Disclaimer....

Just to clarify....

I have never ever EVER spanked or used any other form of physical punishment with our foster kids.

Madi's primary form of discipline is still time-outs, like the foster kids, btu occasionally, we do spank her when the offense warrents it.  Ya know... spare the rod, spoil the child!



Disclaimer over.

Lol! :o)

Wondering...

Since I made this stinkin blog private... Im wondering if anyone reads it.

DO you?

Haha... it doesnt matter really.  Im just enjoying being able to write what I want, and to share what pictures I want, even if Im just sharing them with myself...  haha!

So... what to blog about?
The craziness that has ensued in the 6 hours the girls where home before they went to bed?
The sweet peaceful time we spent with Madi while they were gone?
The money that we dont have?
The GInormous amounts of money we will need to move?
The feeling that I just want to tell our agency we quit?
The ball thats stuck in my gut... the ball I call stress?
The worry and wondering and worrying and wondering I do?
The beauty of the Lancaster Country Side?
Wait.. I like that last one!!

We get to go through some awesome country side to get to our agency and the respite house we use.  Its glorious and I enjoy the ride every single time.
God rocks!!

As for the rest... Im chosing to be positive.  Im chosing to praise and thank God in spite of it all.  I know He will work it ALLLL out. 

Doesnt make it any easier.... doesnt make the problems go away... and doesnt really make a worrier stop worrying, but it does give me a measure of peace. 

Hmm... I dont think its suppose to work that way though.  God really does want me to cast my cares on Him.  Not some of them, but all.  And then, He wants me to pick them back up....nope... wait, thats not right either!!  :o)  I just have a hard time leaving them.  Ive been getting totally obbsessive about checking the internet for houses... .like 5 and 6 times a day.  Like its going to change in 10 mins.  UGH.  Im driving ME nuts!!

Mike and I spent some time singing and worshipping today.  It was nice... but we definitly didnt spend enough time doing it.  I love when he plays with me... since we dont have djembes and congas.... he plays the chairs, the thighs, the feet, the floor, and any other random thing that he can reach as he sits beside me.  It works.. and Jesus must love it!! (Ya know... joyful noise 'n' all!)

WHoa.... I just kinda zoned out... haha... of course, if I didnt type that, you would never know that I truly am a scatterbrained mess! :o)

Anyways... tomorrow... errr... today since is 12:30 in the morning will be a good day.  Mike has to work till 7, but he has a great job!!
Its going to be hot, but we have AC and a pool!
The kids will probably fight and bicker and tattle tail all day, but they are healthy, and mostly happy!

Thanks, Jesus for all you give us.  Thanks for the trials, tests, storms, rainbows, blue skies, happy days, and surprises!!!  I will praise you in the storm... I will lift my hands!!!

Pros & Cons

So, we got up BRIGHT & EARLY this morning to go to some yardsales, and about 3 mins before we left the house it started Pouring.  Special.  But, we had already decided to take Mike to work and hang around York until the it was time to go to the blue farmhouse to check it out at 11. 
Let me just say, it hasnt rained in over a month.  Its been super dry, so it was starange that it was raining, but we sooooo needed it!!  Thank you Jesus for watering my plants and lawn.... they were brown and sad looking... hopefully tomorrow they will be bright and happy again!

Well, we ended up finding yard sales.... ehem... uh, garage sales... but we didnt find many prizes.  I did find a GORGEOUS aqua/turquoise plate, a cute lamp for the girls room, and Jasmine found a cute shirt, Madi, a fancy smancy skirt (her words, friends, not mine!).  Kiana didnt find anything... sad face.  We hardly ever find clothes for her.... they never have her size.

Than.... (dunh dunh dunh) the blue farm house.

One thing.... the people who own the house were SOOOOO nice!!  They grew up in this house, and their love for it shows!

On the positive.... the master bedroom is BIG, and so is the main bathroom upstairs.  The master bedroom has a great little balcony, and its own steps up from the kitchen.  We still love the yard and all the room and the huge bonfire pit. The eat in kitchen is HUGE!

Negatives.... that house has like NO closets.  AT ALL!!  Im a closet kinda girl.  I love closets and drawers.  They make organizing and storage simple for me.  There are 4 bedrooms total, the master, 2 small ones, and one miniscule one.  Not joking.  Miniscule.  :o)  The last people had used the 4th teeeeeeny room as a big giant closet.  The owners bought two large um... i dont know what to call them.  Closet type things.  I know there is a name... but its just not there... lol!!  The stairs are soooo narrow... and steep.  Not the safest stairs.  A little scary.  Also, there is not AC... and we dont have any window units anymore.   The storm windows are magnetic and go on the inside.  The 2 other family areas downstairs are small and laid out very strangely.

Man.... I was soooo hoping the positives would outweigh the negatives, but they arent.  In the end though, if they except us and we cant find anything else, this may be our house for the next bunch of years. 

Still praying... hoping.... wishing.... and I havent heard from the Pool House.

Another house...

Today, Mike and I left the girls with Mimi for a bit and drove to get a free dresser and headboard (thanks craigslist), and on the way home we drove by another farm house for rent.  OH MAN.  Im in LOOOOVE!!!
Its HUGE.

This picture does NOT do it justice.  It is a very large home, the back and side are all fenced in... and, wait for it... waiiiit fooor it...

INGROUND POOL! 

Oh man.

Jesus, can we have this please?

4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms.

Jesus... this is perfect!

Lots of room to run, lots of room to play!

There is a barn on the property, and its in a decent school district.

Please!!!!!!!

Im in love.  I called the people yesterday and left a message, and I emailed them today.  I am hoping to hear from them soon!!

Pray friends... I would LOOOOVE to have this house.  So much room... for more kiddos!!

For family fun, for home schooling, for babysitting, so much room!

Im feeling a little calmer today... not a lot, but a bit.
Still praying we get a place.  And it seems even moving in with my mom (as much as that WASNT an option, it was still nice that it was there in case everything fell out from beneath us) is out too.  My mom's business completely tanked over the last 3 or 4 years, and it looks like (barring a miracle), she will be out of her home on Aug. 18th by a sheriff's sale.

I think she is going to need some major major prayer over the next few months. 


Thanks everyone.

Whatta Weekend!!

Wow... this has been one crazy (but good) weekend!!

Friday and Saturday we had our yardsale... which God totally blessed... we made about $200!!  And we had no furniture or big ticket items! Just lots of clothing and books!

Since we were having the yard sale at my moms, we stayed over night there on Friday.  After the sale in the afternoon, we enjoyed the little blow up pool and a camp fire.  Then Saturday we went to see some fireworks and we were so close, we had ash falling on us.. it rocked! Haha! :o)

On Sunday, we went to church and enjoyed a nice time of worship... but man, I miss singing!!  Then, lunch and naps (a Sunday must!).  After our lovely naps, we went to a friends for a nice cook out, a camp fire, and lots of fireworks!!  I think we saw some of the best fireworks EVER at a local park... they had some crazy crazy colors and shapes... and it was LONG!

After getting home at about 1:30 am, we all crashed and slept in until about 10 today.  Man, on man, we all needed to sleep! 

I cant wait to upload some pics from this weekend and post them... :o)  Hope all of you had a great weekend as well.

I just felt reminded all weekend about what freedoms we truly have.  The freedom of being in the USA is awesome... no doubt... but the freedom we have in Jesus is limitless and phenomonal!  "For if the Son has set you free, than you are free indeed"!!  REALLLLLLY free.  I wonder if we truly grasp that?  So free.. we dont have to carry ANY baggage... no pain, no sorry, no fears, no NOTHING.  Jesus just really wants to take it all.  There is nothing that we have to take along on this journey... but yet we do. I do.  I carry around the fear that we will never have a biological child.  That I will miscarry again.  I carry around a lot of regrets too.  Regrets that Jesus has already told me to let go.  That my Daddy God has already said, Baby Girl... dont regret it, use it, learn from it, and move on.  Your forgiven, your clean, your FREE!

Really
Really
Free.

Its time for us to get free.  To take back what the enemy has stolen from us.  To celebrate what the LORD has done for us. 

Yard Sale TIme

Its that time of year... time for the yearly yard sale!  Time to purge the junk... make some extra cash.... and simplify life!

We are having one on Friday and Saturday at my Momma's house.  I am determined to get rid of everything!!  We have tons of clothes.. like 3 HUGE bins full of clothing.   I have taken clothes to consignment before, but the one that I like is very picky... so these are their rejects... which are still very nice and not at all stained, just not "current" enough, or not a name brand. 

The girls are selling rice krispie treats and popsicles and maybe cupcakes, if I find enough time to make them.  Right now, I am crossing off my to-do list.  On it... "sit outside and read and blog for an hour".  Hey, I need that time and it makes me feel accomplished to put it on the list and cross it off with a big flourish of the pink pen!  Seriously... it does!

Today has been a very random day... I couldnt fall asleep until about 3:30... then I had to get up at 5 with Mike to take his car to the garage for inspection.  Then, I came home and tried to go back to sleep... only to find a big giant nasty iccky TICK on me.  Talk about heebie jeebies!!! Makes my skin crawl. 

I eventually did get back to sleep... but Im operating on about 5 hours of sleep.  And actually, I am doing pretty well! 

I have been praying that Mikes car wouldnt need bucket loads of money worth of prayers... and God totally answered.  He only needs tires and some rear break work... for about $700!  We knew it needed tires, and I think we may be able to find cheaper ones that they quoted us.  AND, Mikes check was about $400 more than it usually is becuase of an error last pay!  :oD  PRAISE GOD!!  He always supplies for our needs. 
Thats something Im learning and leaning on more and more.  Im learning that He always supplies... but sometimes we need to ask.  Sometimes we need to put a need out there.  And yet other times... He just does it.  But I think the key is trusting and listening!  Im trying to be better at that.  Trying to listen to Him and His whispers more.  Shutting up every once in a while and just listening.  Im not good at it... thats for sure.. haha! :o)

Still no word on the house front.  The blue farmhouse I have my eye on is finially vacant and we will be able to see it next Sat.  I really hope its as nice as I dream... and that they pick us.  I have quick flashes... almost photographes of what life would look like in the blue farmhouse.   I keep wondering if they are from my own over active imagination, or if they are God...  and if they are God... is it the Blue Farmhouse Im seeing, or another house that He has prepared for us!?!?  I wish I knew.  I know HE knows... but Im getting a little desperate.  I need to just sit back and relax.  Trust Him.  Maybe I should put that on my to-do list.. haha! :o)

Mike and the girls "Geo-Caching" in the spring.