Update

After the initial joy and excitement about finding our dream home, our momentum has slowed a bit due to a sludge of paperwork and details...all part of the process, I suppose . We've submitted all the necessary paperwork for our financing, but we're at a standstill until we can get our condo rented. The rental ad will run in the paper tomorrow (Saturday). The condo has been a great first home for our family, we are praying it could be so to another.

We are taking some big steps of faith financially and with our business. Here are some of the things we've been on our knees about:

• Finding renters for our condo.
• Securing work for SchuylerBuilt through the winter, despite the freeze in the housing market.
• Trusting God, our sole provider, even when the numbers don't add up, the facts don't look good, and the world around us is in a panic. He is not limited by any of these things. John 16:33 says, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
• Asking God to perform a miracle by bringing to us a customer to buy/build on the lot we own. Isaiah 41:18-20 says,
  
  
I will make rivers flow on barren heights,
and springs within the valleys.
I will turn the desert into pools of water,
and the parched ground into springs.

I will put in the desert
the cedar and the acacia, the myrtle and the olive.
I will set pines in the wasteland,
the fir and the cypress together,

so that people may see and know,
may consider and understand,
that the hand of the LORD has done this,
that the Holy One of Israel has created it.

He performed miracles, produced impossible (by human means) results, so that His people would see and know that it was by the hand of God these things occurred - not by fate, nor luck, nor hard work, not by anything the people did. In this market, in this economy, it would be a miracle to be building a pre-sold home on our lot...I love praying for a miracle.

I have been using the following prayer, from the Book of Common Prayer, during my quiet time:

O most loving Father, who wills us to give thanks for all things, to dread nothing but the loss of thee, and to cast all our cares on thee, who cares for us; Preserve us from faithless fears and worldly anxieties, and grant that no clouds of this mortal life may hide from us the light of love which is immortal, and which you have manifested unto us in your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Heavenly Father, you understand all your children; through your gift of faith we bring our perplexities to the light of your wisdom, and receive the blessed encouragement of your sympathy, and a clearer knowledge of your will. Glory be to you for all your gracious gifts. Amen.

I look forward, in hope, in faith, in humility, to seeing these prayers answered. There is no god like our God.

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The guest home Matt has been working on since February is now complete. The SchuylerBuilt website has been updated with pictures of the entire project. You'll want to check it out. We are submitting the project to our local builder's association as an entry for the 2009 Parade of Homes. I really am so proud of my man...he builds an amazing home and I hope to live in one someday.

My little Smigg-a-doo in all his preciousness.

Best birthday ever!

Matt kept promising me that this birthday would be the best birthday ever. I told him I wasn't getting my hopes up...based on previous birthdays. We have been looking, unsuccessfully, for a house to buy for months and he told me he was going to buy me a house for my birthday. I repeated my skepticism . Monday night, my birthday, he surprised me and drove me to our new home! (Well, it's not ours yet, but we have signed a Buy/Sell agreement...so almost ours.)

This is not just any house, this is a house that we tried to purchase a month ago and were heart-broken to learn that another family had submitted a Buy/Sell hours before our offer. It fit all of our criteria:

• price
• land (almost an acre!)
• 3 bdrms, 2 baths
• office
• place to park work trailers
• livable condition
• one level

I know this is news to some of you, but I purposely chose not to blog about it because I was extremely disappointed and didn't want to revisit the disappointment every time I logged on. I spent many moments 'discussing' my disappointment with my Lord. Anyway, we moved on with our lives and continued to look for a house...nothing, NOTHING, came close to "the one that got away", as I named it. I had all but given up hope and kept telling Matt that we would have to build a house (not a great option in the current market). Well, long story short - the other family was unable to buy the house and so we got a second chance. Woohoo!

When Matt pulled into the driveway and told me it was my house, I couldn't believe him at first, but he slowly convinced me and all I could do was smile, smile, smile.

Here I am, smiling, in my new kitchen - butcher block, solid-surface counter tops, wood floor, window over sink, this girl's dream!

Self-portrait of two very happy almost-homeowners!

Front of house - we are dreaming up a new front porch already.

2 car garage, large driveway and a place next to the garage for the work trailers.

My trees! (So big and mature...not like the spindly branch growing in my current front 'yard'.)

The den...whatever that is...with a wood burning fire place.

The large living room...did I mention that I get to keep all the furniture?!?!
And the street that we will live on is called 'Wildflower Way' - isn't that a nice name for a street? I'll keep y'all posted on when we close and move in and all that.
Aunt Addie lovin' on M (left) and S. Good lookin' bunch.

The boys and I spent an afternoon playing outside, enjoying the sunshine. I had the foresight to bring the camera out with us. Smigg-a-doo in gray.

Mase-Mose surveying the thousands of rocks that still needed to be thrown.

M and S found some of Dad's tools. S, wielding a screw driver, is attending to the garage door bracket.Mason is 'fixing' the tire on the jogger. So handy, these boys of mine!

Mason's working hard...hence the tongue out.

My little sweetum, Mase.

How many licks does it take to eat a cookie?

We're headed to Billings for the weekend. I am leaving you with a clip of Mason to watch as many times as you wish. Some background:

• Grampa Dave was in town and joined us for dinner
• After finishing their meals, the boys were given a chocolate chip cookie
• Mason has recently discovered his tongue

I'm sorry for the shaky camera...I was laughing too hard to keep still

This picture might lead you to believe that we have acquired a small dog that isn't potty trained yet. In actuality, Smiggy was feeling very relaxed after his bath and while I was diapering Mason, he couldn't help but poop right where he was standing...without a diaper. Fortunately, I looked over in time to restrain him from picking it up. Awesome.

*for some reason, this picture won't upload correctly, it's off by 90 degrees.

Waffles, the economy, and snow

Phew! Been awhile, huh?

Since I haven't blogged in quite some time, there are a number of things that have been circling in my head and I'd like to share...some randomness, if you will.

1. I made home-made waffles today. And when I say 'home-made' I don't mean I stirred water into a mix. Oh no. I measured the flour, beat the eggs, added the milk...etc. They were well worth the extra time.

Normally, I just pop a couple of store-bought waffles in the toaster, drizzle them with syrup, and present them to my eager children. Granted, I buy whole-grain waffles and use real maple syrup, so I feel a little better about surrendering to the convenience of Eggos.

However, while Eggos are convenient they are not cheap or scrumptiously delicious (or good for you). So, "in the spirit of the economy" (a new catch phrase in our home...tongue-in-cheek) I made a large batch of home-made, scrumptiously delicious waffles and froze the leftovers for breakfasts this week. Here is the recipe I adapted from one of my books:

Scrumptiously Delicious Waffles

Separate 2 eggs.
Mix in order:

• 2 beaten egg yolks
• 1 3/4 C milk
• 1 1/2 C flour (unbleached white or whole wheat)
  
• 1/4 C ground flax seed
• 1/4 C almond meal**
• 1 T plus 1 t baking powder
• 1/2 C oil

Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold into batter.
Follow waffle iron directions.

**Quick note about almond meal. You can buy it at the store but it's very expensive. I just buy whole, raw almonds at Costco and grind them up in my coffee grinder. Don't over grind or you'll end up with almond butter.

Here is an amateur photo of my waffle making. Enjoy. :)

2. I have had trouble falling asleep lately, lying in bed worrying over the state of our economy and such. One night, I was so tired and so irrational that I was worrying that China would capitalize on our country's vulnerability, raid the U.S. and send us all to internment camps! The next day, as I was sharing my fears with Matt, I realized how irrational that particular fear was and I had a hearty laugh at myself. The Lord led me to the following verse and it gave me much comfort:

O LORD, be gracious to us; we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress... The LORD is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with justice and righteousness. He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is a treasure from him.
Isaiah 33: 2, 5-6

So, despite "the spirit of the economy", we have a sure foundation...the surest foundation.Smith is stunned by the billion dollar bail-out and can't believe the nerve of AIG for spending the day at a spa.

3. I am not ready for winter yet. Like Billings, we received a dump of snow this weekend. I am not prepared to be trapped in my house with two toddlers! It's October for pete's sake! Thank goodness we have stumbled upon some energy outlets for inside days.

• Books and Babies at the public library (Rhymes, songs, lap games and free play-time for infants age 0-2 with parent).
• PetSmart (dogs, cats, fish, birds...need I say more?)
• Play dates
• Gymnastics (M and S can start in November after turning 18 mos. Still need to figure out how this will work with two...a parent is needed for every child. Any volunteers?)

4. I am so happy for all the blogs my friends and family keep. I cherish the quiet moments, during my boys' nap-time, when I can sit at my computer and 'catch-up' with so many loved ones. I've added links to most of them...please feel free to visit them.

5. Pictures:
The following is a stream of photos taken within seconds of one another. Mason was my obliging subject - sitting directly in front of me begging to have his picture taken. Oh the many precious faces of our little MayMo.

Smiggety-Smack standing atop his toy shelf. Not scared, not sorry, not listening to me telling him to get down. Ahem.

It's the simple things...

The following moment, captured on camera - thank goodness, was the highlight of my week. M and S speak the same language, it seems, and this clip shows them 'talking' to one another, laughing about whatever was said, and then banging their cart on the ground. Since I don't know what they are 'talking' about, I figure it's their own little inside joke. How wonderful.