attempts ended up just getting my belly.  We finally got her to aim the camera a bit higher.

One of my highlights was on VBS Sunday when the kids were invited to go onstage to dance and sing with the Praise Team.  Caroline took Charlotte by the hand and found a place for them on the front center platform both times.  Caroline danced away and I could see Charlotte watching and mimicking the moves of her big sister.  It was precious!

Father's Day 2012

God's Goodness

THE SHORT VERSION:
Kevin is starting a new job on Monday as an Operations Manager at Chase Bank in downtown Houston.

THE LONG VERSION:
We are just so humbled by God's goodness to us throughout Kevin's eleven year career.

The brief background is that he began working at a computer company out of college, which is were we met and later married.  Then, seeking better opportunities for our family, he switched career paths and began working in mortgages for a bank.  It was an opportunity that served us well and brought several promotions which eventually landed us in Houston where we couldn't be happier.  God's provision was evident as we narrowly missed a few layoffs while Kevin was being promoted through some different positions.  But all the hoopla of the mortgage industry finally caught up to us four years ago and the layoff came.  Through it all though, God was still providing for us.  We even managed to pay for Hurricane Ike repairs during that time.  Through an old contact at the computer company, Kevin ended up back there in the Houston location and has been serving there with his amazing technical knowledge for the last three and a half years.

Still not a company that provided good opportunities for our family, we prayed and worked on seeking other employment back in the fall and winter.  But in the end, we submitted to the other benefits of the job and sought to see how God's current will for us was so much better for our family.  That was the big way that God changed my heart.

Then, a little over a month ago, God began showing us the plan He had in store for us.  It first started when God changed Kevin's heart about going back into the banking industry.  He's always been firmly against it anytime it came up in conversation, but he was now pondering how he had enjoyed it.  Then, that Friday, Kevin had Jury Duty downtown.  He was tweeting to Facebook all day, but it was all going private and only one post made it through... one post.  An old co-worker, who works downtown at Chase, saw the post and remembered working with Kevin.  She messaged Kevin, not knowing what he was doing now, but offering that there were some really great opportunities going on right now at Chase.  It spoke volumes to the amount of respect she has for Kevin as a leader to have such great things to say about him over three years later and I'm so proud of him for that.  Meanwhile, my best friend, Jennifer, was doing some driving that Friday and was going through her prayer cards and was specifically praying for a better job opportunity to come along for Kevin.  It gives me chills to think about that.

Even though we didn't want to get our hopes up, I think we both knew from that first moment, that this was God's plan unfolding for us.  He interviewed a week and a half later and then got an offer the following week.

I've been thinking of Jeremiah 29:11 a lot lately.  "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. "

God's plan for us has been so clear and I am so thankful to be part of seeing it unfold and share this testimony with you.  God has been glorified as we can see His hand in every step of Kevin's career and I'm so excited about this new chapter.

But when I really reflect on that verse, this is not the HOPE and FUTURE that God has ultimately planned for us.  Our HOPE and our FUTURE that God has given us is that our sins are forgiven and one day we'll have the ultimate promotion to be with Him.  We'll see Him in His full glory!  We'll praise Him face to face!  What a future that will be!

I know there are others in our life that are struggling in their jobs and the current economy.  Please be encouraged that God sees your struggle and He does have a plan for you.  If all this had happened in my timing, I couldn't share this testimony today.  God is so very, very good!  He knows your needs (Mt 6:32).

On a side note: Yes, we find it very funny that having a new baby is never a big enough life change for us, but we always have it coupled with some kind of job change.  And as only God's timing would have it, our new insurance will start 10 days before my due date!

Last Day of School

We had our last day of school on Thursday, May 17th.  It worked out that we were going to finish our Math curriculum, and since all our other subjects were mainly our own curriculum, I decided that we were ready to be finished with Kindergarten.

Here was out first day of school on August 22, 2011.

We had a slow start in the morning, but the girls obliged to take some last day of school photos before I set Charlotte up with Starfall.com and got moving on Caroline's last math lesson.

First, we did our last three sets of flashcards that were added last week.  The end of the year and I finally realize that she does them so much faster if I have her write the answers on the laminated cards with dry erase markers.  The end of the year, and mom is cutting out laminating for next year's spelling.  Then, we tore her last assessment out of her book to cheers of joy.  This is lesson #130!  And because I wanted to cover all our bases, we did a stamping activity with our coin stamps while Charlotte did a counting page with her stamps.

Yay!!  I'm so proud of all that Caroline has accomplished this year.  I remember it being so mind boggling to look ahead at her curriculum back in August and now she's done it all.  It wasn't without it's ups and downs, but it really has been a great year.

We celebrated the day by going to see Charlotte's web at Houston Family Arts Center.  Then, on Friday we'll have her pinning ceremony for God's Little Girls and go out to On The Border.  And Saturday, we are having a small, homeschool certificate ceremony with some other homeschool friend, followed by a pool party.  Three days of celebrating - don't know if I'll be able to top that next year.

Mommy Lessons

On the way home from my OB appointment today, Caroline told me that she wanted me to give her "mommy lessons."

I told Caroline that when I had her fold kitchen towels and unload part of the dishwasher, that those were "mommy lessons" because those are things mommies do.

I asked her what else she wanted to know and she told me she wanted cooking lessons.  So, I let her set up the broccoli to steam for dinner tonight.

Anytime anyone asks Caroline what she wants to be when she grows up, she always says she wants to be a mommy.  I'm glad that she realizes what an important job being a mommy is.  I pray she'll always feel that way.  I have asked her a few times about other jobs that girls can do and she does realize, there are other (maybe, I should say additional) jobs out there.  After all, her pediatrician is a female.  

For now though, I think she's my little mommy in the making : )