Settling in

Well, after a whirlwind of packing and sorting, unpacking and resorting, cleaning, cleaning, and um. . . . cleaning(!) we are settling in to our new house.

*Sidenote:  If this were a really good blog, there would be pictures right now of our new house, but since I can't find the cord to hook the camera's memory card in, that is not happening.  However, I HAVE taken pictures, so it's a small step in the right direction.

So far, we are really liking our new place and the area.  I am kind of going through Meijer withdrawels, since it's now a 20 minute drive there instead of a 90 second drive.  But we are all adjusting.  Being out in the country is so nice and peaceful.  I went for my first run on Saturday, and it was beautiful (the scenery, not the run--THAT was ugly).  Our neighbors are really nice, and the kids have even made some friends.

I was curious how Noel and Elise would feel about leaving the only house they knew, but surprisingly, they didn't really care.  They were so excited about having new rooms right across from each other and getting to ride on  lawn tractor that nothing else mattered.  The third or fourth night we were here, Noel shuffles over to me and says, "I like our new house.  I really do."  And that pretty much sealed the deal for me.

I am trying to make every moment count with my children, and through this move one of my goals was to teach that stuff is just stuff.  We have some of it (too much, honestly), but we can't hang on to it too tightly.  It doesn't matter in the end.

I'm also settling in to my new "work" opportunities.  On Thursday I tutor in the mornings at The Crossing, which is an alternative school for high school students looking to get their diploma.  It has been such a great experience so far.  Most of it involves one-on-one work with students who are taking classes through a computer-based program.  There are lots of different reasons a student is at The Crossing, but almost all of them have realized in some way that education is essential, and so getting through their classes takes on a whole new meaning.  I especially enjoy the "family time" they have in the middle of classes, where we sit and have some great discussions about life, God, goals, struggles, and triumphs.  I feel blessed to be a part of it.

I've been reading through Genesis these past few weeks, and every time I do I take something different away.  This morning I read about how God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, his son, and because he was willing to do it, God blessed him.  To be honest, I still can't really explain this passage, but it does convict me to make sure that everything---everything is second in  comparison to God.  I think about how 6 years ago I left the only career I knew, teaching, to stay home with my kids.  It was really hard for me, but I knew that for us it was the right decision.  And now I see so many blessings that have come from me giving up my comfort for the unknown.  If I hadn't done that, I would not be a part of The Crossing or Bridges.  I wouldn't have had these amazing times with my children.  Has it all been good?  Of course not.  But has it been worth it? Yes.

I don't know what God has asked you to give up or give over, and I can't begin to say I understand, because each of us is unique, but I do know that the times I do surrender are the times God uses me the most.

May God find ways to use each of us today.

Change is good. . .right?

I feel like I haven't written a blog post in forever, which is almost true.  And this will be my only post for at least a week, as we won't have internet after tomorrow for a while.  We are in the process of moving to another house.  We're about 60% moved in there, but there is no hot water, so we've still been living at our old house until the gas gets turned on.  So life is a little crazy.  When I am at our old house I can't find the stuff I need, and when I'm at the new house I have no idea where to put the stuff I have.

First world problems, right?  Too much stuff!!

Oh, and there's that whole thing of Noel starting kindergarten tomorrow and Elise starting preschool on Thursday.

I"m in a little bit of an overwhelmed state.

But I know it's good.  I know God is good, and I trust in Him.  If Noah can live on an ark for a year, I can live out of boxes for a few weeks.

And so if you don't hear from me, I'm not dead. I may be lost trying to find my way out of the construction by my new house, though, so give me a call. . .

Heroes and Villians

Forgive me if I have written this before.  I am getting old and forgetful.  Plus, I'm just too lazy to read all of my old posts and see if I've ever written this before.

So, stick with me.

Something has happened in the last, oh, 10 years or so.  I believe it is partially due to our media overkill of every topic/event/person, etc. But it seems to be in every area of life now.

Heroes and Villians.

We tend to move people into one of those categories.  It starts with movies.  Are you Team Edward or Team Jacob?  (of course, Jacob for me.  But I digress).  And then it moves to celebrities.  When a celebrity couple gets divorced, we immediately pick a side of who is amazingly wonderful (Katie Holmes) and who caused so much trouble that we can't stand them (Tom Cruise).  Although he hadn't been a villian before, even though he had left 2 previous wives (and children) for younger women.  But TomKat was sooooo in love!  And don't get me started on the Olympics!  I even caught myself cheering for the Russian gymnasts to fall off the balance beam last night, for crying out loud!

And all of this is kind of fun and silly (kind of).

And then we turn to the elections.  All of a sudden, if you vote for Obama, you are a socialist.  If you are a Republican you hate gay people.  Mitch Daniels is the devil.  No, wait, he's the best governor ever.  No, wait.

See what I mean?

I don't want to get into political arguments on my blog.  But I want to remind everyone that people are just that:  people.  They are not perfect, but they also aren't evil either (for the most part).  Do I agree with everything our President has done these past 4 years?  No.  Do I think he is out to destroy our country?  Absolutely not!

And then this gets really personal when it is our friends and family.

We have somehow taken this hero/villian mentality and moved it to our personal relationships.  We find out that someone said something a little unkind about our family or one of our friends.  Immediately they are a villian.  "Oh, I always knew they were like that!" "I never trusted them for a minute!"  Or we take someone's word and follow them, even though what they are doing is completely wrong and hurtful. We fail to address problems because we don't want to turn into the villian.

But I want to remind all 3 of you who read this that the only villian is the devil, and the only hero is Jesus.  None of us is perfect.  None of us has never hurt a person or said something mean or done something out of selfish motivation.  But none of us is completely evil and hoping for the worst.

And this has given me some perspective in the past few days, as I am struggling with some disappointments in some people.  The easier thing would be to write them off and say, "I'm done with them." But is that what God wants me to do? To make them a villian?  God wants me to forgive.  To make things peaceful.  To build bridges, not burn them.

To pray for those who are hard to love.

Will you join me?

Life with Noel

I love having a 5 year-old.

Honestly, I feel like I deal much better with a child at this age than with a newborn.  I was not a good newborn mom.  But one thing I was not prepared for in having a 5 year-old is all of the questions.

From the minute Noel wakes up until we leave his room at night, his words are filled with questions.

Why do we have earwax?


What makes warts?


Why do we whisper before we go to bed when nobody's asleep yet?


Why do they use the 5 rings for the Olympics? What do they mean?


Why do you and Daddy keep getting older, but not any taller?

This goes on.  For hours.  Every day.

I love it and it drives me crazy all at once.

Noel is such a curious little boy, and he knows it.  He wants to know how everything works and why everything happens.  I love that about him.  But sometimes it makes my brain cramp up from working on answers.

Noel definitely keeps me on my toes, and that is good for this old brain.  I hope that he keeps this curious spirit his whole life, never stops wondering and asking.

What traits do your children have that you hope they keep forever?

Thankful Thursdays

I am sitting here in the house we are about to sell (#591), getting things ready for closing on our new house (#592) while my children play Where's My Perry on the Kindle (#593 & 594).  It's been a crazy busy week, thanks to VBS (#595--but not sure if we'll ever do it again!) and fun afternoons filled with library time (#596), adventures in the park (#597), and swimming with friends (#598). Also, I started my new work at The Crossing, (#599), which is an alternative high school for students who have previously struggled in school for various reasons.  I'm excited about working there and what God has planned through that.  We are still recovering from the party on the farm (#600) to celebrate my in-laws' 50th wedding anniversary, where my kids and all of their cousins answered the question:  Does riding a four-wheeler ever get old?  (The answer is no, if you're wondering).

What are you thankful for???

Without a hitch

David turned 40 on Thursday.  If you know my husband at all, you know that he does not like lots of attention.  He likes being with a few friends or family members and doing fun stuff like golfing or playing basketball.  But I wanted to do something special for him.

Well, hello, Pinterest idea. I think I will finally use you!

I took an idea from Pinterest to celebrate this special day.  Instead of a party, I asked people to send letters to me to give to David.  I was a little nervous how it would all turn out, because people don't really write letters very much anymore (one of our nephews ended his letter with ". . .and I think this is the first letter I've written in like 5 years. . .)

But the letters came in.

From family

from friends

from co-workers

from former youth group students.

It was perfect.

We got up  Thursday morning (David's birthday) and packed to go to the farm for his parents' 50th anniversary party.  I drove so he could read the letters. I wish I could have taken pictures of his face as he read letter after letter (43 in all).  He was so shocked, touched, and excited that so many people took the time to write him.

Some were hilarious, and some were tear jerkers.  David's brother, Mike, wrote down a bunch of stories from their childhood that involved manure spreaders, swamps, dangerous 3-wheelers, etc. Dave's high school friends also shared stories of their adventures back in the day.  Our friend Phil included pictures from over the years to really take us down memory lane.

The common theme throughout the letters was that David is so special to all of them.  He may not be the most outspoken guy or have an over-the-top personality, but that is what makes him so special.  He has a quiet strength, a quick wit, a wise mind, and people have been changed because of it. When the group returned from Haiti, several of the people on the trip said to me how much his words meant at different points during the trip, and I was so glad that I got to share him with others.

If there is someone in your life who has made a difference for you, let them know!  Write a letter, call, whatever you need to do, but tell them.

Oh, yeah, I have a blog

Oops!

We are in moving limbo right now.  The scheduled closing on both houses (which was supposed to be last Friday--the 13th) got postponed.  There was some oversight from the lender of the person buying our house, and it all fell thru.

So, while we are not quite back to square one, it is a huge step in the other direction.

Not selling our house means some changes with the loan on the house we are trying to buy ourselves.  Pluse we are going to be out of town for a few days (please don't rob us!), so closing is just some mirage out in the distance that I can see but can never quite touch.

Meanwhile, half of our things are already in boxes.  I went to pour my coffee this morning, and realized I didn't have any coffee mugs because I had packed all but 2, and they were in the dishwasher!  My only hope is that we get into our new house before we need warm clothes, cause they are boxed, taped, and stacked right now.

So, while we anxiously wait for our new "home", we just enjoy every day we have in the place we have called home all these years.  Noel says he will miss eating popsicles on the front porch.  Elise will miss the sidewalk that she can dance on.  I will miss the people watching :)

And maybe we'll end up with a summer home after all. . .it just may be this one!  Ha!

Nadine Update

Several months ago, maybe even a year, I started writing about Nadine.  Nadine is a young lady I met on my trip to Peredo, Haiti.  She had a huge growth, which made her look nine months pregnant.  Because of this, she was basically an outcast in her village.  Her mother didn't want her to go to school.  She had minimal contact with the other children.  

But over the course of this past year, my friend Ginny, along with countless others, have worked to get her the medical help she needs.  Now she is living in Columbus, Ohio with an amazing family, the Tatas.  Her medical procedures have been long and tedious (lots of draining and dealing with blood pressure issues), but Sheree (her host mother) says Nadine has been incredibly brave and positive.  Sheree says she is a member of their family.

Last week, David went with a group of students and adults from our church to Nadine's village.  As I was sticking pictures of the kids in his backpack, I had the quick thought to throw in some pictures of Nadine here in the states, happy and healthy.  

I'm so thankful I did.

The top picture of the post is David with Nadine's mom and brother.  David was able to share with them the pictures and explain that she is doing very well.  He said Nadine's mom kept putting her hand on her heart and saying "Mesi, mesi" (thank you).  She even blew him a kiss when he left.

A trip to Haiti can be overwhelming.  There is so much chaos and heartache.  It's hard to even wrap your mind around where to begin. 

But God is bigger.

And we do what we can.  One soul at a time.

There are sometimes questions about why people go on short term missions trips.  And I do believe that some trips are not always handled correctly (ie. they are more work than help for the long-term missionaries).  But as I look at Nadine and know that if we had not gone to Haiti, we would probably not be a part of this plan  God had for her, I cannot help but be overwhelmed again, but this time with thankfulness and joy.

What can I do today that will make a difference in someone' life for God?  That should be our question every day.  Everywhere.  Every. Time.

Thursday Thank Yous. . .on Friday

This week I am thankful for. . .

581. air conditioning.

582. the city pool.

583. friends and family who check in on us while David is away.

584. closing the house we are buying and our own house ON THE SAME DAY NEXT WEEK!  And to think I had fretted!

585. hearts that are broken by the things that break God's heart

586. the first zucchini out of the garden.

587. WiFi, even in Haiti, so I can get an email or 2 from him while he's gone.

588. Redbox.

589. slushies.

590. old friends whom you can completely be yourself around.

What are you thankful for?

Slowing Down/Speeding Up

It's Thursday.

(Sigh)

David's been gone since last Friday night.

We've had a lot of fun, but we are ready for him to come home.

Every time I've ever gone on a missions trip, the first few days seem to go really slowly, and then the last 2 days fly by.

Every time I've stayed home while my husband has been gone, the first part seems to fly by, and the last few days before he gets home come to a screeching halt.

So that's where we are.

We have some fun things planned, and hope that the weather will cooperate.  And we had a really good time celebrating Independence Day with friends last night.  I even broke down and let the kids stay up to watch fireworks, which is something I haven't done ever with my kids.  I kept trying to convince them, "See?  Sometimes Mom can be fun!!"  (After 2 days of yelling at them and being completely grumpy and impatient.  I'm sure it worked beautifully.)

I used to make comments when David was gone about how I was being a "single" parent, or that now I know what it feels like to be a single parent.  But I read an article once from a real single parent, and I realize that my husband being away for a week is so far removed from being a single parent that I will never say that again.  There is such a huge difference between missing my husband because he's out of the country for a short time and missing my husband because a)he left for good b)he was never around to begin with c) he is gone for months at a time.  Perspective is a hard pill to swallow sometimes.

So, while these last 3 days creep along, we will try to enjoy every moment of the days we are given (even if they are face-melting hot), and try to focus on the good stuff.

Halfway there

Tonight (Tuesday) is the halfway point of David's trip to Haiti.  Sunday after church we loaded up the old Honda Van and headed to my old alma mater:  Lincoln Christian College University (I'm not sure I'll ever be able to call it that.). My dear friend Jenni was there with her kids, and we hung out with them until Tuesday morning.

Some highlights:

*Watching the four kids play together.  They ran, rode bikes, walked trails, played with Legos, and became masters at hide and seek.

*Catching up with Matt and Jenni.  I miss them terribly, and it was so nice to have 2 full days to spend together.

*Not having to be alone with the kids for a few days.

But I'm not gonna sugar coat it:  some of it was been bad.  It is incredibly tiring to travel with two little ones alone.  There were some tears (mostly mine) and some screaming (mostly the kids).  But we headed home today, and are getting ready to go to bed (I'm hoping I won't fall asleep while reading bedtime stories, I'm so tired.  Could it be the combo of staying up past 1AM with Matt and Jenni and waking up at 6:45 AM to 2 children right in my face?  Probably.).

I am praying that tomorrow is a better day.  A day where I see my kids as the true blessings they are.

Here we go

Today is the first of 8 days with just me and the kids.  We (I) decided early on that the best way to keep everyone (me) from missing David, we would try and stay busy.

Today's adventures included a trip to the Haynes Apperson Parade, in downtown Kokomo.  I was a little concerned how I was going to manuever 3 chairs, 2 kids, and a cooler of drinks to a shady spot.  I was also a little concerned about a)where the parade actually was and b)where I was allowed to park.

Luckily, we got there in plenty of time.  After we parked and figured out a good place to sit, we walked to the downtown library to kill some time.  (Too bad I was carrying all of that through the library.  I may or may not have gotten a few looks.  Whatever.)

The kids had a great time at the parade.  It was kicked off by the veterans, who were led by my nephew Jonathan, on drums.  We got to see several people we know in the parade, so now Noel thinks I know everyone in Kokomo.  The kids had more than their fill of candy, and even got some free ice cream tokens from Culvers.  About 5 or 6 floats from the end, it started raining, so we packed it up and headed home.  The kids were sweaty and sticky, but happy.

And before you read this and think I am a mom who has it all together, right now they are chasing each other in and out of the house, screaming.

Oh, and Elise has no pants on.

You pick your battles.

Here's to a good day, and hopefully 7 more before we all are together again!

Thursday Thank You's, one day late

Today I am thankful for. . .

571.  air conditioning!!

572. funny moments between David and me (like last night when he was talking in his sleep, telling me about how I needed to be careful because there were grapes everywhere.  When I tried to wake him up, he said, "I am WIDE awake."  Really, grape man?  Really?)

573. strong, healthy bodies for my kids and me

574. Nadine's continued improvement, for her courage and patience

575. getting to see old friends last night and catch up

576. one hand-me-down Dora bike that has made my daughter's week!

577. reminders of what our true blessings are.

578. our upcoming trip to Lincoln to see dear, dear friends

579. the first zucchini from the garden. . .picked this morning!

580. getting to drive the mission trip crew down to Indy tonight.  It makes me think of Tanya Davis, who passed away a little over a year ago.  She wanted so badly to go on the trip in 2010, but couldn't.  She said driving us there was as close as she could come to going on the trip.  I can't wait to be there when they get off the plane on the trip home, either!

What are you thankful for?

Summer Adventures

In two days, I will be sending David off, with about 25 other people, to work in Haiti for a little over a week.   They are going to Peredo, where I went two years ago.

To say that I am jealous is an understatement.

I feel a connection to the people of Peredo.  My heart aches for them in their pains and rejoices with them in their successes.  Choosing not to go so that David can go is really hard.

BUT

I am so excited for David, and that helps.

Sometimes we are asked to serve in a tangible way that is very rewarding.  Those are the fun times, the times you write blog posts about and take pictures of.

But sometimes God asks you to do something else so it frees others up to serve.  I am a very hands-on person.  I like to get in there and do stuff.  So it has been a struggle at times, having 2 small children, to turn down opportunities that I used to love to do, like going to church camp or CIY.  But God has really changed my heart to understand a couple of things.  One is that my service is staying here and being with my children so David can go to Haiti.  Another is to serve by praying, which I'm not so good at.

I have learned that service isn't always what you think it's going to be, but that's just the point about life:  it's not about ME.  In fact, it's not about the group going to Haiti.  It's about sharing God's love everywhere we go, every day, in big ways, yes, but also in small ways.

And so, my summer adventure may look different than it did a few years ago, but it is still that.  As any mom can tell you, taking kids to a city pool, a parade, or even down the street can be an adventure!

Thank you for the rain

Because of the craziness of this summer (I need a routine!) I have forgotten to post my "Thankful Thursday" thank yous.  It's been kind of an disappointing week.  Last week, we thought we had found the house of our dreams.  This week we found out that the house has some septic issues that may or may not be a deal breaker.

I was really disappointed about it last night.

I had already pictured our family in the house, I was already planning out where the kids would play, and how we would have dinners on the deck out back, and all of that is now in limbo.

As I started to unpack my feelings this morning, I realized that what I am more upset sad about is that we have been in a state of uncertainty for months, and I am not comfortable with uncertainty.  I like to have a plan.  I like to know what we are doing, where we are going, etc. I had just breathed that big sigh of relief, thinking, "NOW we can relax." And realizing that we are back on roller coaster was discouraging.

In reality, life is never certain.  We never know what each day, hour, or minute will hold.  I know there is a reason for everything.  I also know that what our house looks like is small potatoes compared with so many more things in life.  This is a chance for me to have faith and trust that God is working for the good of those who believe.

Last night, we had planned to take the kids to the park for a running program they go to every Thursday.  About 30 minutes before we were going to leave, the sky got dark.  The wind started blowing.  It started sprinkling.  And then we had ourselves a nice little rainstorm.  The kids could have chosen to be upset about missing the races and going to the park.  But instead, we all sat on the front porch swing and watched the storm.  We laughed as the wind blew the rain onto our legs.  And we REALLY laughed when David went out to unclog a gutter and got drenched.

Why can't I be more like my kids?  Why can't I see every day as an adventure to be had instead of a plan that needs to be followed through?

We may end up in that house.  We may not.  But until then, it is my goal to be thankful in all circumstances.  To see the blessings of the rain.

Today I am thankful for. . .

561. family bike rides.

562. Pandora.

563. the summer reading program at the library.

564. friends with a pool who are generous enough to let us come over and swim.

565. David's upcoming trip to Haiti.

566. a washing machine.

567. fun moments with the kids.

568. good books.

569. reminders that I need to forgive and let things go.

570. rain for our thirsty plants, and rain for our thirsty souls.

What are you thankful for?

Garden Update

Last summer I was pretty diligent about sharing pictures and stories about our garden.  Just in case you are wondering about this summer, I will give you a little rundown of what's shakin' on our tiny farm in the back yard.

Here's the deal:  we are moving.  We are not 100% sure WHERE we are moving, but we are sure that we have to get out of this house by the end of the summer, probably about the beginning of August.  And so the garden is in limbo.  We still planted it (frankly, anything in there looked better than just a big square of dirt for potential buyers to look at), but not near as much.  We have corn, beans, cucumbers, peppers, and zucchini.

Now, here comes the fun part:  we have no idea if we will still be here when it's time to actually pick/eat the food!  The corn should be ready during the same week that we are supposed to be out of here, but who really knows?

So, we have taken garden things a little less seriously this summer, which is a little sad, because I'm going to miss being able to have so much food on hand in the winter, but for right now that is about all we can do.

Instead, we are spending more of our gardening time working out on a community garden.  In addition to Bridges, I am going to start volunteering at The Crossing, which is an alternative school for students who have been kicked out of school or dropped out.  They can earn a real diploma, (not a GED), while also learning life skills and being surrounded by Christian influences.  I'm really excited about getting started when the next quarter starts up.

One of the projects they have taken on at The Crossing is teaching students about gardening.  All spring, students grew dozens of different plants--from seed--in the classroom, which they then planted in garden boxes by our local library.  But now the students are on break, so David and I are helping out with watering and weeding to keep it going.  There are 25 boxes (4 ' x 8 '), and they are planning on selling the harvest at our local farmers' market.  What a great experience for these students to have!

So, in a nutshell, while there won't be any pictures of me weeding on my blog, if you drive past the Kokomo South Branch library anytime, you can probably catch me in action right there.  (No autographs, please!)

What kinds of things are in your garden this summer?  Has the rain (or lack thereof) affected it?

Cooking Update

Okay, so here's my confession:

Like most people, I have not completely fulfilled my New Year's Resolution, which was to cook a new food every week.  I have been trying, but some weeks just get away from me.  Oh, and there's that whole house-selling/house-buying thing we have going on.

But I did want to share that we made friend okra for the first time, and it was very good.

Now, a good cook (and a good blogger) would have pictures right here, but you can just Google images of fried okra, if you please.

All you do is slice the okra, let it soak in some egg, roll it in cornmeal, and pan fry it for a few minutes.  I preferred mine with a little ranch dressing (doesn't almost everything go better with ranch?), but David opted for plain.  It was delicious.  I'm definitely getting it again.

What have you been cooking up this summer?

just a tree

If you know me, you have probably heard me talk about Donald Miller.  Waaaaaaay back in the day (maybe 1999??  2000?) I was strolling around Barnes and Noble, and I found this book:

I had never heard of Donald Miller before, but I bought it.

It was amazing.

The book chronicled Miller's journey from Texas to the Northeast in search of who God is and what His direction for Don's life was.  (fyi, he later re-published the book under a different title, if you're looking for it.)
The book spoke to me, probably because I was going through some of the same experiences Don was (not the Volkswagen, though).  I ended up emailing him, and he was such a nobody at the time that we actually wrote back and forth several times.  Thus began my Donald Miller following.


You may know Donald from this little ditty he wrote:

Anyway. . .


I have this money-saving policy that I will not buy books if I can borrow them from the library or someone I know.  I have been trying to get Don's book "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years" ever since it came out (something like 2 years ago).  When David won a Kindle Fire from work, I finally broke down and bought the book.

And I must say that it was worth all four dollars and ninety-nine cents that I spent on it.


The premise of the book, in a nutshell, is that each of us is living a story.  What kind of story are you living?  What is the purpose of your story?  How are you fulfilling God's plan in your life?


Donald writes with such transparency and candidness that you can't help but love him.  He shares his faults, but not in a self-depricating way, and his successes, but not in a braggy voice.  As I read this, I am inspired to live every day more fully.  Each day I have been given is a gift, not to be wasted.


Two of the biggest lessons in the book for me, personally were:

#1--When you read a story/watch a movie, the times where the character grows the most is through conflict.  We seem to understand that, but we don't seem to apply that to our own lives

#2--I am a tree, and the story is about the forest, not one tree.  How can I live so that the story isn't about me, but about my maker?

If you haven't read this book, I highly recommend it.  And if you've read it, please let me know what you thought.

Just roll with it!

Well, it looks like we are unofficially buying a house.  And it's the house I wanted.  It has all worked out pretty well, and for that we are thankful.  I think I've spend so much time trying to find houses and keep ours clean that I have missed thinking about just how much I will miss this house.  It's been the only home I've ever had with David.  David asked me out on our first date in this very living room.  He proposed to me here, too.  We brought both of our children to this home.  So many memories. . .

It can almost be paralyzing.

But I believe in a God who is bigger than a building, and I know that God has a plan much greater than one house can hold.  I believe that home is wherever you make it, and that the important parts of the house are coming with me :)

Change is frightening, yet exhilarating.  When I think about the times I have grown closest to God, they are in times of extreme change.  And if I rely on God and focus on His plan (not my own), every life change can be a growing closer to Him.

This afternoon, we went for a walk/bike ride to Hobby Lobby (It's about 2 blocks away).  Now that Noel can ride a bike, he is light years faster than Elise, so I stayed back with Elise and told Noel to stop at each stop sign and wait for us.  And as he headed off further and further away, part of me was so excited for his new found freedom, and part of me was sad that time is moving so quickly.  I want my children to be present in every moment, not to wish their lives away, and to make memories.  That doesn't happen if I'm just focusing on how fast my kids are growing up or how I wish they could stay little forever.  It happens when I celebrate each milestone with them, as hard as that might be for a mom to see.

I read a book once that said our job as parents from day one is to help a child grow from being completely dependent upon you to being completely dependent upon God.  In order for the latter to happen, I must release my children, in faith, knowing that the One who made the stars can watch over my children much better than I can.

And so. . .

we roll on. . .

So much going on!

This past week has been a "crazy train" of events, as Noel would call it.  I would love to sit and write about all of it, but I'm not sure my brain has figured everything out.

Last Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, we showed the house, which meant keeping it as clean as possible and then getting the heck out of dodge--with the kids and the dog!  One day we ate lunch at Wendy's while the showing was going on, and I felt bad for poor Tee Dog sitting in the back of the van, so I poured my bottle of water into our little kid toilet in the back in case she needed a drink.  Then Noel proceeded to tell anyone who would listen at Wendy's about how we have a toilet in the van and our dog is drinking out of it.  Classy is the name of the game, folks!

The chaos continued as we packed up everything we needed (and about 100 things we didn't) to go tent camping for 4 days.  Yes, you read that right:  tent camping.  4 days.  A 5 year-old and a 3 year-old.  I'm not sure what I was thinking.

Yes, I do.

I was thinking that camping is so much fun for kids, and that we need to make memories like I did growing up.  But, let me tell you, I am exhausted.  The kids had a great time, though, so it was all worth it. They rode their bikes, played in dirt, made friends, walked trails, and swam.  They also proceeded to get yelled at a few (or 20) times by me for not getting along.  (And yes, the irony was not lost on me that I was screaming, "WHY CAN'T YOU JUST BE KIND TO EACH OTHER?!!!) It was not my finest moment(s).  I came home feeling pretty defeated in the mom area.

But the good news is that we have accepted an offer on our house.  We still have some hoops to jump through, but it looks very promising!

And now, we just have to find a house to live in next!  Ha!

We had picked out a house, but it wasn't meant to be, and so we are back at square one with about 6 weeks to get everything figured out.

Oh, and have I mentioned that David is going to Haiti in a few weeks?  Yeah, go ahead and throw that in the mix as well, just to keep things interesting!

But God is good, and we are blessed beyond measure, just along for the ride!