a little help and a little fun

On Sunday we had 10 people show up to help us get the house ready to leave for a year.  I just walked around the house all day almost in tears feeling overwhelmingly blessed that Jason's students were willing to show up and trim trees, wipe down walls, tear down beds, move boxes and pull weeds.  I really lost it when one of the guys fired up the lawn mower.  We're so lucky!

Mirielle and Kellan were right in there helping out.  I think they had fun learning a few new tricks from the college guys. Shaking pop cans and popping a hole in the top.  Drinking the spray.  Pop was flying all over the yard!

The kids rooms were rearranged to make way for the family that is going to be renting the house from us. They are expecting their first baby a week from now.  Our old crib went up and we finally managed to convince Kellan that he got to sleep in a really cool FORT for a week.  Love that they are still young enough to manipulate their sweet little minds!

the loosening

Romans 8:28  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.


I have to admit.  I don't like Bible verses that are overused.  This is one of them.  But this verse keeps coming to mind. It fits so perfectly. I guess that is why it is used so often.  So much truth to be found in those 25 words. 


Sometimes the good God works doesn't feel so good.  


Looking back over the last 2 years, I can see how God was working all things together for this purpose, this good purpose, of moving us back to the Philippines.  Of experiencing Him more fully. 


We've never been in a place long enough for us to experience real change that comes with really digging in a living somewhere for more than a few months at a time.  Come to think of it, the last 5 years here in Spokane have been the only time we have lived somewhere longer than 2 school semesters in our entire married life.  Exhausting I tell you.  


5 years is a long time though. Spokane has become our home.  The only place our kids really know as home.  Silly kids, don't you know that Arizona is home.  Well, kind of. Not really.  Maybe.  At what point do we ever call Spokane HOME.  Not just home for now?  


While the first 3 years were about digging in, settling down, and finding community, the last 2 years have been about distance, change, and a low lying feeling of unsettled.  


So many things God has orchestrated over the last 2 years so that our grip on being here has loosened.  Didn't really feel good. Still doesn't some days.  But He has all things working together for this good purpose.  


Almost 2 years searching for a church to call home.  Trying to find a community in which to belong.  Always feeling a little out of place.  Not cool enough, not conservative enough, never quite right.  We've held it loosely. 


Friendships have changed.  Distance physically and emotionally.  Going different directions.  Kids growing up.  No more playdates at McDonalds or meetings at MOPS.  A disconnect.  Hold it loose.  


On the road to adoption.  God convicting me that my life is not just about me.  He is calling me to think big.  Bigger than how I can selfishly lay claim to my time.  I didn't want to go back. Those months of deciding to adopt were months of Him preparing me to say yes to a big change.  Yes to turning my world upside down. Loosing my grip on me. 


In the fall we looked for a bigger house in preparation for adding two more.  In October we put an offer in on a house and for 5 days, we had the understanding that the papers had been signed and the house was ours.  One phone call and it wasn't.  He wouldn't sell.   It was a blow.  But there was peace.  A willingness to stay or go. A loosening on our home and our space. 


And then when the e-mail came in asking us to consider serving in the Philippines for a year, the pieces of the puzzle started to fall into place.  


He was working all of those things according to His purposes.  His good and perfect plan.  

goodbye office

or should i say goodbye desk?  till we meet again!

goodbye box

goodbye box.  hope to see you on the other side of the ocean.  if we don't meet again, my kids will have to go back into kinder and 3rd when we get back. they would be so heartbroken to have no school books for a year.  please get there before september.  safe travels.

you might be moving to the Philippines if......

- you start eating as much beef as you can

- you buy a swimsuit every week thinking that it will make you look smokin' hot only to return it later because you realize that the only thing that is going to make you look smokin' hot is a 6 month date with Jillian and her 30 day shred and you're 5 1/2 months late

- you have a hard time seeing friends because you know it leads to the inevitable discussion of you leaving. you just want to turn into a hermit

- you start stocking up on makeup and flipflops

- every room in your house is completely out of control

- you start to load every CD you own onto itunes

- you have 15 different kinds of ice cream in your freezer.  i know.  what's up with that?  doesn't really help with the swimsuit issue

-  your kids, husband, or dog look at you the wrong way and you start to cry

- dinner, what?  we need to eat again tonight?

weekend - before it's the next weekend

This last weekend we really hit it with the packing.  I was a little bit apprehensive (nice alternative word for worry, eh?) how the kids would handle the house being torn apart.  They totally amazed me by jumping right in and helping out clearing out cupboards and organizing the boxes.  I have amazing kids.  That's all there is to it!

We've been getting things ready to ship.  Kids homeschool stuff.  Motorcycle helmet.  Face soap (can't live without it).  A few fun things for the house.  Art supplies.  Swim stuff.  Three cheers for living somewhere sunny!  A pack of Mac and Cheese from Costco so Kellan can survive the year.

When we move to the Philippines we will be moving into the house of the family that we will be replacing.  SO nice not to have to find a place or a vehicle.  Kind of weird to think about living in someone else's house with someone else's stuff for a year.  At the same time I think it will be nice to have a year without having to think about all of our stuff.  Buying stuff, getting rid of stuff, kids growing out of stuff, organizing stuff, decorating stuff.  Stuff, stuff, stuff.

Right now our house has stuff all over.  Stuff that is going to Goodwill.  Stuff that needs to be packed.  Stuff that is going to go in suitcases.  It's CRAZY here!

goodbye girls. i'm going to miss you

I bet you though this was going to be a post about my wonderful friends. Gotcha!

I just wanted to make sure no one was going to put me on a pedestal after my last post.  One of those "You are a super spiritual missionary" pedestal.  I want to make sure I keep it real here.  So I confess.  I will miss these babies this next year.  They are going straight into a box and headed to the basement.  No need to take them.  No where to wear them. And my feet are too big to find shoes in the Philippines. They will be lonely this next year and I will be lonely for them. So sad.  Looking at these pictures makes me think that I need a little more color in my shoe wardrobe.  I think they will need a pair of turquoise ones to keep them company next year!