It was hard to let go of the fun and excitement of last weekend. Tuesday morning, I had some sad and crabby children. I heard several comments of 'I don't want them to go home' and 'Why do they have to go?'. At one point during the week, Maria and I were driving somewhere and she asked me, 'Can we just leave all this now and go back to our house in MN already?' I tried, again, to explain to her that we don't own that house anymore and that someone else is living in it. Then she asked if we could go and visit her. Kinda cute really. Earlier, I found Anika just gazing at her framed pictures of her soccer team and her class, big smile on her face. I didn't interrupt her, she was just lost in thought. Later, all three older kids got out their journal books from their classmates. When we lived in Grand Haven, those books were bedside and looked at frequently, but they had to get packed up and brought to this house so they were forgotten for a bit. Tonight, they are all back out and bedside again. I don't know what triggered the reflection, but it seemed to hit all of them at once.
We did go sledding again tonight at the same place in Grand Haven that we went before. This time was completely different. Only part of the hill had snow on it and we were the only ones there. We had a great time, left while they were still having a bit of fun, and only a few bumps and bruises.
The boxes are bugging me. I spent some time downstairs organizing and reboxing. I got quite a ways and hopefully can finish that up tomorrow. Then I need to attack the dining room!
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Friday, February 24, 2012
Beautiful weekend, most of the time
Ordination weekend is no ordinary weekend. I don't ordinarily feed 35 people Sunday lunch. I don't ordinarily have 15 children playing Just Dance in our family room. I don't ordinarily rearrange furniture and cook until midnight. I don't ordinarily laugh so hard I cry about situations so very late in the night. I don't ordinarily watch the sunset from the beach, although that one I could get used to. And from what I can remember, I only got mad once.
My parents came on Thursday evening and I promptly left to go to school for conferences. All is well at school - we just have a whole lot to get used to yet.
Friday my dad was my handyman. I now have a straight toilet paper holder, smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors in every bedroom, my bedroom light turns on with a switch, and my false cupboard fronts by my kitchen sink have hidden holders in them. Nice.
Saturday was the craziest of them all. People were coming and going all day. By bed time: 4 children had gone to the mall, 2 children had gone to play practice, 1 child had gone to basketball, 11 children had gone swimming, 11 children had eaten pizza, 13 children had burned numerous calories playing Just Dance, 10 children were not in their normal beds, and 1 child had attended the Wild Game Dinner - but she's a senior, so maybe child is a bit too much there. And that's just the children. But they were oh so happy to be together again. And so were the adults.
Sunday came around and I would like to announce that my family and the family visiting were ready ON TIME and at church 10 minutes early. I realize there were so many people mingling that nobody noticed, but it happened..... really!
The service was definitely all about Matt, which he wasn't so hip on, but he survived. They made me stand up next to him for awhile... WHY!??? I survived, too.
I think everyone had a good time, the purpose of the day was known and fulfilled, and everyone got fed, so all in all, a success I guess. Best memory of the day: Two 7 yr old girls and two 5 yr old girls went out to our van and got the pack of CDs, brought it into the house, found a specific country CD, put it in the CD player, blasted the first song, and began dancing in front of 10 people they didn't know, complete glee on their faces. Much laughter was had, even from the two moms, as we quickly RAN to shut off the CD before the words of the song began. I thought of it later that if this is what they can sneakily accomplish at 7 and 5, what are we in for at 17 and 15? Not quite Country Boys and Girls Getting Down on the Farm, but a close rendition (although they can all sing that, too). Perhaps, city boys and girls getting down in the 'burbs.
Our dentist friends were over for lunch and named the teeter totter The Dentist's Friend. So far, everyone has kept their teeth.
After the day calmed down, we packed up and went to the dentists' house on the beach. We all clamored down to the beach. It was a clear evening and the sunset was beautiful. Have I mentioned before how much I love sunsets? and sunrises for that matter. We all got to watch the last seconds as the sun dipped below the horizon. Again, it was just fun to watch the kids playing happily together.
And that brings us to today. Five of the six of us have been to the dentist this week. The kids are registered for school next year. Matt helped Brandon's class lead a praise service. Maria spent the morning visiting Kindergarten. The kids are registered for Spring soccer (I hope, but that's another story). Brandon is with a friend tonight. The girls all have activities tomorrow. Matt is going to experience his first ever trip to the gun club.
Funny story from the dentist. First, my hygienist hummed through the whole process of cleaning my teeth. Nothing annoying, although I couldn't figure out what song it was, just something different. And, at one point, she stopped to tell me that its been such a mild winter that she hadn't even gotten out her REALLY warm jacket... y'know the one for those below 20 degree days. This MN girl had to chuckle that REALLY cold means something above zero. Although I do have to give her that below 20 with a wind off the lake is rather cold! I have experienced that!
So, here's hoping that the rest of your weekend is ordinary, or not.
My parents came on Thursday evening and I promptly left to go to school for conferences. All is well at school - we just have a whole lot to get used to yet.
Friday my dad was my handyman. I now have a straight toilet paper holder, smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors in every bedroom, my bedroom light turns on with a switch, and my false cupboard fronts by my kitchen sink have hidden holders in them. Nice.
Saturday was the craziest of them all. People were coming and going all day. By bed time: 4 children had gone to the mall, 2 children had gone to play practice, 1 child had gone to basketball, 11 children had gone swimming, 11 children had eaten pizza, 13 children had burned numerous calories playing Just Dance, 10 children were not in their normal beds, and 1 child had attended the Wild Game Dinner - but she's a senior, so maybe child is a bit too much there. And that's just the children. But they were oh so happy to be together again. And so were the adults.
Sunday came around and I would like to announce that my family and the family visiting were ready ON TIME and at church 10 minutes early. I realize there were so many people mingling that nobody noticed, but it happened..... really!
The service was definitely all about Matt, which he wasn't so hip on, but he survived. They made me stand up next to him for awhile... WHY!??? I survived, too.
I think everyone had a good time, the purpose of the day was known and fulfilled, and everyone got fed, so all in all, a success I guess. Best memory of the day: Two 7 yr old girls and two 5 yr old girls went out to our van and got the pack of CDs, brought it into the house, found a specific country CD, put it in the CD player, blasted the first song, and began dancing in front of 10 people they didn't know, complete glee on their faces. Much laughter was had, even from the two moms, as we quickly RAN to shut off the CD before the words of the song began. I thought of it later that if this is what they can sneakily accomplish at 7 and 5, what are we in for at 17 and 15? Not quite Country Boys and Girls Getting Down on the Farm, but a close rendition (although they can all sing that, too). Perhaps, city boys and girls getting down in the 'burbs.
Our dentist friends were over for lunch and named the teeter totter The Dentist's Friend. So far, everyone has kept their teeth.
After the day calmed down, we packed up and went to the dentists' house on the beach. We all clamored down to the beach. It was a clear evening and the sunset was beautiful. Have I mentioned before how much I love sunsets? and sunrises for that matter. We all got to watch the last seconds as the sun dipped below the horizon. Again, it was just fun to watch the kids playing happily together.
And that brings us to today. Five of the six of us have been to the dentist this week. The kids are registered for school next year. Matt helped Brandon's class lead a praise service. Maria spent the morning visiting Kindergarten. The kids are registered for Spring soccer (I hope, but that's another story). Brandon is with a friend tonight. The girls all have activities tomorrow. Matt is going to experience his first ever trip to the gun club.
Funny story from the dentist. First, my hygienist hummed through the whole process of cleaning my teeth. Nothing annoying, although I couldn't figure out what song it was, just something different. And, at one point, she stopped to tell me that its been such a mild winter that she hadn't even gotten out her REALLY warm jacket... y'know the one for those below 20 degree days. This MN girl had to chuckle that REALLY cold means something above zero. Although I do have to give her that below 20 with a wind off the lake is rather cold! I have experienced that!
So, here's hoping that the rest of your weekend is ordinary, or not.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Valentine's Day
Every year I ask the question -"Make them or buy them this year?" And every year the answer is the same - "Make them!" So we begin the hunt online for which valentine each child wants to make. Next is the list of supplies needed to make said valentines. Finally, the work begins. I generally have to go to three or four stores before I have all the supplies, including the candy, and I'm quite sure we spend more on supplies than if we would just buy the things, but they have such a great time making them each year. Perhaps its because crafts is not my forte and this qualifies as a craft in their eyes!
So, this is the first night they came home from school and I had purchased all the supplies. They got very busy at it! I did nothing to help Brandon or Anika this year, which was very cool.
And, the finished product. Brandon made a paper airplane for each classmate and attached pixie sticks. I think he wrote 'You're plane cool' or 'You soar Valentine' or 'Fly high Valentine'. Not sure which one he ended up with. Anika made foam mustaches and lips and attached them to sucker sticks, so when you put the sucker in your mouth it looks like you have either a mustache or huge red lips. Jessica made aliens for the boys and hearts for the girls. The aliens said 'there's space in my heart for you' and the hearts had a barrett attached and said 'we click'. Maria melted crayons into a heart mold and then attached that to construction paper that said 'you color my world'.
Valentine's supper had red heart shaped finger jello and candle light. Plus, we had red brownies and ice cream for dessert - or at least I did. The rest of the brownies were eaten later in the weekend.
The rest of the week was spent cleaning, grocery shopping and project finishing. Our bathroom hadn't gotten the extreme clean before we moved in so I started in on it on Wednesday night. The kids had a half day on Thursday and as you can see, Jessica and Anika got into it, literally. I had told them there would be no baths until the thing was clean. It took awhile, but there have been baths since. Jessica decided that cleaning bathrooms is fun. I'll be milking that one for weeks to come.
So, this is the first night they came home from school and I had purchased all the supplies. They got very busy at it! I did nothing to help Brandon or Anika this year, which was very cool.
And, the finished product. Brandon made a paper airplane for each classmate and attached pixie sticks. I think he wrote 'You're plane cool' or 'You soar Valentine' or 'Fly high Valentine'. Not sure which one he ended up with. Anika made foam mustaches and lips and attached them to sucker sticks, so when you put the sucker in your mouth it looks like you have either a mustache or huge red lips. Jessica made aliens for the boys and hearts for the girls. The aliens said 'there's space in my heart for you' and the hearts had a barrett attached and said 'we click'. Maria melted crayons into a heart mold and then attached that to construction paper that said 'you color my world'.
Valentine's supper had red heart shaped finger jello and candle light. Plus, we had red brownies and ice cream for dessert - or at least I did. The rest of the brownies were eaten later in the weekend.
The rest of the week was spent cleaning, grocery shopping and project finishing. Our bathroom hadn't gotten the extreme clean before we moved in so I started in on it on Wednesday night. The kids had a half day on Thursday and as you can see, Jessica and Anika got into it, literally. I had told them there would be no baths until the thing was clean. It took awhile, but there have been baths since. Jessica decided that cleaning bathrooms is fun. I'll be milking that one for weeks to come.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
The teeter totter
This contraption has a story. I have known about it for years and had it on a wish list of things to purchase for the kids. I would search for it on Craigslist, look at it online, but never felt like spending the money on it.
Two weeks before we move to MI. We are contemplating how all of our stuff is going to fit on a truck. I am pretty sure its not going to, Matt is quite confident it will. I head out and attend an open house of some goodies put on by friends. As I pass by a neighbor to them, there is a PILE of stuff at the end of the driveway. Surely they aren't giving that all away. I drive by, turn around and come back, knock on the door, and oh yes, it is free for the taking. Guess what's in the pile - the teeter totter I have been looking at for years. It doesn't really fit in my van very well, but I was not to be dissuaded. I also picked up five riding toys for the little girl I was going to visit.
Well, I get home, and the first thing out of Matt's mouth is - that's not going to fit on the truck. Again, I was not to be dissuaded. To be fair, he was right, it didn't make the first truck, but I was also right in that not everything fit on one truck and we needed two. We did not get two trucks, but some friends stored all the extra stuff and my dad is making two trips out with his pickup full. So, a few weeks ago when my parents came to visit, they drove their pickup, and the teeter totter came to view.
Now, Maria asked about the teeter totter OFTEN. She was quite sure the only time she was going to get to play on it was when we went back to MN. The lack of winter has produced an abundance of outside playtime. Did I mention it's light out until after 6 PM - GLORIOUS!
So, almost every day, this is the site I see for at least an hour after school. Even Matt had to admit that they have an awful lot of fun on the thing. It goes up and down and around. Teeter Twirl I believe is what it is called.
Two weeks before we move to MI. We are contemplating how all of our stuff is going to fit on a truck. I am pretty sure its not going to, Matt is quite confident it will. I head out and attend an open house of some goodies put on by friends. As I pass by a neighbor to them, there is a PILE of stuff at the end of the driveway. Surely they aren't giving that all away. I drive by, turn around and come back, knock on the door, and oh yes, it is free for the taking. Guess what's in the pile - the teeter totter I have been looking at for years. It doesn't really fit in my van very well, but I was not to be dissuaded. I also picked up five riding toys for the little girl I was going to visit.
Well, I get home, and the first thing out of Matt's mouth is - that's not going to fit on the truck. Again, I was not to be dissuaded. To be fair, he was right, it didn't make the first truck, but I was also right in that not everything fit on one truck and we needed two. We did not get two trucks, but some friends stored all the extra stuff and my dad is making two trips out with his pickup full. So, a few weeks ago when my parents came to visit, they drove their pickup, and the teeter totter came to view.
Now, Maria asked about the teeter totter OFTEN. She was quite sure the only time she was going to get to play on it was when we went back to MN. The lack of winter has produced an abundance of outside playtime. Did I mention it's light out until after 6 PM - GLORIOUS!
So, almost every day, this is the site I see for at least an hour after school. Even Matt had to admit that they have an awful lot of fun on the thing. It goes up and down and around. Teeter Twirl I believe is what it is called.
Off to today. The goal is to buy shades/curtains for our bedroom and clean the house.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Thoughts I had while running yesterday
I drove to Grand Haven yesterday to go for my run along the beach. Our bank is in Grand Haven so I have to drive down there periodically and I usually take the opportunity to run!
Matt and I have had several conversations about church. Shocking I know, where would such a subject matter come up? After being on this side of the coin for quite a few years, I was just thinking about all of it. How each person's perspective is different, depending on what you bring to the table. Only a doctor's wife knows first had what its like to have your husband pay malpractice bills because of something he did. Only a CEO's wife knows what its like to have a business fail before your husband's eyes. Only a teacher's wife knows the details of each little cherub in the room. And don't get me wrong, you can interchange husband and wife here, but this was just how I was looking at it. And let's face it, women take relationships much more to heart. Men tend to fix, women worry about all the extras.
Also, don't get any ideas. I have read books by pastor's wives, devotionals by pastor's wives and blogs by pastor's wives. Fairly certain I will never be leading a Bible study, or weekend retreat, or publishing any of my work. I guess I shouldn't say never, but seriously, not my line of work.
When Matt was in Ontario for several months, the kids and I attended many different churches. I needed a break from what was and so we went out exploring. Probably the only church shopping I will ever do in my life. There were mega churches, small churches, traditional services, contemporary services..... you name it we saw it.
There are three main character traits in a pastor: preaching, pastoring, and administration. Its unusual to find someone gifted in two of the traits and rare to find someone gifted in all three. Sort of how business have 12 chiefs - one for administration, one for finances, one for technology, etc. Everyone has their gift. This is why people love the preachers at mega churches. They are incredible orators. But I bet if you plucked them up and put them in a small country church, it wouldn't be pretty. I can just picture this guy standing next to a farmer on his death bed and he hauls out a 10 page sermon with animation and illustration. He'd be great at it, but its not what is needed at the time.
Some people like the mega churches: great preaching, glitz and glam in the youth programs, intense musical worship. Other people look for churches that focus on taking care of the community in which they are placed. Some churches are big on international service projects. Some churches stick to tradition. Some churches like liturgy.
Personally, I'm not a mega church chick. I haven't found one that I like the music or the youth programs. I went to one, and because my kids were afraid of the youth program, they came to church with me, and I swear they were the only people under the age of 21 in the service. The music and the youth programs are more important to me at this stage of my life.
Church takes on a whole new perspective when you are standing on this side. I always say I would be a better teacher now that I am a mom, but, I don't ever want to be a teacher again. Matt took a class that described Sunday morning as the most selfish hour of our lives. We want the music to be powerful and uplifting, some of us want our kids in the worship service, some of us don't, some of us want good biblical Sunday School, some of us want hell - fire- and brimstone from the pulpit. We all want different things.
It's impossible for a church to make every person sitting there to be happy, to connect, to be fed. Honestly, there are some things that the church has never provided for me and it never will. Does that make it a bad church? Should I change churches in hopes of finding that thing I'm missing, only to realize that this new church lacks ..... fill in the blank. As a teacher and a youth leader I never connected with every student. Was I a bad leader? (and yes that is arguable) I don't know, but I do know that there was something I was never going to be able to give that child because we just didn't click. That's part of life. That's what makes the world go round.
I don't know what the answer is. Maybe we should look around and see what we can give instead of what we can get. Maybe if you hate the music but love the preaching, you just download the sermon from the website and listen to it while you are walking. (yep - that's me) Maybe you take your devotional time to connect with God and your church time to connect with others, then you won't be disappointed in the sermon or the music or the sunday school.
Some of these things I struggle with, particularly for my kids. We currently don't have Sunday School, although Jessica and Maria have a teaching time. They won't ever be in a Christmas program. We don't have a children and worship program. They won't have those memories. But a teacher I respect once asked me, 'just because you did it that way, does it make it better'? And, I don't have to be at church until 10:30, definite perk.
Matt played a video on Sunday that I really enjoyed. Again, my guess is some of you won't like it because its not your thing.
YouTube - Videos from this email
I really like going for a run.
Matt and I have had several conversations about church. Shocking I know, where would such a subject matter come up? After being on this side of the coin for quite a few years, I was just thinking about all of it. How each person's perspective is different, depending on what you bring to the table. Only a doctor's wife knows first had what its like to have your husband pay malpractice bills because of something he did. Only a CEO's wife knows what its like to have a business fail before your husband's eyes. Only a teacher's wife knows the details of each little cherub in the room. And don't get me wrong, you can interchange husband and wife here, but this was just how I was looking at it. And let's face it, women take relationships much more to heart. Men tend to fix, women worry about all the extras.
Also, don't get any ideas. I have read books by pastor's wives, devotionals by pastor's wives and blogs by pastor's wives. Fairly certain I will never be leading a Bible study, or weekend retreat, or publishing any of my work. I guess I shouldn't say never, but seriously, not my line of work.
When Matt was in Ontario for several months, the kids and I attended many different churches. I needed a break from what was and so we went out exploring. Probably the only church shopping I will ever do in my life. There were mega churches, small churches, traditional services, contemporary services..... you name it we saw it.
There are three main character traits in a pastor: preaching, pastoring, and administration. Its unusual to find someone gifted in two of the traits and rare to find someone gifted in all three. Sort of how business have 12 chiefs - one for administration, one for finances, one for technology, etc. Everyone has their gift. This is why people love the preachers at mega churches. They are incredible orators. But I bet if you plucked them up and put them in a small country church, it wouldn't be pretty. I can just picture this guy standing next to a farmer on his death bed and he hauls out a 10 page sermon with animation and illustration. He'd be great at it, but its not what is needed at the time.
Some people like the mega churches: great preaching, glitz and glam in the youth programs, intense musical worship. Other people look for churches that focus on taking care of the community in which they are placed. Some churches are big on international service projects. Some churches stick to tradition. Some churches like liturgy.
Personally, I'm not a mega church chick. I haven't found one that I like the music or the youth programs. I went to one, and because my kids were afraid of the youth program, they came to church with me, and I swear they were the only people under the age of 21 in the service. The music and the youth programs are more important to me at this stage of my life.
Church takes on a whole new perspective when you are standing on this side. I always say I would be a better teacher now that I am a mom, but, I don't ever want to be a teacher again. Matt took a class that described Sunday morning as the most selfish hour of our lives. We want the music to be powerful and uplifting, some of us want our kids in the worship service, some of us don't, some of us want good biblical Sunday School, some of us want hell - fire- and brimstone from the pulpit. We all want different things.
It's impossible for a church to make every person sitting there to be happy, to connect, to be fed. Honestly, there are some things that the church has never provided for me and it never will. Does that make it a bad church? Should I change churches in hopes of finding that thing I'm missing, only to realize that this new church lacks ..... fill in the blank. As a teacher and a youth leader I never connected with every student. Was I a bad leader? (and yes that is arguable) I don't know, but I do know that there was something I was never going to be able to give that child because we just didn't click. That's part of life. That's what makes the world go round.
I don't know what the answer is. Maybe we should look around and see what we can give instead of what we can get. Maybe if you hate the music but love the preaching, you just download the sermon from the website and listen to it while you are walking. (yep - that's me) Maybe you take your devotional time to connect with God and your church time to connect with others, then you won't be disappointed in the sermon or the music or the sunday school.
Some of these things I struggle with, particularly for my kids. We currently don't have Sunday School, although Jessica and Maria have a teaching time. They won't ever be in a Christmas program. We don't have a children and worship program. They won't have those memories. But a teacher I respect once asked me, 'just because you did it that way, does it make it better'? And, I don't have to be at church until 10:30, definite perk.
Matt played a video on Sunday that I really enjoyed. Again, my guess is some of you won't like it because its not your thing.
YouTube - Videos from this emailI really like going for a run.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
February already
I always get a bit excited to turn the calendar to February. Spring seems so much closer, the threat of two weeks of REALLY super bitter cold are gone - although that threat is probably gone for good now that we live here, the days get noticeably longer and as a numbers geek, I love that - usually - there are just 4 weeks exactly in February. If I had power over the world I would make us all use the metric system - it makes so much more sense numerically - and the first 11 months of the year would all have 28 days. Then every day would always have the same number. For instance, if you started on Monday, every Monday for the whole year would be a 1, 8, 15, or 22 and so on. Usually it works for February and March except for leap years like this year. I also thought it would be cool to have a birthday on February 29. Plus, with my little calendar plan there would be more space between Christmas and New Year's which maybe would make it all seem less crazy. You can write my name in on the presidential ballot this fall.
But how is it that you can go to the store right now and buy a swim suit? This winter has been warm, but that always bugs me. I'm just getting into the idea of what shoes and sweaters I like again.
Today we missed story time due to extreme stubbornness on the part of a 5 year old, but mama won the battle. One of the moms at church takes her two kids to story time and another lady from story time took her family to visit Celebration Church this week just to see what it was all about. Previously I had put an * by this event. The librarian that typically leads our story time was not there last week. We were informed that her 45 year old husband had died. He had fallen off a boat he had been working on into Lake Michigan and didn't survive. I can't even imagine getting that phone call or visit or however it is they deliver news like that.
The whole family gathered up and wandered over to the neighbor through the back yard. Her name is Judy and she has a cute little dog named Lucy. Not quite to Matt's standard of 'little rat' - it has too much hair - but close. She was the lovely woman who delivered chicken for supper when we so desperately needed it. Her husband died of a heart attack in November so we brought her some split pea soup for supper. The girls pretty much smothered Lucy. We told her we would be glad to dog sit anytime.
Matt painted our bathroom which means he has no more rooms to paint until I decide on some more colors. Guess I better decide on some bedding and rugs so he can keep going.
Jessica asks every week now if she gets to sing in the praise team. She informed us last Saturday night that tomorrow was going to be horrible because she couldn't sing up front and hold a microphone. Then later she came up to me and asked me, 'Can you ask dad, I mean, the pastor, if I can sing again some time?'. I'm not sure how I kept a straight face or why she decided Matt needed to be referred to as the pastor at that moment, but it was pretty funny. Maria is already talking about what songs she wants to sing up front once she turns seven.
I have my own library card and Anika and Brandon each have one, too! Its a much simpler process when you have a license and a phone number! Now we can reserve more than 10 books which is a necessary and good thing! Having everyone read every night sure does mean we go through a lot of books!
I figured out that we lived in Grand Haven exactly 8 weeks and I'm pretty sure that the weekend we moved into this house was 12 years to the day that we moved into our home in Mounds View. There are better seasons to move than winter.
Have a good day!
But how is it that you can go to the store right now and buy a swim suit? This winter has been warm, but that always bugs me. I'm just getting into the idea of what shoes and sweaters I like again.
Today we missed story time due to extreme stubbornness on the part of a 5 year old, but mama won the battle. One of the moms at church takes her two kids to story time and another lady from story time took her family to visit Celebration Church this week just to see what it was all about. Previously I had put an * by this event. The librarian that typically leads our story time was not there last week. We were informed that her 45 year old husband had died. He had fallen off a boat he had been working on into Lake Michigan and didn't survive. I can't even imagine getting that phone call or visit or however it is they deliver news like that.
The whole family gathered up and wandered over to the neighbor through the back yard. Her name is Judy and she has a cute little dog named Lucy. Not quite to Matt's standard of 'little rat' - it has too much hair - but close. She was the lovely woman who delivered chicken for supper when we so desperately needed it. Her husband died of a heart attack in November so we brought her some split pea soup for supper. The girls pretty much smothered Lucy. We told her we would be glad to dog sit anytime.
Matt painted our bathroom which means he has no more rooms to paint until I decide on some more colors. Guess I better decide on some bedding and rugs so he can keep going.
Jessica asks every week now if she gets to sing in the praise team. She informed us last Saturday night that tomorrow was going to be horrible because she couldn't sing up front and hold a microphone. Then later she came up to me and asked me, 'Can you ask dad, I mean, the pastor, if I can sing again some time?'. I'm not sure how I kept a straight face or why she decided Matt needed to be referred to as the pastor at that moment, but it was pretty funny. Maria is already talking about what songs she wants to sing up front once she turns seven.
I have my own library card and Anika and Brandon each have one, too! Its a much simpler process when you have a license and a phone number! Now we can reserve more than 10 books which is a necessary and good thing! Having everyone read every night sure does mean we go through a lot of books!
I figured out that we lived in Grand Haven exactly 8 weeks and I'm pretty sure that the weekend we moved into this house was 12 years to the day that we moved into our home in Mounds View. There are better seasons to move than winter.
Have a good day!
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
How we got from there to here
I received an email asking how all this moving came to be so here is a brief history.
Matt graduated from Bethel Seminary in May of 2010, 7 years after beginning. The last year many of the classes were distance learning from Calvin Seminary in Grand Rapids, MI, better known as Mecca. Don't get me started. The CRC probably has this blog monitored for insubordination. Anyway, he started interviewing all over the US pretty much immediately. CA, CO, IL, MI, IN..... It actually got to the point that the kids would say 'SHHH, dad's downstairs on the phone with another interview'. It became part of our life. He physically visited and interviewed at four different churches before settling on Celebration here in Muskegon, MI.
He interviewed in May, was offered the job in late July, and we made a trip out with the family in October. At that time, we arranged for two different places we could rent so we could move out here and look for a home to purchase, rather than try to find a home to purchase from 600 miles away. We looked at some homes in October but weren't overly impressed with any of them. I fell in love with one house, but it was at the top of our price range and a short sale, so I let it go. We made plans that Matt would move out and begin work on December 1 and the kids and I would stay in MN until the house sold.
Shortly after we returned, the house sold. The next day we found out that both of the rental places we had arranged fell through. Now we were officially homeless. My aunt, and uncle and aunt had been on a cruise in the Mediterranean with some folks from Grand Haven, MI. They met someone that could help us with rental properties and gave us his number. Matt gives him a call and he doesn't offer us much hope. The next day he calls back and explains that he has arranged for us to live in their church's extra parsonage until we find a home. Yeah God and Yeah family members that travel.
We come back again in November to look at more houses. I'm not impressed with any of them and we find out that the short sale I like has dropped its price. We decide to put in an offer and they accept.
We moved out here the Saturday after Thanksgiving to the parsonage of 2nd CRC in Grand Haven. Three weeks later we purchase the short sale and begin making it ours. Last week we moved from the parsonage in Grand Haven into our home in Norton Shores.
Hope that explains the saga a bit!
Two weeks, the amount of time it has been since I had devotional/quiet time and that I have exercised. Today, that changed. I spend many hours in front of this computer finding numbers, changing accounts, arranging things. Today, I took the time for me for a bit. I had devotions and although I didn't actually go for a run, I did go online and plot out four different routes, with different scenery and different mileage so starting tomorrow, the workout regime begins again. I have been incredibly tired the last few days and I can't help but think that the endorphines I am used to having just aren't there. We'll see what happens tomorrow.
Matt graduated from Bethel Seminary in May of 2010, 7 years after beginning. The last year many of the classes were distance learning from Calvin Seminary in Grand Rapids, MI, better known as Mecca. Don't get me started. The CRC probably has this blog monitored for insubordination. Anyway, he started interviewing all over the US pretty much immediately. CA, CO, IL, MI, IN..... It actually got to the point that the kids would say 'SHHH, dad's downstairs on the phone with another interview'. It became part of our life. He physically visited and interviewed at four different churches before settling on Celebration here in Muskegon, MI.
He interviewed in May, was offered the job in late July, and we made a trip out with the family in October. At that time, we arranged for two different places we could rent so we could move out here and look for a home to purchase, rather than try to find a home to purchase from 600 miles away. We looked at some homes in October but weren't overly impressed with any of them. I fell in love with one house, but it was at the top of our price range and a short sale, so I let it go. We made plans that Matt would move out and begin work on December 1 and the kids and I would stay in MN until the house sold.
Shortly after we returned, the house sold. The next day we found out that both of the rental places we had arranged fell through. Now we were officially homeless. My aunt, and uncle and aunt had been on a cruise in the Mediterranean with some folks from Grand Haven, MI. They met someone that could help us with rental properties and gave us his number. Matt gives him a call and he doesn't offer us much hope. The next day he calls back and explains that he has arranged for us to live in their church's extra parsonage until we find a home. Yeah God and Yeah family members that travel.
We come back again in November to look at more houses. I'm not impressed with any of them and we find out that the short sale I like has dropped its price. We decide to put in an offer and they accept.
We moved out here the Saturday after Thanksgiving to the parsonage of 2nd CRC in Grand Haven. Three weeks later we purchase the short sale and begin making it ours. Last week we moved from the parsonage in Grand Haven into our home in Norton Shores.
Hope that explains the saga a bit!
Two weeks, the amount of time it has been since I had devotional/quiet time and that I have exercised. Today, that changed. I spend many hours in front of this computer finding numbers, changing accounts, arranging things. Today, I took the time for me for a bit. I had devotions and although I didn't actually go for a run, I did go online and plot out four different routes, with different scenery and different mileage so starting tomorrow, the workout regime begins again. I have been incredibly tired the last few days and I can't help but think that the endorphines I am used to having just aren't there. We'll see what happens tomorrow.
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