Summer slipping away

So much is taking place in our lives, that I have been less than efficient at keeping up with the posts.  I think I left off with purchasing a house, preparing for a visit with friends, and Randy was finishing up with his thesis work.  So let me breath some life into what has taken place over the past six weeks.  We had made an offer on a house in New Hampshire and it was accepted.  We proceeded with the inspection and that is where things got a bit sticky.  You see, it was an older house in much need of some TLC.  For example, the front sill of the foundation that is holding up the house was starting to rot through, which in turn was causing the house to sag a bit.  The chimney was not up to state standards...kinda a fire hazard, and the windows...all of them needed revamping.  These were the things that needed to take place right away.  Then there were the cosmetic pieces, knocking down walls to make the kitchen into a cooking paradise and adding a bathroom upstairs.  Sooooo...with that being said and after some wonderful advice from folks that are genuinely concerned for a our well being, we decided to pull out of the purchase, (our offer was contingent on a satisfactory home inspection) and stick to renting for at least this first year.  We have been on a few journeys to New Hampshire.  This past Saturday, we viewed four apartments, and I have to admit, I was a bit scared because not only were they a bit more expensive than what we are paying now, but they were smaller and not as well maintained as what we are currently in.  But, as we walked into the fourth and least expensive of the options, I was reminded that the Lord had gone ahead and prepared a place for us.  I cannot express the absolute thrill that I felt as we passed through the thresh hold of our new apartment.  Warmth, gratitude, hope...we stayed with the landlord and his wife for three hours enjoying conversation, lemonade, and a yummy lunch.  I will post photos once we get there.

As for friends, we had our close friends from Ohio visit about two weeks ago and I am pleased to say that seven people (four adults and three children) can fit comfortably into a two bed apartment, but you have to be willing.  I cannot express to you how much joy was experienced while they were here.  We went to the beach, we relaxed, we ate two full pints of homemade ice cream, two blueberry pies, and probably three pounds of butter.  We went blueberry picking, we relaxed some more, we watched a movie, we had memorable conversations, and we just enjoyed the time that we were blessed to share with one another.

So Randy's thesis is finally finished.  He defended a little over a week ago and I had the opportunity to attend the defense, which I was really excited about for two reasons.  One: I knew that there would be delicious food there because Randy had done the baking.  Two:  I thought that I would finally understand what a derivative is.  The food was super and yummy, the presentation was enlightening, and derivatives still remain a mystery.  Randy put his finishing touches on the written portion and is still waiting for a response from his committee.  As you can see, he is a new man.

Last, but not lease, we are moving in less than two weeks.  Peaberry is a bit sad, but we are pretty sure that she is going to sleep through it. We have been busy packing, working, parenting, and playing and will continue to do so until the task is complete.  I am pretty sure the packing will be the first item checked off of our list and the other three, we will spend the rest of our lives taking part in.  So for now, I say God bless and good night.

Been a while

We have been off the radar for a little while, not intentionally of course.  We have been very busy making plans for the upcoming move.  Randy has taken a teaching position in New Hampshire and we will be moving to the area in about six weeks.  We have put an offer in on a house and after the inspection we should have a better idea if this house in right for our family.  We are excited and hopeful that all will go well. 

We hosted a yardsale yesterday for the adoption and after about five hours, we had to call it quits because of the rain.  But we made $600 toward the adoption which we are thrilled about.  We still have about half of the items donated so next Saturday, we will be hosting part two. 

Summer has been a bit warm, but not without adventure.  I believe I left you in Vermont after visiting with Randy's folks.  I also had the chance to journey out west and visit my folks.  What made this trip special is that my sister Kelly and brother Kevin were there as well.  We had plenty of adventure.  We saw some wonderful shows, not the typical Vegas shows mind you.  We saw the Titanic, Sharks, and Bodies.  Pretty diverse, but all in all, they were pretty neat.  We also stayed at the Bellagio for a couple of nights.  I can't remember a time when housekeeping was so wonderful.  We would leave for a bit and return to find smooth jazz playing, pillows fluffed, and a piece of chocolate waiting for us.  This is the way to guarentee a return visit.  Thankyou Kevin for booking this experience for us. 

While I was away, Randy continued work on his thesis and still is chugging away even now.  He plans to submit it for review by the end of this week and defend it at the end of this month. He also recently found out that he gets to take one more Praxis exam in order to be certified in New Hampshire.  This is to take place in a little under two weeks.  I think we are both looking forward to his school year finally coming to a close.

We are also expecting visitors in about a week.  My girlfriend from highschool, Bridgette and her family will be joining us in Maine for a little over a week. Yeah...finally someone to share all of these trees with.  I am looking forward to visiting the coast and sharing our digs for the past four years with them.  Grayson is looking forward to showing Adah, Beidgette's daughter, the playground, the children's museum, and his kitties.

Well, I need to tend to Gray.  He should be getting up from nap soon and I believe we have an appointment to cuddle.  I will do my best to keep you all better informed.  I will post after the house inspection on Tuesday to let you know if we will be moving forward with the home. 

Black Bear on the prowl

So we encountered a bear in Vermont, on one of those windy country roads, that passes through the mountains..a perfect little habitat for a bear to dig up some grub, which is just what this little guy was doing.  I am just so thankful that we were driving in the car and not out for a jog...even if they are herbivores.  We had a wonderful visit with Randy's folks in Vermont over this past week.  Both Randy and Grayson were very surprised when we walked into the condo and out of the bedroom popped grandma and grandpa.  It was so wonderful just to relax and spend some quality time together as a family.  In fact, I think that I could get used to this lifestyle.  Our journey southwest allowed us to visit with Ben and Jerry, and even though they were not there, their ice cream was happy to have us over for a visit.  We did some hiking in the green mountains, went swimming, played at the FunZone, visited Burlington, hung out at Echo Aquarium, and ate yummy food daily.  We also had the chance to visit a few places that were hosting interviews for Randy.  We drove up and down Rt 91 on Thursday as Randy was called back to two schools in one day.  On Friday morning, he received a call from one offering him a full time teaching position.  The board meets on June 8th and the superintendent of the district will present the request to hire Randy to them.  He has accepted the position, but technically it will not be 100% until he signs the contract, so please keep this in prayer as we both really liked the area, the school, the community, and believe that we have already found a possible church to attend.  As many of you remember, our church searching in Maine was a most arduous task.  It took a little over two years until we found the perfect fit for our family.  We also received some incredible news on Friday afternoon.  Our family was selected to receive an adoption grant from Shaohannah's Hope.  We feel so incredibly blessed and look forward to the day when we can give back to this organization that is helping to make it possible to bring our little girl home.  Not much else to report.  I will be heading back to work tomorrow and Randy will continue the grueling task of writing his thesis.  Happy Memorial Day!

Graduated...So now what?

What a joyful day this was.  We have finally done it and the smell is sweet!!  The ceremony was a couple of hours, but I am really happy that we chose to attend.  I mean, how many other opportunities will we have to attend our own graduation ceremony.  We then headed home where I was greeted with the most beautiful dress that I have ever been presented with.  It is completely me, natural, earthy, organic, original.  This was a graduation gift from my sweet husband and I am looking forward to wearing it this summer.  The night ended at a friends house, where we shared a yummy meal and wonderful conversation. 

So now what...Randy has his first interview on Tuesday in New Hampshire.  It is a one year secondary mathematics position, but we are still really excited about the opportunity to interview.  He has put out about twenty applications so far and each week a couple more positions open up all around New England.

Mother's Day has been really sweet so far.  We went to church this morning and had the opportunity to serve on the worship team.  This is my favorite place to serve in the church.  I just get so giddy when I have the chance praise the Lord and lead others in a time of praise and worship.  It is also so nice to look over and see Randy keeping the beat on the drum set.  We then did a little shopping and now we are at home.  I am running through interview questions with Randy while typing this.  It is so neat to see how he views teaching, discipline in the classroom, assessment, and particular teaching methods.  This evening we are planning a bottle walk and hoping that the students left behind a slew of recyclables and other bits and bobs for our upcoming yard sale.  We will then conclude our evening with some delicious homemade beef stew and buttermilk biscuits.  I hope that all you mother's and mother's-to-be have wonderful day.  You are beautiful.

Here is a little something for you...

Handprint

anonymous

Sometimes you get discouraged

Because I am so small

And always leave my fingerprints

On furniture and walls

But everyday I am growing up

And soon I'll be so tall,

That all those little handprints

Will be hard to recall.

So here's a special handprint

Just so that you can say

This is how my fingers looked

When I placed them here today.

One Year Anniversary

It has been a few weeks since we checked in blog wise.  I am very pleased to say that our dossier arrived in Rwanda on April 26th.  So now we pray...often.  Little breath prayers lifted up throughout each day that the parcel stays in tact and that the review process would be a smooth one, for the sisters that comfort each child day in and day out, for plenty of supplies, for God's mighty hand to protect hearts, minds, bodies, and spirits. 

May 3rd also marked one year since we first submitted our application to our agency in Virginia.  I can hardly believe this as in all actuality, the time has gone quickly.  I had one of those surreal moments last night as I was praying for her.  Maybe it was just finally clicking that I am soon to be a mama of a little girl.  Each day I grow more giddy with delight that one day I will be able to hug her, coo over her, and watch her grow.  For now, I can pray for her and imagine those moments folding out before me.

On a side note, Randy and I are finally graduating.  We have the commencement this Friday afternoon.  Three and a half years ago, we moved to Maine so that Randy could pursue his masters degree.  He worked for a year a dishwasher at the university.  He never complained one day about this line of work, as he was thrilled just to be in Maine, pursuing his dream to be a teacher. 

On the other hand, for me that first year was tough, especially those first six months.  I spent a heap of time on the basement stairs just crying out to God, asking Him to take the pain away of being so far from everyone and everything that I knew and loved.  I never want to forget what it felt like in that valley, because although I felt broken each day, it was those moments where I could feel and see God at work all around me and within me, filling me with the strength to greet each day.  So here I am now, taking in the mountain view of seeing something through to the end when the beginning seemed so hopeless.  The Lord has blessed our family so much during our time in Maine.  Can I share a few details:

We paid off my school debt from my undergraduate degree, nearly $14,000 in just twelve months time while bringing in less income than ever before.  Thank you Dave Ramsey for inspiring us to live like nobody else so that we could eventually LIVE like nobody else.

After searching long and hard, we finally have found a church family, a genuine community of believers serving and loving their neighbors and loving God with all their heart, mind, and soul. 

Both of us have pursued and completed our masters degree without gaining any debt.  I had the opportunity to take two classes each semester for free while working for the university.  Randy has a graduate assistantship which has aided in shaping him into an even more resourceful educator.  Thank you University of Maine!

Grayson has learned to talk, run, blueberry pick, ride his bike, and appreciate God's creation since moving to Maine.  He has grown so much and warms my heart daily as he continues to learn and love.

We have been called to adopt a little one from Rwanda, the land of a thousand hills, and prayerfully have sought out the resources to fund the process of adoption.  So far, every step has been fully funded.

God has continued to disciple our family through His word, His church, and His creation.

Take a moment to think about and remember what this past year has been for you.  I am sure that there have been some trying time, some smiling times, and some growing times.  How has each moment shaped you for the next? 

Dossier taking the scenic view

Ok, so it's not in the middle of the desert, but it has been on quite the journey since it has left Virginia.  It went to Indianapolis to take in a race, back to Tennessee to do a bit of hiking and take in a few mountain views, then it made its way over the ocean to France to get a bit more cultured and now it is resting in London before it makes its final leg of the journey to Rwanda.  In the mean time, while our little packet of documents has been sight seeing we have been busy taking in Spring!!!  Grayson has learned how to ride his bike without training wheels, Randy has finished his portfolio for his class, and I have just today finished my final paper for my final class and am seriously looking forward to my hooding ceremony in a couple of weeks.  Randy to will be graduating and finishing up his thesis over the summer.  YEAH!!  Keep our next steps lifted friends.  Until our dossier lands, we will be seeking refuge in His word. 

Today

Today

We found out today that our dossier has begun its final leg of the journey. The bundle has been mailed to Rwanda. It is expected to land in Kigali in a little over a week. How very excited we are. It feels so surreal. Randy was funny, "So what's the next thing that we need to fill out?" Oh...

I have gotten pretty good at waiting for things. Here are a few things that I have waited for this week...

Grayson to finish wiping so that I could do a double check.
The gentleman to turn in his thirty five lottery tickets so that I could pay for my gas.
The women on the other end of the line to stop talking so that I could transfer her to someone who could answer her question.
My toast to brown in the toaster.
Grayson's raincoat to arrive from the store.
The computer to finish loading a file.
The sun to shine.
The teapot to boil.
Grayson to listen to my words.
Randy to see my side of the story.
My second to last class to be dismissed.
My final paper to begin writing itself...probably not going to happen.
Randy's thesis to be finished...hopefully going to happen.

Through all of it, God has been on the move, one step ahead of me, all the while holding onto me at the same time. It is so nice to be in His grip, especially during those moments where there is time to reflect...those moments filled with waiting. Please join our family as we wait to hear about our little one, the baby in Rwanda as Gray calls her. It will be a little while,several months in fact, but luckily we get to wait together.