House Happenings :)

This week was full and busy...... (what's new, right?!?!?)

Elijah turned 15 last Saturday. It seems inconceivable to me. Time has flown by so quickly. We had a party this Saturday with some friends and family.

Having grown up with three generations of family close and most of them attending all important dates like birthday parties, graduations, baby births, baby showers and of course holidays, being away from family sometimes tears at my heartstrings a little more than normal. This week was one of those times --- desperately missing family and wishing they were here not only to celebrate with us but also to stay up late with drinking tea or watching a movie, getting up early with to just sit together and read a book or go for a walk.

Having Mark and Lynde close now has been nice -- it has been fun to share cherished family traditions with them, share our own family traditions with them, and learn some of theirs. The Lord also has blessed us mightily with some good friends of our family who speak into the lives of our children and into our family as a whole. God is good.

In new house news Tim finished hooking up our washer and dryer on Saturday. I cannot tell you how THRILLED I am -- no more baskets of laundry across the property and all the exciting details that go along with that procedure!!!! My cousin also had a used refrigerator and stove that they gave to us. Tim hooked up the frig AND Tim finished wiring/plumbing a dishwasher and utility sink for our kitchen. I still don't yet have a working stove which I am looking forward to but these developments will make my life SOOOO much easier AND it will make it easier for me to keep both houses in order as we aren't as split with some responsibilities here and some there. My cabinets and things will have to wait a while longer. They are designed and chosen -- we just need to sell this house before we progress any further with those items. So, we are still camping a bit but it isn't "roughing it" :) My friend said she realized one day that God had blessed her with "servants" in her appliances and how much time and effort they save her. I must admit it is nice to have the my servants back in business!!!!

We still have no buyers (actually not even lookers) at our house. We are still praying that God will move His hand for us . The market here is pretty much at a standstill. People are worried with the nation's economic situation. Buying a house, even a starter-home like this one, is a major decision when it seems the economy is going in the toilet. I know for me it has been a struggle to remember that God still is on the throne. He will continue to care for us; He will continue to provide for us. He has not changed, regardless of the state of our nation's moral and financial economy. Scripture says that as we see these things come to pass we need to look up - our redemption comes near!!! We do not have to fear - He is the beginning and the end, none of this has escaped Him, none of it is out of His plan.

So, we wait and try to wait patiently and peacefully. If our home sells here it will be God's Hand that moved it and that is pretty cool. It won't sell because the economy is popping and the market is hot. It will sell because God is still our provider and He is faithful. If it doesn't sell, it will be because God's plan is something different - again because He loves us and He is faithful. Hard lessons for "Mrs. Get-Things-Done-Worrywart". :)

Tim, Elijah and Gabrielle have headed out to hunt. Elijah and Tim always love this time of year and Elijah looks forward to it ALL year. Gabrielle is excited to go again and is already bragging that her elk this year will be BIGGER than Elijah's. Poor guy - he is never going to live down that she got an elk before he did. Gabrielle wants him to get his first this year (a cow) and then she wants to get a bull so she can one-up him yet again. She is so bratty! It is a good thing they love each other so much and that they BOTH are such big teases. Tim is just as bad as the kids. They will have a lot of fun together this week. We are praying they get their tags filled QUICKLY this year so they can come back home quickly also.

That's about it for house happenings this week. Have a marvelous week!!!