Longhorns NO MO

Well, looks like Georgia is where the Hutchison's are supposed to roam for the next four years.  We decided not to move to Texas after all.  It is a little bitter sweet.  School in TX  seemed like such a better opportunity for Eric, but while making the plans to make the move, nothing felt right.  So, despite what we may want to do, we are staying here.  How do people live without the guidance of the Holy Spirit to help them with huge decisions?  In our brains, TX seems so right, but it is obviously not and I am so grateful for the guidance from the Spirit to know that.

I am really excited to stay though because I have such wonderful friends here, I love my calling at church (Paper Mill Young Women ROCK!), and I have built a solid clientele that would take forever to rebuild somewhere else.  We have such a great townhouse for an amazing price and I know we would never find a set up like this again.  So, here's to another four years in the home of the peaches, tornadoes, giant trees, soul food, and crazy southern folk!!!!  We are glad to call it home.

When we moved to Georgia, we were told it was in a drought.  Then this happened:

  

 

We were also told that it snows maybe once a year and it never sticks.  Today, this happened for the second time since Christmas.  

All of these were taken in our front and back yard. 

We were also told their was a lot of southern hospitality here.  Humm... ya right.  For example, we decided to go to The Olive Garden tonight, figuring no one would be there with the snow.  It was close to empty, yet we had the worst service ever.  It took at least 7 minutes for us to be greeted by our waiter, we received no refills on anything (bread, salad, water) after repeatedly asking, and everything took forever.  Almost every time we eat out here, we get horrible service.  I am not one to complain, but I couldn't hold it in tonight.  Well, i am glad I did... $20 courtesy gift card for next time. I think I am gonna complain more often. :)

Peace.  I love this feeling.  I have been searching for it for weeks and days, and today it is finally here.  I feel like I am on the constant journey to becoming a person of faith, and I get so frustrated at myself.  I want to have faith.  I try to turn things over to God, but sometimes I just can't let go.  I think that it must be a part of life's journey, figuring out how to really, truly, 100% give it to Him and trust in His will.  I just wish I had it down already, that I was born with the gift of perfect faith.  Does any one else have this problem???  Well, today I am sleep deprived and emotionally drained but  I have hope.  I think I am one step closer.

On a completely different note, while I was busy writing this post and spilling my heart, my crazy little daughter got into her Valentines package from Grandma...  I look over to see this:

Happy Early Valentines Day Hallie.  Enjoy your first sugar rush!

Hello... Yes, this is Brittany.  Yes, I am alive.  Yes, I have the internet!!!!  WOOHOO!!! 

Life sure is crazy, and so much has happened since I last blogged.  Our little Hallie turned the big 1!  I cannot express my gratitude to the Lord enough for sending her sweet spirit to our family.  She is truley a blessing, a miracle, a ray of sunshine, and a window to Christ's love.  She is so spunky and fun, and I love her more and more as her personality continues to shine.  Right now she is obsessed with dancing.  She will dance to anything and everything: music, the hymns at church, the washing machine, the sound when I chop veggies, milk swooshing in her bottle etc. She says alot of real words mixed in with constant jibberish.  She is non-stop talking in what sounds like her own language.  She definately thinks she is saying something.  It is so cute and hilarious.

Motherhood is such an amazing adventure.  I read the most inspiring quote the other day and I have to share it:

"The Lord said, 'My work and my glory [is]  to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.' (Moses 1:39)  So his devoted daughter-disciple many truely say, 'My work and my glory is tol help my loved ones reach that goal.'  To help another human being reach one's celestial potential is part of the divine mission of woman.  As mother, teacher, or nurturing saint, she molds living clay to the shape of her hopes.  In partnership with God, her divine mission is to help spirits live and sould be lifted.  This is the measure of her creation.  It is ennobling, edifying, and exalting." -Elder Russle M. Nelson

I just feel so extreemely honored and humbled to know that God has such trust in me.

We traveled home for Christmas and it was so wonderful.  I miss AZ so much.  It was torture to leave the warmth of the weather, family, and friends.  On our journey home we stayed in Dallas, TX to check out a chiropractic school that Eric was debating on switching to.  He loved the school and we loved the area, so it looks like we are going to be taking another adventure to the great state of Texas.  My emotions are mixed.  I am excited because it will be much closer to home.  The school is shorter and cheaper so that is a definate plus, and it has so many other perks.  Dallas is also much more like Arizona, which I love.  But I don't want to leave the incredible friends I have made here in GA and my super amazing ward.  The Lord has blessed me with a family away from family, and I will definately miss them. 

While we were in Az my mom got engaged.  It was a huge shock to me, but I know she is really happy and I am excited for her.

Our lives seem to be ever changing, so I am learning to just grab the reins, close my eyes, pray, and hang on because nothing ever ends up how I think it will.

Here are some pictures of our life adventures over the past few months of my blog inactivity:

Halloween:  She is a white tiger, not a zebra by the way.

Hallie and her cousin Sydney.

Family pictures in November.  Thanks Heather!!!  Anyone in GA should definately use her!

Fun pics of Hallie!

It's Birthday time!

Christmas!

I realized that I need to be taking so many more pictures when we are around family.  I am just too busy having fun that I forget.  Sorry everyone!

Eric, Hallie, and Uncle Clark

This is what all of the pictures from AZ look like...

When we got to Dallas, I discovered two mollars and another front tooth in her mouth.  I wonder if she was trying to tell me something?  Earth to mom!   Sorry Hallie, I'll do better on the next tooth.

January: Family pic's.  Thanks Troy!  See http://www.luntphotos.com/ and use him if you live in AZ! 

He is awesome!

OOoo-aaa-hahaha!!!!

Vampire baby:

You mess with my mom, you get bit.

I am reluctant to say it, but... Georgia is growing on me.  This past month has been wonderful as I have been making more friends, getting more hair clients, and figuring out how to live in a totally new world. It really is completely different.  For example: 

*  There are tons and tons of violent crimes.  I can not even watch the news for longer than one minute without hearing about a man beat to death infront of his wheelchair bound mother, or an innocent army officer mauled with her 11 year old daughter at the Cracker Barrel, or a gun show-down with a man and two robbers in the middle of the street in the middle of the day.  Needless to say, I don't watch the news anymore.

*  We were in what Gerogian's consider a "severe drought."  Obviously none of them ever lived in Arizona because I think it rains all the time here, especially lately.  Good news:  the drought is over.  Bad news:  We are extremely flooded.  It's been really tragic for many families, but thankfully Eric and I are just fine.  I didn't even know the extent of it because, like I said, I never turn on the news.  I finally decided to turn it on and see when this rain was going to end because it had been pooring non-stop for an entire week and our street was starting to look like a river.  It was then I saw this:

                                

It's Six Flaggs turned into the coolest water park ever!!!  Crazy!

*  All I am going to say is being a caucasion, I am definately in the minority.

*  In GA, bananas peel themselves:

But one thing that it has in common with Arizona is it is home to the definition of adorablness:

We are moving right along in our quest to return to the company of family.  Eric just finished his first quarter of school today!  I have realized that I need to stop focusing on the future of returning home or I will be miserable, so I am not going to think about the fact that we only have 4 3/4 years left here now. (YES!)  Nope.  I am going to enjoy today and live in and love each moment here. 

No Internet + No Car = NO POSTS

SO... I am pretty much an inactive blogger because like this post's title says, I have neither car nor net all day long. I sit in our little home with an adorable, crazy, tiny monster. That is pretty much the extent of my life. I thought I was supposed to love being a stay at home mom, but to be honest, it's pretty lonely and boring. I really want to work, but Hallie is my #1 and I don't want anyone else to take care of her, so I will be lonely and bored for her :)

Eric is in school now and doing great. This move has been a challenge but such a wonderful stride towards a better life for Eric and I. He is thriving here and I am so, so, proud of him. Our relationship has been strengthened a ton and we are growing more and more as we continue to put our trust in the Lord.

That's what's going on with us!