the next big thing

On April 17th I am hosting the MOPS Leadership Summit at College Heights Baptist Church. This is a simulcast experience and I am very excited to hear the women who will be speaking! Any woman who is interested in leadership, MOPS or non-MOPS is welcome to attend. Click the link on the right to register!

home is where your heart is...

I've described our living arrangements to a few people, but I want to post some pictures so it makes more sense. Basically, Matt's parents have this trailer attached to their home. When you step into their unheated entryway you can turn left and open the door to their house, or turn right and open the door to the trailer. At one point it provided more sleeping room for their 9 children, used as storage space, a showroom and office for their trophy business, and most recently a playroom and extra tv room for visiting grandchildren. It does not have plumbing. It consists of a large room and two smaller rooms. So we have turned the large room into a seperate living area. One of the smaller rooms into Carson and Tana's bedroom and the other into Hallies bedroom. Matt and I and Oliver sleep in two extra bedrooms in the house. We all share the 1.5 bathrooms in the house and the kitchen. I try to keep the kids out in the trailer as much as possible and do everything I can to keep from disrupting grandma and grandpa's daily routines.

There are some nice things like the grandparents getting to enjoy parts of the bedtime routine!

Is it Spring yet?

 

The week of packing up our home and the two weeks preceding that were in the 40s and sunny. The kids were wanting to play outside without snowgear and I think we had a legitimate reason to believe we were headed to spring. Since we were moving into such a confined space and renting a storage unit, I ended up packing a lot of our winter gear. BIG MISTAKE! We started out our new living arrangements with a bang -- blizzard. Now it is sunny again, but in the negatives. That's right, BELOW ZERO degrees! I miss my garage so much! God has definitely humbled me in this situation. I realize I have so much to be grateful for, I will try not to whine about my lack of garage again.

some videos for your enjoyment

So Long 48705 Runners...

 

Thanks for the memories!. Yes, we've sold our home. The new owners are moving boxes in as I type. I have mixed emotions, obviously. I have had a LOOOOOOOOOONG week of packing, moving, cleaning, and sinus infection. This was the first home we built together and the only home in which so much of my own blood, sweat, and tears will go into the construction. Now that I have four kids to manage, I won't be able to put in as much time on future building endeavors and we will have to pay others to help. We put the for sale sign out just a tad less than a year ago. This home was a blessing and a huge answer to prayer when God enabled us to build. Now, the sale of this home is also a huge answer to prayer and nothing short of miraculous. I know God's hand was in it. With the equity from this home, we will be able to pay off our student loans and some other debt we've accrued. I am excited to build another house and hopefully perfect the plan so I will be living in the model of efficiency! I am praying for land....more than an acre and not too far from church. Is that too much to ask for? :) For now, we are living with Matt's parents in Kasilof. An interesting set up....pictures to come! We are so grateful they are willing to allow us to stay and save money!

Little Man

 

 

 

 

Some pics of Ollie in the last month or so. I can't believe he will be one in a week! He is walking all over now. I need to upload a video of that. What a joy!

Girlfriends

 

Hallie and Brookie have spent the last three years growing up together in nursery, Sunday school, and MOPS. They are good friends! This is a playdate at our home.

Asleep

 

Yes, she fell asleep in one of her favorite spots -- in front of the fire. Even though it is rock.

Spa Day

We had spa day at MOPS and I felt my dear hubby should be pampered too. He was man enough to have his picture taken with his feet in a vibrating foot soak tub.