Boxes, Boxes, and more Boxes...!

Our realtor called yesterday afternoon and the buyer has declined any repairs suggested by the inspector! We are PRAISING THE LORD!!! Thank you so much for praying! We still don't know what the inspection report revealed, but it couldn't have been anything serious (or expensive), like the roof or septic! Again, praise the Lord!

The buyer even asked to move up the closing date!! We agreed, and as long as everyone's paperwork comes in, we'll be closing on May 11th!

Yep, less than 2 weeks from now!! YIKES!

Needless to say, the boxes have begun piling up around here! There is so much to do...and, my little helpers aren't really all that helpful! lol! :-)

Here are a few pictures for you - Nathan talking on the phone to Aunt Leah (he LOVES to chatter to people):


I had an impromptu yard sale last Saturday. Did surprisingly well! The kids enjoyed being outside and climbing in and out of the lawn chairs:

Only 2 boxes (of college textbooks) made it back into the house:

"Helping" (ahem) Grandma P:

Any blog updates between now and the move are highly unlikely! As soon as we get internet access established, we'll let you know what's going on! Please note that our email address has already changed. If you weren't in my address book and haven't received that email, please update: (bnspeck AT gmail DOT com). Any and all addresses with "htva.net" will soon no longer be received.

We are so excited and appreciate your continued prayers that the move will go smoothly.

Pictures from the Park

I promised a few pictures from the park. The kids LOVED it. When it was time to go, I couldn't even bribe Megan away with chicken nuggets and fries from Wendy's!! :-) She kept saying, "No ganks, Mama. No, ganks!" (No thanks) :-)

We haven't had any more showings since the open house on Sunday... but, Sunday night we also received (and accepted!) an offer!

The offer is pending inspections which will take place tomorrow (Friday) morning, beginning around 9:30. We would greatly appreciate your prayers that the Lord will continue to have His hand in all of this, pass or fail!

Our God can do the impossible, right?! He made the sun stand still, He parted the Red Sea, and He calmed the storm... our septic system is small potatoes in comparison! :-)

We'll keep you posted as we can!

Playing

The weather was absolutely gorgeous this last Friday and Saturday. After the kids woke from their naps on Friday, we all went outside to use up some excess energy! It was really the first time Nathan's been "outside" since he was born! At least, since being independently mobile!

He found a broom beside the garage and carried that ALL over the yard with him. I had to direct him to the dirt and sticks and stones!! lolol! He still preferred the broom! (I told Ben he's going to be a custodian when he grows up! OR...make the perfect husband! heheee!) :-)

Nathan even got mad when the broom couldn't accomodate the slide...so, he gave up the slide and trotted off with his new broom friend!! What a silly kid!

I took a ton of pictures and will only share a few with you (for now). On Saturday, we had to leave for more house showings, so I took the kids to a nearby park. I have pictures from then, too, but will share more another day!



SPRING!!! :-)

Thanks for praying for "no rain" today... it didn't rain for our open house! We haven't yet heard from our realtor whether we had many visitors or not, but...it didn't rain! :-)

Hope you all have a great week!

Little Helpers

Ben and I were doing a few things outside at Grandma P's house last Monday. On one of my trips inside, here's what I saw:


My two darlings were helping Grandma sweep and clean! They were loving it! I've really got to put them to more work around here!! :-)

...and, I need all the cleaning help I can get!! Our house is officially on the real estate market! Our realtor pounded the "For Sale" sign into our front yard on Tuesday.

We've had 5 showings between Tuesday and Wednesday!! We also have an open house scheduled for this Sunday.

Of course, we'd love for our home to sell quickly, but please pray with us that it will sell in the Lord's time. We know He will provide for our every need regardless of the house being sold or not!

If you could also pray that it won't rain on open house day!! Showers are in the forecast...

Last Year - This Year

Last Easter:


This Easter:

Last Easter:

This Easter:

Nathan's first fat lip...

TIOGA COUNTY: Authorities believe that 3" Sleeping Beauty, age unknown, allegedly struck a young man in the mouth with her dainty crown at about 10:40 am on April 10. Beauty was captured and detained on charges of assault and is awaiting release in the nearest toybox.

The young man was treated for his injuries by his loving mother. The boy's sibling denies any involvement in the crime.


Won't the Easter pictures look great?! :-)

Reflection

Today's entry may be a bit chatty. However, I've been told that people do actually read my blog... C.H. :-)

I've been doing a lot of reminiscing the last several days. When I was younger (probably up until midway through high school), we (our family and my two uncles and their families) always spent Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve at my grandma's house.

My sisters and I (sometimes after an argument) rotated spending the night before at her house, helping her get ready for the party: running the vacuum cleaner, filling her orange candy dish (which is now one of my most cherished possessions),


and setting the table. Those nights and the following day were always so fun with grandma.

Two things I always looked forward to at grandma's get-togethers (besides the food!):

-- the "pass the ring" game (seems that when I was finally old enough to participate, though, the older cousins were too "old" to be interested anymore! I think I got to play it once, before older cousins were too busy with boyfriends and babies of their own)

...and,

-- the singing.

The pastor at grandma's funeral yesterday made a comment in passing that he'd heard this family was a "singing family."

Not until he said that did I realize how much I missed those times of singing after we'd stuffed ourselves on grandma's good cooking.

It's been years upon years since that same family sang. Each individual family has grown and each family has begun their own traditions. Most of us don't see each other anymore unless a wedding or funeral comes up...

Well, yesterday we sang. Wasn't quite the same as sitting cozily around grandma's living room, listening to the harmonies of my uncles and cousins...but, it was still nice. I enjoy singing...and, I'm sure it's because of the family in which I grew up.

Grandma loved the singing, too...

We closed her service by singing a song that I've only ever heard our family sing. And, this hymn was always the last song we sang at our get-togethers before we bundled up and went home for the night...

Living By Faith

I care not today what the morrow may bring,
If shadow or sunshine or rain,
The Lord, I know, ruleth o'er everything,
And all of my worry is vain.

Chorus:
Living by faith (Yes, living by faith),
In Jesus above (in Jesus above),
Trusting, confiding in His great love (yes, in His great love);
From all harm safe (safe from all harm, safe)
In His sheltering arm (His sheltering arm),
I'm living by faith (I'm living by faith)
And feel no alarm (feel no alarm).

Our Lord will return to this earth some sweet day,
Our troubles will then all be o'er,
The Master so gently will lead us away,
Beyond that blest heavenly shore.

******************************************
I've been humming Living By Faith ever since yesterday. And, as my uncle said as he closed Grandma's service: This song's for us...not grandma. She's no longer living by faith - she's living by sight!! Isn't that exciting?!! :-)

John 14:6 -- "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

I didn't take many pictures while we were at Grandpa and Grandma W's. It was a quick trip. But, here's Megan opening her Easter goodie bag:

Enjoying her bright pink Peep:

The ride home. She was pooped:

Nothing cures exhaustion more than a chicken nugget happy meal! :-)

A Week of Ups and Downs

Although most weeks in our life seem busy, this week seemed extra full...with plenty of ups and downs. In no particular order:

My grandma turned 91 yesterday and went to heaven tonight, around 8:30 pm. She hasn't been doing well for awhile now, but this last week was rough. I am so happy to know that she was saved and that I will see her again.

I have so many happy memories with her. My sisters and I spent many, many nights at her house...learning to bake pies and make cookies. She always let us drink pop, and Celeste pizzas and Pringles were a special treat!! She was one very special lady and I loved her so very much. I will miss her...



Earlier this week, on Tuesday night, I finished my dishes and went to put my rings back on. (I take them off because our water discolors them). My wedding band and amethyst ring were on the counter, but my diamond engagement ring was GONE. Frantic could hardly be the word to describe myself.

I searched everywhere I could think of. I even went through 2 bags of garbage and 3 bags of shredded papers. Nothing.

The trash went out Wednesday morning, and both Ben and I were sure we'd missed it and it was gone for good.

I still kept searching and crying and praying, but was pretty upset... feeling pretty sure I'd never find it.

Last night, I decided to make some garlic bread for supper. Took a half stick of margarine out of the fridge:

?!?!???!?!!!!!!????!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YAY!!!!! I was so relieved and excited. Can't explain it... just glad it resurfaced!

More happy news:

We've bought a house! :-)

We're very excited! It's only 7ish miles to work for Ben and 2 to church!!! The property is quiet and private and just what we've been wishing for! Pictures will come as we move in...

For now, we're getting our house back into selling shape. The house wasn't too bad last summer when we tried selling ourselves. But, now...we want a realtor to do the legwork. :-)

So, we're fixing and painting... lots of little things add up to one pretty long list!

I painted our bedroom this week. I loved our dark burgundy walls. However, it does make the room look awfully small...so, I repainted for selling. My arms are SORE!

And, just a few kid pictures to finish off this long overdue post!

Nathan enjoying his lunch. He LOVES food!

Megan told me her puppy was "Buster." (For those of you who don't have kids...or they've outgrown the cartoon stage, she is pretending to be Darby, from Tigger and Pooh. She didn't tell me... but, the "Buster" clued me in). :-)

We'll be heading up to my family's for my grandma's funeral on Thursday. It will be nice to see family and friends... Please pray that Megan and Nathan will be well-behaved for us!

Wordless Wednesday