I apologize for my lack of blogging....things are just crazy!

We closed on the house on Friday the 25th! When the keys hit my hand, I was speechless. I never thought we would own a home, I sure never thought it would be the house of my dreams. God is so good, so faithful, so loving, and so giving. This whole house thing was His idea.....so cool.

So, as to avoid paying another month's rent, we are moving this week. AAAAHHHHH!!! I HATE MOVING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So now I am cleaning and hauling and packing and fixing and I might just lose my mind. But the end is in sight and we will be in our new home and that keeps me moving even when my body is ready to give out!

More pics and updates to come....

Watch this one, then watch the one below it for some big news from the Kurtzs!!!




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Change of Plans

I had it all planned out. We made the phone calls everyone was coming around 6. Matt and I spent two hours getting the house clean, brownies and coffee made, and everything set up. We were getting ready for our new small group, one that I am SOO excited about. Us and two other couples, both with kids around the same ages. We have prayed and waited for a group like this for so long. Fast forward to 5:35.

I was wrapping up some dishes so the kitchen was clean when Molli told met there was a woman at my door. Sure enough, it was a woman and her two children. They had been in church this morning so I recognized them. Come to find out, they were homeless. We spent the next half an hour trying to get her into the woman and children shelter here in town. Our friends show up with all their children and I think," ok we got her set and now we can go about our meeting." My dad then showed up and asked the three guys if they can go with the dad and help him move out of where they had been living. Now my plan was starting to unravel. I started to get frustrated. These people were messing it all up! Didn't they know that we needed to have our little comfortable meeting and learn about Jesus??!! After all was said and done (suffice to say, we never got to have our first meeting) and everyone went home and the kids are in bed, I'm sitting here. I confess that as I started typing it was to vent about poor little me and how my meeting and best laid plans got messed up by a needy family. But clearly, this was a God thing. He needed me to see that tonight we needed to BE the church, not just talk about it or learn about it. This family needed us, needed our hands, feet, vans and love. Looking back I am glad for the interruption. As I tucked the kids in tonight, I was crying. Sydney wiped my tear away and said, "Mommy, what's wrong?" I kissed her and just told her that I was so thankful to Jesus that we have a home, beds to sleep in, food to eat, clothes to wear, and family to surround us with love. How often we take those small things for granted. So I am thankful tonight for my change of plans!

This past Sunday marked a year that my grandpa died. The day was heavy, full of memories and tears. I went into his bedroom, gathered his pillow to my face and I could still smell him. I walk into their house a couple of times I week and sometimes I still think I will see him in his big chair. This man meant so much to me. We saw them so much growing up. And then they moved next door. He was a part of almost every Christmas and Thanksgiving since I was 12. All through my teenage years he was there, doing weekly room inspections, yelling at me for various things. He taught me to drive in their big white station wagon. I almost killed both of us while he was teaching me to pass. He and Grandma had dinner with our family at least once a week followed by games. He was there when Noah was born and we knew that something wasn't right. He was holding my hand when mom and dad told us that Noah had Cerebral Palsy. He drove down with me to college, exclaiming how glad he was that I was now far away. He was one of the first people to know that I was pregnant with Jonah. He took me aside on my wedding day and told me to feed Matt well and love him always. He drove our getaway car. He held each of my children when they were days old, but was quick to hand them back, claiming they were too small yet, he'd play with them when they were bigger. He wept when we left to move to Nebraska, he urged me to hurry and bring his kids back to him when we moved home. He was there for most of the kids birthday parties, always making sure no one was eating too much. He played hard with the kids, throwing them into the pool, driving them around on his cart, loving on them always.

This man was so much more than my grandfather, he was one of my closest confindants, my champion when life felt like just too much, ever the prankster, ever the hugger....just my grandpa.

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Spring has sprung in the Kurtz household. The kids broke out the bags of summer clothes even though there was ice on the car this morning! Bikes can be seen strewn all over the lawn at any given moment. We saw our first robin this morning. The temps are supposed to climb this week and all I can say is BRING IT ON!!!

I guess I might as well tell you all. It's not like I could keep it a secret much longer anyway. Sooner or later you all would discover it. Of course it was somewhat shocking at first. But now I couldn't be happier......

Happy birthday my Sydney girl!!! I can't believe you are three....you are such an energetic, creative, funny, sweet girl and I love being your mommmy!!

Alright alright...I guess I will blog. I can remember when I couldn't wait to blog, when I would post just a few sentences just so I would have something to post...what has my life come to???

Here's an update on the Kurtz clan....

Matt has a new route at work. They restructured the plant so now he officially has his own route. He's way excited about it. The hours are a little longer which I dislike but we're surviving. We just celebrated Jonah's eighth birthday...that was a rough one for me. How can my oldest be 8?!!?!?! He's doing well in school and I am allowing him to grow his hair out...god help me! Molli is well, flourishing at school and reading at a late first grade level. but not doing so hot in math, that's my girl!! She has tried to sneak one of my bras under her shirts for the last week because all of her girlfiends have bras already....anyone else let their six year old wear a bra???? I mean she barely has nipples for pity sake. Emma is loving school too....getting better everyday at her zoo phonics and over her shyness. Sydney turns 3 on Sunday and has grown up over night. Her vocabulary seems to have quadrupled. She's amazing. Thomas is our little chunker. At almost 6 months old he's weighing in at 18.7 pounds! He has such a sweet disposition, unless he's hungry of course and he only has eyes for Daddy. We've recently joined our local YMCA and I have been going every day. What a blessing that has been!!! they have free childcare so I go and check everyone in and off I go. So awesome. I've also joined Medical Weight Loss clinic and have lost 12 pounds in the last two weeks. It's such an amazing feeling!! Skinny here I come...well maybe not skinny persay, but thinner...heck yeah!

I think that's about it for now....I hate to erase my blogspot. So many things on here that I just can't bring myself to erase. I'll try and be better about posting. We'll see :)

Wow, it's been a while. I'm being wooed by Myspace.....I find myself going there more and more. In truth I've only been coming back here to check my friend's blogs...I feel like I'm having an affair...I will remain faithful to Blogspot. For now....

Not much new here....we joined the YMCA which has been revolutionary for me. People have asked me what made the difference and I really don't know. Maybe it's the availibility. But I really think it's the childcare. It comes free with the membership and I could leave all five kids there. I go in the mornings though so it's usually just Sydney and Thomas. Sydney just loves it. Thomas doesn't mind as long as there is someone to hold him constantly and give him bottles on demand :)Then I go and swim laps or use the treadmills and weights. It's so great. Never thought I would say that about exercising. But there it is. Hopefully I'll start to see some change.

Life trudges on...can't believe we're half way through January....golly where does time go?!?!?

Had my brother on my mind today and this song about did me in...what a beautiful song...




Letters From War

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Whew...well another holiday season has come and gone. Hard to believe...I spend so much time getting ready for Christmas that once it's over I feel like I blinked and missed it! We had a great Christmas. There were some rough spots as we stopped to remember Grandpa and I struggled much more than I thought I would. He's just been a part of our Christmases for as long as I can remember. There was no one to burst through the back door at 7 AM singing "Have a Holly Jolly Christmas", no one to cut the meat at meal time, and no one to complain about all the noise. But despite our tears, we had a blessed day. Here are some pics..

Us on Christmas Eve


Waiting on the stairs for the OK to come down


Jonah being Jonah


Sydney, really excited about the Diego toy she just opened!

Only 4 more days...

I must say that I am having a little bit of trouble getting into the spirit with no snow! As much as I complain about the snow it's going to be very sad to have a green/brown Christmas. Ah well!

Last night was Molli and Jonah's Christmas concert. Jonah came downstairs from getting ready and my eyes filled with tears as I looked at him. He looked so grownup!









The girls and I have strep. Perfect before Christmas but we are counting our blessings that we discovered it and are getting better. We should be in good shape by Monday. Well off to start the day!

After reading Angie's post, I feel silly posting about my day yesterday :)

Actually it was a nothing day. Did some laundry, some dishes. Thomas was fairly fussy and sleepy which is unusual for him. I noticed he felt warm so I took his temp a few times. It flirted right around 100 all day, nothing to worry about though. Around dinner time, he started feeling a little warmer. I took it again and it was 101. So we called the doc, since he's three months, anything over 100.4 they need to be seen for. So off to the ER we went. I hate going to the ER. Especially with something like this, but my mind was racing with all of the possibilities of what could be wrong with him. Well they took blood, from his tiny veins mind you....it was awful. Then they did chest x-rays where the put him in this contraption where his arms are locked over his little head and he can't move.....more awful. Four hours later we were sent home with a "some times babies get little fevers...." I'm so thankful that he's ok...when I grow up I'm going to create a super speed emergency department.

Seems like everyone has had some lists going on in their blogs lately so I'll do one too...(notice how I'm liking the dot dot dot things today)
My husband, who doesn't get frustrated when I call him 800 times about silly things
My Thomas whose smile melts my heart
My Molli who is singing her first solo this weekend, her voice makes me cry (in a good way)
My Emma who can go from laughing to crying in .098 seconds, cracks me up..she deserves an Oscar
My Jonah who has the most tender heart
My Sydney who just is herself and that is awesome
My mom and dad who are always there at the right moment
The memory of my grandpa, who was so much a part of this time of year. I miss him.
My grandma who loves us no matter what
My aunt who makes us all laugh and who loves my children
My brother Joshie who is all grown up *sniff sniff*
My Noah whose laugh seems to make any day better
My sister who always has drama to share
My friend Mindy who knows me...the real me and doesn't hesitate to call me on my stuff
My cats who continue to catch all the evil mice in my house....they're getting good gifts for Christmas.

Ok so apparantly, I am very thankful for people right now :)

Sometimes determination is not a good trait to posses. Yesterday was a great example...

We had to change some sleeping arrangements upstairs. So I proceeded to move beds, well technically I only had to move one bed. But while I was re-arranging, I thought it would be a great idea to move the girls's bunkbeds. Why on earth I thought that was a good idea I do not know. Anyway, two hours later they were moved. There were several near death experiences but I'll spare you the details. Now the upstairs is spotless.... well for the next 12 hours anyway :)

There are also drawbacks of living right behind the church. Some days it's so nice to be able to just walk to church. then you have nights like last night....

Set the scene, it's 7:45 PM and the kids and I are walking home from Wednesday night church. We have to walk through this side parking lot and cross over this chain to get home. As I'm stepping over the chain Jonah lifts it to go under. It catches my back foot and I go flying onto my face. Thomas is in the car seat which goes flying. Thank the Lord that he landed upright. I peeled my self off the pavement and limped the rest the way home. Matt came home a little after this and had to dig gravel out of my palm and knee...ouch. I survived though. Then this morning I got out of the car to take Emma into school and I shut three of my fingers in the car door. That was more painful than childbirth!!!! Plus I had to hold it all in until I got back into the car. Yikes...

Alright off to get some more ice...

Happy 6th brithday Molli!! 

Molli in her new tutu and suing her Bella Dancerella set