A home on the hill

On November 1st of last year we put a contract on a residential acreage a few miles north of where we currently live but within the same town. Leading up to that decision we spent years touring countless resale homes and driving through so many new developments in search of land to build, that I feel I know this town better than some who have lived here all their life. Nothing ever seemed to be the right fit for our family so we waited.

On a whim, in the fall of 2011 we returned to a neighborhood we had driven through a couple times prior because there was a model home featured in the Parade of Homes we wanted to see. We were impressed with the neighborhood location, the homes that had been built in there and the landscape of the area with its rolling terrain and abundance of trees.












After touring the model home, we walked a few of the lots for sale and one really stood out from the rest. It was a (nearly) two acre parcel that sat at the top of a hill, offering spectacular views both northeast over the rolling hills and southwest towards the sunset; perfect for the 'front porch' style home we'd dreamed of building.
Fast forward six months to Friday, May 18th, when we finally closed on the lot where we will be building our forever home. On Saturday we took the kids out to the property (or 'prop-a-wee' as Anna calls it) to have a family ground-breaking. Preparations for the real construction will begin this coming week.

We look forward to raising the kids in our 'home on the hill' and having it be a place they call home even after they are adults.

Seeking Simplicity And A Straighter Path

It's been more than four months since I last blogged and it is directly related to the busyness of this current season in our life. I'm plain old tired of life's busyness right now! I am not a person who thrives on having a full calendar and stretched in multiple directions. In fact, such seasons of life leave me worn out both physically and mentally. When I get stretched too thin, I get horribly grumpy (to put it nicely). Thank God for a loving, supportive, gracious, patient, and humble husband who loves me!

I recently read a very appropriate description of my current state in a book I thank God for putting in my Mardel shopping cart called Real Simplicity - it has been the best buck I've spent in a very long time! Excuse me for the paraphrase but here goes...while fixing fresh lemonade the author compares herself to a freshly squeezed lemon; sitting on the counter deflated because all of its goodness has been 'used up'. I froze and just meditated on that analogy because I could so strongly relate.

On April 30th Mark came home {just three weeks before we are due to finally close on our lot and construction loan - after three prior extensions since December} and he told me his boss in Houston quit and went to work for a competitor, and Mark may be in line to replace him. A million thoughts flood my mind. A move to Houston? Now? Seriously?

For the next several days and weeks we talked about it, prayed about it, and even worried about it; all while keeping up with all there is to accomplish towards the original plan of building a home here and the looming closing date. I felt as though I was living in two worlds. From the moment Mark mentioned Houston, Proverbs 3:5-6 was forever in my thoughts and we had to trust that He would make our path straight...and in His time.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.

While Anna napped I was researching school districts, churches, preschools, and neighborhoods in Houston. After the kids were in bed I was making my to-do list for who to call the next day regarding staying on schedule to close on our construction loan and lot. And the clock was ticking...loudly.

And as all of this was going on and we were desperately seeking God's guidance and answers, He quickly revealed himself in ways we didn't expect. Since fall a huge bulk of my time and energy has been split between work and house planning, and my time to focus on my role as Mom had diminished. While I attempted to balance so many roles and be everything to everybody, my kids were starting to seek negative attention through poor behavior, bickering, emotional roller coasters, and verbal frustration. I was slowly losing ground as an authority figure for my children and and I was ready to admit that 'enough was enough'. Something had to give. God was clearly telling us to simplify our lives as a family and as individuals.

Living in one city for more than seven consecutive years is rare in the oil field. I have always told Mark the kids and I will go where he goes. If there is a career path he feels called to take, I am with him one hundred percent. But in this case, Mark and I agreed that not accepting the chance at a position that is more demanding, and would require frequent travel and a move out of state, is wise for the well-being of our family right now. No paycheck or corporate title is worth the deterioration of our family structure.

And we also concluded that me working from home and the office, day and evening hours, was not where my focus needed to be right now. But God already had a plan in the works to address our concerns about me working. My amazing boss is graciously allowing me to cut back on my hours by handing off some of the time-consuming tasks of coordinating volunteers to a new hire. This will enable me to be present for my kids both physically and mentally, while still retaining the design, web and creative tasks of my job that I love.

God has recently given me a new perspective...one of simplicity. And I'm excited about that! As summer approaches and school ends, I am really looking forward to a season of fun and bonding with my kids. Sad to say I can't remember the last time we just had a fun day together without a phone call, an email, or a house-related errand or meeting getting in the way.

With the Lord's help, we are starting fresh on a straighter path...for our kids' well-being and our own.

Progress

With all that is going on, we are preparing for a lot of upcoming changes this year.

Over the weekend we finally chose our home builder and are so excited to meet with the home designer and builder late this week to begin the modifications to the floor plan and elevation design we love.

Ian in his glasses for the first time.

In late December, Ian went to the eye doctor at the recommendation of his pediatrician before he starts kindergarten in the fall. We were surprised to learn that he does, indeed, need glasses. I was so proud of how mature he was about it all. He sat through two and a half hours of testing, questions, dilating of his eyes, etc. And when it was all over and the doctor said he needed glasses, he never complained or asked why. He just accepted it and happily picked out a pair of wire rim glasses (like his Daddy's) that he really liked. They came in over Christmas break so he got used to them before returning to school. He was so excited to show all of his friends his new glasses that, as he said, 'give him super hero vision' and 'make him look like a scientist'. Since then we've picked out two more pair for him that will be his play glasses. His first pair are a dark, almost golden brown color. His second and third pairs are a silver pair with red accents and one solid dark blue pair. He looks so mature in his glasses and I really think they will help him see better at school and when he reads/concentrates on his books and magazines.

Anna's new favorite phrase is, "You wanna play in my room?"

We're also seeing some changes in our little baby doll. On the 31st we removed the toddler bed from her bedroom to make room for the play kitchen that was being stored in the garage...and toys she received for Christmas. She accepted the 'big girl bed' fairly easily since it's been in her room all along. We lowered the big bed by removing the frame so she can get into it on her own without a step-stool. And she has yet to roll out of it while sleeping. Feew! By the second day she was asking for her little bed but went to sleep just fine despite her sadness over losing the toddler bed. This happened two other times and then it was dropped. Ian transitioned from the toddler bed to the big bed in the exact same way. He mentioned it a few times, sort of 'mourned' the removal of the baby bed by asking for it back three or four different times and then he just sort of forgot about it and accepted that he was now a 'big boy' in a 'big boy bed'. Anna seems to be following the same path. She's been in the big bed for about ten days now and it's going really well. She's excited to have 'big blankets' and regular pillows and plenty of room for her gloworm, Baby Becky (her favorite doll), and her Monkey lovie. And she's thrilled to have more play space in her room and the play kitchen to 'cook' for everyone.

The kids found it exciting to share a drink at dinner.

Over this past weekend, about a week to the day of switching her to the 'big girl bed', she is now making huge strides towards potty training. It is as if a light switch went on and she suddenly wanted to wear only pull-ups, tells us when she has to potty, often gets out of bath early to potty, and uses the potty regularly before bed and upon waking. The past two nights her overnight diaper has been completely dry and she lets it all out on the potty upon waking. As I watched her use the potty before nap today I swear I saw a little 5-year-old Anna up there on the seat. She's growing up each time I blink and I don't want to miss a moment of it.

Another huge milestone in our house is the two kids have started to truly play together as friends and they will take turns playing what each person wants to play. Or they create games together. They are both really in to pretend-play right now and they come up with elaborate stories about what they are playing.

Being silly together on the swings.

On Saturday I was able to get about two hours of housework done while the kids played together throughout the house. It was truly amazing! And they played so nicely together. They are loving towards each other overall but are known to bicker, compete for toys, and get fed up with each other easily so this was a welcome surprise. They are quickly turning in to friends and not just siblings. That makes my heart so happy because I remember how close my brother and I were as kids and I hope for the same type of friendship for my kids as they grow.

Trike races on the back patio.

My mind flashes forward sometimes to think about what all will change this coming year before we move. By the time we settle in across town Anna will be potty trained and 3-1/2 years old. Ian will be 6 years old and in kindergarten. Wild!

I pray their relationship as siblings will continue to blossom into a life-long friendship.

You've come a long way, baby

It's 2012 - Happy New Year! As you see, with a new year comes a fresh blog design. I was feeling creative so I thought I'd switch things up a bit.

When the calendar changes, I reflect on how life has changed and what is yet to come.

This weekend I couldn't help but pull up a few videos of each of the kids when they were newborns and I just marveled at how they've changed. We missed church on Sunday because my back is recovering from 'going out' again and I have a rough cough that I didn't think those in the pews around me would appreciate. So we had a quiet morning and I got a chance to watch Dr. Charles Stanley's sermon on tv. His message was so appropriate for the new year - how to go forward with the confidence of the Lord.

A lot has changed in the five years since I added the title 'mom' to my resume. Although I had wanted to be a mom since I was old enough to carry a babydoll around, when we brought Ian home I was a wreck; scared to death of the magnitude of the responsibility I had to care for and nurture this innocent little boy as his mother. I was absolutely overjoyed at having a child, but the pressure of raising this child to be a productive, loving, spiritual, joyful, self-sufficient little person was...well, it was insanely overwhelming at times. Bringing Anna home about two years later brought all of those feelings rushing back as I now had a little girl to raise, too. I only have a few years' experience at it but I can already affirm that raising boys is different from raising girls.

Society puts such pressure on us as mothers to be perfect. Well, I am human and in my human ways, I am far from perfect and I am finally at peace with that. In five years of parenting I have matured more as a wife, a mother, a daughter, a friend, and an individual than I feel I could have in my lifetime without these experiences.

Two of my most valuable lessons of these past years has been the power of my words towards those I love (especially the kids) and the simple act of patience in all things. I am constantly amazed how my child's eyes light up when they receive genuine, positive praise or a loving word. I can see their 'love meter' skyrocket and their confidence and security grow. But even as an adult, these lessons work both ways. My heart skips a beat when my loving husband compliments me or my efforts as a wife/mother. Or when my precious boy whispers that he wants to tell me a secret and instead he plants a sweet kiss on my cheek and tells me he loves me. Or when my daughter insists on giving me 'kisses on the face' and one on each cheek before bed. Love, respect and appreciation has no age-limits.

There was a day not too long ago when something like waiting for the kids to get into their car seats while one of them roamed the back seat and the other searched for a specific toy while I stood in the rain waiting to buckle them in would have sent me into a frustrated frenzy. Or a toddler tantrum in a store would have embarrassed me so much that I felt like a failure as a parent the rest of the day, letting those feelings boil until the sun went down. I don't let things like this get to me so much anymore. When I feel stressed over a situation I ask for His peace and take a moment to calm down. Striving for perfection is no longer my inner goal. That's the joy of growth and wisdom. Each day is a new chance to do 'life' better.

But it is only with His guidance that I have grown in my confidence as a woman, wife and parent. Some of my favorite scriptures right now are in Proverbs. I love Proverbs because they are short and simple 'advice for living' that can have an immediate impact if applied. Some that have impacted me over the years for various reasons (and are now highlighted in yellow in my pocket Bible) are Proverbs 3:5-6, 3:9-10, all of Proverbs 4, Proverbs 13:3, 14:1, 15:13, 16:3, 16:23,17:27-28, 19:20-21, 21:13, 21:19, 22:6, 22:9, 27:19, 28:14, 28:26, 29:11, 29:17, and of course Proverbs 31:10-31.

In my later years I now cherish wisdom, patience, joy, love, serving, and so many more characteristics of who I am inside over anything relating to the outside. One of my favorite phrases found on Pinterest right now is 'I'd rather be a Proverbs 31 woman than a Victoria's Secret model'. Amen!

Whether your goals for the new year are emotional, physical, spiritual or otherwise, may we all start the new year with the confidence of the Lord so that we may achieve whatever we set out to do within His will. Happy New Year and God bless!