I wanted to make a post but I am not sure what to post about.  So I guess it will just be my random thoughts.  Church hunting has not been too bad  we narrowed the churches in town down to two. We are at the "checking out Sunday School stage.  We have found in the past that this an important part. Once we were close to joining a church when we decided to start going to Sunday School.  During the second visit we realized that they were teaching that the Bible is just a "Good Story book."  This is not what we believe.  We personally believe that the Bible is an accurate history book written by men who were directed by God what to write.  I realize that every one has their own beliefs, God made us each with our own mind. We just recognized that that particular church was not for us. 

Anyway, what else... Hmm I have joined a "mommy group in town.  I have already been to 2 events and on Tuesday Naomi and I will head to Manhattan for our third.  I have high hopes for this group.  Come the beginning of the year I will be trying to make as many as possible. There is also A Parents as Teachers play group that meets once a month that I will be trying to attend.  I decided that it was kind of pointless to sigh NAomi up for PAT.  She turns 3 in April so she would only be part for a few months.  And you don't have to be in the program to go to the play dates! So ever so slowly we are trying to find other mommies and children to become friends with. 

Adam had is company Christmas party!  I got a muffin pan with a lit out of the deal! I have such a great guy! We also have an abundance of fruit in the house (one of the churches sent us a fruit basket)  So I see apple bread and banana muffins in the future!

Well I need to go get things around.  I get to take the animals to the vet today!  I hope every one has a wonderful day filled with blessings from above!

So here are some pics of the house. I did not remember taking them. I think I was in a sugar high when they were taken.  And that is a whole other story involving Adam's truck braking down and scrambling to get him to the new town for work.

Anyway,   So here is a taste of the house we are renting...





Until next time!

Well we have had our first week as a family in our new town.  It have been rather uneventful.  It had been pretty chilly and windy so Naomi and I stayed home mostly.  We did get out an run a few errands.  The bank, the park, the grocery store and to Sonic.  This week we will be getting out for some serious park time at the beginning of the week.  Then we have a serious temp drop. 

This could be good because out new case worker should be calling us sometime to set up a home visit so we can get reestablished in "the system"  as well as get set up for respite care. I am excited and nervous about the switch.   So many rules and regs to make sure we follow.  I am going to have to do something with the knives and I am not sure what to do about our random steps.  However, I know it can be done.

I have not gotten to take any pictures of our home but I did get a picture of my "welcome to your new home rose" that God blessed me with!

One of my new favorite pictures. Adam did a pretty good job!



I love Naomi's kisses. She just recently started to give Adam and I kisses. Before that her kisses were for the cat the dog and for baby Jesus in her Bible. I truly love her kisses. This was also a great trip to the park. While we were there we experienced God move in some awesome ways. A door we thought was shut, came open again. A true answer to prayer.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the LORD...

Jeremiah 29:11-14a

To find out how to join "Fingerprint Friday" and see links to other posts, visit Pampering Beki's blog.

I thought I would take the time to show you all our new house! It is a bit on the small side from what we are used to. (It is about 1000 sq feet.) So here we go!

It is time to say goodbye!

So sad!






Goodbye pink tub (and bathroom) where may baths were taken.


Goodbye big kitchen where we baked lots of cookies!


Goodbye awesome huge back yard where we played with the "puppy," played in the pool or ran through the sprinkler.

So I am not really sure what to write to night...But I feel like posting something.....So here it goes.

I realized I had not given an update on our attempt to adopt.  Once we get moved and such I will probably try to post some thing about it.  Basically we are still just waiting... and waiting ... and waiting...kind of annoying, but I guess our time to adopt has not come. (God's timing is perfect you know) This has not stopped me from praying for our children to be.  I figure that is what I am called to do right now.  Intercede through prayer.  (Please, Lord, have your hand upon them.)  I also still pray for Amara.  I can't bring myself to stop.  She even has her own verse. I know God's plan is best that His understanding is infinite.  Sometimes it is just hard to let go of something you had your heart so set on.



We are getting things worked out for moving.  The house looks more and more packed each day.  I want it all done with.  I just want to box every thing up now and be done.  But we have 4 more days to live here and we need a lot of the things that are not packed yet.  Slowly but surely I know it will get done.



Tomorrow we head back to KC.  Adam has an interview with a engineering temp firm.  I can tell he is getting a little antsy about the cash flow.  Yes, we are fine for the time being, but being the provider it is getting to him.  And I completely understand.  Going back to school is going to take a pretty good chunk of cash. And there is no sign of stable income in the near future.



However we are amazed by God's provision.  The place we are living is a total God send.   The rent is remarkably cheep.  The price lowered in the time we started looking.  It is small but the price is very nice.  We also get a discount if we pay before the first of the month.  It has all the basic necessities and it is clean! we will be just down the street (practically) from some good friends and my grandfather.  There is a park close by (something we always look for) and he gave us the month of August (or at least what is left of it) FREE!

Well it is getting late, and I have a big day ahead. I hope you didn't mind my randomness.  At least you got to play peak-a-boo with Naomi!  It is her favorite game!

Good night!

The past week has been crazy! We have taken two trips to KC to look for a place to live. Inbetween trips we

• visited Adam's dad. There he worked on some landscaping with his dad and brother while I chased a VERY cranky toddler around.
• We then headed to the Newton area for my friend Alison's wedding. It was awesome!
  
• We were only home for about 12 hours between the wedding and the second trip to KC.
• Oh and the AC in the van went out while we were on our second trip.

I have no idea why I am exhausted. (note the sarcasm?)
Of course I took pictures. I downloaded 300. This does not include all of the ones I deleted while I was shooting. Pretty impressive huh? Here is just a sampling:


We have found a place to live (now we just have to wait through the application process.) This could get sketchy because Adam does not currently have a job. We would appreciate your prayers very much. If all goes according to our plan we are hoping to move next Tuesday and Wednesday. We should hear about the duplex soon. When we do I will make sure to tell you about it. It is going to be tight for all of us the next 3 years!

Your ways are not our ways! You have a plan and we are. I just need to rest in those promises. You, Father, will take care of us because you love your children. Lord, help me to hand all my concerns, frustrations, and worries over to you! Thank you for all you have done for me. Amen

The tension is growing in our household. Adam and I have had many discussions over the dinner table. I think we do our best thinking at the table with cookie in hand. (Yummy Oatmeal Scotchies). We have hit the ground running this time. On Friday we did receive confirmation that Adam did make "the cut" into Midwest Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City. Classes start August 24. there is also a new student orientation and enrollment on August 21. So guess who gets to find a place to live, pack up our house, hunt down people to help load and unload the truck, Oh I guess we need to rent a truck, unpack the mountain of boxes, figure out how we are going to get 4 vehicles to KC, transfer utilities, all while chasing a toddler, trying to stay organized, cook and clean , be in a wedding, and everything else I do (What else do I do anyway)?

OH! OH! Pick ME! Pick ME! (And Adam I supose)

Was that sarcastic enough?

I am looking forward to this adventure. Although I have already been in tears about the unknowns. It is CRAZY. We have our basic plan..then we have plan B, C, D, E,and so on. There are sub plans so is such-n-such does not work we do this but is this happens then we do that...AGGGHHHH. My husband "the planner" is going to drive me batty with all of it.


I guess i don't mind the planning. I suppose I prefer it that way but the annoying thing is that there are so many unknowns.


I know God will take car of us. He has so far. We are amazed at the provision so far. And we are in awe of how He is guiding us. It really is amazing. to see him at work. The sermon last week was about being faithful toyour call and reaching forward. the verse the pastor hit on was Philipians 3:13-14.

Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

I was quite encouraged. The pastor even mentioned us in the sermon. (how humbling) He talked about how even though we were only at the church a short time we encouraged him and some others of how to follow God's will with excitement. Meanwhile, today I sit here and I just want to say... "Why now? We are just getting settled in. This move is quite frustrating for me already and it seems we have just began.

However I am going to take tonights sermon to heart (I hope)... I was about when we truly praise God with your heart it effects our entire life. IT changes our perseption, it changes emotion it change our out look. Here the key verse for me was Philippians 4:4-9

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

I may just do what the pastor did and print it on a card to carry with me. So please pray for us. This is gong to be a fast and furious ride. Please pray for my attitude. But I think Naomi will need some prayers for her transition to the new house (that we have yet to find). She is quite the trooper She is already helping mom and dad pack. Although I think she has started feeding off the tension as well. Thank you for letting me vent...

I feel better now!

So we are stepping out in faith and we are moving to KC(area). It may not be the wisest thing but we feel this is what we are supposed to do. We have been semi-planing on heading in that direction. We just wanted a job first. Well while we were on our mini vacation we decided to through the "logical plan" out the window (The window, the second story window... Sorry flash back to scouts).

Anyway...

So now here is the plan.

Adam just submitted his part of the application to get in to Midwest Baptist Theological Seminary. He does not have a job currently but we have faith that this is the path we are to take. It is rather scary but while I was talking to Adam last night we decided it is rather "safe" too. We should hear if he was accepted in about two weeks at the earliest. Then we will then proceed to find an apartment/rental (we have a few feelers out), pack up, move in, and settle in. All before classes start on August 24(ish). I think we are in for a wild ride! We really covet any prayers you offer.

There are many "backup" plans that could occur. Here are a few of them...

Right now we are also looking at a Youth minister position that would pay him in Missouri. It would basically cover rent and gas (he would have to commute either to the church or to school). This would also probably mean we would move to but still close to Missouri. the distance would be similar to when we were in Halstead.

He has also talked to an engineering temp firm to get some temporary and part time position somewhere.

And if worse comes to worse I could go back to work. I know of a great daycare there that I could probably work at and take Naomi to. (It was where my sister and I went). Or I could work else ware.

We have no idea what is going to happen in the next month or so. We are just leaning on the fact that we are safe in God's hands.

Luckily I did not have far to fall (both physically and figuratively). Today was the big day! We have been waiting for this day for about a month. As it approached we began to get the feeling that Adam would not make it through this round of layoffs. Last Thursday an email went out that pretty much confirmed our suspensions. It involved someone not having paperwork required for the ferlow(sp?) for Adam. Pretty suspicious...

So we are looking to see what is in store for us. We serve an awesome god who has us in the palm of his Hand. We are already seeing the beauty from this storm.

• Because of our move we are a lot more financially sound than before.
• We are not trying to sell a house. God's timing provided a buyer for our house who would jump through the many hoops required.
  
• We saved gas money.
• God gave us the wisdom to rent instead of buy.
  
• We checked to see if our contract would be easy to get out of. And it is!

This is just the ones I can come up with off the top of my head.

"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:18

I ran away.

I took the car, I stopped for a soda and some chocolate, and I drove to no where in particular.

It felt so go to drive my car, roll the windows, turn up the radio and just go.

This is something that goes back to the summer before my sophomore year in college. I finally had got my promised car from my aunt. It was a manual so I had to practice driving it (at least that was my excuse). I was a counselor for BCUB at Barton County Community College. The weekends were the only time I had off. I spent many Friday nights getting lost in the country side. I would worship and talk to God. It was wonderful.

Sunday I was having a "bla" day Adam gave me the keys and said go take your car and drive. I am amazed at how well he knows me.


So I drove. While I was driving This song came on:

Crazy Beautiful by Chasen
Everybody's been there
everyone's the same
but mostly we don't care
isn't that a shame
We bring us down
face after face
the inside is beautiful but the outside we want to change.
We want to change.

Chorus
Whoa you're oh so beautiful,
you don't need anyone's approval
You've got to believe in your self you know you are
You're crazy beautiful

There's no need to change
We're different but the same
In the eyes of the King
We're beautifully made
In his image we're made

Take a look it's all around you
See the world from different views
The way you shine from the inside
I know with out a doubt
It's more than what you'll be
In the world's eyes.

Whoa you're oh so beautiful,
You don't need anyone's a approval
You've got to believe in your self you know you are

You're crazy beautiful

I have heard this song numerous times on Air1. But that night I felt God telling me how beautiful I am to Him. I am His masterpiece. He delights in me. He was calling me back in to his arms.

I have been struggling a lot lately with my relationship with God. I know it is all me. He is right here with me! I just need to turn back to him. I have just felt quite distant from Him. But now is a great time to strengthen my walk with Him. The sermon on Sunday was about "life in the gaps." While the sermon was not very good, I took time while driving to reflect on my own gap. Looking at Psalm 119 I found several verses to focus on:





PS I ended up at the county lake (in case you could not tell by the pictures).
I also found a house I want! But is a bit out of our price range.

Now that we are here and semi-settled (and the internet is working) I though I would show our moving adventure!The night before the move.