Time and Lessons

 Wow! Time Flies.  We finished the house, added an upstairs, three of us have had significant surgeries, Covid-19 has invaded history, our oldest-Katie has graduated from college,  Melissa has entered college and is attending UTArlington in the Fall, Mark graduates from high school going off to college somewhere in the fall, and our Matthew is working on his driver's license!  Oh, and I can't dare forget---we also built a house to sell during that time, and sold it!  Longest sentence ever, but what do I do when I have to sum up 4 years!

Life as we knew it before 2020 has changed a bit.  I saw an appropriate post today, saying---Is February 2023 really starting today?  Well, it has!  Why would someone ask that question?  Somehow it feels like the scripture that says we don't know what tomorrow brings, so we say, If the Lord wills, I will....that scripture--is so appropriate in the days where lock downs, quarantines, and unknown futures have happened.  Not that we knew our futures before 2020, we just thought we knew what to expect.  Sometimes, not knowing what to expect is a greater fear than the actual life itself happening is.

A few lessons that I have learned---not that I have learned them for good, but I have learned them at least once.

Trust the Lord.

Sometimes, the healing is the miracle.  Sometimes, the surgery is the miracle.  Sometimes the miracle is the closeness to Jesus.  Sometimes the miracle involves other people receiving miracles not just you.  

Oh and Trust the Lord AGAIN and AGAIN...our need to do this is daily.

Something, I am learning lately is our need to ask the Lord for things in faith--believing in His power.  

Flex Room Undo---

 John ripped up the carpet in the "flex" room--which will become our "office" and the stairs.  We have no light in here because the previous owner took the existing light when she moved.  They were gifts from her mother--and sentimental.

Chair molding removed.  We are making this part is becoming the stairwell.

Our Fixer Upper---Second stage---stair opening

The second stage:  Add the stair opening and widen opening from kitchen to the living room.

 John has built the wall on the left--this is in part of the flex room.
The boys wanted a "demo" day---Matthew and Mark and Nick (works with John--He calls me Mom Bull--boy do I feel old--when he does :) --but proud of the "son" that is too old to be my son-ha!  Thankful for his help too.

 On the right of this picture above---the desk that I've always   wanted in a kitchen(since I saw one in the "Fisher's " house  growing up), but needed to sacrifice for openness, is taken out of the way.

 Below:  This is an Amish light that the previous owner set up for me--when she realized that I loved everything Amish(except maybe the legalism that often is a struggle for them.)

Backyard work

This work started before we even had access to the house.  The owner had asked for 10 days after closing to move out...we agreed to it if we could have access to work on the back.  John and his dad took a tractor to it and did a few things.

Our Fixer Upper

So, I have not blogged in a long time. That is obvious by the date between this post and the last post. In that time, we have sold the house that we built. We have bought a new house to fix up.  The house we bought didn't need a whole lot of fixing but we wanted to try our hand at changing things in the house. The house was built in 92.  John is going to add a second floor in the huge attic that exists. We are going to remodel a bathroom and we are remodeling a portion of the kitchen. These  post will be journaling this journey. The lady that built the house we bought built it well. The more we work on it the more we realize this.

 This house is built in Williamsburg Colonial style.  I love how cute it is, but in reality--unless my hubby wasn't so talented---I would like a bit different style.  These are a few pics of the how when we saw it for sale.

Oh my dear Matthew! The Thinker...

I just happened to come into my kitchen, carrying my three coffee mugs that have "built" up by my "quiet time" area, to see my son coming out of the bathroom.  He has been crying.  It's past 10pm and he and his brother have already gone to bed, or so I thought!   A little about my youngest...he feels deeply, strongly, and thinks way too much!   I remember my mother telling me in my teens--"You think too much!"  Well, like mother, like son???  Any mother wants to know what their son is upset about--boys don't cry that often!  I call him over to the couch and lo and behold, he is thinking 7 years down the line to when he will be the only one here with John and I, and it is upsetting him!  He won't have anyone to play with or do anything with. (* Who am I, chopped liver?? :)). He says he feels this now too, but a tidbit is--he's the one, when the family is in the living room, he is off in another room watching a different show, playing a different game, reading a different book. 
We talked about working on spending time with the family now and plans for playing together tomorrow and NOT worrying about tomorrow when today has enough worries of its own!  Shewy! Deep Thoughts--it's too late at night for this!  But, Oh how I love my son!

So, this is not from tonight, but it's funny none the less!

More Bargains

 I bought for $2.50---used it can be found for $30-$80.  I also got the carrier and extra tape.

 I bought for $2.50---used it can be found for under $30. 

This is not the exact pattern, but I purchased for $15(they were asking $10, but when I found out the guy pd $100 for the first racket--I felt bad and purchased the lot of these three for $20...)  Online, the cheapest is still being bid on and it's up to $25 with shipping.  I haven't seen any less at a garage sale than $25 in the last couple of weeks.  I used to have one of these, but I got rid of it when we moved to Russia--and now I could use it when I babysit.

We found an Urban Mango tunic with lace trim for $2, online on ebay they range from $27-$56 range.  The exact one is pictured at a boutique but the color is different--it was $40!  I'd say that was a steal!

The girls bought two wigs--$2 each to play with...they are super cute!- Short bob style in great condition.

Garage Sale Resale Bargains!!!

So, I bought a book on Audible.com by Lorilee Craker...The Money Secrets of the Amish.

Lorilee reads it out-loud so this is fun to hear the author read her own book.  It adds zap!  I have enjoyed this book so much last year, I have listened to it again this year.  I walk some mornings so I just bring my phone and blue tooth ear phones and walk away!!!  Just in case you are interested, I linked the photos--I don't get anything from this, so no pressure! I got them for Mother's Day :).

The author had so much humor as she shared true Amish original money saving tips!  They work in the "English" world too(this is how non-Amishers are referred to---Englischers!)  I have added some of the tips to my world and I wanted to give some finds that I have found!

$5---has no card---on amazon used for $35

Black & Decker Toaster Over--$4---used on ebay with shipping --cheapest was $28, all others were significantly higher!

Innovations Knitting machine--$3, Online used(cheapest but still bidding with shipping--$35; new $50+)
Oh, it came with one full thing of Bernat baby blanket yarn $10 at Walmart plus an almost full ream of another of the same

a full one of Vanna's Choice yarn too--$3 value at JoAnn's, $3.54 at Walmart

I got a roll of this for $.50---looks like only a couple of feet are missing...sells for $26 at Hobby Lobby--always go with a coupon...so I would have pd about $16 for the whole one at HL! What a deal!

My favorite Buy: 

Krups Model 963 Black Espresso / Cappuccino Maker 4 CUP Steam

I bought it for $15, it was used 2x's.  Used--the cheapest I can find is on ebay starting bid with shipping is $38...the rest are moving up.  Amazon sells used ones for close to $70!

I found a great white hat for $1~~---with a decent brand Sun Day Afternoon---new on amazon it is $32 plus!!!  

$5 calculator for 50 cents NEW in package!!

I also got a french china plate--looks like it may be from 1941.  Can't find the patten--found the maker--just not pattern, but it was $1~

I also found this treasure(the bubble wire glass on the right)--it is cracked on the bottom, but for my purpose it's not an issue!  I saw a very similar one at TJ Max for $10 on clearance.  I paid 50 cents!

 

The Heart of a Child

I saw Matthew walking by tonight and it looked like his face was all blotchy.  My first reaction was what did he get into, but the closer I looked, the more I realized that he had been crying.  I walked him over to the couch and asked him what was wrong.  (Back story: in the past, Matthew has prayed for his thoughts because he struggled getting wrong thoughts out of his head--fearful thoughts.  My heart wrenched at this because I struggle with my thoughts, as many people do.  As a mom, sometimes I feel that I am to blame for my kids' struggles--if they inherited some of them from me.  It's not fun to watch your kids struggle this way.)  He started stumbling over his words while crying saying he couldn't get his thoughts off something.  I went to pray for him and against any wrong thoughts that he was having. 
Then, he kept going on trying to get the explanation out about what he was thinking about.  He finally said that he was so sad for the homeless people that do not have homes and are lonely.  SIGH...what an incredibly soft heart he has at times.  So, we continued talking about how he is right and some people do not have homes and when he thinks of this, he should pray for them.  He has asked us in the past for things to pray about since sometimes he doesn't know what to pray for when we pray together at night. 

Future Outreach Idea:   We are thinking that we can go as a family to help out at a shelter.  Matthew agreed and said he would like to do this. 

First Missionary Couple in Suite!

Yesterday was a first for us.  We have housed John's parents in our little missionary suite next door--technically they are missionaries, but yesterday, we had a couple come from England to stay at our place.  Let me just say--it made our hearts soar!  They are here with a group of missionaries from all over: Brazil, Czech Republic, Houston, and England.  Their group is called Open HeART.  They focus on Worship, The Word, and Missions.
Our new friends---they are such a true English couple---so sweet, such manners, and such humor--even with the genteel way they speak:), but I especially love that they laugh too!  If I start speaking lovely words, don't be surprised.  Their love for God pours out of them.  I feel ashamed of what I am not aware of in the Easy States of America.  There is so much going on in Eastern Europe, Africa, Brazil and more---and I have been so unaware.  I am such in a bubble.  I pray that God will burst it in His grace.  Tomorrow we have a Missions/Worship Conference with all our new Open HeART friends.  We have so much to hear.
Lessons that I have learned already in 1 day:  Planes can arrive early---4 hours early ---next time, I am planning to be a whole day ahead of plans.
Communicate with hubby and plan for food for the people we host and us! haha!!  I planned for them, just not for us!
That's all for now.

Pictures to follow in the next week.  For now, I'll let you see the outside of our "missionary suite"--hehe!