quick little update on our family

For those of you that read my blog on occasion for fun, or if this might be the first time you've surfed over to this part of the blogging world, please accept my apologies for the boring post here! This post is an update for family & friends that are wanting to hear how things are going - it's been a crazy few weeks for us! I promise as things settle down more, I'll return to my regular nonsense postings! Scout's honor!

For the rest of you that are looking for the update on life, I'll be a tad generic, but will give you the general idea of what's happening! There's just sooooo many details to everything, and it's really not needed at this point.

Let me start by sharing a little verse my Mom showed me the other week (I'll use NIV). Acts 17:26 (this is talking about God) "...and He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live." My Mom showed that to me, trying to encourage me, and it did. God knew we were going to be suddenly homeless. He knew we still had to finish the year out of Kirsten's school at the same place. He knew we might have a hard time finding the right place to live, but He had it here ready & waiting for us.

A week ago Sunday we were told to leave where we were staying. No warning, just pick up what we could at the moment & leave. My parents were gracious enough to let us stay with them, knowing that would be easiest for transporting Kirsten to & from school (they're about 2 miles from there). Keep in mind, we also had only one car at this point (see the post here for that info). Throughout last week, it was literally a day-to-day issue of trying to find a place to move to. We did our best to focus some attention & extra loving on Kirsten, who was feeling confused by the situation. For her, it turned out to be a week of slumber parties at Grandma & Grandpa's house. We had started out pursuing one apartment that we liked, and in that process, we ended up returning to the apartment we lived at last year (we were there for 3 1/2 yrs). Our intention was just to obtain some documents from the new landlords, but God obviously had another idea in mind - this is where He wanted us to move back to! The day that all happened (last Wednesday), Matt & I were a bit stunned by what was going on. We NEVER would've thought about the place, but it just happened! Definitely a God thing! No other way to explain it! I'll post another time about the details of this apartment. Let me just say it's completely different from how it used to be!

So, we had found a place, and were lining up arrangements with people that offered to help us move. During all this, our remaining car (the silver Taurus) pooped out on us. The transmission went. Yup, another thing went wrong! No car!!! We shared this information with family & friends, and I tell you it's been absolutely amazing to see the love & generosity people have been blessing us with! AMAZING! Some friends let us borrow their very cool station wagon (yes, seriously, I fell in love with the thing! it's so cool!) for about 4 or 5 days. We ended up moving in here on Sunday with the help of a bunch of people (one of which is an outstanding organizer of the whole moving process! blew me away!), and Sunday evening we met some friends for a nice & relaxing BBQ. Oh, and someone even watched Kirsten for the day on Sunday so we wouldn't have to worry about her getting hurt or anything while we moved. Monday we went for the last few things we couldn't fit Sunday, then we joined some family for a BBQ. Aaaah, it sure felt good to sit & relax a little! Tuesday we rented a car & returned the wagon. Tomorrow we'll return the rental and we'll be using a van from some friends that are going on vacation for a week. The hope is that we'll be able to get the trans fixed by the time we need to return the van. If not, we've had an offer of another vehicle from someone else that we can borrow for a while.

Can you see how cool this is all working out?!? For as absolutely stressful and unsettling as it all is, it's also very beautiful to see and experience the love and friendships and relationships that we have with so many people! During a lot of this, I couldn't help but keep thinking of another verse - Jeremiah 29:11 "'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.'" With all that's gone terribly wrong in the past few weeks, I've known it's not God that's throwing all this garbage our way, wanting us to fail. My Father doesn't work that way! I know He loves me and wants good things for me! And as we're working through it, I can see some of the great lessons we've been learning along the way.

So, to wrap up this huge story (which I said would be short! LOL), we're just waiting now on getting the car fixed. It's mainly an issue of funds (sudden moves will do that to you!), and we have an avenue we're pursuing, but so far it's not working out (401k at work). We'll just keep praying and keep trying and see what happens! Oh, and we'll keep unpacking, too (this place is loaded!)!

Thanks to so many of you for your kind words and thoughts and prayers. I love you all!

unanswered questions

I have some questions. The thought of this began at 4:12am today. Yes, I said 4:12am. There is such a time on the clock, honest, there is! So, at 4:12am today, I heard birds chirping outside. Why? Why would birds be chirping so early? The sun wasn't up. The rule is that they were supposed to be sleeping, like me. Not up. Definitely not chirping. There's no reason to chirp at 4:12am. No reason at all. My friend Marie told me she wants to inject her neighborhood worms with Benadryl to see if that helps at all!

Since I mentioned the birds, I might as well mention the bees. So, my question: why do bees (& wasps & hornets) fly around my car? I especially notice this when I have the windows down & stop at a light. That forces me to roll up the windows, trapping me in the heat-ridden vehicle until the light changes & I can gasp for fresh air in safety from the flying devils. Another time I notice them is in cases like leaving work today - one was flying around my car. I walk one direction, it follows. I go around the car the other way, and it circles opposite, coming back to me. Why? What's the point? Do I have an invisible "Taunt Me!" sign visible only to them?!?

Another question: who has the right of way in this type of turn? I'm talking about the crude drawing below...

Does the car at point A have the right of way, or does the car at point B? Who gets to turn first? (I should say let's assume also that there's a light there. There most usually is.)

I thought I brought this last one up before, but for some reason I can't remember. Must be old age. Anyway, why do school buses stop on railroad tracks? Seems to me that if they look at an oncoming train while they're on the tracks, they'll get hit. I just don't understand that one. Almost like the issue of how seat belts are a law, especially for kids, but school buses don't use them. I think I understand the safety issue. Then again, I was in a pretty bad bus accident when I was a teen, and I almost think seat belts might have helped some of us a little.

That's it! Feel free to chime in if you have any answers to my silly questions! :)

housing update

Just giving a little update here on our housing situation. A week ago I posted here about my frustrating in waiting to find out if we're going to buy a home next month or just rent again. We finally heard back from the mortgage guy, and he basically told us we're just not in the position to buy yet. We're really close, but not quite there. So, we knew our option was to rent. There's already an apartment not too far away that I've looked at and was happy about. I even found out a family member lived there for a little while & was pleased with the services, etc. That was good to hear.

So, as soon as I'm settled in the fact of renting again, a big gorilla-wrench got thrown at me a few days ago! A patient at my work is a Senior Home Loan Consultant, and my friend S at work was talking to her about a loan (S is moving soon, and contemplating buying her first home). S was super excited about all that this woman told her she could do for her, so I started mulling over the possibilities. I wonder if this woman could do something for us? Even if the other guy told us no, could she give us a yes? I figured it wouldn't hurt to just ask, so I did, and she's looking into it. She didn't give me any time frame yet, but I'm hoping it's not long. My patience isn't that great lately with all this!

Buy now? Or rent? Buy? Rent? Buy? Rent? ...aaaaghhhh!!!!!

I do really love the idea of an apartment, though... clean, white walls... new carpeting... just that beautifully, clean, untouched palate for me to create a home into! But the thought of our first home... a place for Kirsten to call her own HOUSE, a yard, the possibility of a dog, Kirsten can stay in the same school for more than one year, painting walls whatever color we want, planting flowers of my very own (makes me think of my Grandma, whom I miss dearly)... MY HOUSE. I like that idea very, very, very much. Very much.

I know we'll all adjust either way. I just wish I knew what God's plan was for all this in our lives right now!!! ...aaaaghhhh!!!!!

breaking from the norm

I'm taking a break from my weekly "Wordless Wednesday" photos to share a story instead. A situation that's been a topic of conversation between me & my spouse for many a year. Let me preface this with saying that I'm opening myself up to you all here. I'm about to share something that many, many women would never dare talk about to others, especially in a place like this, where any and everyone could learn about it. It may also seem a bit offensive for some, and I apologize for that.

Here it is - I'm a farter. Yup, you heard me right. I fart. And sometimes, I fart a lot. Fart. Pass gas. Toot. Fluff. (That one just doesn't make a lot of sense to me - it's like trying to sugar-coat poop! LOL) Breaking wind. Whatever you call it, it's the air that comes from below. It's a completely natural thing, yet so many people avoid the subject of it. Are embarrassed by it. Won't admit they do it. But you know they do. EVERYONE DOES. My daughter even proudly (accompanied with giggles) announces when she does it. I come from a family of farters. My brothers fart. Loud and proud. Stink and all. My sisters fart. Their husbands fart. We're farters. Of course, we also know when & where is appropriate. We're not work farters or church farters or funeral farters or out to dinner farters - we're home stinkers. In our comfort zones. Relaxing and being at peace. We fart.

The situation at hand is the conversation Matt & I had about it this morning. And last night. And I'm sure a few days prior. And a week prior to that. It's what we talk about so much, but it's an issue that will never be resolved. I think he has unrealistic expectations, and he thinks I just refuse to oblige his request. What is that, you ask? He wants me to hold it in when I'm around him. Not for the fact that he's objected to them in general - he lets his rip whenever he so pleases! But it's because he calls mine "EVIL" incarnate. They stink. It's very rare that they don't. I think it's genetic. Something. But they do, and there's apparently nothing I can do to change that! So, here's an example of a scenario: we're in the bedroom watching tv. He just lets them loose. Loud and proud. I let one tiny one slip, and he freaks out. I mean, FREAKS OUT! Shirt over his head, groaning, complaining, and I'm sitting there laughing! He says I need to stop doing that. I argue he can, so why can't I? He says it's because his don't stink (they rarely do), and mine do (they rarely don't). I say it's a natural thing. He says the smell that comes out with mine is something completely unnatural, something of an evil nature.

And there the conversations stays. Until the next time. Now, I have perfected the art of being able to hold in the rest of my nether-region functions. If I have to go potty, I'm really good at waiting. Believe it or not, even if it's the runs. I get those so frequently (dumb IBS issues) that I've just learned how to hold it in, no matter the pain. Of course, as I age, I'm sure that won't be as easy or feasible!

So anyway, if you feel like touching such a silly subject as this and giving your two cents, please, fire away! Make it as stinky or as flowery as you wish! I'm just wondering if anyone else sees my point of view on this! Sure, I feel for the guy to have to deal with my stink, but really, is it my control of how they come out?!? Can I change the aroma of them? No, it's out of my hands. Yes, and out of my fanny, too! LOL

my weekend

Had a few different things happen over the weekend, so I thought I'd just give a little update of life here this way!

Friday we kind of threw together & implemented last minute the plan of moving some furniture. When we left our last place of residence, we got rid of our living room things. A friend of mine at work was getting rid of a lot of furniture from her place, and offered some to us. We were originally talking about doing the moving today, but I had the notion of it working better Friday evening. Matt called a friend to help, we rented a truck, I made sure my friend and my parents (my folks are letting us keep the things there for a month) were available, and we did it! Got it done within an hour even!

Saturday I brought Kirsten to my sister Val's house for my niece Louise to watch while I went to a lunch/meeting with some friends from church. While I was there, Matt took our good car up to our friend Mike's place, and the two of them worked on giving it a much-needed tune-up. While on the way home from my lunch/meeting, my car (I was driving our older blue car) decided to freak me out - the steering was locking up! God was gracious enough to allow the wheel to hold off until I made the turn onto a side road (for those who know the area, I turned off Schoenherr onto Common). I drove down as far as I could, and stopped the car. What had happened was that as I was driving, I could feel the wheel not wanting to let me turn it left at all. Right after I made the right turn onto Common, the wheel didn't want to let me turn it in either direction! Yikes! I was only about 1/2 mile or so from my sister's house, so I called them to say I was running a little late. I called to tell Matt of what happened, and I walked to my sister's. I ended up getting a nice visit in with her & the family (my brother-in-law Dave even took me to the car to see if adding some power steering fluid would help - it didn't) & they brought Kirsten & I home before they headed to church. Oh, Dave ended up driving my car back to their house so it wouldn't be sitting on another street - he said it was quite tough to move! Hey, at least I got some exercise in by that walk!

Sunday (today) was a nice low-key day. Kirsten & I went to church in the morning & Matt stayed home (not feeling 100%). When we got home, we promptly changed into some comfy pj pants & sweatshirts - with the rainy weather, we were going to have a cuddly, snuggly, comfy day! I made up some sloppy joes for the two of us (Matt was sleeping, and he doesn't like them anyway), and we watched some tv in her room while eating. We did some lazy stuff on our own, then we spent some time together doing girlie stuff (I gave her a manicure & pedicure)! We read some, cuddled in my room & watched some tv, had snacks, and just chilled out together. No running around to visit a bunch of people, just a day at home being Mommy to my Peanut, and I enjoyed it very much!

We'll probably go Tuesday to pick up the blue car & bring it home. I'm really curious as to what's wrong with it. I'll be praying it's something minor, but I have a bad feeling that it's just dying. It's old. It's served us well. But it sure would be nice to get a few more years out of her!

working on one that was barely hanging in there - too bad I missed the shot of Daddy using the pliers! It worked great!

the need to nest

I really, really, REALLY need to know what in the heck is happening with our future living situation! We have a little over a month left before we need to leave where we are, and we still don't know if we're able to buy a house or not. If we don't buy right now, we'll be renting an apartment. We're giving the mortgage guy until the end of this week to give us a final answer. Last we heard from him (which was Friday, after days of unreturned calls & emails), he was still waiting for our credit report to be updated. He said he should've been able to get back to us yesterday. Yesterday came and went without a word. If we don't hear from him this week, I'll let him know that we'll just have to put this on hold for 6 months or so. We'll rent an apartment. We'll use that time to continue chipping away at whatever piddly medical bills are left on our credit report. And we'll save what we can for when we can buy a home. I'm not crazy of the thought of moving ALL our things for one year (or less) and then moving them ALL again. But if that's what needs to happen, that's what we'll do. I just need to feel settled into my OWN place. I so desperately desire to hang photos up - I think that's the thing I miss the most!!! I want pictures up on my walls, on my dressers, in Kirsten's room, all around our home! I want photos of family & friends that we know and love! I want to see them on a regular basis, and I want Kirsten to see them, too! I've been reading my friend Rebecca's photography blog, and she's been putting so many great ideas there (her weekly video blogs) of how to make photography a wonderful part of your home. I can't wait to implement some of those ideas!!!

Thirteen years ago today, Matt and I were married. Little did we know what the road ahead had in store for us. Sure, we've made some poor choices along the way, but we've made many good ones, too. We've grown individually and together. We have a daughter, an amazing blessing from God (truly, if you knew the full story of her from even the attempt at conception on, you'd understand what a miracle she is to us!). We have our little family. And we have our extended family and friends who we love dearly and are so happy to be growing along with in this journey of life together. We know that more changes are ahead, and we're embracing them, hand-in-hand. We'll make the best of them, with a lot of prayer, too.

I just can't wait to start collecting my twigs to lay down!!!

social butterfly

My daughter is a social person. I'm so glad she is. I like that she wants to please others. She enjoys making others happy. She sometimes does this to a fault. For example, the other week she told me after school one day that she wanted to give a few of her Webkinz to a couple of her girlfriends from her class. She hasn't grasped the concept of how much they cost. She just wants to make her friends happy by giving them something she really enjoys herself. I've also had to address the issue with her on more than one occasion how she is not to give her school snacks away anymore. I send just enough for what she needs, yet she often tells me of this particular boy that asks for them, and she always hands over the goods. When she buys a lunch, I send $3 with her, expecting my 25¢ change. More often than not, she gives it away before it makes its way home.

Kirsten loves company. She loves being around others. She enjoys going to peoples' homes to visit. She's very excited for when we move and she can have friends over to play, and even have some slumber parties. She just so enjoys interacting with whoever is around - babies, kids, adults - anyone!

It's hard for her to understand that some people just aren't keen on the company of children. She doesn't understand the sarcastic remarks or annoyed looks. I think when it comes from someone she knows well, like family, the only thing it does is cause confusion and it hurts her feelings. She doesn't get what they feel, and she ends up feeling unloved. I wish I could explain it to her in a way that she could really grasp, but on the other hand I don't want to. I don't want to tell her why some grown-ups are crabby to her. I don't even understand myself why some people are like that. Kids don't understand how we adults often get extra impatient with them when we're not feeling well. I wonder how we got that way? So often when kids are sick, they mostly get extra lovey-dovey & cuddly & sweet. Sometimes they get crabby, sure, but we let them know so they can try to change. Unfortunately, you can't tell adults when they are, or they get worse!

The thing I understand is that sometimes children interfere with the selfishness of adults. There's no reason to sugar-coat that - it's basically what it boils down to! They want to talk with us, and we'd rather watch our television program quietly. They want to dance all around the room, and we'd rather be able to get where we're heading without anyone in our way. They cry over the littlest things, and we think they're uncontrollable babies. The thing a lot of adults don't understand about kids is that THEY'RE KIDS! We shouldn't want them to act like us, because THEY'RE KIDS! They're gonna act like a child because they are! Yes, they need to be quiet at times, and they need to be responsible, but we also need to understand and accept that they're still learning. They don't always understand even their own feelings & emotions. They don't fully grasp the concept of so many things, and I'm glad they don't. They're only kids for such a short amount of time. We need to understand that. Embrace that. And be patient with that.

We were all children at one point in our lives. It seems like forever ago since I was, and I'm only 37. I want my daughter to enjoy these years. She's already almost done with the first grade. Almost turning 8 years old. She's still so innocent in so many ways, ways that some other kids her age are not, and I yearn for that to last as long as possible.

I remember hearing how I used to get in trouble in school when I was a kid. It was most always for talking to others. I was always very social, like my Peanut is. I was always & still am a people pleaser, just like she is. Part of me wants to warn her of some of the dangers of being like this (like people taking advantage of us), but I won't just yet. I'll let her enjoy making friends and being a friend. And loving others. I love that she does that with all her heart. I know God enjoys seeing that, too!