Solutions

When we bought our house my biggest holdback was the front entrance, or lack of one. Our house faces an elementary school and sometimes busy two lane road. To compensate for this the builder made the homes to have alley driveways. While this gave us a great sized backyard, tons of privacy ( the alley backs up to a wooded green space- not other houses) it also took away something super important to me: a welcoming front entry for my guests. I LOVE having people over so this has been a huge adjustment for me. Another complication to our back door entrance is that to optimize patio space we had a gate to the fenced yard put in at right angles from the garage. We needed the entire yard fenced so that our kids can play safely. So now when people come over they have to park behind our house and decide if its ok to come in the gate. Ugh. Not a great situation for someone who loves hosting as much as I do. 

My awesome hubby spent some time with me at the construction store this weekend and we came up with a couple of solutions- what do you think? 

This my friends is a DOORBELL! Did you know you can buy them for 15$? The inside part just plugs into an outlet. I bought two of the plaques ( the second ill show you in a second). Then I spray painted both this fun blue that matches our outdoor furniture. The doorbell button for outside I just hot glued on and put a frame around for stability. In theory the black painted part above the bell is chalkboard paint. I think mines gotten too old but I'm going to try writing on it after it cures. Now my guests can say " I'm here!" Without the weird. 

Another issue we have is that every fence is identical on our block.  There are house numbers on the back of the house above our garage door but NO ONE sees them. The second plaque got a set of numbers and voila! That's my house! Hopefully this warms things up a bit. Come on over! 

Simply Home {room for supers}

We are in! We have all our belongings in our new home and I am head first into the boxes. My goal when we move anywhere is to get the kids rooms situated as quickly as possible. They need their stuff where they can find it so the transition is as smooth as possible. New houses are confusing enough without their rooms feeling unfamiliar. ( Sy woke up and got lost the first two nights we were here. Nothing like finding your baby bawling in the kitchen in the dark at two in the morning.) This morning I got the final picture hung in the littles room and it is finished! This is my favorite room I've ever done and am so happy with how it turned out!

Paint: Behr brand Cumberland Fog
Curtains: eclips kids thermal panels that I sewed and extra piece on.
Bedding: pottery barn Batman and Captain America sheets. Flannel quick quilts by Meme Simply.

Settling

We officially opened out last box today. All the boxes are OUT of the house. Most items are at least somewhere close to where they need to be. This house has some great details. The overall feel is exactly our personality. The master bathroom is amazing ( as amazing as you can get in this price range). BUT there are some issues. We had walk in closets before- in every bedroom. This house has none. All the closets are shallow. The extra space is a fourth room which is great because we have an office now, but it has definitely been a challenge finding a spot for everything. The linen closet is holding all of my china and extra appliances. The little boys dresser ( my moms when she was a little girl) is now serving double duty as a dining room buffet. There is a stack of extra blankets and comforters that have no where to live. I'm sure eventually I'll get all this stuff into places, but then what? We signed a 9 month lease. The owners want to get this house SOLD. In six months I have to be willing to let house be shown. Option "a" is to buy it ourselves. Which is completely doable. Option "b" is to buy something else. I like the idea of knowing what we are getting. But at the same time I wonder is there something better? The very thought of moving again makes me want to punch my own face. My wrists are swollen and fingers all carpal tunnely numb. I have cardboard paper cuts in between many of my fingers. But more than that I just want to be settled. I want to not have to question. Where do I live? Decisions have to be made like do we or do we not accept an incredible gift from my parents in my sisters old bunk bed. Is it worth the drama of moving it here just to move it again? Do I buy new curtains or stick with the old? Does it matter if the gate gets repaired? is there room here to adopt a baby girl? Should I buy a second dresser or just stick with plastic tubs? Exhausting. All this effort centered around stuff. It was almost easier when we knew our homes had no potential to be permanent. It is easier to trust God to lead us blindly than when we have our eyes set on our own destination. Maybe instead of house I should be thinking home. Maybe service and budget and space and boys should be More important than curtain color or parking.
I was convicted tonight of being too hard on my boys. I've been mean this week. Yesterday I said something flip to Lucas about not wanting any more children because they all turn five. It was awful. Balin heard and was convinced it meant I did not want him anymore. I've ignored them and set them in front of movies for too long. So tomorrow we start making this house a home. And this time it has nothing to do with boxes and nails and cardboard. It's time I start showing my boys the same kindness and encouragement I show everyone else around me. So if you don't see me on Facebook or on here know I'm busy HOME making.

Foundations

We applied on a whim yesterday to get Pre approved for a house. There's no word yet but we are 99.9% expecting a no! Followed by Cruella Deville laughter. If you've heard the phrase long shot.... Yes indeed this would be that. We fully embrace where we are in life and what we have been through and the debt we acquired. Our educations are important to us and valuable even if they make home ownership seem like something only other people get to have. Really we are ok with that. We've moved so often that it's a good thing we've rented so far, and renting has helped us know what we want when that elusive dream can become a reality.
In the meantime though I struggle with contentment. Not owning our home puts most choices out of our control such as That dripping faucet... That weird color on that wall... Why THIS tile?...That stupid shower door..( whoever invented impossible to clean -horrible with children - sliding shower doors should get their own special punishment. Seriously. I couldn't hate them more. ). Anyway... It's easy for me to get caught up in what I don't have, which would be a problem if I owned my house too I'm sure. The reality is even when we "own" our homes, if we trust the bible then we know nothing really belongs to us. It's not permanent. We can't take it with us.
I long to be like Abraham. To abandon the worldly stuff and trust God to set my feet in the land he provides. The closest old Abe got to owning his place in the promised land was the cave he was buried in. But he was ok without a mansion here on earth. The verse I'm hanging my hat on these days that helps me align value with our temporary living situations is Hebrews 11: 9-10 "By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Issac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. (10) For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, who's architect and builder is God. " Oh that God would be my architect and that my dreams of blueprints would be for building his kingdom, not my earthly dwelling.

If home is where the Heart is what happens when your heart is torn?

Tonight I've spent what feels like the last 20 years browsing homes to rent online. It's been frustrating finding some we like but are not available and then feeling like we just really need to be there to get a better understanding. I even came across a friends home from when we lived there before. It's kinda my dream house. It's blue. It has dark cabinets and a giant bathroom. It is directly across the street from a pool and playground In a super clean community with sidewalks.( It is also well above our price limit.) It's such a strange feeling though having this giant question mark over our heads and then seeing that home... The one where we dropped our boys off early in the morning on our way to the hospital to meet Silas. The home we spent every Wednesday night celebrating great community and fellowship. We spent a Seder there and our last evening before we moved sat in that living room and cried over our transitions away from there as we were prayed over by a room full of Jesus loving college students. It was a home full of grace and a sweet place for us in our memories. It will be strange to not return to it to visit our friends, but I have faith God will bring them a buyer or renter quickly as I am sure they are praying for that fervently. It makes me wonder what else will have changed and where will we fit? I was limited when we were there before being pregnant and Lucas being away with work so much. This will be different. I'll be able to reach out more, serve more, love more with our home. This waiting part is difficult. I know He has a plan. I know there are options. I guess I'm just eager to begin. I wonder who I'll bring over to fellowship with first. Who will I make coffee for? Who will be sitting at that table and what will the wall color be, and will it be as sweet as before? As sweet as now? Will my heart ever accept its many homes and places? Could it be a home is something more than walls and tables~A sum of a persons joy over years and miles? I imagine heaven and the banquet table. How wonderful to have all the pieces of my heart together and feasting in our Lords presence. For now I'm just squeezing in a few more chairs at this moving table.
Thank you for reading this blog. I feel like my readers are a true part of this story. You are welcome at this table as I flounder though the journey He has written. Thank you for bearing witness to His work in me and for sharing and encouraging me through this journey.

The Last Homely House

Ayden, Lucas and I are reading The Hobbit this summer. The movie comes out this winter and I wanted ayden to experience the book first. Written for children as an accompaniment piece to his Lord of the Rings series, Tolkien does magic with words in this book. The adventure begins right away and by chapter three the thirteen dwarves and Bilbo the hobbit have experienced enough excitement that they need a short rest. Gandalf, the wise wizzard, leads them to "the valley of Rivendell where Elrond lives in the Last Homely House." in describing their stay Tolkien tell us


"Now it is a strange thing, but things that are good to have and days that are good to spend are soon told about, and not much to listen to; while things that are uncomfortable , palpitating, and even gruesome, may make a good tale, and take a deal of telling anyways. They stayed a long time in that good house, fourteen days at least, and they found it hard to leave. Bilbo would gladly have stayed there for ever and ever... Yet there is little to tell of their stay."

I feel like our stay here in this sweet community; in this blessing of a house has been our visit with Elrond. It was not by chance we found this home on this street with this layout and these rooms and these colors in this school district in this city. We've been able to host parties and watch children and love on our community with our hospitality- my most favorite way to love Gods people. I may not be able to give you answers, or fix your car, or find you a job, or explain theology, but I can make you a cake and pour you a cup of tea and pray. The laughter in these rooms will stay with me like the Elven songs stay with Bilbo. And like Mr. Baggins, I could stay here for ever and ever. The adventure calls to us though so with longing hearts we pack up our ponies. If you've been a part of our story here know that you were part of the refreshment for us. The rest we needed before God sets our feet on what will be a long climb before us. We take you with us in our hearts, in our song as we travel " over the Misty Mountains to the land beyond."

The announcement... And no, not a baby

WE ARE MOVING! {AGAIN}


We got the news a few weeks ago, but needed to wait for Ayden to get home before going completely public with it. I could not be prouder to tell you that after seven years of marriage, five moves, two births, and a layoff .... Lucas was just promoted into a district management position with his company :). While this means some changes to his day to day work we are most excited that this position means we can look longer term. We can expect a five year stay in this position. Can I hear a woo-hoo?! Or maybe let's make that a whoop! Because we are moving.... Back to where we moved here from! College station, Texas. Otherwise known as Aggie land. We are broken hearted to leave the sweet sweet family we have here in Victoria. I turn into a sopping pile of what used to be Meme whenever I think too much about the goodbyes. But we know we serve a good God and his plan for us is best. This is a situation where we either take this transfer or suffer the consequences. We are happy to take it :). It feels great to not question the open door in front of us.

Our next steps involve waiting on HR to get their act together and then finding a place to rent. Again, trusting God to take care of the details. However things turn out we are expecting This to all happen by about August 20th. Hold on to your hats y'all!


Let's remember on of our favorite places... Free birds. Can't wait for the yummies.

Simply:: {fixes}

Notice the major change to the blog today? What, you cant see it? Really? well of course you cant. The change is that I am typing on my laptop, curled up on my couch with my babies tucked into the couch watching a movie beside me. This, my friends, is my favorite place to blog... but for over a 18 months its been an impossibility. One day I was sitting on my laptop and it started beeping at me. Then it turned itself off. When it came back on it asked me for a password. Say what? A password. No idea where to go with that we asked around and no one seemed to have any ideas. Then Silas was born, we moved and my poor laptop found a home in the back of the closet, awaiting a rescuer. {Enter} our new church and the swarm of men who go there and also happen to work with computers for the local college. Not that we are opportunists or anything but my darling husband convinced one of them to give it a go and see if they could fix it. This same person had sent out a request for computers and parts recently so I figured he could try, realize it was hopeless and then use the parts for himself. I was hoping I would at least get my files and pictures out of the deal. Never did I expect to actually be able to use it again! So honestly, I'm a Little overwhelmed. There is so much I've wanted to blog about, but the thought of sitting at my horrible desktop that is super slow and frustrating was not appealing. I tried to blog from my phone and that was not happening.
     So we'll start here.. back with community fixing our needs. How many times has this happened before? We move and argue with God and seek our own community for  a year or so.. then we obey and voila. Community. It happened in Shreveport, and in  College Station and has happened again.We moved here, immediately searched for PCA churches,visited, and then immediately decided to go to the giant church instead. Why do I do this? Why do I think my methods of finding community are so much better than His? While I did make some friends, and learned that Beth Moore does have something to offer to even the reformed, we were not growing the roots necessary for spiritual growth nor were finding opportunity to serve. So back to the PCA and immediate community. We love this small body of eager believers. We love being able to ask for help, even for long lost laptops... and find it. I've been able to have ladies over for coffee,host a Christmas party and get to meet weekly with women more eager to search the word and encourage one another than to whine about circumstances and gossip about those who aren't there. We are finding fellowship as a family with other similarly aged families, and at the same time learning from older families and seeing opportunities to bless younger ones.  Loneliness, fixed. Spiritual plateau, by Gods Grace fixed. {Computer, fixed}.

Hows about a few photo gems that are no longer locked in the dark abyss of a broken laptop... Oh I've missed these!

Settling in

We took a big step this weekend and started visiting churches. I was given some great advice many years ago not to church shop, but to pick somewhere and plug in and serve. Church is about the body and how we can can serve the Gospel, not about what church does for us. It isnt the ammenities, its the needs you can fill. So we went to the local PCA church first. Because we KNOW any PCA church has great accountability and solid foundations in reformed, acurate, biblical practice. Everyone was kind. The service is at a great time. The pastor was genuine. I felt some of my old sinful desires creeping in though.... music is at a minimum in most PCA churches. Its about the gospel, not the show. But I have a huge heart for musical worship. So we'll see. I loved the diversity though. Its a tiny church, but there were people off all ages from great grammas to teens. There was only a handful of kids, but again its quality not quantity right? Ayden loved it. We were invited to Thanksgiving dinner with the church on Sunday. We may or may not go. Again.. we'll see :-). I am officially unpacked. I even have most of my pictures hung. I'm sure I will be shifting and adjusting until we move out again, but for now I'm plased:-). We aer still praying for friends.. for all of us! Balin keeps asking to see his sweet friend K. He needs a buddy soon! And I need someone to come sip coffee in my awesome sitting room!

The Here and Now.. and Where and When

It looks like Wednesday is the big day! Today the moving company surveyor came by to take inventory of our house. He answered some big questions and was very helpful. He also acted like we really don't have much to move. Good.. I think! The theory is that they will call Tuesday evening and tell me what time they will arrive Wednesday morning. On Wednesday the packers will get everything ready and the loaders will do their thing as well. We have yet to be given a date to expect our belonging to get "home" but I'm guessing since people keep saying "get us moved by the 22nd" that on Friday our stuff will get there. We hope! I'm planning on sticking around Thursday long enough for Aydens field trip to the news station (cool! wish I could go on it!) and then its adios College Station. I never ever ever in 1000 years, or at least my own 29 thought I would feel this good about Aggie Land and actually NOT want to leave. In high school I had such hostile feelings for A&M and actually all Texas public schools that I crossed three three state lines to get to Colorado.  I am so grateful that God blessed me with deep enough friendships here that I am sad to leave them. The Michael W smith song "Friends" came on earlier and as old and sappy and cliche as it had become.. I listened to it... and teared up. Oh New Life you have blessed us. What a sweet sweet family you have and we are grateful to have been a part of it. And my lovely Aggie friends... I'm kinda sorta starting to get it. There is something special here. It isnt the creepy chants or obnoxious traditions or really stupid code words for warnings. (Seriously.. if you want people to know theres a tornado.. try TORNADO warning. Then we might actually pay attention).  It isnt the hoity toity academics.. although we know you all ARE certainly smarty pants. Nope.. all of that is beyond me. Its something about character. Something I cant even get my head around. Its the young men at the hair salon who dont even flinch when my two year old tries to climb in their lap to read a magazine. Its the cashiers at the grocery store.. who actually help. (It isnt any of you driving. You all are really really bad and scary drivers). Its the gals who want to help and get to know you and your kids (without being paid to do so). Its the students who live in every house behind me that I never ever hear. (Thank you for letting families sleep). And even though I find the color choice an almost painful shade of.. what is that anyway? I will miss you all. Especially the New Life aggies. From now on I consider myself a loyal Aggie fan sympathiser. And made one tiny purchase of indoor only clothing for my children.. not myself... to prove it :-).

Life... in motion

Lucas started his new job officially on Monday. They worked him hard all week and he will be on his way home soon today for a much needed weekend to catch his breath and get his bearings. The new company seems to be sorta like going from levis to a private designer label jeans. the fit is awesome... but completely different. For example, before they worked two weeks shifts with a three day break, everyone staggered out in different directions. There were five engineers under a manager. Here there are three engineers, and one of them is the manager. They work a five day work weeks and take weekends "off"... "off " meaning Sundays might be spent writing job proposals, and saturday mornings might be finishing Fridays work, but typically Friday night Lucas will get to come home and stay until Monday morning! Now the five days will be long and hard and unplannable, but to be able to atempt to make plans for each weekend is awesome! In this industry thats a feat! Also, the majority of his jobs will be close to home which lowers travel time, which increases home time. So all in all everything is going well! I have quite a to do list for myself. I need to get Ayden enrolled in his new school, get all my utilities set up and find out if my stuff in storage in shreveport got destroyed by the flooding this week or not. I need to reserve a uhaul... a big giant expensive one, and possibly open up a new bank account because we had to go with a LA bank while we were there and would like to get back to a normal, nationwide one soon. My brain is also going 100 miles an hour daydreaming about where to put my (hopefully not water logged) furniture in our NEW HOUSE. Its actually not new, and not really mine because were renting.. but we signed an 18 month lease so I get to claim it for a while! It has an incredble backyard for a patio home... lots of decks, some lawn and a lime tree... and chilli pepper and jalepeno plants just for fun. It has a great layout with the living room on the opposite side of the house from the bedrooms and a giant kitchen area. It has a few flaws because it was once PRIME real estate.. in 1985. Flaws as in this: my new bathtub.

Liz is in China picking up Mei!! check out her website at http://www.bringingmeihome.blogspot.com/ Lucas started his new job this week. We are still in Houston while he trains, but will be heading up to Bossier City in just a couple of weeks! Ayden is so excited he askes me every day if today is the day. I feel so blessed right now with everything falling into place. Thank You Lord for your provision.