Finishing Up

We had a work day at the old house over the weekend.  Mike's dad helped us haul off some debris.  Mike mowed and cleaned up the yard.  I pulled nails and touched up paint.  

Such a pretty house but I am so thrilled to go and move on....

The play set is for sure the part I am most sad to leave.  The kids have had such a blast there.  We've gone over several afternoons when getting Peter from the bus stop to play.  Lily has learned to do the monkey bars in the last couple of weeks and is so proud.  I may have to post a video after our main computer is back up and running.  And she's told me several times that she wants a play set at the new house because she "just loves to swing".  I totally grafitti'ed the kids' names inside it before leaving.

One last look at the back yard.  So not sad to leave all those trees.

Driving away for the last time on that era of our life.  I had someone go over and clean today.  She did a great job and the place is looking quite polished!

After the last few years, I want to long for heaven and I couldn't help but think & pray it would be so.... that this is how it would be for heaven.... we think it will be sad, but Heaven is just soooo good that it's impossible to be sad.  

We are pretty excited to walk away!!! :)

The Move

So I am not very technology savy.  I am struggling to post from the iPad so it will be wonky.

But a little recap of our move.  

The trucks, vans, SUVs lined our old street on the rainy eve before the move.  

We had a final pizza dinner on the last night at the old house.  I know everyone will be thrilled with this pic.  ;)

In true Peter form, he was found looking at books on top of a pile of boxes.

Sam, from our MCG (missional community group- thought I should clarify since I've used that several times- don't want it to sound like a weird secret thing), helped.  As he said of himself and Taylor, they were young and naive in knowing what they were volunteering for.  But they were SO helpful and we couldn't have done it without them.  I hope we didn't treat them too bad and we fed them- that makes it all better, right?!

Glenda was our mastermind in unpacking the kitchen- will turn pic later.

Holly did the pantry.... And lots of other spaces, like everyone else!!  We had amazing helpers!

Taylor brings up Peter's bed and assembles it.  Thank you, thank you!!

My dad and Glenda work on the baby's room.

My dad is the handyman.

The kids enjoy an empty truck... Probably soon to be reloaded.  

And this is my cousin, Jeff, who came up to help us for the weekend.  We could not have done it without his muscles.  I was so happy to have him stay the night with us and be around on Sunday too.  

He is single and available too.  ;)

The lunch spread courtesy of my mom.  I could go for that can of Coke right now.

The crew at lunch....

And the other side of the table.  It was SUCH a gorgeous day, adding to the festive feeling of the day.

Not to think the day ended at lunch.  Built ins were styled....

The guys went back for a second load.  Then my dad and Mike unloaded and brought over the contents of our storage unit late in the afternoon and eve.  My mom unpacked til late into each night.  I really could not believe everyone's energy. 

 Here is our pic of the family that helped.  It makes me happy.  I so enjoyed the community and team work of the weekend.  Probably easy for me to say bc I couldn't do much work so spent a fair amount of time sitting or watching.  Thank you so so so much to everyone who helped us.  It was quite amazing.  I look forward to sharing our new house with others and that weekend felt like a little tip of the iceberg of potential in having this great house.  So thankful to God for His gifts of family, friends, and the gift of this awesome new house.  He has been soooo good & generous to us!!!!

Our Last Week in our "Old House"

Its finally time!!  I've almost written here earlier this week but was afraid it would reflect too much anxiety.  :)  This week has been FULL.  And I know the weeks to come will be FULL!
Its the end of our last week at the house we've lived in for 7 1/2 years!!
I don't think I've fully processed that and am sure I will feel a little disoriented over the coming weeks.  Its felt like a lot of waiting.  But now its finally time!!  

Here's what our last week has been like:

Lily didn't have preschool the first half of the week so we had a low key, lazy start to the week, I laid around a lot, and enjoyed the slow mornings with her.

She had a candy shop in one part of her room and a beauty shop in another area one morning that I got to buy and be a client at.  :)
I didn't get a pic of her candy shop but so that the cuteness is burned in my head: picture the green tub of newborn clothes as her counter, the black booster seat as her chair, with a glass jar full of plastic easter egg halves, the top with coins in it that she'd taken from her piggy bank, and another container with candy from the weekend- jelly beans, egg M&Ms, candy bracelets, etc.  The egg halves were juice containers.  She is just so precious and sweet and creative.

 She did some gymnastics in Peter's closet.

 We played war.  Thought this could be a good game for her and P to play after the baby comes... 

 those sweet hands and pigs... 

 She took some pics while I layed on the couch. 

 And entertained me.  It doesn't get much better.

She's filled my love tank.

We've had a busy second half of the week with lots of crazy happenings:

Kindergarten assessment 
Kindergarten orientation

An Eligibility Meeting for Peter to continue with speech & OT at school

Packing, packing, more packing.
Closing on our new house
Field Trip for Peter

The last days of pregnancy and preparing to meet a new baby.

Woo Woo- its the end of a busy week and lots more to come...

Wonderful Whirlwind

Its been months in the making.  Its been a step of faith.  Its been lists, lists, and more lists.

Its been joyful too.  And wonderful that we get to do this.

My mom was here with us the end of last week.

We finished off all the the very last little tasks... We iced the cake, if you will.

We cleaned, raked, swept, and Mike painted a floor.  We vacuumed, and steamed floors, and bought a valance that we'd lost in packing; we ate, and washed and Windex'ed.  And ran kids here and there, and painted more trim.

And we stopped to play ball and we laughed because we were getting punchy.

Then on Friday afternoon, we walked away.  One whole hour before the bus stop (write it down- I'm rarely early), we locked up the house and drove away.  Our house was on the market!!!  Woah, it felt sorta like a wedding day... the feeling of 'I've never done this before, but I'm taking the plunge'.

 We got Peter.  We got milkshakes.  And we drove to the river.  And we napped.... all but Maw.

There had been some build up.  We'd had a post in our front yard for a few weeks.  I was so thankful... and told HIM so, over and over... that with all the bad weather, snow, and rain we've had this winter, we had a week of sunshine leading up to listing our house.  We "listed" on Wed and had "delayed showings" til Friday at 5pm.  I was a mix of excited and relaxed (these two below with their foot therapy helped...), hopeful and trying to curb my expectations.

There were 3 showings on Friday night, 2 on Saturday, and an open house planned for Sunday.  That felt good but I was also preparing myself to be able to go a longer haul.

By 7pm, we had a call that there were 2 offers.  (!!!)

We talked it over, talked with our realtor, worked it out, and by 10:30pm we were "under contract" with one of them!!!.

Unbelieveable!!!

Mike and I kept squealing in disbelief.  Mike was pumped too!

It's all felt surreal in some ways, yet in others, its just felt like we could soak in God's care for us.  What a gift!

Saturday am, I read psalm 126... perfect, fitting, & profound.
It is not lost on me that this season is different that it has been.  I am oh so thankful.
My eyes want to see it.  To see what He has for us here too.  To not be lost in the rush.

When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,

    we were like those who dream.

 

Then our mouth was filled with laughter,

    and our tongue with shouts of joy;

then they said among the nations,

    “The Lord has done great things for them.”

 

The Lord has done great things for us;

    we are glad.

Restore our fortunes, O Lord,

    like streams in the Negeb!

 

Those who sow in tears

    shall reap with shouts of joy!

 

He who goes out weeping,

    bearing the seed for sowing,

shall come home with shouts of joy,

    bringing his sheaves with him.

So, so great to come home to this!!!

Progress

Coming up on 35 weeks!! Only about 5 more to go!

What the heck?

We had our new house inspection today!

All looked great!

It got me super excited and helped put any hesitations to rest. :)

What on earth will we do with so much space?!  I can't wait to find out.

Baby Boy, we can't wait to meet you.  It feels quite surreal.  But stay put til close to 40 weeks and be easy on your mama!!

New House!!!

My heart has wanted more space ever since we first thought we were having more kids and I couldn't get the idea of more kids out of my head.  But over time, God was good to help me surrender that desire to Him and trust Him.

Well, the time has finally come!  We've been getting our house ready to sell over the last few months.  

And isn't it looking so so cute and good?!

We found a house that we liked over the weekend!  We made an offer and have a contract.  

Its been a wild ride of emotions, that I didn't totally expect.  

(Altho, I should have, knowing myself.)

Its the thrill of 'wow, God is providing this great house at just the right time'.  Truthfully, I have just been thrilled to get our current house thinned down and fixed up (loving the lack of clutter!) and have been relishing in the fact that we are getting to have another baby.  So it felt like an easy place to rest in trusting God's timing. 

Its the thrill of 'its so much bigger! and has so many great things about it'!

To the sadness of 'we are leaving this house that we've brought two babies home to, and spent hours playing in the back yard, and I've painted every square inch of the awesome chunky trim and wood work, to oh no, our new bedrooms are smaller and not as charming'.

But I can't complain and pout about God's good provision to us!! 

This morning I read in Jonah 4 after it was mentioned at church yesterday.  And the Spirit reminded of good truths that need to sink deep into me.

 "I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity."

The Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. 11 And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh..."

It convicted me that God is gracious and compassionate, and not as caring about my old hardwood floors and chunky molding, and painted brick.

Our new house allows us to welcome more people, to show hospitality and compassion.  And it is wonderful!  Thank you, Lord!