Settling In

Ok....we're a little over a month into our new home, and I am feeling very settled. I've done some rearranging, and some dreaming, but I feel good about where we are. This is my kitchen....I LOVE my kitchen! I'll share a secret about my kitchen with you....there are some empty cabinets in there! This area is HUGE compared to my old house (which had a galley kitchen in it). We did some updating to our stuff in here....the chairs around the table are all new....and beautiful, and stable! They lend a much more finished look to our table than our old chairs did. As you can see, we have some pictures on the wall, and the shiny thing hanging on the left is the kids responsibility chart and our prayer list. In both shots you can see my new treat, a cookie jar that is being used as a candy jar for my kids. I picked it up at Old Time Pottery, and love how it looks on my island! There are some wallpaper/border modifications I would like to make in here....but that all comes in time. I enjoy cooking and eating in this new space!

Here is where my new sofa landed, and the desks the owners left for us at the house. I am liking more and more the way this room is shaping up! You can see my hubby working away at his desk on the left, and my domain is on the right. I love having a place for my computer, the bills I am responsible for, and my devotional stuff. Also on the right side of this picture is the rocking chair we got when I found out I was pregnant with our first. That chair has been through three babies and holds a special place in my heart. I don't know that I'd move anywhere without it.

Pictured above is the biggest change we've made so far. We have bunked the boys together! They really enjoy it, and it does make life easier for me....except for when Gideon gets up too early, but that will change when school starts and we're all on the same sleep schedule again. The thing you can't tell from this picture is how enormous this room actually is!! The boys have more than enough room for all of their stuff and extra room to tumble around and not get hurt. This is a great space for them, and they are growing closer since they are spending more time together. I love it!

So, that is just some of the updating we've done on my house. It's not perfect, it's not perfectly clean, but it's mine and I love it!!

Back to School

Well, here I am...working on back to school stuff. I kinda miss the knowing of my former school district. I knew what to expect, where to go to get answers, and what my routine would be like. I am now in a whole new world!

Yesterday was registration day at the school for my kids. I thought this would be an hour process, at the most. Boy, was I ever wrong!! So, in the great state of Alabama, you need a "blue card" for your children's immunizations. Not just a record from the doctor's office of what shots they've received, but a blue card. I did not know this. I had their immunization records, so I thought I was good. WRONG!

I had all of the other forms, papers, SS cards, birth certificates, ID's....everything, but not the blue card. I get in line, they check my stuff, and then drop the bomb on me. We need to go to the Department of Health and get these cards. Ouch. OK. So, they very kindly printed me map quest directions to the health department, in downtown Mobile, and sent me on my merry way. With all three kids. Let me just remind all of you, I have only lived here for one month.

So, we get to the health department, and as I am walking into this very crowded building with my three beautiful children, I notice a sign that says "No weapons allowed inside building". Not a good confidence builder there. Anyway, I proceed to the clinic....the very crowded clinic with not one open chair in the waiting area....and approach the woman at the desk. I am instructed to fill out two forms, get my driver's license out and give her the records to copy. Easy enough. She takes all of my information, makes my copies and hands me my originals. I ask her how long of a wait it will be, and she tells me I can pick them up on Wednesday! Registration is Monday and Tuesday! Yikes!

So, as I'm waiting to speak to a supervisor, a very nice man behind me speaks up and says, I think I'm in the same boat as you. Let me call my doctor. As he's on the phone, finding out his doctor's office will give you the blue card the same day you bring the records in, the supervisor is informing me that I have to come back on Wednesday. So, Mr. Stranger kindly offers to allow me to follow him to his doctor's office and I take him up on that. His family recently moved to Alabama from Virginia, and he was enrolling his kids at the same school I was when he ended up in the same predicament I was in.

Anyway, we get to his doctor's office, they kindly transfer the records for me, and tell me they'll call me when they're ready. In the mean time, I take my hungry, tired children back to the elementary school to finish what we started, without the blue cards. This time they allow me to finish registration, and I walk out of the building at 1:45. We started out at 10am. I get the phone call from the doctor 15 minutes before they close for the day. It takes me 15 minutes to get there.

So today, I go back to the doctor's office, pick up the precious blue cards and then go to the school, again, and drop them off. My kids are now enrolled in the Mobile County public school system. Phew.

Now, in Mobile, all schools wear uniforms. All. So, I got the list for the uniforms yesterday and need to get my children a whole new wardrobe....socks and shoes included, for the school year. I also found the school supply list on the website for the supplies they'll need. Lots of school supplies. And, the school year begins on August 9th. So....here we go!! The whirlwind of back to school, in a new state, with everything different. We can do this!!

Super Blonde!

Here is a pic of me when I had super blonde hair!! Oh, how I miss it!! (it was also super-short, which I don't so much miss) I had maintained my blonde for a few months until I decided it was too much upkeep and too bad for my hair and tried to go back to my natural color....didn't work. I am close, but not quite there yet. I really miss my bright blonde though....and not shown in this picture, there was a bit of purple in the front bang area....a little hidden, but noticeable. I miss that too!

I used to work at a beauty school, and oh the things I let them talk me into!! But, this was my favorite, and I would love to do it again....but now I would have to pay to have it done! Yikes!! Maybe I should just let it grow, and let all the color grow out of it, and see what happens?? (now I sound like my husband)

So, for now, it's all natural for me! We'll see what happens next week!

My Newest Treasure

Well, here is my exciting new gift! A precious couple from our church blessed us with this adorable sleeper sofa! I absolutely LOVE it! It's practically brand-new and the most adorable sofa I've ever seen! I most likely would have passed right by it in the store, but I am so very happy it has a new home in my house!

There is a funny story to go with my new treasure....so, here goes....

I've known about receiving this sofa for about 2 weeks or so, and in the process of deciding where it would go in our new home, I created a super-cute guest room in my mind, but to do this would mean moving Gideon into the same room as Gabriel. Gabe's room is super-huge, so that was no problem, just the typical brother spats and 5 year age difference were my only hesitations. Nonetheless, we moved everything around to prepare for our new sofa. Gid and Gabe are happy in "our" room, as Gideon constantly calls it, and are doing very well together. We even had the kids excited to have a guest/reading room in the house.

So, today comes around, and my husband has a group of men helping him move the sofa here from it's previous home. (there was a men's breakfast at the church this morning, and a group of men graciously offered their time, muscle and vehicle to help us transport our treasure) This became a very interesting process....to say the least. But, to cut to the chase, after removing 3 doors from their hinges and much sweat and maneuvering on my husband's part, the sofa did not land in the intended room. It resides in our "formal" living/dining room....which will now be our new guest room/living room/office/piano room!


Now, I had all sorts of plans for this sofa in the room Gideon used to have....blue walls, whitewash beach theme, super cute! Alas, I have to re-think my strategy to fit the main area of the house. Fortunately, the color in the living room is perfect for the sofa, but I don't think the beach theme would be too warmly received by my husband in that room (although that is purely speculation, since I have discussed none of this thought process with him).....so, I'm back to the drawing board....and looking for new ideas! The wheels are already turning in my mind, but I wonder where inspiration will strike??

One Month Ago Today...

Our new life adventure began in Alabama! The moving truck (pictured here in PA) arrived bright and early at our new house, and the unpacking began! I got some pictures, very sporadically as the truck was being unloaded, since my assistance was needed to direct traffic. (please remember that all of these pictures are taken on moving day....my house does NOT look like this anymore!)

This is our formal living/dining room, which is being purposed as a music room/office/prayer room at the moment.

This is the computer/book area. It's right off the den, so I can keep an eye on what the kids are doing on their computer!

This is Gabe's room, which has a whole new look already. We've put both boys in here, with bunk beds, since it is such a large space! In less than one month, we already shuffled rooms!

This was Gideon's room (pink and all!), but is going to be our guest/reading room. More on that tomorrow!!

Libby's room....she has lots of space to dance and sing while she's doing whatever it is that almost 7 year old girls do in their bedrooms!

My master suite! Another of my favorite rooms in the house! Extremely large bedroom, walk-in closet that could be another room, and bathroom with separate tub, shower, toilet room and his and hers vanities.

God has truly blessed us with this house! The house is 2x as big as the one we left in PA, with too many upgrades to mention! We had a prayer list for what we hoped for God to do for us during our time of transition, and I detailed the amenities I wanted in a house on that list. EVERYTHING I prayed for, I got in this house....and for way less than we anticipated ever paying for it! God is so good! I love my new southern ranch!

As I sit here and blog, hubby is outside mowing the lawn, the kids are riding their bikes up and down the street, and I am still in wonder and amazement at the place God has brought us to! Some days are hard, some days are perfect, but I wouldn't trade this ride God has us on for anything you would care to offer me! 

We are starting to get settled into our new southern way of life, and are looking forward to all that God will unfold for us here. There was a lot of pain in our transition, a lot of worry and frustration, but my God is faithful! He brought us through and out of what could have totally devastated us, and has blessed us beyond measure!

So, one month later, I am still humbled, and amazed at what God has done....and wondering....what is the next step of His plan??

My Pool

So, here is my pool. This is a picture that was taken before we moved in....it looks so sad and lonely! We did not get in the pool at all today, and that makes me sad! :o(  We ended up running lots of errands, and I haven't been sleeping well, so I took a nap instead of getting in the pool. Tomorrow, it's Alabama tags for the car, return some stuff, and then pool for the rest of the day!

I have to ask a question....why does shopping make me feel better??? I don't have the money to spend, but something about the whole experience makes me feel happy. I'm not a shop-a-holic by any stretch, and I can control my spending, and do....I just wanna know what it is in my brain that makes it so much fun!?!

OK....so, until tomorrow....I will be by the pool all day, and then maybe, when my skin is over-filled with sun and chlorine, I will blog again....until then....

New Beginnings

Our home sweet home, in Mobile, Alabama! We finally moved and are at the beginning of our new life adventure! My husband is the new worship pastor at City Church of Mobile, and we feel so blessed and grateful for the opportunity to be a part of such an amazing church! We have been in Alabama for just under one month, and have done more in this short time here than we did in the previous three years in PA! It has been an adjustment, to say the least, but we are more than able to bloom where we know God has planted us!

One of the biggest blessings we have received is our house! I love my new house! The kids have had an easier time with the transition, thanks to the beautiful pool in our backyard! Yup....that's MY pool that my kids are in! Isn't it gorgeous!?! There have been very few days that we have not visited our new favorite hang-out....

Here are some shots of my ENORMOUS kitchen from move-in day....there has been much organization and decoration that has taken place in the past almost-month, but I just wanted to share another of my favorite spots of my house. We have since been blessed with new chairs (the movers broke 4 of the remaining 7 that we had before the move) that lend to a more classy look around my large, counter-height table.

This is our huge den, before any organization hit on moving day. A perfect spot for TV, Wii and many happy memories to be made. I promise to post more updated pics as I take them. We are all unpacked and getting things where they need to be. Most of all, we are happy.

I know that God's hand was in this entire transition that we went through, and that He is going to do something awesome in all of us here. We weren't looking for any position or title when we started on this journey, and God blessed my husband with the desire of his heart, the very thing I believe he was created to do. I am praying, and seeking, and waiting for my purpose to be fully revealed here; but, in the meantime, I am being the best mother and wife I know how to be...and making these first weeks and months as easy on everyone as I know how. Unfortunately, I have some not-so-good mommy moments, but I am human, and I am trying....I am also in the middle of my transformation and my Daddy-God is faithful!

That is enough rambling for today....I have some errands to run before I can go jump in the pool! Be blessed and encouraged today....

Romans 5:2 - Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand....