Family for Christmas

We were so blessed to have Macy and Mia's Mamaw and Pa visit for Christmas. Even though they worked like dogs while they were here (we moved on December 20), we hope they enjoyed their 10 days with us! We miss them so much.

My how my little girls are growing!

Daddy with his 2 beautiful girls. Precious.



Macy got to talk to Raegan on the phone on Christmas morning...that was a great gift. And of course Mia HAD to talk too! She is turning into quite the phone talker! :)

January Update (and the great emotional roller coaster!)

January Update

Wow. Where do I begin trying to update on our lives over the last month??? This post will be rather long since I am late on posting it – and A LOT has transpired since last month! (Will also do snippets on the blog every day next week).

God opens up the Door for us to Move
We had been praying about whether or not to move out of the city so that Macy could go to school. DC does not have many options for school age kids….at least not for families without money! :) The public schools rank as some of the lowest in the nation….and the private schools here cost anywhere from $5000-$15,000 PER year!

Macy is such a social little girl. She loves other kids and has not really had much opportunity for that group dynamic since we moved to DC. I found it very hard to motivate her to do school by herself.

In an act of God’s favor – we checked one more time into the home listings right outside of DC -in the Kingstowne/Alexandria area….an area where NCC (the church we are working with) is planting a new church starting next month. There was one house that had only been on the market for rent for 3 days that we went to see. Brad immediately felt it was the place to apply for. We applied immediately.

There were 15 applicants that day! We were 1st. We really should not have been picked b/c we are not the most qualified (income standards)….but God put an amazing realtor into our lives that went to bat for us and convinced the owner/agent that we were great people…..along with our friend Floyd who also went to bat for us and encouraged them to choose us.

Long story short….we got the contract to rent the house. Really an amazing thing… The house is just down the street from the theater we are starting a new church in next month.
MIRACLE #2 – We really felt that with so much transition and chaos in our lives that it would be wonderful for Macy to get to attend a Christian school. There is an AG Christian school 5 miles from our house. We would be unable to send her there b/c of cost – but by the grace and favor of God – they are working with us to allow Macy to go even with our limited income! Wow.

And it is a WONDERFUL school! Not only academically- but their personal touch is perfect for us! Knowing that incredible Christian people are partnering with us to invest in Macy’s spiritual, intellectual, and emotional development is such a blessing!

Macy turns 6 and her first day of school
January 7th was Macy’s birthday. How can she be 6 already? Where did 5 go?

She started school on her birthday! She was so excited! She had to get 4 shots in order to start school – and was soooo brave. She didn’t even cry! Geez!

Her school day starts out with about 15 minutes of praise and worship. Then they head to class. Her teacher had a special birthday hat for her to wear on her first day and a special teddy bear as a gift. She loved it!

She has gone for 8 days now – and in the mornings she DOES NOT want to get up and go….in the afternoons she is full of fun stories from the day….but by the evenings she has changed her mind and doesn’t want to go again. It would REALLY help if there was a little girl here named Raegan for her to look forward to seeing every day! :)

Our Dilemma with the DC House and My EMOTIONAL Roller Coaster
Since we signed a lease on the house in DC – it is our responsibility to help find a new tenant. After the “Open House” last Saturday – we felt God had provided the answer. A girl called the management company – and our understanding was that she wanted the house and would sign the lease on Monday. However, Monday I got a call that she had changed her mind.
I was DEVASTATED. I had “rested” mentally thinking – OK – it is a done deal... now I can focus on what God has called us here to do…focus on getting Macy stable in school….and finding God's direction for next year...

But now we are starting all over. After all of the nights of driving back in to show the house, all of the emails, all of the energy, all of the prayers, - we do not have the answer to our prayers.
I will be honest. I was ANGRY. I was upset with God because he did not answer the prayers of optimistic faith I had prayed...that MANY had prayed. Why? Yet we KNOW that moving outside the city was something GOD had directed us to do.

The hardest thing I have had to do was to go online and transfer the February money that we have for rent out of savings to pay for this month of rent on THAT house. Tears were streaming down my face as I looked at our account – KNOWING that we now have a problem.

We are expecting some money to come in late February that should help with rent for another few months. But that doesn't resolve the issue that we are now missing a month of rent b/c of our dilemma. And responsible to KEEP paying rent on that 2nd house until there is a renter. Doesn't it seem like the easiest, most logical plan for God to have sent a renter before January 1st? That would have resolved all of this! Yet do I trust Him....

Even though I KNOW that God can still provide – He did not provide the way I expected him to – and "in advance" the way I like to “plan” out these things.

Maybe He is just teaching us to fully rely on Him. To trust Him to do it His way. To trust Him even when we do not understand.

Brad has seen me cry more in the last week than in the entire 12 years that we have been married. I just don’t cry a lot. But all I have been able do this week is cry. I just feel so weary.

Even though I do not understand…yet do I trust Him.

I declare his faithfulness. I read this morning in Psalm 107 where repeatedly “they called out to God in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.” And Psalm 108 “My heart is confident, God……answer me, so that those You love may be rescued.” I am hoping that I will soon have an incredible story to tell about how God has answered this need! We have another OPEN HOUSE tomorrow and are just WAITING on God at this point.

Our Home in Arkansas
Believe it or not – in addition to our DC house issue – we also have another dilemma with our home that we own in Huntsville! We had rented it out when we left thinking that for one year we would not have to worry about a decision to sell it. However, our renter (and friends –the Ferguson family) have needed to move out – and now we have a house that we need to sell. And it is not exactly the best time to be selling a home with the economy feeling strained! However, I know that God blessed us with this home. It was the first REAL “home” that I had ever had. After living in various homes growing up, and parsonages as a pastor’s kid….it was my first real HOME. We love this house and know that someone else will too. So we are waiting for God to bring the right person to snatch it up!

Financial Strain
Talk about financial strain! I have never been in a place in my life where I HAD to depend on God for every day like this. Every time I go to the grocery store and buy milk and bread for our family – I thank God for the people that are supporting us for $25 or $50 monthly. We would not be making it without the support. And that is just our daily needs. Now I have to trust him with these 2 house dilemmas. We sold enough of our belongings and raised enough money to almost support our rent for the entire year. But that was before we threw this wrench into it!

In all truthfulness -this has been hard. I like to have things figured out. I like things to make sense. I am learning how to take a leap of faith…but that doesn’t mean that I don’t have my moments of being completely overwhelmed and almost depressed. I like stability. I like structure. I like peace.

I am learning what it is to seek for peace in the storm. This is just “life” stuff. It doesn’t even have anything to do with the ministry that Brad and I are trying to learn here in DC. This move has been about much more than just learning a new ministry. It is about everything.

God’s Faithfulness
People asked us constantly – how are you going to get the money to adopt a child from China (while we were pursuing adoption)… yet God sent a MIRACLE. We said “We have no idea – but trust God has a plan”. Out of nowhere – a relative of mine died and left a sum of money totaling almost the EXACT amount we needed to complete our adoption! That is a GOD thing!

When I got the check in the mail that day for $17,777 – I knew it was God’s faithful provision because we were trusting him completely. I had been having my moments of doubt b/c the answer had not come yet…. Yet he answered. We wouldn’t have Mia in our lives right now without this miracle.

The weight of our Bible College loans weighed heavily upon us as we strived to get completely out of debt. We were praying for a miracle. Then one day a Godly man walked through the door and told us God had laid on his heart to pay off our college loans! He wrote us a check that day for $14,000! Once again, I had begun to doubt God was going to answer…..yet He was faithful.

We wouldn’t be able to pursue missions right now if it were not for this miracle.
Now I am waiting for yet another miracle. In a situation that seems distressing. I cry out to the Lord in our trouble, and believe he will save us from our distress. He is good. He is faithful.

PRAYER NEEDS:
1. Pray for God to send the right person to rent the house in DC as soon as possible. Pray that the wrong people will cancel, thus saving us time.
2. Pray about our house in Huntsville that God will send a buyer.
3. Pray that God will send peace.
4. Pray for Macy as she attends school that she will grow in her love for God, and that her mind will be opened up to learning what she is behind on. Pray for God to give her a LOVE for learning.
5. Pray for Brad and I that we will find God’s direction for our lives when this year is complete. Pray that He will open up the doors He has destined us to walk through and make the way clear.
6. Pray that we will reach the people around us in our daily life. That we will touch the lives that need to be touched by God right here….right now.
7. Pray that God will provide.

Does anyone feel like gagging with me?

We moved to our new house in Alexandria.....the house is wonderful....other than a few issues.....
The people who lived here before us had 2 big dogs. Even though they shampooed the carpets before they moved out...their was an IMMENSE amount of dog hair in the carpets. And this house is carpet throughout. This one picture I am sharing (sparing you the many) is of what came off of the carpet in the master bedroom ALONE. :( Dog hair and dirt. Gag. I have pictures like this after vaccuuming EVERY room in the house. I guess it is true with your pets also - that "Love is blind!"


And even worstestestest (if that can be a word) - the back yard was COVERED in huge dog poop! Covered! The waste guys can't come clean it until this week - so since it was frozen the other day - BRAD and I got out there and picked up as much of it as possible. GAGGGGG. Wearing rubber gloves of course... And a lot of it we could not get up b/c it was frozen to the ground. But better picked up frozen than when mushy after rain! We got 3 bags of it and there is still more out there.

I just want to be a blessing today by sharing this joy in my life! And Billy R., I am NOT making this up! Another poop story!

WHITE HOUSE!!!

During the chaos of moving - I didn't have a chance to post about our visit to the White House! On the Wednesday before we started packing up the house to move, (last week) we went with Floyd and Rutha on the White House Christmas Tour! Since Floyd works with the White House Communication Detail (or something like that??) he was able to bring guests....and WE were officially on THE LIST!

It was kinda like in all of those movies where people stand in line to get in to a big party...and if your name is not on the list - you don't get in.....except I think our approval process to get into the White House was much more rigorous! We had to provide our SS #'s to Floyd for FBI clearance earlier during the week, he had to show his military ID to "The List" people, Brad and I had to show photo ID, and then we were "in"!

As we were walking thru the White House we would run into different military/government people who would proclaim...."Oh, Seargent Major! How are you!" to Floyd....made me feel like we were in the "inner circle" of the mafia or something! LOL! I wonder if Floyd really works for the Army?? Maybe he is really a secret service person.....or a spy....hmmmm...things to ponder... :)

This is one of my favorite pictures....taken from INSIDE the White House....looking through the window towards the Washington monument....pretty cool.

Floyd and Brad hanging out while the wives take pictures of everything! Rutha is an AMAZING photographer...especially of flowers and intricate things....

Here is our gang! Rutha, Floyd, Brad, me, Macy and Mia! This is taken outside the White House on the North Portico.....of course I grabbed a stranger and asked them to take our picture! :O)

Mia posing outside the gate to the White House.....so sweet.

The wind was REALLY cold this day and we ran out without jackets. Daddy shared his with Macy. So cute!

Exhaustion...

I am just now getting the chance to get online to update since our move yesterday. There is no way we could have done it without help. What a blessing that God has destined us to find such a friend in Floyd Hepler. He drove the moving truck for us, and he even paid for it. Sniff...

Floyd is definitely a go getter, get 'er done guy. If it was not for Floyd and his son Adam, and our friends from NCC - David & Sharon and Dave & Kate.... I don't think we would have survived. Not to mention that Brad's mom and dad had GREAT timing in coming to visit for Christmas! We have worked their tails off since they got here Monday!

We finished paperwork on the new house Wednesday, packed the entire house up on Thursday and Friday, moved the entire house on Saturday, and went back to clean and show the old house today (Sunday). Whew!

Pray with us that God will send a new renter for that house...pronto! :)

I am thinking I should probably spend the day tomorrow....unpacking?! I did take the time to put the tree up tonight - it is Christmas week afterall! Now I hear something calling me....I think it is ....sleep....

Chaos again...

OK. So some will call us crazy. We are moving to a different house.
Moving twice in 4 months.
Maybe we will be crazy after this! Or maybe I already am??? Hmmm...??
The house we are moving to is 19 miles from this one...across the Potomac River on the Virginia side of DC.
Brad will have to take the subway/metro in to work here in DC, about a 40 min commute one way.
BUT - Macy will be able to attend a great school that is 5 miles from our new house.

Overall, we have prayed much about this over the past 4 months....and feel total peace that this is the right move for us.

But why would God allow us to be in the wrong house in the first place??? We have asked ourselves....

But I really feel that these 4 months have been part of the plan. As agonizing and frustrating as it is to move again - these 4 months have taught us much about living right in the heart of DC, and much about ourselves.

Also - the church we are working with (www.theaterchurch.com) is planting a new satellite church right down the street from our new house! That is a big reason why we chose this area! So we will be on the team for launching the new church in Kingstowne. What a neat opportunity! We wouldn't have known to choose Kingstowne 4 months ago - and could be living anywhere in the metro area....but knowing what we do at this point - Kingstowne becomes a perfect location for us!

We are still going to be in the DC Metro Area - remember 5.8 MILLION people live in the DC Metro area!!!!

It is about like moving from Huntsville to Goshen in distance....or West Memphis to maybe Olive Branch?? (maybe not that far)

None of this could have happened without our friend Floyd going to bat for us. And our new realtor friend Sam Jones. Since we are poor and don't even have a salary, someone has to convince landlords that we really are good people! :)

Please pray blessings on him and his wife Rutha this Christmas season. They are treasures.

That's My Girl!

Macy was talking about "Zach" from Disney's Zach and Cody the other night. She said he 'kissed' a girl.....and then she giggled about it. I thought...hmmmm....what perceptions is she getting about kissing....this could be a teachable moment...

I wrinkled my nose and said, "People don't always do the right things on TV shows, do they?" She said "Noooo".

I told her, people are not supposed to kiss until they are married....like me and daddy....but on TV they don't always make good decisions." (We will keep telling her this until she is 30...by the way!)

I then asked her (role play here!) .."what if a boy came up and said...'Let's kiss Macy'?
She said..." I would say NO and run away!"

To which I pressed it further...."But what if he said "Macy -everybody is doing it - let's kiss!"
She then said, "I would say NO! And then PUSH HIM DOWN!"

I pondered for a moment....should I correct her about this seemingly violent reaction to a boy's advances for a kiss? Should I teach her..."No, don't push him...just tell him no...."

But I decided to say...."Good job!" :)
That's a mom for you! LOL!
By the way - it was such a deep conversation...she was looking deep into my eyes and we were REALLY talking. I loved it!