Done Deal

Yesterday we signed the lease on the house! We are very excited; and have more to do than I even want to think about right now! Our agent said that they had been bombarded with applications, and we were picked as # 1 choice out of all of them. Isn't that remarkable?! And isn't our God so good to us?

The next two days will be filled with prepping the new house; cleaning it, sprucing up the yard, and.... PAINTING the walls (obviously my favorite part)! You have to understand, we have not been permitted to paint the walls of any place we have ever lived in. So now I have 4.5 years of pent-up painting frenzy just oozing out of me right now. Yesterday I went and picked out some colors to discuss with Andrew, and I think tonight we are going to purchase a couple of 5 gallon tubs. YAY!!!

So all the painting needs to be finished by Sunday, and we have until the 1st to be completely out of our current place. I have been blessed with ladies here offering to help watch the children and/or help me clean this place after everything gets moved out of it.

Plan on seeing some before and after pics. And pray that I don't lose my head in the business of the next week!

...And Take 3

Here is a picture of our final choice:

We handed in an application this afternoon. Its a 3 bedroom, 2 bath home with a den and a living room. Most importantly, it has a back yard (what I really want for the children) and a two car garage (what Andrew really wants) : ) The asking price is the same as what we wanted to pay for the townhome we were interested in earlier.

Even better is that it "happens" to be in the SAME neighborhood as where we are now! It will literally take us only 2 minutes of driving time to get from our current place to this house. How's that for an easy move??!

I'll keep you posted on updates!

Housing Update: Take 2 : )

Well, we had thought we would know more about our next housing arrangement by today, but it seems that we have a number of leads that are hopeful... which is actually good news! I'm glad at this point that we do have some options to work with! Hopefully by Thursday, all the dust will have settled and we will have a final answer : )

I just want to thank all of you for your prayers for us. Many of my friends here have mentioned how crazy it is that we have so little time and yet have peace about the whole situation working out. I love how the Lord has put His hand over our little family and put our hearts at rest. I have complete confidence that this story will end simply and beautifully; I just don't know exactly what that will be at this point!

Housing Update

Keep praying, because we have no update!!! 20 days and counting....

We found a condo that we really like and would suit our needs perfectly. However the owner wants more for it in rent than we are willing to pay. BUT, if no one has claimed it by Tuesday, its ours for our asking price. I don't mind asking you to pray that no one else takes it : )

Queen Marcail

Marcail has come to the understanding that she is a princess, that Donovan is a prince, Daddy is the King, and mommy, well, mommy is a princess, too. That's what I'd rather be; not a queen. I think it comes down to the fact that princesses are loved and adored, while queens are respected, feared, have a ton of responsibility, and don't get to have fun- at least, that's how it seems : )

Andrew was walking away after letting Marcail and Donovan play in the KidsClub at the gym. Marcail called out after him, "DADDY! Kiss-a me, please!"

He thought, "How cute." So he turned around and walked back towards her.

When he got right next to her, she stuck out her hand.

And she said, matter-of-factly, "Kiss-a my hand."

I'm thinking that she would rather enjoy being a queen.

: )

Zoo with Daddy

A couple of weeks ago, we all went to the zoo, and Andrew got to come with us! This was the first time that he's been with us here, and we had such a great time together. We had perfect Colorado weather, too. It was so nice not taking the stroller this time; just one adult per child : ) which worked beautifully. I think we will be making it a tradition to get a swirl cone to split each time we go in the future - those are SO yummy! Plus, for whatever reason, Marcail and Donovan weren't interested in eating it, so mommy and daddy had to share it all by themselves. It was tough. But we managed : )

Thank you, Grandma for the year pass! We will be making good use out of it.

Keep Moving

We are moving again - still in the Springs, but to another housing arrangement that will cost less than what we are renting for now. But.... we have no idea where!!! Andrew gave our leasing agents the 30 day notice this past weekend, so we have 27 days and counting, left to discover our new casa.

This is gonna keep us busy. We will be moving for the 5th time in 4 years. On the bright side, it has kept us from accumulating "stuff." And on the other hand, I wouldn't mind resting somewhere for a couple of years! And on the other hand (I know, I sound like the Fiddler on the Roof dad), if we aren't moving back to the Carolinas anytime soon, I think we should just move to Australia for a few years : ) Wouldn't that be fun?!?!

He is Faithful

Thank you all for your prayers; I have yet to understand how or why prayers work, I just know that God is alive and real. This week has gone by relatively smoothly, and I am so thankful! Today is/was the official due date of our baby, and I have felt peace in it.

Sometimes life doesn't paint the picture we would have painted, sometimes the road before us is nothing like what we would have chosen. Sometimes even God's promises to us come to pass differently than we had envisioned in our minds. But He is faithful and good.

Although I don't view the Lord as someone who strikes us with tragedies to teach us a lesson, I know with certainty that if we let Him, He will make something beautiful from every hardship - and, as I said, sometimes that doesn't look like what we expect.

He may not make our desert a lush paradise, but He will at least provide rivers and a path through the wilderness while we journey through it. Thank you for being part of the refreshing for me.

Isaiah 43:

18 “ Do not remember the former things,
Nor consider the things of old.

¹⁹ Behold, I will do a new thing,
Now it shall spring forth;
Shall you not know it?
I will even make a road in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert.

²⁰ The beast of the field will honor Me,
The jackals and the ostriches,
Because I give waters in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert,
To give drink to My people, My chosen.

²¹ This people I have formed for Myself;
They shall declare My praise.

What's in a Day

Here's a text conversation, with Andrew, from a few days ago:

Andrew: Have you been to the gym today?

Anneke: No

Anneke: But I made you some meatloaf : )

Anneke: & chicken salad

Anneke: & bathed the children (saved Donovan from drowning in the tub)

Anneke: & cleaned the children's room and the office

Anneke: & did dishes

Andrew: Wow!

Anneke: Played outside

Anneke: Put Marcail in time out

Anneke: Put a book in time out

Anneke: Put myself in time out (sigh)

Andrew: Nice

Anneke: Stepped on a puzzle on the kitchen floor and almost screamed but didn't (while fixing lunch)

Anneke: Talked to April on the phone

Anneke: Read my Bible

Anneke: & now I'm relaxing in bed : )

It was only 4 o'clock in the afternoon. The evening was just as full as the earlier part of the day!

I did not make it to the gym : )