Adventures = Fun! Packing = Not Fun!

                           

      

My boys come back tomorrow!! I am so excited as I have missed them. However, they've been off having adventures with aunt Jenn, and they have not shown any signs of homesickness! That's okay as it means they are comfortable and independent. It's been a bit like a mini vacation for me with just having Emma for the past week. Having just one child to take places and get in and out of the car has been a real change! 

The house is becoming more torn apart every day, and I feel a little bit like Humpty Dumpty! Can all this really get put back together again? :) One box at a time, right? Emma has not been a very good helper as she enjoys climbing in the boxes and taking out the items! Thankfully, my friend, Autumn, came over on Saturday morning to help for a bit. We were able to get a lot done in the basement, and I now have two rooms completely cleared out. Yay for progress! I know that packing will become a lot harder once the boys get home, but we must stick with it! Roger is coming in 17 days, and I want to be ready and waiting! :) 

Sunday, May 31

Today was our fifth Sunday dinner at church. Since I didn't have Childrens church this morning, I helped in the kitchen. Some of the best conversations happen in the kitchen, and I'm thankful for the opportunity to help. I also sang with a ladies trio for the afternoon service. I used to play the piano and sing often in my dads church; but in a church the size of Wyldewood, I'm definitely a little fish in a big pond! (And that's perfectly fine, I'm okay with that completely.) 

After the afternoon service, Emma and I went to get some storage totes. We can have access to our storage unit tomorrow, but, of course, I forgot to buy a lock for our storage unit today! I think once I get some of the boxes out of our house, it might not seem quite so overwhelming! After running a few errands, we stopped by the Schilder's house to return their car jack. Gretchen invited Emma and I to stay for supper, and so we did. I get more balanced meals when I go to my friends houses at meal times. :) I do feed Emma, don't worry, but it tends to be more grazing type snacks. We eat lots of fruit, cheese, chicken, yogurt, and cottage cheese, but I definitely don't make big meals for just Emma and I.  

Monday, June 1

Emma and I had a fabulous morning with our friend, Jenna, and her two children. We visited, drank coffee, walked together, and visited some more! There was a time in our friendship when we would've went running together, but with three small children between us today that wasn't a possibilty! :) Jenna watched Emma for a bit while I went to pick up a lock for our storage unit, wash my dad's car that I've been using, fill it with gas, and pick up a few items for supper tonight. Emma took a nap at Jenna's house, so that greatly increased my speed at doing those errands! I am going to miss Jenna so much. We were first introduced to each other when a mutual friend, Rebekah, invited us both to her house for supper almost six years ago. We realized that we had a lot of the same interests, and our friendship has grown and blossomed over the course of time. It's a friendship that can go weeks without hearing from each other, and then pick up exactly where we left off. Through Jenna I've grown in my walk with the Lord. Jenna was a baby Christian when I met her, but her quick understanding and deep questions really made me think. I could go on and on, but I'll just suffice to say I'll miss her! 

After our morning and partial afternoon of visitng and errands, we came home. I prepared supper for my parents and Jenn said that she would be back with the boys around 5:30. She pulled into the driveway about 5:20, and Emma and I walked out to see the boys pile out of the truck! Wyatt, Travis and Garett came running to greet me. After quick kisses for me, they were all about kissing on Emma! I realized that  Chandler had sneaked into the house without saying hi to me, so I went to go find him. When I walked into the house, I noticed that he had tears in his eyes. When I asked him what was the matter, he broke into tears. "We are selling our house, and we don't have anywhere to live. I don't want anyone else to live here!" He responded. My heart hurt as I realized that he was/is struggling through the changes. He wants to be with daddy, but selling the house and moving has him unsure. We spent some time talking about the process, and I explained that we are going to be together as a family again. He seems a little more comfortable now, but I will have to be aware and sensitive to his heart concerns as we move forward. 

Travis on the other hand is just concerned about where his stuff went. He spent the first two hours that he was home looking in boxes and asking, "can I have this?" And "we are keeping this, right?" Oh dear! I can already see that my packing speed is going to slow down greatly with having them all home again. But I missed them so very much! I'm glad that they had a great time, and I'm also glad that they weren't homesick for me. They are already talking about the next adventure they can have with Aunt Jen! 

                       

Please, please be in prayer about housing in Arizona. We are at a loss as far as what option to pursue next. We cannot sign a year lease on a property, and we are having struggles even to come up with any housing options. I know that God will provide, as He always does, but I wish that I knew a little better how and what to pack for this transitional move to Arizona. 

Tuesday, June 2

What a day! We mowed grass, took four loads to storage, emptied out the basement, cleaned out the shed, loaded the garage with yard sale stuff, and took the kids for a short swim! 

The older boys helped me cut the grass this morning. They used the riding lawnmower and I push mowed the ditch. Their help makes the job go much faster, and I am so thankful for them. Garett is far better at using the rider than I am, and Chandler and Wyatt are both willing to use the push mower to go around trees and the porch. Once we finished that job, I started hauling the stuff out of the basement that needed to go to storage. We managed to clean out the entire basement today with the help of my sister, Jenn. That was a huge project, and all that's left down there is the treadmill and a few pieces of dry wall. 

 Wednesday, Thursday, Friday....

Work, work, work, work! Since my sister is here for a few days, we have been working diligently on packing, cleaning, sorting, hauling to storage, hauling to the dump, and repeating the process again! The boys were able to go on a fishing trip with my dad on Thursday afternoon. They were ecstatic to report that they caught fifteen fish! This is the first time that they've had much success with fishing, and  we had to take lots of pictures to send to daddy. I'm thankful that my dad is willing to take them on these adventures as fishing is not really in my area of interests! 

The house is emptying out due to lots of help from my parents watching the boys some, Jenn helping pack, and my friends, Jenna and Katie, coming over on Friday morning. On Friday, Travis had a dentist appointment in the morning. My mom watched the other children since the appointment was at eight am. My dad had grass to cut and some scrap metal to collect so the three bigger boys went to my parents house. It's crazy to think that Garett and Chandler are now actually helpers in cutting grass, taking apart scrap metal, and working hard! Wyatt did what he could do, and Travis enjoyed being the "big" boy at home! 

I'm thankful for all that have helped us through this packing experience, and I can't wait to be done! It's a big job to haul stuff, sort through stuff, and clean with five small children. I think they can sense that big changes are coming and they all have been more tired and antsy than normal. 

Roger flys home on the 17th, and we are all looking forward to that. My goal would be to have the house done by then so that we can spend that day and one-half on other errands that will have to be done before we leave. We need to find an enclosed trailer to haul the bikes and other household items that we will need in Arizona. We are currently homeless as of the nineteenth of June, so we need God to provide something. Otherwise, we will be getting that tent out of storage! God hasn't failed us yet, and I know that He has a bigger plan. In my humanity, I'd love to know where our family will be living after we arrive in Arizona! 

Please pray for housing, the house closing date, our children as we transition to a new place, our adjustments as a family again, and that we will continue to put our trust in the Lord. 

                        

   

Answers to Prayer

Now that we have a closing date in sight, it's a long, uphill road through paperwork, address changes, phone calls, boxes, and the rest of the list! I'm not complaining, by any means, God has been so good to us; however, I feel like my to-do list is so long that I don't know where to start! So instead I sit around thinking of all that I should be doing while I'm walking with Emma or reading to her, and then I make a list and promptly lose it! I'm sure I'm the only one that those things ever happen to- or not! :) 

In good news, I did secure a storage unit to store our stuff in for now. It is available June 1, and it's in Berlin. It was a challenge to find a unit available, but God provided one for us. I've been weeding through lots of different spaces in the house and wondering where all this stuff come from! And even as I continue to pack, I wonder if I'll even miss any of it for six months! (When we took our trip to Alaska, it was a perfect reminder of all the things I don't need!) I feel that this adventure to Arizona will be a good reminder for us also of all the things we don't need! :) 

Yesterday was our septic and well inspection. The same guy that did it for us when we bought the house was the inspector today. There were a few recommendations for things that should be done with the septic and well, but nothing that was a requirement. So, provided the water test comes back okay, we should be good to keep rolling. The inspector said that the mound system was in good shape for having five small children live on the property and all the laundry and flushing toilets that must happen. :) So, it looks like we have the home inspection to still get through, and I don't know yet when that will happen. 

Roger is pursuing a ticket to fly out here and then drive us back. This would be a huge help to me, and hopefully help us all reconnect as a family before we are in new territory in Arizona. 

Thursday, May 28

It was a busy day with securing a storage unit, dropping off teacher appreciation gifts for our speech teacher and Travis' 4K teachers, then home to put Emma down for a nap, packing, a short walk, and dinner at a friends house! 

My mom watched Emma for me this morning so I could fill out the paperwork for a storage unit, drop off gifts, go to the bank, and pick up a few groceries. When I came to pick up Emma, my dad was taking her for a ride on the four wheeler. She was delighted with that! 

Later this afternoon, my friend, Katie came over to help me pack. We packed up most of the boys room and even managed to take down the bunk bed...be impressed! :) The boys can sleep on the floor for the next few weeks, and they'll probably think it's great! I feel like as much as we've cleaned out and thrown away, we shouldn't have all that much to pack. Yet all the packing is very overwhelming. After Katie left, I took Emma for a walk because I just needed to take a break. Emma enjoys going on walks, and she will often go out in the garage and sit in the stroller. She then proceeds to holler "walk" very loudly and often until I come and check on her. I can't always take her on a walk when she would like to go, but we have enjoyed several walks together this week. 

My friend, Gretchen, invited me to her house for supper tonight. However, it was far, far more than just supper! When I walked in there were balloons, friends, streamers, food, and a get-together for me! Some of my very dear and close friends had made plans for a party for me! It was such a blessing to gather with these ladies who have prayed for me, listened to me, watched my kids, brought me coffee, cried with me, laughed with me, and loved me throughout this past year. The ladies couldn't possibly include all the ladies that have prayed for me or encouraged me, but it did represent some of my very dear friends. I am so thankful for each of these friends, and I treasure the memories. They also had thoughtfully made a gift for me to hang up in our new home, and blessed our family with several gas gift cards, a food gift card, and a coffee gift card! I am one very blessed friend! 

Friday, May 29

Last night Roger let me know that he was able to purchase a plane ticket to come home for the house closing! This is a huge answer to prayer for both of us, and one that we are very thankful that God answered in this way. Roger will be flying into Milwaukee on June 17, we will sign the papers on June 19, and then begin the trek to Arizona. Please pray that the house closing will happen smoothly and on time. I am hoping to have most of the house packed up by the time Roger gets here. We will have plenty to do in the two days before we leave, so I would like to avoid the stress of still having packing to do. 

This morning I was able to have a coffee date at a friends house. A few of us gathered for food and fellowship, and a lively, animated discussion on what we had been reading in our Bibles. I tend to be very passionate about things that I believe strongly in, but I enjoy having friends that challenge and discuss what we are learning. It was a good time, but it was so different just having Emma to take along. I am missing  the boys, and I will be glad to see them again. However, this week has been a bit of a reprieve for me, and it's helped me to become refocused on some important things. 

After the mommy date, Gretchen came over to load up our spare bed. They are having company this week, and they were looking for someone with an extra queen bed to borrow. I said that they could use our spare bed in the basement, but they can't bring it back! Gretchen and I had quite the adventure getting that bed out of the basement. The mattress wasn't too bad as its a little bit flexible. However, the box spring was a different matter entirely! We ended up taking apart part of the stairs to get it out of the basement. However, we did succeed! We managed to get everything tied on the van, fixed the stairs, and put the car jack away. (Don't ask!) It was a ton of work, and had some frustrating moments, but at least I had a great friend to laugh our way through the experience! 

I haven't decided yet if I've been able to make progress packing. I feel like I have a bunch of huge messes, but the progress is hidden! I start working on something, and then have to take a break or walk away for a bit. I know we will get there,  but June 19 is looming closer every day! 

My next prayer request is housing. We have not been able to find anything that would work for our family and fit in the budget. We will be in Arizona in three weeks, and we still don't know where we will live. For the mama in me this is very difficult. It's challenging to know what to pack when you don't know where you will be living! Roger had a good lead on a place we could afford, only to find out it had been rented about an hour before he called! Please pray for continued wisdom and direction for us, and that God will provide something soon. 

Roger was able to get in a little bit of cross country time today, and he passed his annual flight physical. Tomorrow Roger is scheduled to fly on thirteen tours, so it will be a long day for him. That being said, God is going to need to drop the place we need to live in our laps as Roger's time is limited. However, nothing is impossible with God!!

The Closing Date on the House is Closing In!

Well, if I thought my life was a little crazy before this last week, we are about to enter the roller coaster with the tilt-a-whirl combination! :) We are rejoicing that God has provided a buyer for the home, but please, please, don't stop praying. We all know instances in which things have changed, so please pray that we can move smoothly through this closing. 

Our first buyers (the ones with the full price offer) decided to walk away. Since their house isn't sold, they felt it was too risky to buy our property. While I'm a little disappointed, I completely understand. We are now in the process of completing paperwork with our second offer people. They would like to close on June 20, so that is right around the corner! We have a well and septic inspection tomorrow, and I appreciate prayers for that to happen smoothly and hassle free. Of course, there is a home inspection sometime in the next few weeks as well, so I still have many things on my prayer list! 

Roger is going to talk to his boss about coming out here for the closing and to drive our family to Arizona. We still don't have a place for our family to live in Arizona, but that isn't on my list of priorities right now! I feel like I have so much to do that I don't know where to start, so I don't do anything! However, there are items to pack, give away, sell, or put in storage. Paperwork to be completed by the pile loads. Many address changes that need to be made, and all the other daily life chores! One thing at a time, right? :) 

The boys are having a great time with my sister, Jen, in South Dakota. She is planning a camping trip, they went to a water park, they've been eating lots of food, and enjoying their visit with Aunt Jen. :) Chandler has been struggling with a nasty cold since he left here, but he was insistent about not coming back with my parents. He wanted to stay the rest of the week with Aunt Jen! Emma doesn't know what to do with herself, but she is extremely efficient at making messes! She dumped out a bottle of shampoo, ate someone's used gum she found in the house, took all the books off the book shelf and looked at just one, and she wants to be right at my legs! :) However, I have been enjoying my time with her. We get to read books together, play together, go places together; and when she takes a nap, I can take a nap. :) 

Many, many thanks to each of you that prayed for our house to sell quickly. It sold within eight weeks of being on the market, which is just a testimony to the power of prayer. We rejoice in all that God has done, and we ask for His continued direction as we move forward. We love you!

Woo Hoo! Praising Jesus!

Thursday, May 21

Wow! It is very quiet around here with out any boys in the house! Emma is still working on entertaining herself with toys rather than making messes! :) Thursday was a crazy busy day for me with getting ready for three house showings in the evening. Emma was up very early, and it was challenging to get the house in immaculate order with her clinging to my leg. After working on the house for a while, I ran to town to try to do a few errands. We went to the attorney to see about getting some paperwork done in case the house sells. Then we renewed the car registration, went and picked up some new light bulbs as the ones in the bathroom quit working, and then came home. I had put together a meal earlier in the day for a lady in our church who just had a baby, so I gathered up those items. We dropped off the meal and visited for a bit, and then went to visit a friend while we waited to hear back on the house showings. 

Showing number one: the potential buyers were running late, so the people with showing number two actually saw the house first. The people that were supposed to be showing number two liked the house and location, but they felt that the house was too small for the needs of their family. 

Showing number two: these folks were supposed to having the first showing, but since they were running late, they were second. They really seemed to like the house, and told the realtor that they might put in an offer tomorrow after they slept on it. The realtor told our realtor that he would've never guessed that five kids lived in the house and that the house showed itself really well! Yay! Those are enrouaging words to this mama! 

Showing number three: they like the location and the wildlife, but not the layout of the house. 

So, here we are with a possibilty of an offer, a counter offer we need to respond too, and the full price people that need to sell their house. I guess we will pray and see what God does tomorrow. 

Friday, May 22

I spent the morning going to yard sales with a friend and her children. I didn't have anything that I needed to buy, but it was a good time of fellowship. I found a tractor for the boys and a book for Emma for a quarter each. :) 

After the yard sales, we went to my friend, Gretchen's house to feed all the kids lunch. I ended up putting Emma down for a nap also since she would've fallen asleep on the way home. While she was napping, I was able to go for a short run. :)

Emma and I came home later in the afternoon, and I realized that I couldn't find my iPad anywhere. I looked all over the house for it, in the diaper bag, in the car, everywhere, and I couldn't find it. I had used it this morning to talk to Roger via face time, but now I couldn't find it. I panicked a little when I realized it was nowhere to be found. While I try not to be dependent on technology, I do use my iPad for writing on the blog, communicating with Roger, answering emails, and paying bills. I sat down and asked the Lord to please help me find it. Even if it was broken, I needed to find it. I called Roger, and he had his mom call me via FaceTime. Nothing happened. I couldn't hear it ringing, and it didn't seem like it was in the house. I remembered that maybe I had set it on the roof of the car when I buckled Emma in that morning. Oh no!! I put Emma in the stroller and began to walk down the road. I pleaded with God to please let me find it even if it was broken. We had walked about .2 miles when I looked across the road, and there was my iPad case! I walked over towards the iPad and looked it over carefully. The case is torn, ripped, and dirty, but the iPad doesn't have any scratches on the inside!! It had lain beside the road for over seven hours without getting run over by a tractor, stolen by someone, or fried in the sun. God truly does hear the cries of his children. I am just in awe that He chose to bless me in this way. Apparently, I shouldn't drive cars as I tend to set things on the roof of them...like keys, iPads, etc. When I drive the suburban, the roof is too high to set anything on top of it, so I guess I need to stick with that! Don't mind me, I'm just praising Jesus over here!! :) 

Tonight I had a date with a friend for my birthday. Autumn took me out for coffee, a pedicure, and supper. Her husband, Phil, watched Emma for me. It was so nice to have an evening of several hours of talking, sharing burdens, listening and sharing our hopes and dreams, and enjoying our friendship. Autumn has become a dear friend to me,and I have watched her grow in her relationship with her husband, the Lord, her children, and other women in the church. This is the woman who needed a friend, and God blessed me with the opportunity to become her friend. It's a friendship that has shared lots of tears, laughter, frustrations, joys, trials, and triumphs. I'm looking forward to seeing how God continues to use her. 

                          

   

Roger and I countered our house offer today. The people that were a strong "maybe" never came forward with an offer, so we stepped out on faith and gave our counter offer people our best and final offer. I don't know what they will do with it, but I'm praying that they will accept. I have a house to pack, a husband to see, and children that need their daddy! 

Saturday, May 23

Emma and I spent the morning sorting through several drawers and packing a few boxes. Emma seems to be tired today, so she was back in the bed for a nap by 9:30 am. :) I cleaned the house, and thought about some ideas for Childrens church tomorrow. When Emma woke up around eleven, we went to a few yard sales. I mostly went just to get in some walking, but we did find four stainless steel water bottles for  .25 each. :) We will need those in Arizona! Then we went to Oshkosh to do a few errands. I needed to find a differnt case for my iPad since the one that fell off the car is torn. When I went to Target, there was a case for an iPad that was waterproof, drop proof, and sturdy. It was originally $129.00, but it was on clearance for $38.00. I think the Lord was trying to tell me something! :) So, my iPad is now in its new case and hopefully it will never be dropped off the roof of the car again. I also dropped off a piece of mail for Rogers brother, Mark. While out and about, our realtor called and told me that she was picking up the offer at 4:00pm. I didn't expect to hear back from them today, so that was a bit of a surprise. 

On the way home from Oshkosh, our realtor, Jenn, called to tell me that the offer had been accepted! How I praise the Lord for this answer to prayer! The buyer doesn't have a house to sell and would like to close on June 20, 2015. I met up with Jenn to sign the paperwork. We also gave our first offer people their notice. They have 72 hours to decide if they are going to buy our house, or if they are going to walk away. The people that have the second accepted offer on our property did not offer a full price offer, and it's a little lower than what I would choose if time was on our side. However, time is not on my side, this is what the Lord provided, it is a decent offer, and we will rejoice and be glad in it! 

We now have many, many details to work out, a home inspection to pass, a water test and septic inspection, a house to pack up, children to take care, a storage unit to rent, papers to sign, and about 5,000 other things on the "must-do" list! However, one thing at a time! Thank you for your continued prayers! God is good all the time. 

Sunday, May 24

It was just Emma and I to get ready for church this morning. She's been getting up very early the last few days, but it would be nice if she would decide to sleep past six sometime soon! :) 

I had Children's Church this morning, which went very well. I enjoy the couple that we work with (Dane and Katie) and will miss working with them. Today was supposed to be my last Sunday working in children's church, but everything is a little up in the air at the moment. 

Emma took her nap on the way home, so there was no rest time for mama! We read some books, cleaned out a few drawers, and talked with my sister, Jen. The boys will be getting to her house this afternoon as they are on their way back from their Montana Excurison. :) I sure do miss those boys of ours!  

My friend, Jenna, and I met for supper before church. Time always passes by so quickly when I spend time with her, but we are soaking up the memories! Jenna and I have been very good friends for about four years. We've had embarrassing moments together, laughs together, lots of tears together, running together, and praying for each other. She is so, so dear to my heart. I will forever be thankful that God allowed Jenna to become my friend, confident, encourager, and sister in Christ. I don't think that words can truly describe how deep and dear our friendship is to me. 

Funny moment: while talking with Roger tonight, he mentioned that he was concerned about talking with the boys when they arrive in Arizona. I was very confused, and I asked "well, why?" He explained that because the town is based right by Lake Powell's dam,  many things are named after the dam. There is a Dam Park, Dam Road, Dam Beach, etc. Do you see his concerns? :) I just laughed as I can picture one of my children announcing to my parents that they went to visit the Dam Park! :) Oh, the memories will will make! 

Update on Roger: I sure do love that man! This has been a rough, long year, but he's managed to finish the course, find a job, and provide for his family the best he can. Roger is loving the flying aspect of the job, but he's anxious for us to arrive also. Please pray that some type of housing would open up that we can afford. We need a place for everyone to sleep and eat without spending all of our paycheck to do it! We know that God already has something in mind, we are just trying to wait patiently! 

Also today: When I put Emma in her car seat, she was holding on to a small plastic horse. I put the horse on the roof of the car to buckle her in her car seat. Does anyone have a guess about what happened to the horse?! 

* In my devotions this week, I was reading about David and Jonathan. God gave them a very special friendship that lasted through some very challenging experiences. When Saul was hunting David, and David was hiding in the woods for fear of his life,  God sent Jonathan to David. The Bible says that Jonathan strengthened David in the Lord. Jonathan encouraged David to stay the course, be committed, and to follow God. How often we need someone like that in our lives! Someone to say, "stick with it. It will be worth it. Trust in the Lord. Be strong." I want to be a friend like Jonathan to someone and encourage them in the Lord. It's a completely radom thought, but that passage of Scripture in I Samuel 23 really made an impression on me this week. Anyone else care to share what God showed you? :) 

An Offer, a Counter-Offer, and Three Showings!

                    

   

Friday, May 15

We started out the morning with Garett telling me his throat hurt very badly...uh oh!! 

My mom and I were supposed to go buy school books for next year this morning, but our plans changed a little bit. My mom came over to watch the other kids, while I took Garett to the walk in clinic. When they asked what he was being seen for, I explained that I had just been in three days prior for a positive strep test. Thankfully, we had the same doctor that I saw on Tuesday, and as she examined Garett's throat, ears, and nose, she said that Garett had strep. She mentioned that his lymph nodes were really swollen, and that it was probably very painful to swallow. Since I had a positive strep test on Tuesday, Garett was prescribed the antibiotic without even taking the test. She asked how the other kids were feeling, and I said, "oh fine. I'll just bring in another child in three days!" :) So although the other kids seem to be fine, strep can come on very quickly. We were able to get his antibiotic filled quickly, and he took his first dose. 

We still had time to get school books, but Garett definitely wasn't feeling like himself. He didn't quit eating, but he did eat much slower! I asked him if he just wanted to stop eating and he said in a horrified voice, "But mom, I still have to eat!" He was like my throat might be on fire, but I'll keep eating! :) 

I ended up dropping off the kids at my friend, Gretchen's house, except for Garett. He just wanted to take a nap in the car anyways, so he came with my mom and I to get books. As painful as it was to buy books today, we did save $131.00 by going to the materials display today! I also had a house showing at 5:30pm, so my day was very full. After buying the books, we had lunch with my mom and did a few errands. Then I went back to Gretchen's to pick up my other children. Gretchen graciously suggested that I leave the kids there while I went back to my house to get ready for the house showing and to pack for our little get away to the Longsines. It was a busy full day with way too much in it...but we did it! God helped me to get the house picked up. We had a safe drive to Milwaukee. The weather was beautiful!! We have much to be thankful for today! 

Saturday, May 16

Today was a very full day with lots of activity. The kids were up early to make the most of the day spent with friends. After breakfast, I went for a run (yes, the kind that you actually go places, rather than up and down the driveway!) Beka graciously watched the nine kids we have between us while Jared and I ran 3.1 miles. It's been a while, and it's something that I have greatly missed. I'm looking forward to getting back into that routine when our family is complete again! 

After that, we helped get ready for the Sunday School class picnic that the Longsines were hosting. We set up chairs and tables, and the Lord allowed the rain to clear up. We had a little extra time in the morning before the picnic, so Beka and I walked all nine children down the road to the neighborhood yard sale. Everyone was very excited about going, but they were mostly dragging on the way home! Wyatt found a huge dump truck that he was willing to buy with some of his birthday money. Chandler picked up several items, but nothing caught his eye that he wanted to actually pay money to get! :) Garett found an aviation pencil sharpener that made his day! We found some golf balls to go with the clubs we have, and two pairs of nice swim googles. :) It was a fun time for the kids. 

When we arrived back at the house, my realtor called me. She told me that we have another offer on our property. They can close in thirty days and do not need to sell a home. The problem is that the offer is low...very low...in my opinion. Roger and I will be doing some thinking and praying about that. 

We had a good time at the pinnic at the Longsines. Children have a universal language to make friends easily, and I don't usually struggle to talk to people. It was good to get to know the families in their church, even though the afternoon was gone by the time the picnic was over and cleaned up. The kids were definitely ready for bed after playing outside all afternoon and running around. 

Sunday, May 17

Happy Birthday to me! Today was my 32nd birthday, and although Roger wasn't here, Beka and Jared did work extra hard to make it special for me. Beka and I left early in the morning before the kids were even up, to get coffee and donuts for breakfast. It was nice to have some adult conversation in the morning. :) After coming back to the house, we fed all the kids, I loaded up the truck, and then we headed to church. We visited at the Longisnes church there in Oak Creek. It was good to fellowship and worship the Lord at their church even though I did miss being home. The kids did a good job of going to classes at at different church, although it helps that the Longsines children are roughly the same ages as ours!

After church, the Longsines spoiled our family again by taking us to lunch at Taco Bell before we headed home. It was a good visit, and I'm glad that we were able to visit and fellowship with good friends for a few days. Beka also gave me a lovely card and a skirt for my birthday, so yes, they really worked at making my day special! 

On the way home, I called our realtor to find a place for us to meet up so that I could sign our counter offer contract. We met at the park, and she brought me coffee. :) We chatted for about 10 minutes before the rain just poured out of the sky! That was the end of that! We waited out the rain for a few minutes in the car before heading to Target. I needed to get a bag for a gift for our Pastor's wife and my friend. We had a few minutes to burn before church started so we wandered around for a bit before heading to church early so that the kids could play for a few minutes. They desperately needed to get out of the car, so I  was glad they could play before church. 

My friend, Autumn, gave me a card with some beautiful thoughts written inside. I love it when people write more than their name in a card. :) After church, the Schilder family, took us to Dairy Queen for Dilly bar treats. It was a good time of fun, even though it was a late night! 

Roger called me several times over the course of the day to tell me happy birthday and that he loved me. We are waiting to celebrate our birthdays until we are actually together again...which seems like way too way away!! :( 

Monday, May 18

Today was a busy day with Travis having his 4k class, Wyatt having speech lessons, and catching up on the things we missed while we were gone for a few days. I dropped the kids off at my parents house while I ran a few errands. After Travis finished his 4k class, we had lunch at Nana and Papas and then came home for rest time. The only child that actually slept was Emma, but that helped us a lot. My dad had brought over his zero turn lawnmower and his push mower. I've never driven the zero turn, but my dad explained how to start it over the phone. Starting it wasn't the problem, driving it was a big problem!! After accidently driving it into the trash cans in the garage, and almost hitting the truck, Garett asked it he could try. Since he's helped my dad many times with grass cutting, I figured it couldn't hurt. He started it himself, steered it carefully out of the garage, and starting cutting the grass...boy, I was impressed! He might not remember his multiplication facts, but he can drive that lawnmower! :) Chandler offered to do the push mower around the flower beds, and the new grass that we planted. He did a great job, and I mowed the ditch with the push mower. It takes quite a bit of power to mow the ditch, and I like to keep the boys away from the road. 

                          

     

So...there is quite a difference between our boys! :) Garett mowed the grass in nice straight rows and carefully cut the grass so that he didn't end up with piles of cut grass. Chandler couldn't have cared less about having straight rows, and he mowed in circles so that he could have a big pile of grass! He was a little disappointed when I told him to get the rake and scoop up those piles of grass! However, I'm very thankful for all the boys help, and it made getting the job done a lot easier! 

Before we started cutting the grass, I thought that the grass looked shorter than when we left. But I thought I was just losing my mind; and since my dad had dropped off the mower, we should mow the grass. However, it was not my imagination!! Our dear, sweet neighbors had mowed our grass over the weekend, and they also checked on the house. I was so blessed by their thoughtfulness, and I wish I had noticed that it wasn't my imagination! :) 

Chandler has a very bad cold, but I don't think he has strep. He's just very tired, a little cranky, and needs some extra rest. I'm thankful that school is done for the year, but we are working on reading every day, and doing some extra math sheets twice a week. 

Tuesday, May 19

Today was a little busier than I originally planned, but that's the way life goes. :) My dad was officiating a funeral today, and he asked if I would be willing to sing. Although I don't consider myself a great singer, I was willing to help since my dad asked. The funeral home didn't have a piano, but they did have an organ. I played a few hymns before the service began, but I didn't want to sing to the organ, so I decided to sing acapell a. My mom graciously kept the kids so that I could sing at the funeral home. For the record....there will be NO organ music at my funeral! Ugg! I do not care for organ music, and I do not want any slow hymns sung at my funeral. We can sing "How Deep the Fathers Love for Us", which I sang today. I love that song as the words are so powerful. Actually, I don't think I'll care what people sing as long as God is glorified and there is NO organ music!! 

I was supposed to have an appointment at 11:30, but the person called and cancelled. Since my mom was expecting to watch the kids until around noon, I was actually able to squeeze in a little run before picking up my kids. If there is one thing I really miss, it's running. My runs are sporadic at best, but it is truly something that I enjoy. 

After I picked up my children, I took them home for rest time. Emma took a ten minute snooze on the way home, so she sat in her bed and sang loudly while every one else was resting! The boys were tired today, since everyone fell asleep except Garett. Following nap time, the boys were invited to go swimming with some friends at a hotel. All the kids love water, so they were very excited about swim my with their friends, the Longsines. I also knew that it would help them sleep better tonight. :) 

After swimming, we washed and vacuumed out the truck since the boys will be taking it on their trip out west with Nana and Papa. My parents had invited us to have supper with them for a belated birthday dinner; but since Emma had only had a short nap, and Chandler was showing signs of fatigue,  called and cancelled. It was a better and smarter choice to go home. 

We also heard back on our counter offer today. They countered our counter offer by offering to come up 5k on their originally offer, and they want us to pay for the water to be tested. They also would like the riding lawn mower to be included in the sale....obviously, they don't realize its value! (None- it doesn't run!) 

Roger and I still feel that this offer is lower than we would like it to be, so we are praying about what steps to take next. Although we need to sell this house, and we need to get our family moved to Arizona, we also need to be wise stewards with what we have been given. We still don't have a place to live in Arizona, so please continue to pray for all those details to be worked out in the next few days. I've moved back our tentative departure date a few days, just simply because we haven't been able to pack with all the house showings. It's difficult to get out boxes and clean out cupboards when I want the hose to be spotless for a showing! I'm looking into getting a storage unit this weekend, and if we can cement a closing date on the house, that would help us greatly! 

Roger was able to get on a cross country flight today with the company, so that made his day. Also,his brother, Nate, came to visit for the day. Nate is also in aviation and I know Nate has been an encouragement to Roger at times over this past year.  While he is getting flying hours, he also needs cross country hours to build his resume. We are thankful for the hours he is getting, but I'm starting to feel anxious about getting our family there. Please pray for us. 

                          

Wednesday, May 20

As always, it was a full day this Wednesday. Today was Travis's last day of 4k and Wyatt had his last speech lesson. We have been so blessed to have Mrs. Lind for the boys speech teacher. She has helped us know what areas to work on, and she has been so kind and thoughtful to us. We both shed a few tears as we said our good byes today. We've become more than just a student/ teacher relationship, she has become a dear friend. She thoughtfully put together little treat bags for the kids for the trip, and she wrote a beautiful card. She will be missed! 

After Travis finished 4k we had a few moms and kiddos come over for a play date. It started out as just one or two moms, but the last I counted we had 23 kids and six mamas! It was a great time of fellowship, laughter, and coffee! For the most part all the kids got along together fabulously until it was time for nap time. That's one thing I love about having moms with young kids over for a play date- they will go home at nap time! :) I will miss these dear ladies, their children, and their fellowship. My friend, Katie, came over today for the mommy play date, and she brought me a beautiful bouquet of flowers for my birthday, and she wrote a very thoughtful note to me. It brightened my day! 

After all the moms and kids left, the boys picked up the yard. Then we got busy packing for their trip out west tomorrow. They are going with my parents to see some friends in Montana, and then they will meet my sister in South Dakota. The boys will be spending a few days with her before heading back to Wisconsin. I am so thankful that the boys have the opportunities to take these trips with my family. They get to have real, live history lessons that reinforce what they've been learning. Wyatt was a little emotional about leaving, and he wanted to make sure that I would still be here when he got back. I assured him that I would be here, and that a few days after he came back we would be leaving for Arizona. 

Somehow we managed to pack up the truck, pick up some snacks for the road, get everyone ready for the Kings Kids awards program tonight, and be on time! The boys were excited about the awards program, and I am very proud of how hard they worked on their own this past year. They each received certificates for faithful attendance, meaning that they had only missed one or fewer Wednesday nights during the whole year. (Personally, I think the parents deserve that award!) :) Garett received an award for sportsmanship. This is a character award and its a medal that is given to the child that has a good attitude during game time, participates, and shows kindness to others. I am very proud of his award, and I'm very thankful for his spirit. Chandler received a certificate for placing in the top ten for Kings Kids. Basically it means that he brought his Bible, said verses, and participated in the various bonus nights. He is a hard worker, and he was one of the youngest children to be in the top ten. I do love these boys of ours so very much! 

My friend, Amay, gave me a birthday card along with a gift certificate to Starbucks! I will be having coffee sometime this next week, and no one will ask me for a sip! :) Jenna also gave me a gift and a card. While the gift is lovely, it's the words that speak. She wrote me a long, beautiful birthday card that had me in tears. I could sense her heart, and I know we will both be deeply missing each other in a few weeks. 

After church, I took the boys to my parents house. They want to get an early start in the morning for their trip. The boys were excited to sleep over at Nana and Papa's house, and my parents are taking our suburban on the trip. It's not as gas efficient as their car, but sometimes comfort will weigh out on a long trip. :) 

And about the house....well, we haven't done anything with the low counter offer yet. However, God has opened the doors for us to have three showings on the property tomorrow!!! Yes!! Three!!! We are praying that one of these three will come forward with a nice, strong offer. I have to reminded myself that God knows exactly how I'm feeling, He knows that our family is apart, and He is working all things together for His glory. My flesh wants him to hurry up, but my spirit is learning to wait...again. 

So, yes, please be in prayer for tomorrow!!

Wordless Wednesday!

Another Wordless Wednesday!

               

            

            

    

    

A "just go back to bed" kind of week!

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Today was Mothers Day. It was a hard, emotionally challenging day for me, and I spent a lot of the day in tears. I missed Roger terribly, and the boys are a little on the young side to even know what Mother's Day is about, and that's okay. However, it was a challenging day on so many levels. I could go into more details, but it would probably come across as complaining rather than sharing my heart, so I'll just leave it in there. But, we did make it through the day! One of the ways I chose to get my mind off myself was to do something nice for a few ladies in our church. I wrote out six different notes to ladies in the church that have been exceptional moms this past year, at least in my eyes. I worked on getting my mind off of myself and onto others. It did work...kinda. By the time evening church came around, I was still emotional, tired, and weary. I should've just stayed home, but I was looking for some adult company. However after realizing that I couldn't even make it thorough the music part of the service  without tears, I decided to go home. So that's what we did. I left part way through the service with the kids, and we went home. I think my children were a bit in shock over the decision, but I think it was the right choice for us. We went home, made some supper, talked for a bit, and I put the kids in bed. My friend, Gretchen, sent me a text asking if she could come over, and at first I said no. I'm glad that she persisted and came over anyways. She  brought decaf coffee and just listened to me talk. I greatly appreciated the chance to have adult company and with a good friend.

Monday, May 11

It was rainy and dreary most of the day. I had made plans to have a play date with my friend, Jenna, at our house, however, we decided to go to a McDonalds with a play land instead. So after Wyatt's speech lesson, and Travis's 4k class, we spent some time at the play land. It's been too long since I've had a good visit with this friend, and it was so good to finish each other's sentences and share our mommy woes. :) I was feeling tired all day, but I figured it was probably from an emotional day on Sunday and Wyatt and Emma not sleeping well the night before. After the play date, we took a quick trip to Sams Club. Everyone was getting tired and I was really tired, so we headed home. By the time we arrived home it was around four, and I was feeling really cold. I was beginning to think I had caught the bug that Wyatt had last week. By seven, I was ready for bed. Since Emma hadn't had much of a nap, she was ready for bed. I told the boys to brush teeth, get on clean clothes, and get ready for bed. Then I told them that they could watch a movie, and when the movie was over they needed to get in bed. Travis was already showing signs of being tired, so I put him in bed too. I didn't feel good for most of the night with a low grade fever, and then my throat hurt terribly on Tuesday morning. 

Tuesday, May 12

I woke up this morning feeling like something that the cat dragged in. My throat was on fire, and I really wanted to stay in bed. However, I managed to get all the kids up, Travis to his field trip day at school, and then dropped off the boys and Emma at my parents house. Wyatt had a dentist appointment, so I took him to that. I was so tired that I had to fight from falling asleep in the waiting room. By the time Wyatt was done with his appointment, I was thinking that maybe I had an ear infection. Since I still had a little time before picking up Travis from school, I went over to the walk in clinic. We had plenty of time when we arrived, but we were running short on it by the time the doctor saw me. She swabbed my throat for strep, and then said that the results took about ten minutes. I didn't have ten minutes! So I asked if I could go pick up Travis and then come back for the results. So we went to pick up Travis, and came back for the results. Yes, I have strep throat! I have never, ever had strep throat, and it's not fun! It hurst to swallow, it's painful to eat, and it is just not fun! The nurse said to keep the kids away form my drinks and food, and to get lots of rest...um...yeah, okay! 

We also had a showing tonight at 7:30 pm., so I had lots to do to get ready for that. My friend, and realtor, Jenn, was waiting at our house after I got home from picking up the boys. She had some papers I needed to sign, and while she was waiting she got started on cutting the grass! We visited for a few minutes, and then I realized that she had brought our family subs and coffee for me! I could've cried, it was so thoughtful and sweet! I didn't eat anything, but the coffee was delicious. Trying to keep the kids form drinking out of the cup was a challenge! 

Thankfully, Emma took a three hour nap today, which gave me time to cut the front yard. Our lawn mow ever isn't working...again...so I used a push mower. The boys helped me out a lot. Normally, I would want to do it beaus it's exercising, but today I was very grateful for the help. We did get all of the front yard cut, so hopefully, it makes a good impression on the people looking at the house tonight. 

It's hard to be a parent when I'm feeling good, but when I'm feeling lousy, it's much, much more challenging! I'm thankful that the boys did try to help get ready for the open hose today. They picked up the yard, each took turns at pushing the mower, and tried to be helpful in sweeping. :) I love them each so much, and I am so very blessed.

We haven't heard yet on how the showing went tonight, but I know I'm exhausted and I'm going to bed.

Wednesday, May 13

Although I'm still feeling very, very tired today, my throat feels much better! Twenty four hours on the antibiorotics really does make a huge difference! 

Today was a low key day for me, since yesterday was very full and overwhelming. The boys and I did finish the back yard mowing, and we walked down to the park. We also had lots of quiet time today also. 

The boys appear to be feeling fine, but the incubation period for strep is one to three days. I just don't think I can risk them being carriers, so we won't be going to church tonight. The two big boys were so disappointed that they cried since tonight was the last night for the Kids program, and they've had perfect attendance so far this year. :( It wasn't a fun decision to make, but I don't want to feel responsible if someone gets sick either! 

My friend, Heather, graciously brought us supper tonight. I was so thankful for her thoughtfulness and to have a few moments of adult conversation. Travis had taken a two hours nap today, and when he woke up he still acted tired. By the time Heather arrived with supper, he was on the couch with his pillow and blanket. As Heather and I were talking, Travis threw up on his blanket and clothes, so yes, it's a good thing that we didn't go to church tonight! 

Thursday, May 14

Although Travis seems to be feeling better, he spent most of the morning napping on the couch. He's obviously still very tired if he can sleep through all the noise around him! So it was another low key day for us. The other boys and Emma played outside for several hours, and around one o'clock Travis seemed to turn a corner for the better. He was ready to eat something and go outside, so I guess he's over the little bug he had in him. I am feeling much, much better as far as the strep. However, there are days when I wake up thinking, "wow, I couldn't possibly get any more tired!" And then several hours later I realIze that it is possible to become more tired! I was able to lay down for almost an hour today while Emma napped, Travis napped, and Garett and Chandler played quietly. Wyatt also took a nap after insisting that he wasn't tired at all...while using a very whiny voice! So, he fell asleep for over three hours, and I think he might have been tired! 

I also recieved word that there will be another showing on our house tomorrow. Yay for showings, but bad for all the work they entail. Back to work we went picking up the yard, cleaning the house again,etc. The house is still clean from Tuesday's showing, but it's all the things that make the house look lived in that require time and effort. Picking up all the shoes, jackets, and clothes, making sure the sink is clean and counters are clear, organizing the garage with all the bikes, finding places to hide the baskets of clothes that are airing to be folded, making the beds very neatly (the boys make the beds, but not neat enough for a showing), putting away the boxes that we are trying to pack, etc. I'm very thankful for another showing, it's just becoming more and more challenging to actually live in our house. 

My mom and I are also going to and A Beka Materials display to pick out the school books for next year! It seems a little crazy, but I can save quite a bit of money by ordering the books now. 

We are also leaving tomorrow afternoon to go visit some friends that live near Milwaukee. The Longsines have children close in age to our kids, and they invited us down to spend a few days. We are leaving  tomorrow and coming back on Sunday afternoon. The kids are super excited about seeing their friends, and I'm excited to get away from the house for a bit! Beka and Jared are good friends of ours, and we are looking forward to some good fellowship together. I'm not sure exactly how relaxing it will be with nine kids between us, but it's sure to be an adventure. :) 

And since the house will be immaculate, I might as well pray for several showings this weekends :) 

Roger is definitely enjoying his job, but he's lonely...imagine that! I know that he misses his family terribly, and we are both looking forward to being together as a family again. I truly can't wait! God has brought us thus far and even when it seems like this tunnel will never end, God is faithful. We do need extra prayer for a miracle. It doesn't look like the company is going to let us rent out the trailer that Roger is living in, but living there would make things much easier for our family. Please pray that the owner and company would consent to this for our family. 

Thank you all for the prayers.

                   The boys worked hard at pulling Emma in the turtle sandbox! 

        

                         Emma ate some of the vegetables, but she ate mostly the dip! 

Wordless Wednesday

I had the kids fill out these papers on our last day of school...today!! I have a lot to say, but then it wouldn't be "Wordless Wednesday"! 

                        

    

A Week of Mountain Top Experiences!

Monday, May 4

Oh goody! Today is our last Monday of school! I'm pretty sure that I'm just as excited as my children! Travis will still have 4k, but WEDNESDAY is our last day of school work. My dad is planning on taking the boys on a camping trip up to the hunting cabin, and the boys are counting down the days! Since they'll be gone this weekend, I'm planning on having a yard sale to try to part with some of our junk...I mean treasures! :) 

So basically, I haven't even really started the week, and it's going to be a busy one! My friends, Amanda and Jay,  invited us to come to their house for supper tonight. Amanda and I went to college together, ran cross country together, and share some very special memories. It was a great time of fellowship and watching our children interact together. We have nine children between us, and for the most part, they got along fabulously. Emma was a little over loving on their little boy, but everyone survived. 

Tomorrow the truck has to go into the shop so that we can get it tuned up and ready for a drive to Arizona! The boys are looking forward to this new adventure in their lives, and everyone is anxious to see daddy. I don't think I'm a very good single parent, but I'm doing the best I can do. God supplies grace every moment at the right time, although sometimes I just need to keep my mouth shut! 

I recieved a very special blessing in our mailbox today. Some very dear friends to our family wrote us a little note and enclosed a gift of money. It was SUCH an encouragement to my heart as I had just been talking to Roger about a bill we needed to pay. God always provides at just the right moment, yet I still have to remind myself to not worry!!

Update on our open house: 

We had an open house yesterday, May 3, and it was exactly what God planned. It wasn't what I wanted to see happen, but I'm not God. The couple we accepted the offer from came through and looked at the house again. The good news is that they still want the property, and the bad news is that their house hasn't sold yet. I really was praying that God would allow them to have an offer on their house by Sunday or that God would give us a different buyer. However, the buyers are meeting with the bank again this week, and I'm praying that they get an offer on their property this week. 

Update from Arizona:

Roger is three for three! He called me on Sunday and left a voicemail stating, "well, Babe, another one bites the dust!" I was trying to figure out what in the world he was talking about! He told me later that his trailer mate quit the job in favor of a better job. Apparently, Roger scares off his trailer mates. :) However, will you pray with us on a prayer request? Since Roger doesn't have any trailer mates, we are praying about possibly renting out the trailer house. It would be more than the campground to rent, but we wouldn't have to mess with an RV, getting it to Arizona, getting it to whatever place is next, and the wear and tear on the vehicle. I think it would ease my mind a bit to not have to think about hauling a trailer to Arizona. So, we are praying that perhaps the company would allow us to rent out the trailer house. 

Tuesday, May 5,

Another day of school is finished...one more to go! I was on my way home from school when I received a phone call that someone was interested in our car. Interestingly enough, I was driving the car we are trying to sell! The truck needs some work, so it's in the shop today. By the time I arrived home, our friends were waiting to look at the car. I watched their children so that they could take the car for a drive. Teresa and her husband decided that they would like to buy the car. I had prayed very specifically that we could sell the car this week. The truck was in the shop, but I had no idea how I was going to pay the bill for the truck! Thankfully, God answered my prayer, and He sold the car this week! I did have to work out a few details with Teresa since she was buying the car, but I need the car until we get the truck back. God provided all the details to be worked out, and as of Wednsday night we had our truck back and the car is sold! Praise the Lord- Jehovah Jireh!!

Later on Tuesday, I went to the visitation for a dear lady in our church who passed away last week. I didn't want to take the kids, so my parents went to the visitation first and then they came to watch the kids. While they watched the kids, I went to the vistation. It's sometimes overwhelming to try to figure out how to make the most important things work out, and take care of my children's needs. 

Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, 

These days were so busy that they all kinda ran together! Wednesday was a busy day since it was our last day of school. I had told the kids that if they did well on the last day of school we would have lunch at McDonald's. Well, they didn't have a great day at school, so no treat. :( I'm pretty sure that I was more sad than the kids! However, we did go home and take naps since that is what everyone needed. I laid all the kids down for rest time, and then I cleaned the house again. We had a showing on Wednesday night, so the house needed to be spotless again! (I'm hoping this will be behind us soon!) We left for church early since we had a house showing, and I needed to do some grocery shopping for the boys camping trip. Grocery shopping is probably the boys least favorite thing to do although they do enjoy eating! We survived it...I think! :) We had dinner at a friends house, but she had had a long, rough day. I should've been more sensitive to her needs and just went to the park for a bit. Sometimes I crave adult interaction so much that I'm not as sensitive as I should be to others needs, but it's something I'm working on! We only have a few more weeks of our Wednesday night kids programs, so the boys are soaking it up. I spent some time sharing burdens with a friend, and spent much of the night in prayer for a dear friend. 

Thursday:

Finally-it's the boys camping trip today! I have four excited boys ready to go camping with their papa. They were able to invite their friend, Ben, along so the boys were ready to go at about 6:30am. About every ten minutes one of them would ask when Papa was going to get there. Papa arrived at about 9:30, and the boys were waiting! I know that they will come back grubby, dirty, sloppy, happy, and very, very tired! I'm very thankful that my dad is willing to spend time with them. I wish I could say that I now had  48 hours with just myself and Emma, but instead we had a garage sale this weekend! We are haivng it at our friends house in Berlin. The Longsines are trying to sell their property, but they have graciously allowed me to use their driveway for the weekend. It's a much better place to have a sale than out in the country where we live. I've been hauling our junk (I mean treasures) there throughout the week, so most of it is in there garage. My friend, Katie, came over for a few hours on Thursday to help me sort through items and price things. My mom took Emma for a few hours so that she could nap and I could work faster. :) 

Friday was a crazy day! I left the house around 7:30 to set up for the yard sale. It's challenging to set up and move tables by yourself and with a small child! However, we managed to do it. People were out and about and I was selling stuff as I was trying to set it up! The truck was in the driveway, I'm working on tables, and people are looking throug boxes and handing me money for items. It was a tad overwhelming, since I needed to sort through the clothes by sizes, watch Emma, and take in money. Thankfully, my mom came around 10:30 to take Emma for a nap, and about 11, Gretchen showed up with coffee in hand! Yay!! I was able to get all the clothes sorted through and all the items out on the tables. Gretchen left about 2:00, and I had the yard sale open until about five. Then I ran to pick up Emma, dropped off a meal for a dear friend, and we went home. Emma and I were both exhausted. However, we made $279.00 on Thursday! 

My friend, Jenna, and I have been having some conversations about praying specifically. She asked me how much I would like to make at the yard sale. I told her that the truck repairs had cost $492.49. I would like to make $502.00, so that we could have a coffee date. Because although we sold our car, I would like to use the money from that sale to pay off a few other bills, and leave Roger and I with a little breathing room. :) So, my friends, Autumn and Jenna, and Roger and I, have been praying specifically for God to provide through this garage sale. Guess what?! At the end of today (Saturday), I counted up the money. It was hard for me to wait to count it until I had picked up the leftovers from the yard sale, taken care of my responsibilities, etc., when all I wanted to do was COUNT THE MONEY!! 

And God has once again proven to me that He is the GREAT I AM! I made $503.68!!! Can you believe that? The most expensive item I sold was $7.50, so that was a lot of little items that added up!! God is so incredibly good, and I love it that He provided specifically what we prayed for today. Roger could hardly understand what I was saying when I called because I was so excited!! 

The boys all had a great time on the camping trip. They are exhausted, and so is Papa! :) The had some great life lesson experiences, and Papa shared with them practical lessons from Gods Word. I'm so blessed to have my dad take such good care of them and invest in their lives. 

I am on cloud nine quite literally! God has just proven to me over and over and over again how much He cares for me. God is so good!! 

I've also enclosed a post I wrote earlier this week about another mountain top experience for me! :) 

On Sunday, May 3,  two of Wyatt's teachers from his children's church class approached me. Erica and Mariel both came to tell me that Wyatt had come forward during the invitation given during Children's Church. Although Wyatt listened closely, when asked if he wanted to pray, he said no and that he wanted to think about it. 

On the way home, I asked the kids about their Sunday school classes. They each explained what they had learned, and then Garett announced that Wyatt had gotten out of his seat in Childrens Church. I could tell that Wyatt was uncomfortable with all the talk and that he was very unsure. So, I asked him if he would want to talk about it with me later. He said yes, but then when we arrived home the afternoon escaped us. We had some friends drop by, and then it was time for evening church. After church, I could tell it would be best to talk about such a decision at another time. However, on Monday, on the way to school, Wyatt told me that he was going to talk to me that night. I was delighted that the topic was still on his mind. 

After all the kids were in bed on Monday evening, Wyatt and I finally got the opportunity to talk. I explained again that all people have sinned, and that we all deserve to go to hell. (Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23) I asked him if he knew why Jesus died on the cross. Wyatt replied that he realized that he was a sinner, and that he needed to ask Jesus to come into his heart. I quoted John 3:16 to him, and explained that God loved Wyatt so much that God sent Jesus to die on the cross for Wyatt's sin. Wyatt then wanted to pray on his own to ask Jesus to come into his heart. It was so real and moving to watch and hear him express in his own words that he needed Jesus to come into his heart. When he finished, I asked him if he knew where he would go when he died. He smiled at me and said, "I'm going to heaven when I die, mama!" I know that the Angels in heaven are rejoicing with us as another soul has accepted Christ as their Savior! 

                      Our sweet boy...Wyatt!