August 25, 2010

Trading Spaces...

Well, its official.  We're moving....THIS WEEK!  Does that sound as crazy as it feels?  Because of a few of the contingencies in our contract (getting renters for our current house, structural questions, etc) we didn't really know for sure if it was all going to work out until last Saturday!  And we are moving Tuesday!  Needless to say this week has proven to be a little crazy.   The Lord is sustaining us in all the transition and busyness.  We are extremely excited about having a home of our own, especially one so close to campus!  Clint and I will be married 4 years in November.  This will be our fifth move in those 4 years!  We are both longing to be settled and to have a home where we know we will be for the next season of our lives.  We are so thankful to the Lord that he has allowed us to find a GREAT house that we can afford in such proximity to the students we will be ministering to.  It is truly a good and perfect gift to us.  His goodness is unending.  We are consistently reminded of that in His graciousness to us!

On top of packing and moving this week, our semester also started Monday!  This is the first semester that Clint is in charge of leading the staff at three campuses!  Please pray for us as this is yet another transition for us! 

As far as the house goes, here are a few specs:  It's a 3 Bedroom, 2 bath bungalow that sits up on a hill .2 miles from campus.  It has an office that is enclosed (it has been used as a sunroom and a bedroom)!  This was a HUGE thing for us.  We love to host people and our parents and family often visit so the flexibility of a 4th bedroom was something we wished for but never expected to get.  Also, Clint works from home a lot, and lets just say, Eden isn't so concerned about his personal space.  The door on the office will close, and even has an outdoor entrance.  The living area (which I fell in love with) is very OPEN!  The dining room and living room are hardly separated from the kitchen.  And OH the kitchen.  I have one word for you, Granite.  :)  Ah!

Pictures of the move, the house, and the lovely UNCG students who have offered their time, labor and trucks to help us will come soon! 




Every good gift and every perfect gift comes down from the Father of heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.  James 1:17

August 2, 2010

Our couch is really big..

We bought it about a year ago and we LOVE that couch.  It's great for company, napping (which I have been wearing it out doing), and for jumping as Eden has discovered.  But recently we came to a realization that we may have to get rid of it.  I thought this was an investment that we would have for years to come.  As our babies grew up they would have memories of snuggling up to watch movies as a family on it.  Oh well.  So why would we sell such a wonderful thing?  Because in place of it we may be getting this...


Surprised?  Us too!  We didn't even know this little gem existed until one week ago.  Hubby went to look at an old farmhouse that needed redone for fun and on his way saw a sign for an open house outside this bungalow.  (For the record, I have ALWAYS wanted a bungalow).  Upon seeing the inside he called me and told me I had to come see it. 

As I stepped in I whispered "Why are you doing this to me?"  Its so beautiful.  Charming, cozy, not in need of much repair or even paint (ie: good for someone 7 months prego).  It has 3 bedrooms and an office.  Something we have said we really really want and need for what we do.  And a fabulous kitchen.  :)  It's also .2 miles from campus.  A must for the way we most enjoy living and doing ministry.  Perfect, right?  You see,  we were not exactly in the market for a house right now.  The plan was to wait out our lease until March and pray the Lord would have something for us then.  However, my sweet husband has been itching to get us settled before baby #2 arrives in October.  And I would love that.

So here's how it went from there.  We went to the bank and applied for a loan that we were not eligible for 3 weeks ago....and got it!  Ok Lord...that's strange...

We then made an offer on the house and they countered.  I got majorly cold feet and so Tuesday night we sat down and prayed that the Lord would make His will clear to us.  We did NOT want to move forward if all of this was our doing and not His.  When we sat down we both thought we were about to pull out our offer and as we listed out pros and cons and prayed to the Lord, we both felt like we needed to continue to move forward.  So we did...and countered.  And they accepted.  Whoa.

One of the things we decided we needed to put in the contract was a contingency that we find renters for our current house in Greensboro.  We are doing all this a little prematurely and did not feel like it was honoring to the Lord or serving to our landlord to tell her we were potentially going to be out by September when our lease is up in March.  So we have until this Thursday to find a family to rent the house we are living in now.  WOW. 

We really feel that the Lord has done this for us.  Please be praying with us that if it is His will, we would find renters quickly and be able to move forward on this house!

As for the couch, don't worry, we have already found it a great home in a place where we can visit it consistently.  :)