What a difference a day makes…
24 little hours… Mmm let’s see in the past twenty four hours our landlord called and said that they are unable to pay their mortgage on the house we are living in and are putting it on the market (Realtor comes tomorrow), the plan was to live here until we move to Finland (two years or so) but now we will be living here maybe a couple more months? or up to june, but no longer. It is a bummer, this house has been amazing to live in, we were just getting settled and the boys don’t mention too much that they want to live in our old “house” anymore. But Matt and I do have a peace about it and are trusting God for the outcome…and I will try to be patient in the whole process….
several hours after that we found out a family friend (and matt’s boss) daughter who is 16 has a brain tumor and requires massive dangerous surgery… then my best friend from college called and has to have a full hip replacement in december. She is 30. Those two things sure do put the house thing in perspective yet it doesn’t make me feel any better for them! Life hurts sometimes you know! It is hard to see hurting people all around…
All that to say, this past Sunday we sang the song “blessed be the name of the Lord”. Part of the chorus is
“He gives and takes away
He gives and takes away
He gives and takes away
He gives and takes away
I will chose to say, Blessed be Your name…”
How appropriate this is to all the situations… It could be disheartening too if we don’t know the loving side of God. The closer we are to him and understand that, the easier it is to sing and believe that all things work together for the good of those who he has called… I know he loves and cares for all of us, he hurts for us, and yet he allows the bad in our lives ultimately for our good. I am thankful that I can, to the degree I need, understand that and believe his goodness. So like the song says, I have to make a choice to bless the name of the Lord…
ughhh why am I such a slacker!!
Do you ever feel like you are not doing anything right?? Like there is not one area you are really excelling in??
That would be me at the moment!!! For instance, this blog… I have not kept up with it at all! Any time I would think of it i wouldn’t have the energy to write my thoughts! how ridiculous! So, i will try to catch up again, but for the time being I feel like a bad mom, wife, child of God, (see those didn’t even come out in the right order!) housekeeper, friend, blogger, exerciser, etc. etc.
On a lighter note, I did get back from my second trip to ABQ a few weeks ago with a brand new mouth! ha ha. It really was a great trip. Matt’s mom came out and took care of my three boys while i left early (and me when i was down with a never ending migraine while i was still here) and showered us with love, affection, and lots of new stuff! And then my parents took over as well with showering us with all the same. I think no matter how old I am I will always revert back to full daughter mode when I am around them (matt agrees on his side too!) I take full advantage (with out even really realizing it) of them cooking, cleaning, and showering us with love and attention! How fun it is to have all the daily responsibilities lifted for a few days at at time when we are all together! Then real life hits again too as we all get used to not having it once again which is fine too but all that to say family is good. We are incredibly blessed to have the love surrounding us that we do.. So mom and dad, colleen and clyde… THANK YOU!
Sewing 101
Yes, I started sewing! Yes me, non-creative, non-artistic me! It is so fun! I am making cute little baby burp cloths to start but have grand plans of so much more. I have everything I need but the actual sewing machine! 
I am borrowing a friends for the time being though. I have been researching machines a little bit in hopes of getting my hands on one sometime. Anyone have any suggestions? Or a sewing machine they want to sell me?
I am also looking for a teacher. I am a visual hands on kind of learner so reading manuals is not really my cup of tea! I need people! So if you know anyone let me know!
Softball! wahoo!!!
So yesterday Matt and I (and the boys) headed back over to bethel for a little seminary softball game! I haven’t played softball in about a decade! (for those of you who don’t know i had played softball from the age of 9 until 20. Two of those years being in college). It was fun to play again!!! I had forgotten the feeling of hitting a ball hard or getting some RBI’s for the team. It was good to be back. If only for a day. I must say though I was a little rusty!!! I had to play infield some of the time, and well I am an outfielder! Fast grounders are scary to me!! So yes a couple did go thru the legs as I was shielding my face from the fear of taking one in the nose!
Today I was unpacking a box (yes there still is a few) and found this huge scrapbook my mom had made for me when I was in college. It was of all my sport accolades thru the years as well as some pictures. It was quite a hoot!! I had forgotten so much of it! It was soo fun to read thru. And a great confidence booster too! I am one of those awesome people who doesn’t have the best of memories… Different parts of my life are kind of a blurr usually. Good blurrs but none the less still blurrs. Anyhoo, thanks mom for doing that for me. It was so special to see again. I would have never kept track of all those things myself.
And we are off…
TBI officially started today (or unofficially but whatever!) All the guys are at at two day retreat and the families were with them for the evening. The boys got to play around in the beautiful lake and find sea shells and ride a pattle boat! Everyone seems soo friendly and I can’t wait to get to know everyone more. I know these next two years will be such a growing time for us! (as if the first 3 here weren’t! ha! ) but there is so much more to learn. I feel like i have been a little spiritually dry lately. I hate to admit it but it is the truth. I want that song in my heart again and the Joy to be overflowing…not necessarily because of circumstances but just because I get it. You know? Julie Steller said some encouraging words tonight… She was talking about how we are going to live life together and how life is messy. That they don’t try to conform you to what a “minister’s wife” should be like… Because what they are is “you” (talking to us wives). God has equipped us for this season of life and this role we will have for the rest of it. We are all unique and bring different gifts to the table. We are to remain FAITHFUL in whatever he brings and know that thru his grace he will provide all we need and what others will need from us as well. Thanks Julie! I needed to be reminded of that. So all though my Joy isn’t bursting from the seams right now, the Lord will meet me where I am at and mold me where I am. I am Matt’s wife, soon to be a missionary in a foreign land. Do I know what that takes? No. But the Lord does, and it is to him that I should remain faithful and in him my joy will be full.
I’m Back!
Wow I am really bad at this keeping my blog updated thing!!
So there really is too much to catch up on so I am going to just write what comes to me and then start trying to be more regular!
We had a great time in ABQ! The boys got to do all kinds of fun stuff they wouldn’t have been able to do otherwise! Now they can say they have changed headlights of a land cruiser, shot bow and arrows (yes toy ones), have rid in bumper boats (which they thought was SO cool!), and had about a pound of “berry ocean” in their system! (aka gelato). ETC. ETC. That is just what is coming to my mind now a few weeks later and at 6:30 in the morning!
One major highlight was: Eli can now ride a bike without training wheels!! Matt and him had been practicing before we left but hadn’t mastered it yet. Then when we were at my sisters house, him and his cousins were outside playing and i walked out to check on them and there he was! He just got on their bike and started riding! Just like that!!! As if he had been doing it for years! I looked around to see if anyone else was noticing this monumentous (sp?) occasion! I got all teary and went and hugged him a million times and then went and told everyone else how exciting it was!! Then two days later he turned 5.
Yes my little first born son is now 5 years old. it really is crazy how fast time flies. He has been such a little joy in our lives. I can’t imagine what i ever did with out him. I am so blessed.
On to another little blessing…Braden. Oh how i love braden too. He is a hoot! And he himself is going to be 4 in a few months! He is still saying some really cute things too. He has not quite mastered the letters R or L yet. So cross is “coss”, Brown is “bown”
Some other funny things he says:
Tics are “tickets”. I am not sure why he says that but it is super cute when he does.
Gummy Bears are “yummy bears”
and something that was so funny was when we were on the plane coming home to MN. We started our decent and the cabin pressure changed. All of our ears were starting to get clogged etc.. So all of the sudden as LOUD as he possibly can said “MOM! WHY AM I TALKING SO QUIET!!!” It was sooo funny!
Matt had such a wonderful time in FInland. It sounds like it was such a wonderful trip!! I am so happy he got to go. Our direction seems so much clearer now. And slowly but surly I am seeing it all come together. And year after year it is getting less and less scary to me! I am excited to see what these next two years will bring.
So that is a very quick update leaving a whole bunch out ! But hopefully more soon! Pictures to come too!
Eli’s birthday Round 1
So, Matt will be in Finland over eli’s fifth birthday. He soo hates to miss it but it really was the best time to go to finland so he could partake in the bible camp which coincided with his birthday. This way matt will really get a feel for teaching in Finland and seeing how things run a bit around there. I am really really excited for him. I know the Lord has so much to teach him while he is there. The boys and I are going to miss him tremendously while he is away though.
On that note, we decided to celebrate eli’s b-day early with him and so he could have a party with his friends too. We had it back at bethel with two of his friends who had b-days in July. It was so fun! We had lots of water games and lots of sugar. What more do you need for a good time!
Here are some pic.s!
So there it is… stay tuned for round 2! We will celebrate with poppa k who has a b-day just two days before!
Wow what a month!
Ok, so this month has flown by! We have now been living in our new house for a few weeks!
Our first few days were quite eventful!
We were in the midst of unpacking when both boys got sick! And when I mean sick I mean high fevers and poor little B throwing up ALL OVER! As you may have read, the house came mostly furnished. And we have a nice big sectional couch that is not ours and he threw up all over it!!! ahhh!! and the carpet, and another time on his red chair, and more on the carpet. We thought we would break the house in true childlike fashion! I did clean it up really well and he was back to his usual self by the end of the next day. Poor little guy!
Since moving in we have already had some visitors and overnight guests! Yay for having lots of room for people!! Our good friends the Jordans stayed the weekend with us with their two girls and they had the whole basement to themselves. We all had a great time and weren’t stepping all over ourselves either!
I LOVE MY DISHWASHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is just so great! When I see a big pile of dishes in my sink, I know it will only be a matter of minutes instead of hours! (sorry ingrid! I feel your pain! You should get a portable off craigslist! They can have the best deals! )
Another thing I love about the house. In the master bathroom their is a huge bath tub! I never knew I liked baths until we moved in. I certainly never took one in our old apartment. But they are heavenly! I drop in a few essential oils from aveda (the active kind) and all my stress melts away! Life is good!
Now the boys have had a little hard time with the move. They miss their friends terribly. Many times they have said they want to go back to our old house! It breaks my heart. BUt already I see improvement. We are starting to meet some of the neighbors now too. There are lots of little kids around the neighborhood. Although I haven’t seen many of their parents yet?
All in all, we are really enjoying it. Matt is off to finland in a few days and the boys and i to abq. So before you know it our summer will be gone! Funny, I don’t even remember it starting!
Upcoming posts:
Monster Migraines…could they be a thing of the past??
Eli’s birthday…Round 1
Sewing 101
small blessings and HUGE HOUSES!
Well we have two more days of living at Bethel Seminary…
Quick update: For those who have never seen where we have lived… We live on campus student housing. Which are like dorm rooms basically! It is a wonderful place full of people who have become like family to us. Everytime we go outside to play my children have 10 to 15 other children to play with. We knock on each others doors to borrow eggs etc. And sneak out and go the next door neighbors for a movie when the kids are asleep (it is literally 5 steps away in an enclosed hallway). We have lived life together. For better and for worse! We pray for each other and help each other parent, babysit, pick things up at the store for each other etc.. There is nothing truer than the word living in “community” with one another than what we have experienced by living here.
On the slightly negative side: All four of us live in not quite 800 sq. ft. of space. There are no dishwashers or disposals. The shared laundry is down the hall and is 1.50 each time for one load washed and dried. There is mold. I have dingy carpet and closets that don’t shut. All wood work is dark 70’s brown. And i have had carpet under my kitchen table with two small boys for 3 years now!
I am not saying this to complain… I am setting the stage for a huge answer to prayer! And all the good that has come from living here has so over powered the inconveniences. But when it did come down to having to move since he did graduate, I knew I was ready for a bigger more “modern” place! However, it wasn’t so easy to find. We happen to live in a very expensive place when it comes to housing. I searched and searched and wasn’t finding what we needed (wanted to be exact). The pros outweighed the cons here. But moving to a place very similar without the community?? I prayed and prayed. I was a little too anxious than I should have been. But lo and behold as always the Lord came through. It amazes me that he doesn’t always just answer big “serious” prayers. And that he cares about the little details of our lives. He truly is a loving father. So skipping a long story and making it short, the Lord provided an AMAZING house for us to rent. It is just a couple doors down from a couple in our small group. There is a couple that has a second home they like to rent out to missionaries or people in ministry. Which fits our description! :) They rent out there house for WAY cheaper than their actual monthly mortgage payment. So much so, that we would be getting a two bedroom townhouse that was barely bigger than our current place for barely less than what we are paying for this huge beautiful house! Yes there is a washer and a dryer, dishwasher, disposal, and get this, 5 bedrooms! What?? Isn’t God funny! He blessed us way more than we could have ever thought possible. It even comes mostly furnished so the house won’t look completely empty even after moving our stuff in! Yes, it is too good to be true! But hey isn’t the story of the Cross too? So thank you God. Thank you for caring and answering prayer more than we could have expected. I pray these next two years of living there are full of great memories and lessons learned as this place called home has been here.
Two are better than one….
So I have been reading a caring bridge website of a friend from church whose daughter was just born with a severe heart problem. They are very good at updating the site and she has quite a story so far… She is so adorable and quite a little fighter! See here to have a look! She and her parents would be quite blessed by having more prayers from believers around the world for her…
But I am actually writing on something the husband said that really struck me… He mentioned a scripture verse that was read at their wedding. It is from Ecclesiastes 4
“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”
He goes on to say how important and true that has been for them as a couple the past few weeks. When one is down the other is optimistic and vice versa etc.. What struck me is how I need to be so much more suportive than I am sometimes when Matt is down. It is my job and a blessing as his wife to be there for him when he needs me. And I in return get the blessing of him doing the same for me. How often we just get irritated with our spouses don’t we! I encourage myself as well as anyone else reading to be the strong one when our spouse is down and encourage them. We are in this fight together…And to keep in mind that it is a gift from God to be doing so…
