Wisdom from my walk

I’m so excited for an old friend’s family. I grew up hanging out with Wes’s family and I am so proud of him!! it was always a joke that Dean went to Art School for high school, but Wes ended up going there too and look at him now!! Wes’s brother Chuck has a band too, so guess music is a family thing! Looking forward to seeing what happens, esp. knowing how big of a thing this would be for him and his family. I had a dream the other day about my friend Natalie and Wes’s brother Jason, so it’s kind of strange finding out something about his family today. I wish things were different but it’s been so many years I’d think that that would make things easier. but it’s not….so all I can do is send well wishes for him and his family. Good luck Wes, you’ve become a great man and I know God will grant your hearts desire in his timing for you and your family!

we got an offer on our house in Baltimore!!!  our realtor was expecting two offers this weekend, so the first has come , we are hoping the second comes before we need to decide on the first one.  so far the first offer is great, the only thing they want that we are unsure of is that they want the house professionally painted, and we dont know how much that would cost.  other than that the offer sounds great!  we might even still have money to go towards a newer van, but I’m trying not to be greedy about getting money back, our first priority is to pay back the money we borrowed to put down on this house.

we’ve had a family oriented weekend.  Friday night Dean, Caleb and I went to see Night at the Museum after dinner at Dean’s parents house, they kept the little ones so we could see the movie.  it was a good movie so I was glad we got to go as a family.   We spent Saturday morning catching up on laundry and resting.   We made it out for lunch and then spent the day shopping.  Santa promised Caleb heely’s but left a note on Christmas Morning that his elves couldnt make them or find them at the stores so he was sending money for his mom and dad to buy them so we went to get those yesterday.  we were also going to find some cd’s Dean and I wanted.  I ended up w/ a new pair of comfy shoes, so I was happy!  Bo got a toy on clearance that made him very happy, I was suprised at all of the sales still.  I guess it’s still part of the post holiday clear out for the stores who stocked up before Christmas on things.   we went to church last night then the little ones and I came home to crash since we had been out all day and none of us got a nap, so we were all pretty tired.  Dean and Caleb went back out to go to get some things that were on sale at the grocery store since that sale ended yesterday.   We barely got up and ready on time for church this morning but I was glad we did.   last night we went to the church we used to go to when we lived here, and today we went to the new church.   we’re home letting the kids nap and then Dean needs to go get some new jeans.  I think his parents are coming here for dinner tonight.  I took a nap already, I really needed it!

so it’s been a family filled weekend, it’s been nice being together and really having nothing to do.   well gotta go get some things done and decide what I’m making for dinner today.  i’ll post more when we find out more about selling the house.  unsure if we’ll need to go back to Baltimore to be at the closing or not, I’m kind of hoping we do!

hope everyone had a great weekend!

after talking to Dean on the phone this morning I opened the kitchen window since it’s already 60 outside this morning.   I was cleaning up the kitchen and Bo had pulled a chair over to the counter and he turned the under the counter radio off and put his finger over his mouth and pointed outside.   I looked and didnt see anything.  He whispered something so I looked out in the trees and sure enough there was a deer.  the deer continued up the treeline so I went up to my room to see out my window to see where it was going, I saw it breifly then it ran down back toward our yard, so back down I went to the kitchen window.   I saw the rest of them, I’m guessing it’s the same family of deer, a mom, dad and baby deer heading down toward the creek.  it’s so awesome to watch.   they are white tailed deer so if you lose sight of them in the colors of the trees it’s easy to find them when they flick their tails.   I love this part of this house, the nature that surrounds us.  it’s another rainy gloomy day here, so you can hear the sounds of the water running through the creek.   I knew I liked city life, but boy do I love this so much better.   I dont think I’ve heard the sound of a siren from a cop or ambulance from inside the house once since we’ve moved here.   there’s so much about this house I love.   but the things I like the most are the things we werent even looking for when looking for a house, I mean I was always so concerned about how big the kids rooms were, that there was a room for each of them, that there was a laundry room (albiet in this house there really isnt one, it’s in the unfinished part of the basement)  and we wanted a fair amt of yard for the kids, and of course a nice kitchen was on my list of desires.  so when we found this house it had just about everything I wanted, so when I find out something new about this house as you tend to almost everyday when living in a new house, well I continue to be amazed at how blessed we’ve been.

we knew that doors had been opened for this move, that whenever things looked like they might not work out they ended up working out better.  we knew that buying a house without selling our old one first was a huge step of faith, that or completely stupid, well maybe both?   but now that we’re here and things seem to fall into more of a normal pace, it’s so awesome to marvel at how much God cares about us.  that He led us to this house,  to this neighborhood filled with children, something we didnt know until we moved in and the neighbors came to introduce themselves.   there are things you dont know until you get moved in, and everythings working out so well, better than I could have ever thought.

of course the only drawback so far is lack of insurance and doctors we have here.   I am feeling bad and would call my dr if I were back home but I’m trying to hang in there until the insurance kicks in here and we get info on it.   the kids are doing great.   Caleb started school on Wednesday.   I’m somewhat concerned since he doesnt bring anything home and has no homework, something he loved back home.   he cant tell us what he did all day so I dont know what he does.   Dean was going to hang out on Wednesday w/ Caleb but the teacher didnt want him to, so we have no idea how his day goes.  I think if he doesnt have any more info with him when he comes home today I’m going to call or write a note on Monday.  I want to make sure he’s being challenged and that he’s doing something all day!!

Yesterday I went to a moms meeting at the church we used to attend when we lived here.  I met a mom who lives closeby and she said another mom who wasnt there yesterday has a 7 month old, and older children caleb’s age I believe who lives a street over from us.   this group meets every other week and the off weeks does playgroups.  for the meetings at church they have childcare available for just $5 per family.  so I got a 2 hour break for $5 and got to meet new women as well as enjoy a study.   the next week weeks is about spiritual discipline, this weeks was about reading scripture/meditating on scripture.

well I have to run…bo and zeke are getting into trouble…before i fail to write about it…in Balto. our house didnt have steps that Zeke could climb, the only stairs were to the basement and he rarely got near them.   so here there’s steps, lots of them.   yesterday I went to the basement, shut the door so he wouldnt fall down them, and left him playing w/ toys.  I came back up to find him at the top of the steps to the bedrooms…it’s a  lot of steps considering he’s never climbed steps before!!  so it’s time to get out the baby gates!!  he’s also cruising around furniture and can pull up to stand almost onto anything, heck he’s to the point where he’s ready to stand up without having something to pull up to…wont be long now!!   gotta run before he eats something off the floor….these kids keep me busy!

pics from today and our new yard that we enjoyed for a bit in the chilly air to let the boys run off some energy.  so our yard is really big, and the other morning Dean and the boys woke me up, I was sleeping in for a long time for once, to show me the deer in our back yard.    he said when he first saw it the deer was by the kids slide and th

ey all stood on the deck looking at it.  by the time I was up and we watched for a bit we realized there were not one or two but three deer!!   it was awesome.  we are hoping to set up the yard with some animal attractions, making it a backyard habitat is what they call it on animal planet.   this house keeps surpising and amazing us every new day we spend here.

of course the kids love it here too!!

our neighbors to the right in the culdesac:
our neighbors in the back:

our neighbor to the right of us:

I am really behind in posting I know.  I am REALLY REALLY behind in getting pics off my camera.   So today I’m hoping to catch up, so posts will be added w/ pics, starting from now to then…

so we arranged for the kids to spend the night elsewhere so we could go to a new years party at the professional theater Dean used to work with here.   we were both feeling pretty sick but were looking forward to the night out.  It was a cool affair, and had I not been so miserable and tired and had we known more folks I’m sure we would have stayed longer.   Right before we left a lady came out to me to compliment me on my dress, and asked where I got it, she asked if I got it at Macy’s.   I told her we were not from around here and I bought it back there…but never said what store.   all night I had spent time being wowed by the beautiful gowns that these ladies had on, tons of gorgeous gowns!   yet here this women was complimenting me!   I couldnt admit I got the dress on a clearance rack at Fashion bug a few months ago!  I feel bad now for lying, but I didnt really lie, I bought it in Baltimore, I just didnt tell her what store!!   we ended up at home shortly before midnight we watched the time go down to midnight on tv at time square and enjoyed our childless night.   we didnt pick up the kids til mid afternoon on Tuesday, we planned on getting up and going to breakfast but slept in and then the van started acting up again so we got out a lot later and grabbed a great breakfast of soup and salad at Applebees.   so it wasnt too bad of a new years, we both just wished we werent sick.

well more later…lots more to write about when I get time!!

just a little infection(edited to add* the good patient, I mean medical receptionist in me, looked at my receipt and decoded the ICD9 code: acute bronchitis) that was causing me to cough and wheeze and feel like I was dying…she never said what was wrong w/ me other than that I do have an ear infection I guess she knew I already knew I was sick otherwise; she just sent me home w/ sample antibiotics, a card to get a free inhaler so I can breathe easier and one prescription for robitussin w/ added decongestant and codeine.   love a new dr who see you are paying out of pocket and gives you as many freebies as possible.  she was nice.  the office is close to home and they got me in and out, so I suppose I’d say I’ll go back!     Dean stayed home at my coaxing for the rest of the afternoon so I could rest, I’ve been laying in bed but cant sleep. too noisy around here, and cold.  I’ve been so cold all week.   he has the two eldest ones at the park, I hear Zeke waking from his afternoon nap.   I am hoping I feel much better tomorrow, Dean’s been doing double duty w/ work and the kids since I’ve been so sick.  I know it’s hard on him.   I hate being sick and being so bad that I cant take care of the kids.   well I am going to at least try to get dinner ready for them…and I suppose I should check on Zeke, then back to bed for me, hopefully!  

I knew finding a dr would be hard, I didnt think it would be that hard to get treatment if I needed to on short notice. Finally found someone who can see me tomorrow afternoon, praying I like the practice and the dr. It’s closeby to home so that’s a plus, and they answered swiftly and were the first of many places to even offer me an appt before Friday! we are supposed to be covered by insurance but we cant get anyone to give us proof of insurance, so everything is out of pocket and we are praying it will get reimbursed. we paid for the kids to be seen on Friday, and am hoping my appt tomorrow doesnt cost too much. merry christmas to me….a new doctor! I feel horrible, I told Dean if I had a job I’d call out sick, but no luck here with that. My MIL took Caleb for the afternoon. Dean came home at lunchtime, fed the kids and put Bo down for a nap. I didnt eat lunch, I slept the whole time Dean was here. Zeke’s napping now and I’m trying to keep Bo from breaking anything…he is loving the fact that he can reach the directv box and dvd player since we dont have an entertainment center yet…well gotta run, he’s got my cell phone now and we all know what kind of history he has with that….if you dont well that’s another entry….