October...Wait, It's November!

Seriously beginning to wonder who will invite the time machine first to slow the days down.  October was a blur.  It was a pure blur in the Massengill household. And be forewarned.  This is a long post because it's been overdo.  Way overdo.

First, lets get what's been going on with me out of the way.  My personal writing abilities have been blocked.  I kick myself on a weekly - ok, sometimes daily - basis for not blogging about the beautiful, sometimes crazy, most of the time hilarious moments filling my life right now with our two precious daughters.  But my writing abilities have been hindered by the simple fact that I have been devoting every ounce of my creative, deep thinking writing abilities to my consulting work.  Work has picked up big time which has meant a lot of juggling motherhood and career - completely unfamiliar and uncharted territory for me, and for Chris, but we're  feeling our way through it, one home office day w/ two loud toddlers, one multiple-day business trip away from home days at a time. But, the positive - the incredibly positive - part of that story is that I LOVE what I do....I  L-O-V-E it.  I am immersed so deeply in downtown development work and completely exhilarated by the opportunities I have been given to help communities find the tools they need to grow and rebuild and revitalize their downtowns.  

This is my passion in life, professionally speaking. 

Physically speaking, I have been completely immersed in issues of the body.  My new mantra is "The shape of your body is a by-product of the activity you do."  I came up with that one all on my own, I should copyright it. Ha! So, I figure if I want to be in the shape of a runner, I need to become a runner.  So becoming a runner I have done, and the shape part...well I still have a long way to go there!  BUT, so has my husband! (become a runner!)  The same guy that would not run with me a few years ago when I did my first half marathon, just completed his first FULL marathon a the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington D.C.!! YAY for Chris!!

  

He actually inspired me to kick it up a notch with my running the day he signed up for his first marathon!  A friend told him it would change his family tree and those words resonated with him.  In turn, his being inspired to do this for himself and our girls inspired me!  So now, just about every morning, one of us  is out jogging, some days with the girls in their jogging stroller, some (most) days without....But regardless, it has become a sacred time for me.  It is my quiet time!! It is my "ME" time...my "Me and God" time....being out in nature, in the quiet still calmness, I listen to His still small voice while I run.  Since August I've completed 4 races with another one coming up in a couple of weeks.  Not only did Chris inspire me, but my older sister, my mom, my little sister and my dad have all run in at least one of these 4 races with me!! And I think more in our family are soon to be racing too...!! :-)  It is challenging to literally find the time with all of the work travel I've been doing, and with two little ones needing full attention, but we're making it!  And, the best part is that both me and my husband have found a hobby we are both deeply passionate about.  

This is my passion in life, personally/physically speaking. 

Chris spent the entire month of October leading a Revelation seminar at our church.  While I was traveling 3 out of the 4 weeks that month for work, he was home speaking 5 out of 7 nights.  Amazing miracles happened and it was neat to see God at work through him - Chris got an eye infection and almost couldn't see, but was able to see each night to read his notes and speak.  Chris got a bad cold and was sick as could be, but each night he had to speak, his sickness would subside long enough to speak!  Two of the 3 weeks I had to leave the girls with Chris and each time he needed help, we had great friends and family step in and help with the girls.  We never needed for anything. He promises to watch over us, and He always follows through.....What an amazing God we serve.  

I always say that when He is in control, you better hold on tight...it's quite a ride!  A life dedicated to service to Him is a life blessed.  Another quote I came up with....He has blessed us in so many ways each and every time we surrender to Him.  HE - and my husband and our ministry to Him - are my passions in life.

And OH our girls...yes, let's talk about our girls.  They turn TWO next month.  Wait...what?  TWO?  Yes, two.

These two little girls that were born almost 2 years ago, spent 1 week in the NICU, learning to eat, learning to breathe, learning to live,one was not even 4 pounds when we brought her home, the other just barely over 4 pounds....now are the most active, entertaining, lively, happy little girls in the whole wide world. 

 

They are also two of the most girly girls I've ever seen!  The house will be silent and I'll hear rattling in my closet, and then a few short minutes later, two little girls come prancing through the house with two pairs of my dress shoes.  And somehow, they match the outfit their wearing. Hee hee!!

Today Savannah was sitting in the rocking chair while Madeline BUSILY brought her every single toy in the living room, stacking them all around her.  And Savannah, well she just as BUSILY looked at each toy, picking each up, setting it down, picking the other up.  

They have their own play rhythm.  They have their own language (still).  They giggle together, they fight together, they love together.  

WOW...talk about another passion in life.  My children are my passion in life.  Words cannot express how much I love them.  

So, enough writing.  (Enough reading!  And thanks if you're still reading and stuck this post out with me!)  That was the month of October, in a nutshell.  Told you it was a blur.  Here's hoping I do a better job of blogging so the next one isn't quite a book like this again.