Quick trip to Pitt...

We took at quick trip to Pittsburgh last weekend to visit Phil and Lisa before Blaine moves to Kentucky. It was also the Fathers and Sons campout--so Blaine, Cameron, Phil, and Jacob all went together while the girls stayed home for a "Girl Party". It was a fun weekend. We also got to visit our great friends the Westovers and meet their new twins--they couldn't be any cuter!! Kelsey was thrilled to see their girls too! We had a great time!

Joseph, Talee, and Tate--they are sooo cute!

The girls back together for fun!

Isaac Philip with his Uncle Philip---one of the great "Philips" he's named after!

Fun with our family--we're so glad we got to see them!

We have a job!!!

We are so happy to say that Blaine was offered (and accepted) a great job last Wednesday in Louisville, Kentucky!! We are so excited! This job is a miracle for our family following MONTHS of looking for a job. Pretty much since we moved here to Virginia last August, Blaine has been searching for a job and sent out hundreds of resumes, and talked to just about everyone we knew (and didn't know) about a job--without ANY luck. Most law firms are not hiring at all right now, which makes every other attorney job totally saturated with thousands of applicants. Blaine saw a rare posting for a job with a big law firm in Louisville--he sent his resume to them on Tuesday, and they called him on Wednesday to arrange an interview for the next Wednesday in Louisville. He flew out there, had a great interview, and flew home Wednesday night and on the way home from the airport they called him to offer him the job. I was shaking my head in the car to say "TAKE IT!!" We both felt before he left for Louisville that this would be great and was the right thing. Its amazing this job came up, because Blaine sent the same firm a resume a few months ago and they responded that they were not hiring.

I can honestly say that this was one of the hardest things we've had to go through--the stress of not having a job or a way to provide for FOUR children was truly such a worry and a trial of faith for us. We knew we were supposed to come to Virginia for Blaine to do the LLM program, and we had faith that the Lord had a plan for our family, but that time of not knowing when or what or where that plan would take us really stretched our faith. We hope we've become better by going through this--I know we have. The Lord doesn't leave us--just often makes us stretch till we are about ready to give up! I'm grateful for my sweet husband who didn't give up and had faith to carry me through the last few months. Thank you to everyone who has prayed for us to find a job---you're prayers made all the difference.

So....we are moving to Louisville. The only thing I could want more was if this job was in Lexington....but Louisville isn't too far!!! We are still far from family and great friends in Utah which is hard, but Kentucky is such a great place with many great friends there. Blaine starts on the 26th of May, and I'll stay here in Virginia till we find and close on a house. So hopefully we'll be all moved in by July! We are excited! (And, we have movers to move us---thank heavens!!)

Goodbye Moore's

Our dear friends the Moore's moved today back to Utah. Sad! They stayed with us this last week while they packed, moved, and cleaned--and its been such a fun week! Our kids are like cousins--they've grown up together. We will miss them so much. It's been the greatest blessing to first, live in Kentucky together for 4 years, and then have the chance to be here in Virginia just 5 minutes from them for this year. Having friends like them when you live far away from family is truly priceless. I'm not sure what I'll do without Natalie! We hope our paths cross sometime in the future again so we can be their next door neighbor--but we will miss you guys sooo much until then! See you in June!

Here are 6 of the 8 kids we have between our families! 7 of those kids have been born since we've known the Moore's!

Matthew did a lot of running while he was here with Cameron.

Dog pile on Blaine!

Matthew and Cam are buds.

Kelsey and Scott--(this is a future wedding video picture we hope).

Beautiful Dogwoods

These are pictures from the dogwood trees outside our house that are in bloom! I love them--they are so beautiful because the trees are covered in these perfect little flowers! I had never seen a dogwood until I moved to Kentucky and now here in Virginia. I was excited when I figured out the trees in front of our house were dogwoods.

Baby Smiles

Our little (well...not so little) Isaac has starting to really smile at us! There is nothing better than little baby smiles! This is a picture of some of his first smiles. He's got dimples!!

Happy 5th Birthday Kelsey!

Our Kelsey June turned the "big 5" on the 22nd. We had a little party to celebrate. She is such a sweet, fun part of our family. Watch out Kindergarten...Kelsey is ready to come!

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Baby Isaac

Here's Baby Isaac at 5 1/2 weeks weighing in at an impressive 13 pounds!