The Perfect House

Well we found it. Or should I say, I found it. The perfect house. Ready to move right in! It was even yellow! Just like my dream house. Well it didn't have a wrap around porch and four acres and a little pond, but it's pretty darn close. So I found the house, took Richard for a second look ( He told me to house shop! Pretty smart man!) and we made an offer. Now for the bad news. It was also someone else's dream house and they made an offer a couple hours earlier than us, and the seller took it before seeing ours. Boo hoo. I know God has a home for us, I just want him to show it to me now!!! I am so impatient. So off I go again today! Let's see if we can find one today!

Playing

In comments and my previous post, this question just really keeps coming to mind and if I don't write about it, it will drive me up the wall! When I was little ( by this I mean younger than high school) I remember playing outside every day. I'm not exaggerating, I really mean every day. What has happened to kids since then? Almost every house that we have looked at that has kids has some sort of toy outside for the kids. Some had huge wooden playsets! But what strikes me as odd is that as many times as we've driven through this town, or our former town that we lived in, is how many houses we would drive by where the yards are empty! I can't remember the last time seeing children playing outside! For me this is really sad, as I love to sit outside and watch my children play. And if I'm not watching, I'm playing with them. What opportunities so many "busy" moms and dads miss out on.

Home Search

We are still at the home search. I know I know we just started three weeks ago, but it only took me a week in Mesquite to find our little family a home! And so there lies the problem. I am way too picky! We are not bedroom people..let me explain further.... The only time we are in our rooms, we are sleeping. The kids have toys in their room, but usually toys are in the family room and we all play together. So my point is this, all the homes we have been seeing are really big bedrooms and tiny everywhere else! We are very social people. We have at least one family over once a week. I want a place people feel comfortable coming over and plenty of room to sit on the couch and prop your feet up on the coffee table! And a kitchen where my kids can sit on the counter/stools and help me cook/bake! And tell me about their day! So I'm sure our realtor is getting frustrated(I can tell if the house has our name on it before we even get out of the car) since there have been a few we haven't even walked in! Anyway, Richard, Ashlyn, Carter, Braden, and I are praying God leads us to a home that will be blessed by Him and will Glorify Him.

Random Information

Well it's been a little eventful the past couple of days. Richard has had three days off with us, so that's been really nice. Not that any more laundry or dishes are getting done since he's home and I'm working, but I can't complain!! We are officially on the search for a house! I love it and hate it at the same time! I love visualizing our little family in each house, but I also hate going in and out of people's once private lives! While looking at one house yesterday I was speaking to the agent and my tooth broke and fell out! GRRR! Thank goodness it was a back tooth and you can't see it and it only mildly hurts! Tomorrow we are going to take the kids to see Chicken Little or as Ashlyn refers to it for some reason, "Little Chicken". I'm taking my mom with me since Richard has to work and I'll need her support. Not to watch the movie, but to keep three kids corraled. I'll post after the movie to tell you if it was worth wrestling three kids there or not! Thank you for dollar shows.

Sweet Prayers

One of my favorite things is to listen to my children pray. I learn so much of what they feel and know through this. At this point (and I pray forever) they have no inhibitions in what they pray for. It's funny to hear what Carter has to pray for. Usually he prays for rocks, and pie, and for Buzz and Woody. Ashlyn though, can already understand what it means to truly tell God things. The other night she was laying in my bed (the new cool place since Richard's hours are so different) and she prayed,"Jesus, thank you for washing away all my sins today. I did just a few ugly things. Jesus, I really want to be with you. But I don't want to die, so could you come down here? And could you bring Grandma Puz with you?" Her sweet honesty always humbles me. I so want to pray like my four year old sometimes! Just thought you'd enjoy the story!!

2006!

It's hard to believe a new year has begun. But, I say that every year! So many things have happened in 2005. Our family started the year off mourning the loss of my grandmother in winter of 2004. I turned 26. Richard turned 28. Our house went on the market in February. Richard resigned from Mesquite. Ashlyn turned 4. Carter turned 2. We moved to Yankee territory. Richard started the Police Academy. Braden was born. We sold our house. Richard received a contract from a VERY NICE city. Richard graduated from the academy (#4 in his class I might add!!). Richard started his new job. Christmas!! And now, 2006......I am so looking forward to this year. Unlike previous years in which it was just another day, week, month, year...This is the year we plant real roots here(A HOUSE!!) So, that's what our winter and spring are going to look like. Birthdays on the horizon, I'm inching so much closer to 30! And Richard's almost there. But I really want this year to be a year of real growth for our family. I've been studying more than I ever have, and have been wanting more and more of God in every aspect in my life. Ashlyn and Carter are like little sponges and it's so exciting to see them want to know more as well. I've begun really working on memory verses with them. It's so sweet to hear them proclaim the words Jesus himself spoke! It truly squeezes my heart! So Bring on 2006! We're ready!
Just a sidenote, we are really working hard on potty training Carter( The stubborn 2nd child that he his-God love him) and I ran out for groceries while Richard was watching the kids, when I came home Carter was on the big potty belting out as loud as he could,"Lord, reign in Me!"
So adorable! He also has puppy underwear (actually he calls them panties, yes, go ahead and laugh! Ashlyn calls hers panties, so that's what he calls his!) and he does not want them to get wet, because as Daddy says, "No one likes a wet dog!!" That's yuckiness!