No place like home

Just wanted to give a quick update about our lives here. Many people knew that we were looking for a new/bigger place to live. We had been talking about it for a long time, but only until about the last month and half had we really started looking.

Our apartment that we've lived in for two years has served us well. It wasn't the nicest place, but once you put your own stuff in it and make it your own - it was liveable. As the boys got bigger and now adding to our family, plus watching another baby, plus being on the third floor - it was just time for our family to move on.

If you've searched for housing recently you will know and understand how frustrating of a process it is. Fort Collins has lots of rentals, but also a high demand due to the college. Prices are high and spaces not very conducive to a 5 person family (plus one most days all day). There are things to consider -like location, outside area, space inside, price and many many more things. If I went into explanation of all the different situations we looked at you would probably laugh. We considered sharing a house with a stranger, moving into a "fixer-upper", college shared guys house, and many more! All having their own different pros and cons. I feel like we've been talking housing so much lately, and been consumed with looking, calling and praying, and discussing!

This place that we have just signed the lease for we saw very early on in the process, and I liked it right away. The price was at the very tip top of our price range. The landlord told us we had some time to think about it and she wasn't showing it to anyone in the meantime. After prayer and thought we offered them $100 less than what they asked for thinking that if they denied it we would move on, and if they accepted it we would pray really hard about whether to take it. Meanwhile we kept looking waiting to hear back.
Anyways - long story short - they accepted, after a process we passed the background check and we finally got an appointment to sign the lease!!!!!
We are so thankful for God providing this place for us - and hope that we can use it to serve his people and love our neighbors, and community in a more efficient way.
We love the landlord, we are on the main level (so I will be seeking a new form of exercise instead of walking up three flights of stairs all the time), we have a basement/playroom/guestroom and storage area, a one car garage and a pool very accessible.

Please come by for a visit!!!!

Another milestone

It's so hard for me to believe that it's been 2 years since we packed up our belongings and moved to a far away place where we knew one person, with no job, and had never seen our apartment. August 15th 2011 we pulled out of PA, Richard driving the huge moving truck, while I drove the car behind him with the two boys, leaving the comfort, the familiarity, our amazing friends and some family behind, to start this amazing journey in the good ol' Colorado.

Thinking back on those feelings of total mixed emotions - it just can't be two years ago already!!!

Richard and I have moved a couple times across the country, all of which we didn't know very many if any people, and we have always said it takes about 2 years before you feel completely adjusted and at home and comfortable in your new surroundings.

Well - I can officially say that's true. It didn't just happen today that I feel comfortable - but looking back over time, I can fully say this is my home! Just this week the three times I went to run errands I just ran into someone I knew at each place. I distinctly remember when we first moved here feeling so weird that everywhere I went no one knew me and I didn't know anyone. Now I go to stores and I almost always run into someone I know or at least recognize. So it's official - WE'RE HOME!!!

It's fun for me to look back at what it was like when we first moved here and to how different things are today. Landon was almost a year old, he was still drinking from a bottle and not walking yet. Now he is a full on toddler boy doing everything on his own. Carson wasn't potty trained or even close yet, and now he is almost ready for school.  I didn't even have a smart phone or instagram yet!!! What did I do???!!!?? hehehe
These two pictures are soon after we moved here, September 2011, and then Mother's day - May 2013

The church had about 60 people coming regularly. We jumped in and started serving wherever we could. We have grown in our own spiritual lives learning more about our God and his mission and plan for us. The church now has close to 200 people there regularly and is still growing more and more. We went from not knowing anyone in the church -to feeling like these are some of the closest friends we have had, sharing our lives together. There are some more updates that will be happening that I will be sharing soon as far as the church goes. It's all so exciting.

Even the trials and blessings that Richard and I have faced in these last two years have been some of the most intense in our marriage. From the pain of losing one of our precious babies to the excitement of anticipating the arrival of another baby. From financial worries to how God has provided for us in amazing ways! From the busyness of life to the great trips we've been able to take.

The only thing that hasn't changed is the apartment we are living in - but we hope to have that change in the near future. But more on that later too as things develop. :)

All these things happen in 2 years! And it is amazing to reflect back on!
Here's to another wonderful 2 years in the Good Ol' Colorado.

Pregnancy Update

As I write this I'm currently 27 weeks. One week away from entering my third trimester. I'm so thankful for this precious baby. God has chosen to bless us with this precious boy! and I could not be more thankful for that gift.
A couple weeks ago I started experiencing some contractions consistently for an afternoon and swelling in my hands and feet. I took that as a sign that I definitely need to slow down and take it easy. I have stayed home a lot more and try to not do too much as far as meeting with people or going to places. This is not normal for me. I'm very social and always willing to go out for a play date or something - but I need to slow down. The whole carrying a baby (nevermind the one inside my belly), plus all our stuff, toys, lunches, etc up and down three flights of stairs (plus every once in a while a tired cranky toddler boy) was just wearing on my body. So I stay home more and just try to take it easy as much as I can. The swelling is still happening (nothing too serious) but the contractions and cramping have gotten better.
I've had a lot more back pain with this one too. I know it's due to being my third full pregnancy and ligaments and muscles not being what they were before, and carrying a year old baby around all the time.  Some women handle pregnancies with grace and strength. Not me. They are hard on my body.
Pregnancies have never gone fast for me, no matter how busy I am through them. But I am very glad to be entering the final stage of this pregnancy. I have a date set of when I will stop taking care of the little girl I watch. We are also trying to find a place to move to and hopefully be moving before the baby comes. (but no promises) We have looked at a lot of places and look online every single day multiple times a day. So please be in prayer that we find a good place for a good price and that timing works out with baby and everything else.

26 weeks and 6 days

2nd Annual Camping Trip

This past weekend we got to experience our second annual camping trip as a Life Group! This special group of people have become so dear to my heart as we share life together helping each other shine as lights in this world.
We had a great time, with lots of food, and fires, smores and conversation. This time we all had kids so we could all share in the "joys" that kids bring when you're camping. We had awesome weather. No rain at all which is crazy b/c it's been storming every day practically. I was especially thankful for no storms. :) It was a just a nice time to relax and enjoy creation and quietness from busyness of life. (although we all agree it's not restful at all :) )

P.S. I always hate taking pictures during events like this. But I always, ALWAYS regret not having more! I need to remember that in the moment. :)

A day for the History Books

This past Saturday we got to do something that will forever be remembered hopefully.  If you've known my husband and my boys for any amount of time you know they are die hard Broncos fans! The Broncos put on a show for their fans every year. They open up their stadium for their fans to watch a practice and a scrimmage for free right before Pre season starts. We decided to go and see what it's all about, knowing that we will probably never have a chance to see a real game :)

Well the morning/afterncgoon didn't turn out how we expected due to Richard's work. (that's another whole story in and of itvself). But in the end we decided to still try and go. We left our house a little later than hoped and it also happened to be the years biggest hail/rain storm that hit. It was crazy. Now you also know that Richard works for home insurance companies when they have some sort of water damage or fire damage. So his phone lit up the whole evening. He was of course on call and was taking them. We were stressed out that we would have to turn around and go back home the whole time! For some reason - we never did have to go back for him to go to jobs, but all that I don't really understand about his work. Anyways - after our car having issues multiple times getting down there to Denver (which is another story for another day) (I have a lot of those in this story), and phone calls galore about work - we eventually made our way to the stadium. We got there about 6:30. The practice was supposed to start at 7pm and the actual scrimmage at 8pm. WE found good seats and were super excited about it. The boys were in AWE. And really the crowds weren't as bad as we were anticipating.

Shortly after we got situated with a little food - the wind started to blow, the lightening and thunder started. (now if you know me at all - this is worst case scenario for me). We went back into the section where food and bathrooms are and decided to wait it out. B/c what storm in Colorado really lasts that long???!!?! Well apparently this one! It downpoured for a very long time. I mean DOWN POURED! People slowly kept coming under the shelter literally soaking wet, giving up on the the hopes that the rain would stop shortly.

Finally it started to slow down. The players came out on the field. and the people who wanted to stick it out ran back out to the seats. By this time we could get really good seats. Of course we forgot our huge wonderful umbrella in the car, due to the confusion of work calls non stop before we left it. :) They practiced a little and then started a scrimmage. The field is soaking wet, it's pretty chilly and I'm sure they don't want to cause any inujuries right before the season. So they didn't scrimmage very long, just enough to give us a little show. Then it was over. WE were able to get an autograph - but we only had two ball caps and the sharpie didn't work well on it b/c of course it was sopping wet. :( Oh well there is a little bit of a "D" on it. For number 30 - but I have no idea what his name is. :)

Even though pretty much nothing about the day worked out how we planned or thought - we truly had a great time. The boys were in awe and thought it was so cool. We have great memories as a family - and we were as close to Peyton Manning and Vaughn Miller as we will probably ever be. :)