another dream fulfilled!

Since long before we moved, I've been wishing for a loveseat to place by the fireplace. A place to sit, cuddle, read, and talk. I've had a certain vision in my head for these many months, and last weekend, my dream was fulfilled.

Thank you, Craigslist!

a letter to my house

Dear New House,

I'm sorry I haven't had much time for you lately. I miss you, even though that may sound crazy. I mean, we see each other all the time. We do spend a lot of time together, after all. But quantity doesn't necessarily equal quality, I do know that.

And when I can, I really enjoy working on our relationship. The whole "quality time" thing. I have a definite sense that quality time may be your love language, and I'm so sorry if you're feeling neglected.

I adore you, I really do. And I'm looking forward to a time when I'll be able to do more for you. Treat you the way you deserve to be treated. Buy you presents, give your walls a coat or two.

But right now, I've got other things on my mind.

See, I've got these four precious little people to care for. And it may be hard for you to hear, but they're my priority at the moment. They have all these needs. They need to be fed regularly. They need baths, hands washed, faces wiped. They need their clothes tended to. They need instruction. They really need to be taught to put things away when they're done.

They need to be taught about Jesus.

And they need to be read to. Played with. Held, cuddled. Loved.

So you see, Dear New House, there just isn't much time for you right now. But I haven't forgotten you. I'm just being selective about how I spend my time. After all, I have priorities.

I guess you'll just have to get in line.

new lot photos

I promise not to subject you to photos each and every week. But we stopped by the lot again last night, and were so excited to see the progress that's been happening on the house.





It was such a beautiful evening, and we were glad to spend part of it at our future home. How exciting for our boys (and us, too) to be able to watch the house's progression as time goes by.

apartment living

So....we've taken the leap. We are now -- currently-- apartment-dwellers: something we haven't been for 7 1/2 years. All it not yet unpacked, by a long shot. And of course, it won't be. There's far too much to fit inside our tiny little place. Many of our belongings (furniture, keepsakes, kitchenware) is sitting in our two rented storage spaces.

And here we are. The boys are loving it, I think. Benjamin and Kyle are clearly happy to have their bunk beds back, along with some toys which haven't seen the light of day for months on end. Owen has his own room, but gleefully toddles into his brothers' bedroom whenever he has a chance. He has so much fun hanging out in there, playing with his brothers' toys, and just being with them.

All three boys have been sleeping like champions since we moved in, which is more than I'd ever asked for or imagined. Especially considering that we're on the ground floor, and that the boys' bedrooms are out next to the parking lot: so they're potentially exposed to the noise of people passing by, etc., as well as vehicles coming and going. What a gift their sweet sleep is!

Jeff and I, I must tell you, are struggling a bit. Not with each other...we're just somehow feeling very low about our new living arrangements. Everything feels crowded, and we still have boxes of things which we'd like to be here with us, but have no good place to put them. We're facing a new round of "Do you know where the ________ is?" It's very frustrating, and often the items are fairly important - recently missing was Benjamin's soccer uniform (the season's first game is Saturday...Jeff found it, thank goodness!). This is a minor example, I know. But this kind of thing contributes heavily to our morale.

Also, many things seem to be going wrong - the case in point being the theft of our van's CD player, as well as the family camera (as I mentioned in Monday's post). Jeff's car is not working right now, and we have no idea when it will be running again. We're receiving help of various kinds from our friends and wonderful church family. Yet we find that we are living with a sense of "...what will happen next?"

I hesitated to even write this post, because I don't want to come across as complaining. We are very blessed, and we know it. We're incredibly excited about the new house in January...it's just that January seems to be so far away. And there's this foreboding sense of "...what could go wrong with that?" Still, I decided to go ahead and write it, after all, for two reasons. First, I wanted to let you know how we are, now that the (first) move is over. But secondly and most importantly, I wanted to ask you to pray for us. It seems clear to me that we are under spiritual attack. We're holding on, but we're discouraged. So if you think of it, please keep us in your prayers. We truly covet them.

We're getting there, though. I'm getting back into the swing of things in my tiny little kitchen. I believe it is doing our hearts and bodies good to have nourishing food on a more consistent basis. And our family is in the midst of a very busy few weeks; hopefully once we're past that time, we'll be able to relax and breathe a bit better.

We are so thankful that the sale of "our" house did close, and for all we have to look forward to. Jeff and I are grateful for good health, a lovely pregnancy, and easygoing children. So as we begin this new chapter of our marriage, we're reminding ourselves to count our blessings. Because we are so, so blessed. We do know that.

if these walls could speak

This is the house we bought seven and a half years ago. We were childless, untried. In a sense, we were just starting out - even though we had been married for five years. But oh, the memories which have filled these spaces since that March day in 2002....

Special dinners, quiet lunches. A baby's first spoon foods, a toddler's selective eating. Laughter, nonsensical jokes, company, tears, love.

A son was brought home here, two days old. Later, two more sons were born in this very room. They made their way into this world, and blinked around with their new eyes.

Tender moments. Babies sleeping in the bassinet near my bed. Learning to parent, learning about life. Joy, grief, mourning turned to dancing.

Sleepy times, lullabies. Croupy nights. Stories and disastrous diapers.

Fort-building. Legos. Music, dancing. Fighting, tickling.

First forays into real cooking. The smell of chicken roasting, and of almonds drying. Success, failures, nourishment. My domain.

This place has been so good to us. It holds countless memories, which I will keep, forever, in my heart. So much has happened here , moments come and gone.

I am thankful that our first house was a true home.



If These Walls Could Speak
(as performed by Amy Grant)

If these old walls,
If these old walls could speak
Of the things that they remember well,
Stories and faces dearly held,
A couple in love
Livin’ week to week,
Rooms full of laughter,
If these walls could speak.

If these old halls,
If hallowed halls could talk,
These would have a tale to tell
Of sun goin’ down and dinner bell,
And children playing at hide and seek
from floor to rafter,
If these halls could speak.

They would tell you that I’m sorry
For bein’ cold and blind and weak.
They would tell you that it’s only
That I have a stubborn streak,

If these walls could speak.
If these old fashioned window panes were eyes,
I guess they would have seen it all--
Each little tear and sigh and footfall,
And every dream that we came to seek
Or followed after,
If these walls could speak.

They would tell you that I owe you
More than I could ever pay.
Here’s someone who really loves you;
Don’t ever go away.
That’s what these walls would say.

They would tell you that I owe you
More than I could ever pay.
Here’s someone who really loves you;
Don’t ever go away.
That’s what these walls would say.

That’s what these walls would say.

That’s what these walls would say.

the done deal

After months of attempts, toil, patience, excitement, disappointment, and pessimism laced with optimism, it is over.

We have sold our house!

All the parties involved have signed the required paperwork. It's official - we are no longer homeowners! I'd be dancing a jig and sipping champagne if I weren't expecting a baby.

As if I have time to sip champagne.

As if I have time to be blogging!

Tomorrow we begin the move: the next time I post, it shall be from a small but cozy 3-bedroom apartment.

Can you believe it?!

the moving saga: plan E

We've had a few new developments in our moving saga this week. Midway through we learned that the appraiser would not agree to change his numbers at all. This was incredibly frustrating after waiting for two weeks to hear. There was a very good chance that this sale would fall through, as well - yet we held on, prayed, and hoped that a compromise could be reached.

And it has been! Obviously it's not exactly as we had hoped, but it's enough for us to sell this house and get out, for crying out loud. This house has been very good to us, and we've made some amazing memories, but for the last few months it's begun to feel rather like an albatross. And we are so ready to be rid of it.

So, a new price has been agreed upon, and papers have been signed accordingly. Also new: a planned closing date. August 14th. So that would be in, say, 6 days.

Um, yikes.

Nevertheless, we are getting back into packing mode. Even though we have opened a few boxes in the past few months, the vast majority of it is still packed. Things are in motion for us to begin moving into an apartment that same day. Thankfully, we do have a few days after closing before we need to vacate our house, but I want to be as prepared as I can. The sooner we put this chapter behind us, the better.

All the same, I wonder if I will really believe it until that last form has its signature...

another hiccup

Against all odds, we seem to be hitting another snag in the journey to a new home. This one involves a ridiculously low appraisal. Our buyers will not be able to get financing to meet the price we agreed to, when the house was valued at such a price.

The current plan is an appeal. Our realtor was able to access the appraisal which was done in April (with our original attempted buyers), and this new appraiser has a week to reconsider his numbers. This will likely mean a renegotiation of the price of the home. We'll find out next week, I suppose.

Regardless, nothing will be closing on July 31st.

For some reason I had held back from making any more preparations to move, in spite of the fact that as far as I knew, we would be relocating in just over a week. Some would call that procrastination, but I'm thankful for it at the moment. It tempers the "roller coaster effect," at least a bit.

So for now we're back in more waiting. Thankful for the house we have to live in now, but hoping it will truly sell this time around. And praying that we won't lose another home with which we've fallen in love.

This is all incredibly frustrating. The process of attempting to sell our home has turned our entire summer upside down. Nay, most of the year. I'm just hoping that it will be worth it, in the end.

As Jeff and I keep reminding one another: The Big Picture. The Big Picture.

I'm just wondering if God's view of the big picture is the same as ours....we appreciate your prayers! Please continue to pray for us. Thank you, friends.

the current plan

***UPDATE*** The building company accepted our offer! We're on! Yippeeeee!



At last we have a plan in place now, for where we'll eventually be living. Our future home.

Yesterday we started the process of having a home to be built for us. It's not far from here; the neighborhood is actually quite close to the house we had planned by move into last April. So yesterday, kids in tow, we chose a lot, wrote a check, and signed a large stack of papers.

The office where all the business took place is actually a model home. And that model home is nearly the exact floor plan that we've ordered. The only difference is that we've chosen to extend the upstairs loft, making it a full 2nd story. That's the main reason why we brought the boys - so they could see what it would be like. They behaved very well, exploring and eventually settling down in the family room to watch a DVD. (Yes, it's a fully furnished and exquisitely decorated model home!) Jeff's parents also decided to join us, largely to see the floor plan - but they also watched the boys while we signed all those papers. It was so helpful to have them there. The model home had no shortage of breakable decor...not exactly a good site for a wrestling match.

We had a fun time going through our list of available options (read: upgrades) and deciding what we did and didn't want - or rather, opted not to put onto the total count. I feel really good about our choices, and that we had a good balance of practicality and comfort. Now we just need to finalize an agreement on the price with the building company, and we're good to go. That should be accomplished within the next few days.

The thought of a new house - our house, designed and appointed as we will it - is, well, thrilling.

However, there is a small hitch. It won't be ready until January.

This is not good news for the pregnant lady. Not to mention that she's a pregnant lady who's been living out of suitcases and boxes for several months now. The pregnant lady whose official due date is January 28th. Not great news at all.

Still, I am choosing (reminding myself, again and again) to look at the big picture. The house we want, the yard we want, at a price we can afford. We love this unbuilt home: in fact, we love it more than the other house, the one we were planning to buy in April. I am hoping that this is God's plan for us, the reason that He allowed all that heartache and stress.

Of course, it all depends, once again, on the sale of our "old" house going through. Everything looks good so far. The closing date is still scheduled for July 31st. We've had the inspection, and are waiting for the appraisal to be scheduled. Things seem to be moving along as planned.

We shall see. Jeff and I are praying for a smooth process this time, but we have certainly learned that these things don't always happen the way you expect.

You may have noticed that there's quite a gap between July 31st (when the sale of this house closes) and January (when we hope to move into the newly built house). For the interim, we'll be looking for a rental. I'm a little anxious about these details - moving not once but twice, moving while I'm large with child, storing our stuff, finding a place to rent (will it be a house with a yard, or an apartment?). We'll be spending three family birthdays there, not to mention the holidays. And what if there's a delay with the construction? Would I really want a homebirth in some temporary living arrangement?

I'm praying that we won't have to make that choice. We're told that these builders are really "good on their dates," and I'm holding onto that. But if there is a delay, I know we'll manage. God will take care of us. He alone knows when and where the babe will be born. Although it may be the first time in my life that I'm glad my babies usually come well past their due dates.

Oh....I suppose you'd like to hear what the house is like? I nearly forgot, silly me. Let's see... it's a bit over 3200 square feet, 5 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, a beautiful master suite, an office/den, living room, family room, and "loft" (which will be more of a family room) upstairs. The kitchen is lovely (and includes a "cook's pantry"). The lot is level, and a good size. Lots of room for those boys to shake their sillies out, thank goodness!

So that's the news. Now we need to apply ourselves to finding a rental, and preparing to move in about a month. We're back in the saddle again, and this time in a good way!

same song, 2nd verse...

...hopefully not the same as the 1st!

Once again we have a buyer for our house. Yesterday we received, and accepted, an offer. Yes, it's true! It all still seems like a dream to me. All the same, the papers have been signed. Things are in motion!

Now, of course, we have the task of finding the home we want to buy. We looked last week, and hope to go looking again in the next few days. We don't want to be hasty, but we're feeling the pressure to start the process for our new home. You know, wherever it may be.

It sounds like closing will be in mid- to late-July.

Lord-willing!

the now & the not yet

(*Title inspired by a song of the same title written by Pam Mark-Hall)


We put in a garden yesterday.

I suppose that the term "garden" by be a bit of a stretch. Our plot contains two tomato plants, a single cucumber, and a lone red bell pepper. I admit we're not terribly ambitious. But as our gardening efforts have had somewhat mixed results in the past, it seems like a good start.

I'm glad, I guess. I had been feeling sad that we hadn't put any plants in...actually I had just decided to do it back in March, when we got the offer on our house. So at that point we nixed our plans and started preparing to move. Obviously that hasn't panned out, and our garden has sat ~ lonely, neglected, barren save the weeds. It's been a sore point for me. I had really wanted to give a vegetable garden another try this year, and I felt cheated out of the chance to that by this whole "house thing," as we refer to it around here.

So now, it's in. Hopefully, as long as I remember to water our handful of plants, we'll see some progress, and production. It seems good. Like a step of hope, accepting our circumstances, blooming where we're (still) planted.

But it also makes me sad.

I hadn't expected to spend enough time in this house to eat from a garden this year. And we might not, still. But it's impossible to know, isn't it?

Something that I've been struggling with for a while now is the phrase "we were supposed to be..." We were supposed to be moved by the end of April, then by May 15th at the very latest, and then the end of May. It was supposed to be just fine to pack flip-flops, shorts, the pool, big pots, etc., etc., because we were supposed to be closing in two days. It's easy to feel bitter when I think about how it was "supposed to be."

But over the last few weeks, something in my thinking has shifted. I'm learning to see those things that I used to say were "supposed to be" as our former expectations. Yes, it's hard to let go of expectations. It's hard to accept that we're back to square one with this business of finding a buyer for this house, and a new place to live. It still smarts a bit to think of the dreams we fancied would come true.

But maybe it wasn't supposed to be, after all.

Here's the thing: I'm not a huge believer that"God causes everything." I know that He is over all, and has created this whole big world and everyone in it. I believe that He works, oh yes! But I don't necessarily think that He causes every single event. In fact, I think there's a lot of yucky stuff in life that just simply happens, as they say. It's a consequence of sin in the world, the fall of man. Stuff happens.

The Bible says that "in all things God works for the good of those who love him,^a]">[a] who^b]">[b] have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28) And I believe that as we receive what life hands us, remembering that it comes through His filter, it can and will become a beautiful thing. Maybe not just when we'd like to see the transformation ~ no, it may be a good deal later. Still, God is faithful, operates on his own timetable, and his ways are infinitely "higher." (Isaiah 55:9)

And yet...and yet I can't shake the feeling that God's hand is in this. When we first realized that there may be problems with the sale of our house, I prayed that God would close the door if it wasn't his will for us. The door seems to be clearly closed. While that could just be something that happened, I don't have the sense that it is. I'm not sure what God's doing through this, but I choose to believe that He can create something amazing from what seems to be a mess.

Although we have no idea what the future holds, this is a promise: "^'11 For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" (Jeremiah 29:11)

He has a plan. So whether this tiny garden brings fruit in the edible sense, increases our house's attractiveness to another buyer, or has merely built us a bit more character, I'll take it.

Whichever it is. As if from His hand.

counting blessings

This has been a really hard week.

The reality has hit, that our house is really back on the market. We're largely at the mercy of who wants to come see the house, and when. Thankfully, at this point we haven't had to leave at any very inconvenient (read: Nap!) times. Still, it's an emotional roller coaster.

Then, on Wednesday we learned that the house we'd planned to buy has a sale pending. And it seems like it hurts more than it should. Here's the thing: we had decided to make a commitment to this house. We'd examined it, resolved that it would work well for us, invested in it. We paid for an appraisal and two inspections. We took the boys to choose bedrooms, spent hours arranging furniture in our minds.

At the risk of offending (forgive me if that's you, please), I feel a bit like a jilted bride. I was ready to make a commitment, to build a home in this place, to take this thing on for years and years to come. So, knowing that that dream has gone up in smoke, without so much as a "by your leave," smarts. A lot.

We're so blessed to be in this position; we don't have to sell, we just want to. We're looking to "move up," and it's great that we're able to do that. And it's a great time to sell, if you happen to find a buyer who can get a good loan.

So although we've been feeling really sad this week, putting away our hopes and dreams for the present...I'm going to count my blessings.

¹⁶Be joyful always; ¹⁷pray continually; ¹⁸give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. -- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

I'm thankful for...

• a healthy family
• beautiful, enthusiastic children
• a place to live
• a patient, loving, and fun husband
• Jeff's job
• the fact that both my parents and Jeff's parents are still married and in love
• watching Owen toddle
• Kyle's zest for life
  
• Ben's growing more accomplished in his reading
• the ability to buy and prepare whole foods for my family
• having a budget (yes, really)
• my church
• the friendships that have blossomed in my life
• the ever-present, undeserved love of Christ Jesus

I could go on, but I'll stop there. My goal is to keep my eyes on God's grace, press on, and remember that "all I have in [Him] is more than enough." (from the song "Enough" by Chris Tomlin)

UPDATE: back in the saddle again

Yes, that's right. We are back in the saddle again, as they say. On Saturday morning we put our house back on the market. Our "buyers" do not seem to have a workable plan for the purchase of our home. We're sad to give up on the one party who's shown interest, and if they work something out, we'll be thrilled. But for now, we really needed to detach ourselves from them. Our house has been off the market for two months, and we don't have much to show for it. Only a mountain of boxes, emptied shelves, and blank walls. Oh, and a bucketful of dreams that are slowly fizzling out....

The really sad thing, for me (well, for all of us), is the likelihood that we'll lose the house we want to buy. If we can buy a new buyer quickly, we may not lose our claim on it. We'll get our earnest money back, but the money we've spend on the inspections and appraisal is likely gone. Unless God sends a buyer our way (ideally a cash buyer!!) quickly, and "our" house is still available when that happens.

So here we sit. House half emptied. A good share of bedroom furniture, photos, etc. in the garage waiting for the moving truck we didn't end up renting. And we have no idea when or if our situation will change. It's maddening. Frustrating. Depressing.

Yet strangely enough, I have a peace about me. When things were going downhill so quickly last week, I asked God to close the door if this wasn't his will for us. It seems that He may be doing just that. I don't have to like it, but I do trust Him. And if this isn't the right time, the right buyer, or the right place to move, then you know what? I wouldn't truly want it, anyway.

I don't know what He's doing. But He does, and that's good enough for me.

"Whatever You're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but somehow there's peace
It's hard to surrender to what I can't see
but I'm giving in to something Heavenly"
~as recorded by Sanctus Real

moving update: this is getting ridiculous

These updates are just getting depressing, yet I feel bound to let you know what's happening. We got some more bad news last night. There's another snag with our buyers' financing. And so, we're on "Let's try this, we think this will work," Part 4.

This is just getting ridiculous. Really.

The current estimate is that we will close at the end of May. We'll know more details as time goes by, of course.

So for now, we're taking a deep breath, putting away our plans of moving next week, and settling in for the long haul. I do feel bad that Ben and Kyle have no beds assembled. Jeff took the bunk bed apart, and put it in the garage, on April 18th (just hours before we got word of the first delay, as you may recall). It was cute that they'd be using sleeping bags for a couple of weeks...but this is going on way beyond what we imagined. Ah well. I suppose camping out in their bedroom is an adventure!

Thank you for your prayers, and please do keep on praying for us. This is an incredibly stressful time, for our whole family.

this and that

I've really missed my blog this week.

I kept wanting to sit down and write, and resolving to do just that. But when it came down to it, I either had too little time, or too little to say. We've been rather low this week. Busy, but low. It's as if we're in this kind of holding pattern, and I feel bleak, wondering if, or when, we'll ever get out of it.

Oh, I suppose we will. But the rude reality of the change in our plans, the abrupt shift in expectations, after emotionally "getting there," has been a bit of a buzz-kill. And a bit depressing, to be perfectly honest about it.

Allow me to move on to other things.

I am thrilled to report (in case you don't already know) that MckMama's baby Stellan is now home from the hospital! He's got a heart monitor, regular medication, a slew of regular visits to see various medical professionals. Regardless, he is a miracle. All praise and glory to God for bringing this sweet family through the storm. He is faithful.

And as I said, we've been busy. Benjamin has begun his third season of soccer, and he's doing great. (As a matter of fact, he was a real trooper yesterday, despite pouring rain for the entire second half of his game. I've never seen my children so drenched, apart from a pool or bathtub!) Jeff and I have various commitments (worship team practice, the men's retreat this weekend, our Financial Peace University class, etc.) And of course there's the regular "grind": homeschooling, food preparation, and a barely perceptible nod to home cleanliness. Truthfully, I don't have the heart for much cleaning right now...

We're hoping to accomplish closing (on both houses) in about a week. Please pray for our spirits and our patience. And for the will to clean out those last few closets.

silver linings

Okay, so yesterday was hard. I know that things could be so much worse; I get that. But somehow, as Jeff put it, the color of the whole thing has changed. We feel deflated, maybe even a bit depressed. We were on the home stretch, we could see the light at the end of the tunnel. We could almost taste it all. And now, because of an unlikely request that set off a chain reaction, it's all on hold.

Thank you all for your sweet comments. While I am still struggling with feeling blue over the snag we've hit with our move, I'm trying to keep things in perspective. I have a wonderful husband, healthy & vibrant children, and a Lord who loves me beyond my understanding. We should still be moving into our new house -- in the matter of a few weeks. And our buyers think they'll still be able to swing the purchase of this one.

So, in the meantime, I'm going to count my blessings. Here is a list of a few silver linings which I've found...

• There are now a few more weeks to finish cleaning out those closets, as well as wiping out drawers.
• We won't be in the middle of moving on the last day of Friday school (or barely moved on Showcase Night/Parents' Night).
  
• Instead of moving this week, we will be able to take advantage of the beautiful weather they're forecasting. We can to go to the park, have a picnic, etc. Maybe even go to the zoo!
  
• There's more time to lay a good food supply: an extra jar of almond butter, lots of crispy nuts, a few more meals in the freezer for when I'll be a bit busy to cook...
• My neighbor had a baby a few weeks ago, and I somehow haven't found the time to take her something and see how things are going. I've regretted that, and this gives me a bit of a breather and a chance to do those things.
• We have a few more chances to book our across-the-street babysitter while she still lives across the street.
  
• I just realized that I just may get to see my Mother's Day lilac bush in bloom one more time! I've been sad about leaving that bush, to tell you the truth. The thought of getting to see it bloom again almost makes the wait worthwhile.

Silver linings. It may not the way I could choose, but we'll survive. And Lord-willing, in a few weeks we'll be settling in to our new home.

¹³Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." ¹⁴Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. ¹⁵Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." ¹⁶As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. ¹⁷Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.
James 4:13-17

rats!!!

Well...Jeff and I just got some really disappointing news. It seems that there's a very rare problem with the buyer of our house. They're having to re-work some details of their loan.

The good news is, they still want to buy our house, and it looks like they'll be able to manage it.

The bad news? It looks like all closing and moving will take place mid-May, instead of in two days as we'd expected.

Rats, rats, rats!

Looks like it's a few more weeks of living out of suitcases in the cardboard jungle.

bittersweet

The thought of leaving this house, of moving on, is both bitter and sweet.


It was here where we brought home our first wee baby, and began learning the art (never a science) of parenting.

Here in this house where Kyle was born...

...where our sons began learning what it means to be brothers.

Owen, too, was born in this home.

We've had so many happy times here.

I know we will create wonderful memories in our new home, but for now I'm indulging a bit in a sentimental journey...

the last spring in our first house

Here are a few photos of evidence of spring around here. The first flower to make its presence known in out yard is the stately daffodil. I planted these bulbs a few months before Benjamin was born.

It always brings me great joy to see the hyacinths blooming. What a wonderful surprise it was to discover these beauties in my yard the first spring! They've needed no tending, yet each year they came up, smelling heavenly, a kind of a promise to me after the long, rainy winter.

And the crowning glory of our yard in spring? These lovely trees out front. I am so thankful that I got to see them fully in bloom before we move away.

our future home

We were able to hang out in our new house today, while the inspector was there doing his thing. It was the first chance the boys had to see the inside. They were so excited, and frankly, so was I.

Here's part of the living room, as viewed from the study (aka the homeschooling room!).

This is a view of the kitchen, from the dining room. I love that we're going to have a nice, roomy dining room.

Another view of the kitchen. I can hardly wait to move my stuff in there!

Ben: Mom, what is this room that Kyle & I are in?
Me: Honey, that's a closet.
Ben, delighted: Oh!!

And, Owen & I in the master bathroom. The tub as a mirror at one end and a glass-walled shower at the other. I think the tub just may be big enough for birthing babies!

We had a great time. Benjamin & Kyle were so excited to be in there. They just ran around, explored, played hide and seek, and just rolled around on the carpet. It was so much fun to watch. And I really enjoyed working out furniture placement. Jeff is working on a scaled sketch at this very moment!