We are so lucky...

This is Eddie. He comes to Sandals. He approached me at a Sandals Night Out last year asking if he could help out in the office. He comes consistently 3-4 days a weeks to do data entry or make phone calls or study for school. He is talking to his professor in this picture. At Sandals Eddie is what we call a "full time volunteer". Eddie is so thoughtful. He always brings us treats and little notes telling us we are doing a good job. Today he brought us ice cream cake from Cold Stone. yum. Some of the staff have milk allergies and he even thought enough to bring us dark chocolate so everyone could eat it. So, if you see Eddie, tell him thanks. He is making Riverside and Sandals church an awesome place.

The wonders of this world

There are a lot of things I don't totally understand in life but accept them and move on. Most things are explainable but pregnancy and babies are a mystery to me. The whole concept of getting pregnant and staying pregnant and giving birth is just a crazy miracle. The miraculousness of it (is that a word?) is what gets me everytime. Which is also what makes me sad and angry all at the same time. I think that women/girls dont really understand what it takes to just get pregnant, let alone stay pregnant and give birth to a healthy, functioning human being. With the abortion rates and teen pregnancies and abuse cases its enough to depress anyone who reads up on it. Thats what gets me. I know God allows us to make choices but why does He allow pregnancy? Why does a 14 year old get blessed with pregnancy the first time she has sex and aborts the baby, but a 30 year old who desperately wants to have a child can't get pregnant? It makes me teary just thinking of it. I keep trying to understand why some people get it and others dont and the only thing that makes sense to me is that we get a choice. But that doesn't even make sense. Its the 1 thing that perplexes me the most about God. You'd think it was philosophy or the trinity or is heaven and hell real but I get all that. That all makes perfect sense to me and I don't question it. There are some things a person just knows. I just know it and believe it and thats that. But the pregnancy thing leaves me bewilderd. How? Why? Why not? When? How??? uggh. I'm frustrated just thinking about it. Read a book on pregnancy and tell me if you get it. I don't.
The pictures are of my nephew Micah, coming soon.

Extreme Makeover...

Scraped ceilings, 12 gallons of paint, refinished hardwood, new window shades, rugs and outdoor furniture and here we are 3 weeks later. We still have a long way to go but it is much more live-able now. You can see our friend Chris laying tile at the bottom. Also in the picture is the freshly painted wainscoting and walls. SOOOO much better!

Whats happened Since July 25

Sorry for the lack of posts. I hate posting with no pictures and my husband has all the pictures.
Here's our life since the last one...

August 1& 2-coordinated a wedding in Newport
August 4-9-Youth Camp @ jeness park
August 15th-Beach baptism @ Corona Del Mar
August 16th-family dinner with all the out of towners for Aunt Sally's b-day
August 18th- CLOSED escrow! :)
August 19-now-working on house

The house looks unbelievably awesome. It is amazing what paint and carpet can do. We've scraped the ceilings and painted them and today the rest of the house is being painted. Tomorrow we are laying tile and moving partially.

If you are available, have a truck or just wanna come take a peak, we are moving next weekend the 29&30th and would love to have your help!

We're in escrow!!!

Yes my friends its true. An offer, a counter offer, 3 weeks of waiting, over 100 pages of documents to be signed, an inspection and few faxes and we are in escrow. Officially today.
Mike and I are so excited but it truely feels too good to be true. This is such a wierd market and we have definitely hit some bumps but we are on our way to being homeowners.
We'll see how the next few weeks playout. I'll keep ya posted. These pics will also serve as our "befores". lots of paint and some ripping out of carpet and it will be a whole new place. Looks like we will have a room for you after all Alyssa! :)

The living/dining room.

the kitchen (laundry and bathroom too!)

perhaps our favorite, the enclosed patio

Family Ties

Parts of my family are out of state right now including my Mom who is in Michigan. My bro and SIL had a birthing class so Dad and I took Trinity to a movie. We ate tacos at Chipotle
and headed to Journey to the Center of the Earth. It was great. I got suckered into a $6 bucket of popcorn that all 3 of us split and we settled into our seats. Trinity was great. I was ansy but she did fabulous. Sat eating popcorn and drinking her sippy cup on Grandpa's lap the whole movie. She was so cute, when she was done with the popcorn she laid back with her hands behind her head and watched the rest of the movie. What 1.5 year old does that! I hope my kids are that great. I'll admit I was nervous taking her but she did great, not even a peep until the end when she pointed and said "wow". Wish I had a pic, but I don't know how to get them off my phone.

Paradigm Shift

A few years ago I studied the "5 love languages" which opened my eyes to a whole new side of myself. One thing I discovered is that I hate being told I've done something wrong or that I should change. Not because I dont want to change but because chances are I already know and have been working on it. So, to be told I need some work hurts. The flip side is that I'm always aware of what I say and do. I was recently pondering why I comment negatively on a subject and wondered if God was trying to change my heart or if the circumstance regarding the negativity needed to change. Still wondering but I find it interesting. I know its vague but I'm a privacy person so I'll never divulge too much info about me. I do find life interesting when I have something to pray about beyond the normal "thanks, praise, please help and keep safe" prayers. Is God changing you? Are you experiencing a paradigm shift? Its wierd but awkwardly interesting, at least I think so.