Looking, Part 3

Part 3 of "Where I’ve Been"

We struggled for a while about whether to put an offer on the place or not. But we had looked at so many other properties and nothing else in our target price range seemed to have what this place had. We eventually put in an offer…

which was rejected.

It was a relief in a way because we took that as God’s answer and started looking again.

Looked and prayed.

And kept coming back to the property on the hill.

Waiting, Part 2

Part 2 of "Where I've Been"

Part 1

I get a bit of a shudder inside honestly thinking back over the market months (almost a year's worth). Those were tough, tough months. I was reminded over and over of my desperate need of Jesus in those months, shown how very much I still need to grow, stretched almost beyond what I thought I was really capable of at times. 

I didn’t try to keep the house show-ready 24 hours of every day. I did try to keep it at the point where I could get it show ready in a few hours or less. What would happen though is however long I had to get ready for a showing, that’s how long it took me to get ready. Anywhere from 15 minutes to 24 hours, somehow it seemed to take right up to the last minute to get all the things put away, the kid's toilet clean and all the dishes in the dishwasher (or in a laundry basket hidden in the garage) and rush everyone out the door. I never quite had it “perfect.”

Dishes in the laundry basket to hide in the garage,
cleaning supplies, paint for touch-ups and -of course-
coffee. 

Where I've Been, Part 1

Well hello there.

I suppose I ought to tell why this space has been pretty quiet over the majority of the past year or more. Pretty quiet- there is that scrolling feed of pics over there showing little bits of our life through Facebook & Instagram. Only because of that has this space not been almost completely silent and neglected for so many months.

I’ll tell why. 

I started out planning to tell a condensed version, but even “condensed” I’m going to need to break it into more than one post. It is a story after all.

I- my husband and I & our children along with us-have been running after a dream.

I’m sure I’m not the only one who does this- tends to run hard after one thing at a time. Balance always has been a struggle. I latch onto one thing and want to pour everything into it, give it my all, not satisfied until…hmmmm, well until I’ve got it just about “perfect.” Perfection though is elusive and I end up just having to say “ok, it’s done. For now.” This happens over and over in my life and this past year and a half has been no exception.

The dream, an aspect or stepping stone of our overall dream for our life, that we've been chasing was our move. We have moved to “the country”. I’d call it semi-rural.

Driveway in springtime

My Dad

My Dad

Who can build a warm fire to heat the house he built for his family.

Who flew big airplanes and served his country.

Who carried mail down dusty, muddy, bumpy roads on a rural mail route.

Who drove a tractor and rode horses even when they weren't quite broke yet and branded cattle and unstuck vehicles and cut the big trees when they fell during the Louisiana storms.

Who came home from the mail route to read a book about something that needed fixing and then went to fix that thing.

A Story for Mother's Day

It has been a year since I last posted.

Mother’s Day a whole year ago.

Well, tonight I’m no longer waiting for an opportunity, I’m just jumping in and here we go…

A Mother’s Day Story

Or rather, a Story for Mother’s Day.

Mommy Resolution #16

Resolved 

to love my children 

by loving my husband.

Art by Joshua, my husband

"Then they [the older women] can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children"
Titus 2:4

{The rose was drawn at the center of a love note, a gift from my husband one Valentine's Day. He knows one of my favorite things is a handwritten note from him.}

This previous post explains a bit more about this resolution.

See previous resolutions here

The Getaway

My husband and I got to get away for a few days. We both needed it. I think the last time we went anywhere just the two of us was our anniversary, December 2009. We really needed a getaway.

I didn’t really have too many expectations for the trip except that I just knew I needed it. I needed a break. I really just focused on getting everything done, the kids packed and over to Grandma’s and us packed and on our way. I didn’t think very much past that point.

I did know one thing though. The trip needed to be about us. We both have plenty of things to pursue: books to read, things to study, think about, write, etc. but without even discussing it, we both kind of mentally laid all that aside. I checked in on Facebook one time. I glanced at my email maybe once. And that was it for social media. No Instagram. No blogging. I even stopped writing in my head.

We just focused on being together. It was like it was before- before the kids. Like it was back when we were newlywed and totally wrapped up in one another.
 

It was wonderful & just what we needed.

I think I took about 5 pictures. And they were all like this:

Mommy Resolution #15

Resolved  

to pray
before I
react.

to pray first,

in all things,

especially before I

"lose it".

Today I am Determined

not to lose it.

I am determined to not let disobedience & disrespect “get to me”.

Mommy Resolution #14

Resolved  

to make intentional decisions 
in how my children spend their time 
learning, 
playing 
& resting.

"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time..."
Ephesians 5:15-16a ESV 

See previous resolutions here