Monday, December 24, 2012

Merry Christmas from the Totten Family...

Dear Friends and Family,

     We are doing things a little different this year...(actually a lot different!) There have been many changes in our lives this past year and this non-traditional Christmas card is a reflection of trying new things! We hope this note finds you in time for Christmas...to let you know we love you and are thinking of you. We thank our Lord and Savoir for all the many seen and unseen blessings in our lives and yours. We are especially thankful for those we hold close to our hearts and those the Lord allows our lives to touch for his glory at any given moment through out our days. We feel so truly blessed and amazed by all our Lord has done, is doing and has yet to do in our lives, neighbourhoods, families, churches and all those who are joyful or suffering throughout the world. God is good and we choose to trust him always. May the Peace of Christ be with each and everyone of you this Christmas and on into the New Year.

To catch you up (a little) on our lives this year....


     As you can see, Makayla and Luke are growing up fast! Its hard to believe that (Kayla) is now 11 and in 5th grade and (Luke) is 7 and in 2nd grade. They both attend a new elementary school and are able to walk to and from school together. The kids have adjusted well as we moved back to Washington from Oregon at the end of June. It has been a whirlwind for the past 6 months as we placed all of our belonging in storage and lived with friends, bounced from house to house and learned to appreciate life in a whole new transient way. Thank you to all those who took us in and helped us through this time of transition in our lives! Here is a picture of our new home and address. We moved in one month ago just in time for Christmas a beautiful covering of snow. For us it is a dream come true! Thank you Jesus!!! We are still pinching ourselves!!!


     Scott and Kimberlyn are in a time of celebration for all the Lord has done. We are amazed, humbled and truly grateful for Gods Mercy, Grace and unending Love...not just for our family but for so many we know.

     We rejoice as Scott now serves as the Pastor of Junior High Ministries at Lighthouse Christian Center.  He started his new job in July . We feel like we have been allowed to come home again after five long years away. It was very difficult to say farewell to many friends and church family in Oregon but we are thankful to be able to maintain many of these relationships over the miles. We look forward to having people from Oregon come stay with us in the coming year.  As we finally settle in and our lives calm down (maybe just a little), we look forward to reconnecting with our friends Northward in the Seattle area as well. Thanks for being patient with us. Know that we Love you and miss you and look forward to seeing you soon!

     Besides packing, moving, painting, unpacking, reconnecting and adjusting to life back in Washington...we were able to take our first family vacation to Disneyland this year. Most defiantly a highlight of 2012!!! If you wish to keep up on our lives adventures...feel free to track us on our blog... note its a new blog address... http://livelovelifesong.blogspot.com/   Kimberlyn has been way out of sink and has lots of back posting to do...you have been forewarned! ;-)



Merry Christmas 
(Wishing you all a warm, furry hug from Sully in the New Year!!!)

Much Love from,
Scott, Kimberlyn Makayla & Luke


Wednesday, May 23, 2012

New Beginnings once again...

Okay, so I've fallen off the blogging wagon over this past year "big time".  I look forward to playing catch up and back posting stories and images from months gone by, but for now I'm going to start right from where we're at. If your not up for reading my wordy post feel free to go to this link right here (Announcement & Prayer ) and listen to the pod cast. It will give you the gist of what's up with us!

So where are we? Right now, we're in Dallas, Oregon....we moved to this darling little town in the Willamette Valley exactly five years ago in April. We have so many precious memories at this little house on Juniper Ave. This home and town will always have a special place in our hearts.


When we moved into our little rental home in 2007, our kids where just 5 and 2!



It's hard to believe that as we gather boxes and prepare for the next chapter in our lives that our children are now 10 & 7! 


Oh My...I guess that means Scott and I have aged a bit too! Hopefully we're not just older but also a bit wiser too! Our time here in Dallas has had it's good times and it's bad, but all in all there has been plenty of opportunity for growth and maturity and that's always a good thing! I hope we have learned all that the Lord had for us here and that we are better equipped for all that lies ahead in our lives and ministry.

Long Story Short...We are moving back to Puyallup, Washington at the end of June! It all started on Feb. 4th when we received a phone call that there was some transitioning happening back at our home church of Lighthouse Christian Center . By Feb 14th (Valentine's Day) Scott was talking with the lead pastor, Art Hunt about the possibility of interviewing for a Youth Pastor position at Lighthouse. After a few phone calls, we felt the excitement stirring in us about the possibility, but also kept our emotions in check. The process of seeking Gods face and praying for Gods will in this began and by March 17th we were sitting in the Lighthouse board room having an interview! It was a St. Patrick's day treasure we will never forget. We left the meeting feeling at peace and able to rest in Gods souverinty over every detail. It was the following week March 24th that we received a phone call from Pastor Art offering the position. Timing would have it that we were just arriving to our hotel in Anaheim, California. Disneyland here we come!!! We had a fabulous vacation as a family and took that week to pray over what the Lord would have for us. It was the following Saturday, March 31st, on our way home from Disneyland that we said YES to Lighthouse! Wow, a new chapter in our lives was about to begin.

Our news has spread slowly but surely and now we find ourselves in a strange in between time of both sorrow and joy combined. We are extremely excited to get back to Washington to be near close friends, family and a church we have never stopped loving. At the same time our hearts are heavy with the loss of living life together with so many here in Oregon. We have truly come to love the town of Dallas and are so thankful the Lord allowed us to share in the lives of many over these past five years. We have been blessed with many life changing relationships that are sure to be forever friendships whether we live near or far during this journey called life.

As for where we are at right now...we would love prayer for a few specific things. If you feel led to pray for us as we make this transition, here are a few of our current Prayer Requests:


  • Health & Energy for our entire family.
  • Peace & Strength in the process of moving and so much change.
  • A Spirit of Adventure, Gratitude & Excitement for all the Lord is doing in our lives.
  • That House Hunting would go well.  (That God would lead us right to the home, neighbourhood, neighbours, schools, etc....that he has for us.)
  • That our hearts & minds would be focused on Christ & not all the unknowns that can distract us.
  • That as we transition into our new home/church/lives that God would give us the grace, strength and love we need for each new adventure and challenge.


Thanks so much...we'll keep you posted in the months to come. Stay tuned!!! If you have been or care to follow along please make not that our blog address has changed. http://livelovelifesong.blogspot.com/

Love & Blessings  ~ The Totten Family



Revelations 21:5

"And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." And He said, " Write, for these words are faithful and true."







Thursday, February 23, 2012

Welcome Home Lovely...

 


                                                        Congratulations Jamieson Family...



We're so happy that LOVELY is FINALLY HOME in your arms!

She is a beautiful addition to one very special family...

We love you 



We thank the Lord for sharing you with all of us.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012