We're going "unplugged" for a little while...

We've decided to let our phone/internet/dish tv go for a while to save some money until the house sells.  It was a tough decision, but there are so many other more important things.  We just feel like this is the right thing to do.  We're going to try and visit the library once a week, so I will try and update the blog then.  I'm also going to keep a "blog" offline in a document on the computer.  I will miss checking in on other's blogs, but I will try and do that a little bit at the library.  Everything is going to be ok!  Hopefully we will sell the house soon!

Baby news...Our due date looks like it's going to be February 23rd.  We still can't believe how blessed we are to have the chance to have one more precious little one.  Asher has even started looking in my belly button for the "beebee"!  Ha!  Katie is just sure it's a girl and wants a sister so badly!

I guess I will sign off for a while...I know things will be ok.  God is faithful.

He's changing my mission and perspective...

I have lots of stuff churning in my mind this morning, and I just want to share some of it.  I have to confess...one week ago, before I took the pregnancy test, my mind was on one thing...selling this house.  Suddenly this week, things have changed.  I am focused more on being a mother, taking more time with Katie and Asher, making sure that they know I love them with all of my heart.  It's amazing how my perspective has changed in just one short week.  Last week I was obsessed with house/decor blogs, keeping up with the latest up-cycling craft, continuously changing around my growing garage sale milk glass collection, being just crazy with theories and schemes to sell the house.  Since then, I have just been feeling my spirit surrender and yield to the Lord, just feeling myself literally melt into the only One who can handle this.  Suddenly my prayers are not about the house, they are about His will, his desire for our family, praying for our little blueberry.  Nothing. Else. Matters.  Nothing, except God and his will for our lives.  I've gained this huge amount of clarity...this clear knowledge of my purpose...of being a mother, of being a wife, and of being a servant.  I feel calm.  It feels like a mission, one that only God could have given me.  We weren't trying to have another baby, but God knew that it was his plan for us.  He knows all about this.  He knows all about Katie and Asher, and their need for us to be Godly parents, he knows all about the desires of our hearts...which have changed immensely this week.  He knows everything, and the amazing part is that he loves us.  He LOVES us...He loves us...amazing...just completely amazing.

This morning as Kris and prayed together, we both just felt the Holy Spirit leading us to just completely surrender.  We prayed for our ears and eyes to be open to his plan for us. 

Thank you, Lord, so much for your Holy Spirit...please help us just to listen for you, to listen for your still small voice.  Please help us see opportunities for your will to be done.  Please keep our hearts WIDE open to YOU, and to you only.  In Jesus' Name.

All to Jesus I surrender;


All to Him I freely give;

I will ever love and trust Him,

In His presence daily live.

Refrain:

I surrender all,

I surrender all;

All to Thee, my blessed Savior,

I surrender all.

All to Jesus I surrender;

Humbly at His feet I bow,

Worldly pleasures all forsaken;

Take me, Jesus, take me now.

All to Jesus I surrender;

Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;

Let me feel the Holy Spirit,

Truly know that Thou art mine.

All to Jesus I surrender;

Lord, I give myself to Thee;

Fill me with Thy love and power;

Let Thy blessing fall on me.

All to Jesus I surrender;

Now I feel the sacred flame.

Oh, the joy of full salvation!

Glory, glory, to His Name!

Updates...

Baby Stuff...We have a doctor's appt. with our OB/GYN on Friday, July 23rd.  She's on vacation this week, so we had to wait until the first available appointment next week.   Jenny, Dr.'s nurse asked me if I had begun taking prenatal vitamins, and asked if everything seemed to be going ok.  Jenny was with us all throughout our pregnancy with Asher, so she knows a little bit of history of our years of trying, etc.  She was excited for us. Having an appointment makes it seem so much more real.  I'm feeling ok.  I have had just tiny little bouts of nausea, and have had little cramps here and there...those scare me so much, but I know that every pregnancy is different.  I had those little cramps with Katie and Asher, but I was much sicker with both of them by this point.  I'm just praying that things are ok in there...it's difficult to imagine loving another little someone as much as I do Katie and Asher...but I already do...I love this little tiny blueberry!

House Stuff...We are trying to decide whether to lower the price on our house again.  One of the houses in our price range on the next block sold, so I still have hope that maybe our house might be right for someone.  They moved to a larger house here in town, and I saw them moving today.  I have to admit that I was a tiny bit jealous, and even teared up just a little bit (pregnancy hormones, I'm completely sure!).  I just want our house to sell so badly.  We have a number in our head that would allow us to pay off our mortgage, pay the commission, pay the closing costs, and pay off our lawnmower that we bought for the new house.  It's $3K less than our asking price now, but I am just not sure if we should drop the price or not.  We've been sort of praying about the price change, and I pray all of the time about selling the house...I know that God has the divine plan.  I just wonder how this measily house selling business could be important to him with so many much more important needs happening all around us.  I know HE is infinite...and has limitless capabilities...I just wish I knew what will be happening with our house.  We talked to Marilyn about a time frame or deadline of when we would need to know about renting her home or not renting it.  She has asked that she be able to move forward with other plans at the end of the year if we're not out there.  She has been amazingly generous and patient with us.  We know that has been a huge gift from God!  Things will work out someday, and I am so ready and anxious for that day!

Summer Stuff...Katie is going to VBS in Tyro this week, and has Missionary Fun Day, and FaithWeaver Friends this week too, busy, busy, BUSY!  I think I am going to take the kids to Big Hill Beach tomorrow.  We just need to get out of the house.  It's only $1 for each adult and kids 12 and under are free...so for a little bit of gas, and $1 we can go play in the sand and water.  Asher has never been to the beach before, so it might just be a great big adventure for him.  I think I will pack the cooler full of cold fruit and water bottles, with some homemade chocolate chip cookies and maybe a couple peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.  And of course...I will definitely bring the camera!  Maybe it will be fun to get out for the day!

Well...we have some news...

A couple of days ago we learned that we are going to be a family of FIVE!  We're so excited, feel so incredibly blessed!  It was a complete and total surprise blessing!  After several years of infertility between Katie and Asher, God has blessed us twice more, with Asher and this new little one!  We are in awe.  Suddenly the concerns of selling the house, figuring our our financial situation, and everything else that has been bothering us is fading to the background in the light of this incredible news.  We're only about 7 weeks along, so please pray with us that our littlest pea is healthy and growing good in there. 

Katie just got home from camp at Ochelata.  She had a great time, and was nominated for Camper of the Year!  She is crazy happy about a new baby, and keeps kissing and hugging my stomach!  Asher doesn't know what to think.  He doesn't seem to understand.  By the time the baby is born in late February or early March, he will be almost 3, so maybe he will be able to understand then.  We're just so excited!  We can't even believe it!

Steadfast...

My heart is steadfast, O God,
my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and make music.
Awake, my soul!
Awake, harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.
I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples.
For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth.
Psalm 57:7-11

I want to be steadfast, and KNOW that God is soverign, that he has everything under control, but I'm struggling today.  Lord, renew a steadfast spirit within me, create in me a clean heart, one that is open to your hope!  I really, really want to sell our house, we need to sell it.  I just want to so badly.. I know he knows the desires of our hearts, and he knows the plans he has for us...plans to give us hope and a future...plans not for disaster.  I know these things in my mind, because I've read them in the Bible, which is TRUE, but my heart is just deflated today.  Please, Lord, please renew my faith.

Another Autumn-like July day!

Today it is raining cats and dogs!  It's so rainy and cool and just so pretty outside!  Today my friend Pam took me to lunch for my birthday.  We went to King's Coffee Co. in Dearing, and it was so yummy!  I had tomato basil soup and a grilled cheese with cheddar and provolone...YUM!  I also had two cups of Jamaica Me Crazy coffee...I may not sleep tonight!  Ha!  It was so good, and Pam and I had a nice visit!  I think the rainy cool weather just made the soup and coffee taste 20 times better than usual! 

I was thinking today about how blessed I am.  Even though we're struggling a little financially now, it's just amazing to me that we're able to make it...to pay all of our bills, and I'm a stay at home mom.  Two years ago, I decided to work part time, to be able to stay home with Asher, 6 months ago, I was laid off.  I never imagined that it would be possible for me to be home.  I'm still not sure what's going to happen in a few months, but God knows...and he has it under control!  I remember while I was working full time I would drive by people's houses on days like today, rainy and dark outside, lamps lit and cozy looking inside...I was so envious of those who were able to be home.  God knows the desires of our hearts, and even just those little simple blessings, of being at home, of having a candle burning, and feeling cozy!  HE is the GIVER of these things...and I'm so thankful!

This July day feels like FALL!

It's been totally rainy and cool outside today...and I LOVE it.  I have my cinnamon candle burning in the kitchen, the kids are snuggled under blankets watching a movie, and Kris is taking a nap!  It would be nice if we could be outside in the sunshine doing some fireworks, but I love these kind of days just as well!

Stars and Stripes!

I wanted to wish everyone a Happy Independence Day with some cute photos of my kids happily smiling but "someone" wasn't having it!  He had a major cow when it came time to take some pictures...he wanted to keep playing in the water!  So we finally let him loose to go splash some more...maybe we'll get those pictures in front of the flag some other time!  Ha!

While they were playing in the water, I took some pictures of the porch. 

I will miss this porch when we move...we have spent lots of time playing out here...it's nice and shady, and the concrete is nice and smooth for sidewalk chalk, hotwheels cars and tricycles! 

I think that's all for now...hope everyone has a happy Independence Day!

July 1

It's July 1st, and it was 68 degrees this morning...wonderful!  It's so beautiful outside.  We're heading out to the new house to mow and take down wallpaper today.  I think I'm going to let Katie do some smoke balls and snakes while we're hanging out there today.  I love the 4th of July! 

Katie has her last softball game tonight.  She enjoyed it this year, but the team didn't do too well.  They lost every game. :o(  But, she learned a lot, and had fun!  She especially loved learning the little softball cheer, Big Bad Katie, Rip one down the middle...ha!  She is a good encourager of the other little girls...she cheers them on from the outfield!  Bless her heart!

We still haven't sold our house...and there are times when I just can't stand the anxiety of waiting, but I know God has a plan.  He knows all about this.  He knows the desires of our hearts.  He knows what lies ahead.  I'm so thankful for this!

I think that's all for today!