Week One of our Maine Lives as a Family!

                  The tree house and our home!

A week ago today, we pulled into 45 Roy Drive, Maine, to establish a home in an area new to our family. What a week it has been! Everyone survived the 21 hour drive from Wisconsin to Maine, and EVERYONE was thrilled to get out of the vehicles! 

                 

                   Top left: a walk in the park. Top right: Breakfast chaos

                   Bottom left: Garett with the weed wacker. Bottom right: our shower curtain window treatments 

I'm thankful that the weather was warm, sunny, and beautiful for that makes a good impression for seeing a new house! My sister, Hannah, and her husband, Josh, came down to help unload the uhaul truck, the trailer, and brought us supper. We were all very thankful for a delicious hot meal after several days of being on the road. By a lot of hard work, and many hands, we managed to get the uhaul unloaded before dark. Because it has been over a year since we've seen most of this stuff, and nothing was labeled we put everything in the basement to start out with. We did manage to find a bed for everyone to sleep in and blankets to use. My parents went home with my sister to stay at their house. To say that everyone was exhausted would be an understatement and everyone literally fell into their beds. 

Sleeping is overrated in the minds of our children, and they bounded out of bed by six am., on Thursday morning. There is a very nice tree house in the back yard...but no ladder! Chandler managed to lean a board against the tree house and shimmy up into it that way, as did Garett. However, that isn't a long term solution and we didn't want possession to become 9/10ths the law! My dad has worked construction for many many years, so he and Roger went to the lumber store to gather supplies to build a safer way into the tree house! I know my dad was exhausted from traveling, but he really wanted to do this project for the grandkids. He build them a beautiful set of stairs into the tree house that even Emma can safely use. I'm thankful for my dads willingness to undertake such a project in such a short amount of time. Hannah also came over on Thursday to help me sort through boxes. We found a ton of stuff we don't need, but discovered a lacking in some important items! We don't have any plates or bowls, but we have lots of silverware! I have saved plenty of the boys artwork, but I am lacking on how to store it...so I threw a lot of it away! We will definitely be visiting some yard sales and thrift stores over the next few weeks. 

My friend, Tressa, gifted me with beautiful towels, a fresh shower curtain, and bath mats. That was a huge blessing, and it's nice to have new towels. However, I discovered that the show curtain she gave me would match the living room colors perfectly. My mom suggested using the shower curtain for window curtains. I went to Walmart and bought another shower curtain, and now we have window curtains for a fraction of the cost! 

My parents stayed with Hannah and Josh at night, but during the days they came down to our house. It's about an hour drive, but in Maine that is just a drop in the bucket. It's like living in Alaska or northern Canada as people just expect a drive or an airplane ride to get anywhere. My mom kept the washing machine going, my dad worked on the tree house, and I unpacked boxes, put away stuff and kept adding things to my list of things to look for at yard sales. Roger did not have to work on Thursday, so he helped me wade through the boxes of stuff that had been in our garage and shed. Roger was in Arizona when we sold the house last year, so my sister, Jenn, and I packed everything up. However, I didn't want to throw away anything that Roger would need, so he probably ended up with a lot of stuff that he would've gotten rid of! 

Roger had to work Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, so he missed a lot of these last minute moments with my parents. I'm thankful that we were all able to get together for a family cook out at Hannah and Josh's on Saturday night. Roger's boss let him go a little earlier than usual so that he could join us. I know my dad stayed busy to keep his mind off of missing the grandkids when he is back in Wisconsin.  But my parents decided to leave on Sunday afternoon. Dad said that putting it off would not change anything and he has responsibilities in Wisconsin as well. Sunday was Father's Day, and it was an emotional day. Since Roger was working, we attended a church down the road from us. We visited Warren Baptist Church along with my parents. I figured it was the closest  Baptist church and since I didn't have time to look at any churches online, we could start there. Well, there were a few things I liked, and a few I'm not sure about. The people were very friendly which was nice. Others came walking into church carrying their Bibles which is a good indication that the pastor was going to preach from the Bible, they sang songs that we knew, and our children were invited to vacation Bible school this week. On the down side, they sang the songs to an ORGAN! Oh my! Anyone who knows me understands that that is not my favorite instrument! The church family only has a few children, so we about doubled the attendance for children. I was a little disappointed in the fact that there is not a Sunday school class for the children. But, the church auditorium was all decorated for vacation Bible school this week, so it's hard to know if that was a regular Sunday service. We are planning on going back for a second look on Sunday. 

My parents left after the service amid many tears on both sides. Chandler was the most emotional and my heart aches for him. All the boys are close with Papa, but Chandler especially enjoyed doing things with Papa. Emma is so young that she won't even have the memories that the other boys have and that's hard also. But, I am so thankful to be together as a complete family again. As much as I will miss my parents this is the better thing for us. We need to be together, and God has directed us thus far. I know He will continue to do so. 

So, the boys have experienced vacation Bible school programs at various churches across the country.   They've attended in Wisconsin, North Carolina, South Dakato, Arizona, and now Maine! I was amazed at how many kids have come for Vacation Bible School this week! On Monday night, just the two olde boys asked to go. I told Wyatt and Travis that they could go if they wanted to, but neither of them took that bite. Since Roger was working, I took the kids to the church for Bible school. It's only about a mile, but it's down a big hill and up another hill...not a good idea right now. I decided to stick around in the back pew and watch for a bit, so I could get an idea of what was happening. Wyatt and Travis sat down with me, and after about 45 minutes, I decided to go home and get some more work done. Wyatt decided that he wanted to stay for the rest of Bible school, but Travis was attached like an ankle biting dog on my leg! After Bible school, the boys were filled with stories of how much fun it was, and what they had learned, and they convinced Travis to come along for the next night. The boys have been going for the last three nights, and they have been enjoying it. I am thankful that God provided this opportunity right when my parents left, and loneliness was looming on the horizon. God is good! 

We are settling and adjusting. I don't know if I'll ever get the hang of Roger's work schedule  so I just go with it. This week he worked Sunday and Monday, had off Tuesday, worked on Wednesday, has off Thursday, and works Friday and Saturday. The days that he works are long days like from 5:30 am to 7:30 pm. The hours are longer in the summer because of more tourists and the daylight hours are longer. I'm not complaining, it's just going to take some getting used to. On the days that he works, I will need to save him supper from the piranhas and be flexible with whatever hours he works. We've been so busy on the house, but Roger has off tomorrow. There are a million and one things to do, but we are going to try out some new experiences as a family. I'm looking forward to experiencing the farmers market and taking the boys to the water. 

A few more days:

On Thursday we experienced the local farmers market for the first time. It's rated among the top ten in Maine, so we thought we'd experience it also. My sister came down for the morning and joined us. The farmers market is right there in the harbor area, so there is plenty to see! I was impressed with the children's program in the farmers market. Each child over five years old can get a market passport. Every week they come to the market they get a $2.00 token and get to sample products. The down side is that there aren't very many $2.00 items! There are plenty of organic things in the market, but with a family our size, it's hard to  bite the cost of organic...I just wash it off and hope for the best! It was a good experience though, and one that we will probably do again. There is a boardwalk right by the market that you can walk through parts of town down to the shore. The kids really enjoyed that, although Travis found a nasty sliver in his foot. Thankfully, my sister, Hannah was able to get the ugly thing out, and Travis appears to be fine. We are planning on trying one new activity or experience with out family during these summer months. The boys are anxious to try everything in one day, but I don't ink they quite grasp the fact that we will most likely be here for a good long while! 

Friday found Roger working again, and myself out running errands with the kids. I prefer to do grocery shopping by myself as I actually enjoy it, but since the refrigerator is empty, we must go! I've discovered that our local grocery store will double coupons under a $1.00, on Fridays they mark down bread, and that kids can get a free piece of fruit! If I had $1.00 for every time someone commented that my hands are full, I'd be one wealthy woman! Yes, they are all mine. Yes, I like them all. Yes, my hands are full but my heart is blessed. We made it through errands in time for lunch at home and a nap for Emma. The boys had their closing program for Vacation Bible School tonight, so I went to that. Roger met us at the church when he was done with work, and we enjoyed visiting with the pastor and his wife for a bit. I'm not exactly sure it's where we will stay, but they are definitely a warm, welcoming bunch of folks. 

My sister, Jen, is flying in for a few days next week and the boys are very excited about that! The newness of the experience is starting to wear off, and although Bbile school was a good help to them, the kids are missing their friends. I'm thankful that the God who hears my cries, also hears and listens to the voices of my children. God is so very good to us. 

Our love and prayers, 

Sarah 

                        

                                               A morning at the farmers market

When Good Bye is Painful...God is still good

I have no idea why the pictures on this showed up twice. But I'm not going to worry about it now!

Psalms 46:1

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

In the last twenty-four hours, I've cried more than I have in a very long time! Whew! I am very thankful that this part is just a small piece of the big puzzle. 

On Saturday morning, I joined a few ladies for lunch. My friend, Tressa, set up a date for ladies to come to lunch together to say good by. Amazingly enough, I throughly enjoyed myself and only shed a few tears. I mean, I'm not surprised I enjoyed myself, but I am surprised that I managed to only cry a little!!

                                       Lunch with friends

 

I sang special music on Sunday with three very dear friends, and it was only by the grace of God that I stumbled through the song. It was hard as I looked out on the congregation and realized how many dear and precious friends we have. Some are acquaintances that offer prayers on our behalf, a few are close friends, and fewer still are very, very dear friends. 

Roger arrived home with the u-haul just moments after we arrived home from church on Sunday morning. We had invited a few close friends to eat lunch, load the u-haul, and make a few memories one last time. Our goal was to make it to Sunday night church, but our first priority had to be loading up the truck. Roger and Ryan, another close friend, loaded the piano into the truck. From there we proceeded to load up all of our belongings from my parents house. My mom made lunch for everyone who came to help. I think we ended up having seven ladies, six guys, and fifteen kids when everyone was there! Many hands make light work! 

We ate lunch quickly and headed to our storage unit. I was a little concerned about how everything was going to fit, but Roger is an amazingly good packer! We did manage to fit everything we needed into the u-haul truck, and we made it back to my parents house with enough time to feed the kids before we changed clothes and rushed back for the Sunday evening service. I'll admit that I probably didn't go to church so much to hear the message as I did to say good by to my friends. It was an emotional evening for me even though I know that we are making the best choice for our family. I did feel a little bad for Roger. I would've thought that more men in the church would have made an effort to say good by or at least shake his hand. I know he hasn't been close to many people in the last few years, but it would have soothed my heart a bit to know that people care about us as a family and a couple. It's been a difficult journey for us as a family, and we are looking forward to seeing how God directs us in Maine. 

       

                                           I am so thankful for these ladies! 

  

After Sunday night church we did get to go out for ice cream with a few close friends. It's hard to cry when you're eating ice cream, so that was a relief! We didn't get home until around ten, and our children were exhausted. This has been tough on them as well, and I'll be shocked and amazed if none of them becomes sick. 

We were up early this morning to try to finish all the last minute tasks. I had dropped off the truck on Friday to get the tires changed, but they discovered that there were a few other repairs that should be made. They couldn't get the truck done until today. They were waiting on some parts, and they said it would be done around noon. Roger and I went and grabbed the few items that were left in our storage unit, checked to see when the suburban would be done, went to the bank, and wrapped up a few last minute boxes. My friend, Gretchen, invited us to come over for coffee and treats. Since Roger had a few errands to do in Oshkosh, he dropped myself and the kids off at Gretchen's house. The boys were delighted to have one last opportunity to play with friends, and I was certainly going to capitalize on a coffee date with my dearest friends! 

Jenna and Autumn came over for coffee as well. Honestly, saying good by was much more painful today. I know I'm tired, weary, and just drained, so the emotional side of saying good by caught me off guard. When I think about missing their birthdays, the birthdays of their children, the absence of coffee dates, animated discussions about family, kids, church, and life, and both of our lives moving forward, well, it's just hard to not be a basket case! I've created memories that will never be erased, but I also know that this move is not just a few months or short-term. God is directing us to settling down, find a good church, and raise our family in the state of Maine. It's hard knowing that there isn't a friend to invite myself over for coffee with, engage in a lively discussion, arrange a play date with, or invite for birthday suppers. I know that God has brought us this far, and His hand is definitely in this. But my heart struggles are real, but God is bigger. 

We left around two-thirty on Monday afternoon. I spent the first hour or so trying to stem the flood of tears. I finally gave up, and I felt better after I cried even though I then had a headache! We made it to South Bend, Indiana. We stopped about ten o'clock and practically fell into bed. Wyatt cried himself to sleep as he said all his friends were gone. It was hard to disagree as my heart is heavy also. I'm thankful for an understanding husband, great kids, and a sister and her husband that  are waiting in Maine. 

An early morning greeted us as we were on the road by 6:30 am. It was a long day of traveling, but we are getting closer. We have seven hours to travel tomorrow and then we will arrive at our new home! We appreciate your continued prayers as we seek to adjust, work together, find a church, and find a routine at works for us. 

Homeowners?! Wow!

The last few days have been a whirlwind of activity, and by that statement I mean just plain hard work! Hard work hasn't killed anyone, but I certainly made me have a great nap on the flight home. (I was probably the person who looked passed out, and I just hope I didn't have drool coming out of my mouth!)

I left for Maine on Sunday afternoon. My friend, Jenna took me to the airport. We left early just so that we could have a longer visit together...shhh, don't tell anyone! However, it doesn't matter how much time I have with her, we never run out of things to discuss. Often our conversations can be  sometimes loud, emotional, or emphatically, but always we have a good time. The flight to Chicago was uneventful, and there was a slight delay in Chicago for the flight to Portland. Neither plane was large, but they were completely capable of doing the job. I always get a laugh out of hearing people discuss the "tininess of the plane". I'd like to remind people that planes can get a LOT smaller and still get you on the ground safely! 

I arrived in Portland, Maine around 6:00 pm., and Roger was there to meet me. We stayed the night at a bed and breakfast place, as we had a walk-thru on the home at eight am. We were early for the walk thru so we drove around the countryside for a bit, and Roger pointed out places he thought might be interesting to the boys. As we arrived back at the house, our realtor was there for the walk thru, and so was the owner of the property...he was still moving stuff out! Since we had the closing at nine, I wasn't sure how much he was going to get done as the signing was half an hour away! Oh well,  it wasn't my problem. However, because his time was running out, he asked if we wanted the ping pong table in the basement. It's a very nice one, and I'm sure the boys will enjoy it. I do have a sneaking suspicion that even if we had said "no", it still would have been left there! I knew the house would need a good cleaning, and the previous owners did not disappoint! The kitchen and bathrooms needed plenty of cleaner and some good elbow grease, but the house did look better empty than it did when they lived there. 

The house signing went off without any snags or delays....Praise the Lord!  The  previous owner still had a big flat screen tv to get off the wall at the closing, and he asked if we wanted to buy it from him. We said "no". I think he was disappointed, but at this stage of our lives, that is not what I need taking up a wall in our living room. So, he had to go back and get it off the wall. Right after the house signing, we celebrated by going to Lowe's and selecting $100.00 worth of various cleaning supplies! We grabbed a quick lunch and headed home....wow, that's a new word in our vocabulary! He t.v was off the wall, and the house was ours. We changed clothes and got to work! Roger shocked me with how awesome he did at cleaning the bathrooms and getting spots off the carpet. We worked together for several hours and the progress was becoming apparent. We were both getting tired of cleaning, but thankfully, my sister, Hannah, arrived with fresh wind for the sails! We tackled the kitchen, while Roger scrubbed out soap scum from the downstairs bathroom. It may seem like I'm some kind of neat freak, and I'm not. I just want soap scum, spilled condiments, and dust left from my house neglect, and not the people who lived there before us! We have five kids so our house is lived in and not a museum. However, I do like things to be presentable, so we worked at it. By 5:30pm, Roger was starving, the house was much improved, and we all needed fresh air! 

       

   

We went to dinner in Rockland, and then took a walk on the breakwater. The breakwater is a stretch out into the ocean that they put there with granite boulders to protect the harbor. It was a beautiful walk, but I definitely needed a jacket on the water! 

Then we went to Lowe's...again! I had see earlier in their sales ad, that they were offering a rebate on gallons of paint. Since the sale ended today, I wanted to make sure that we could get in on the rebate. Paint is expensive, and our budget is not limitless. I love how God is interested in the details in our lives! The paint department had a shelf with mis tints, and various other paints that were being discontinued. The store is having inventory tomorrow, and the lady in the paint department was anxious to get rid of whatever paint she could. She offered to give additional mark downs any mistint paints we found on the shelf. We found a pink for Emma's room, a light blue for the boys and the laundry room, a can of primer, and two little cans that she marked down to .25! The big gallon containers of paint, she marked down to $10.00. Wow, God is so good! We did have to buy paint that wasn't on sale, obviously, as we couldn't find every color on the mis tint shelf! However, the other paint cans did come with a $10.00 rebate. When we checked out, the rebate printed on the bottom of the receipt. The cans that were on sale also came with a rebate, so we got four gallons of paint free! How awesome is that! 

By the time we came home, it was too late to start painting. Hannah headed home, and then Roger and I looked at each other and said, "Where are we sleeping tonight?" We have a house, with nothing in it...not even a towel! We decided to go the airport to get Roger's pillow and clean clothes for him from the pilot house. We could've stayed there, but trust me, I did not want to. Roger didn't want us staying there either. We forgot to get towels, but Roger picked up his pillow and clean clothes. We didn't have an air mattress either, and we are both getting kinda old for sleeping on the floor. We went to Walmart to pick up some fruit for breakfast, and there on the clearance shelf was an air mattress. It was actually a very good brand, and I have no idea why it was on the shelf other than the fact that God loves me! So, we spent our first night as home owners in our new house. 

Tuesday was a full day with more cleaning, getting ready to paint, and we actually did get to start the painting! Yay! Painting is an added touch of making it our home, and I am looking forward to seeing how it turns out. 

Roger's mama offered to come out an help paint as I am returning to Wisconsin on Wednesday, and Roger will be busy flying. She found a ticket for Wednesday, and she will return on Sunday, June 12. Roger will also be flying out on Sunday and coming to Wisconsin, so it worked out well. An extra set of hands will make the painting go a lot faster, and the more we get done before the "help" (a.ka. Five kids) arrive, the better it will be! The older boys really want to paint their room, and they are probably almost ready for that, so we will see. 

On Wednesday I returned to Wisconsin to finish up the packing. I was exhausted and slept most of the plane ride back to Wisconsin. My friend, Autumn, and her two kids picked me up from the airport. It was nice to have a visit with a dear friend, and it was also nice to be able to visit without feeling like I'm taking time away from something else I desperately need to be doing! 

It's been a crazy few days here, but I do believe the light at the end of the tunnel is for real and not an on-coming train! I've been getting rid of stuff, packing up stuff, cleaning, and trying to inform our kids about all the upcoming changes in the next few days. While I'm looking forward to seeing my husband (for good, this time), I'm not looking forward to the good byes, the 21 hour drive, and all the things that are required to do to set up home again...either I'm getting old or lazy....or maybe both! Actually, I'm just weary. The kind of deep weariness that makes your body ache and your eyes water. Can anyone relate to that feeling? 

But when  I look at the other side of the equation, I'm amazed at how God has orchestrated this whole cantata of events. If Roger hadn't had the job in Arizona, he wouldn't have been able to apply for this job. Roger is definitely not one to brag, so I'll do it for him! He is very, very good at what he does. God has given him a special gift for aviation, and I am enjoying seeing him work towards his full potential. There are so many more details that God orchestrated including allowing Hannah and Josh to move to Maine so that we would have some family on the east coast. 

Someday I'd love to write a time line about the last two years and the steps that God directed us towards. It's been a fasincating adventure...sometimes it felt like an escapade or disaster, but God has always directed one step at a time. As we look to the future, we certainly do not know what it holds. I know that God has given us five children; therefore, we will work to direct them to know God in a personal way. Our desire is that each child come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, and that they each will live their lives for Him. I know that I am married; therefore, I will be faithful to Roger and seek to meet his needs. I know that God has directed Roger to this job; therefore I will be supportive and prayerful about his work. I know that God has given us a home; therefore, I will look for opportunities to be hospitable. I know that God desires our family to be in church; so we will look for a church that we can serve and grow in. We're looking for a church that is doctrinally sound, has Sunday school for children, and a music program that is God honoring as well as uplifting and inspiring. I don't need to wave my hands or stand on the pew to be inspired by the music, but I'm looking forward to feeling inspired rather than I may expire! I realize that I took a rabbit trail for a moment, but it's just something that is important to me. Roger has visited a few churches, but we definitely have not felt God's direction to one yet. Please keep praying for us on that as church is a big deal to our family. We want to be involved, serve the Lord together, see ourselves and our children grow in the Lord, and a place to worship the Lord together. 

Anyways, the work is piling up around me again. I need to get back at the tasks at hand. Only three more sleeps as my children would say until we leave for Maine! Yikes! 

We are grateful for your prayers.