A Place to Call Home, Part 2

Wow, I can't believe it: I am on it again.  And the tour begins:

Master Bedroom (Before)

Master Bedroom (After)

Small Bathroom (Before)

Small Bathroom (After)

Laundry room (Before)

Laundry room (After)

Kids' Bedroom No. 1(Before)

No.1 became Leeanna's room

Kids' Bedroom No. 2

No. 2 became Tommy's room

Kids' Bedroom No. 3

No. 3 is now Timothy's

Shed (Before)

Shed needed some TLC and organizing

Hallway (Before)

Hallway (After)

Front of our house (Before planting flowers)

After some landscaping

There is still a lot of work for us, but the house and also the outside shows much improvement. My next bigger project is to grow some produce in my garden. Still a lot to learn for me. Hopefully, I can post picture of wonderful vegetables that have survived my not so green thumb! Carie, where are you? LOL. After reading some books that my neighbor loaned me I decided to try SFG, which means square foot gardening. Is cheaper than raised garden beds, and for a beginner like I am, easier to handle. We will see what the outcome....
Another big improvement has been our outside wood burner. The gas usage has been down a lot this winter.
Hopefully, my husband can open the skylights soon, so that I have light in my kitchen, which is the only downside in our house: no windows! Pictures will follow!

A Place We Call Home

Finally, this is the 3rd time I am writing this. The first few times I lost everything, post and pictures. Here we go again.
It has been almost been a year that I posted any news. So much has happened, I don't even remember. We finally found a house, by God's grace. 1800 sq.ft, brick on 18 acres, shop, shed and pond. And the best of all, several apple and peach trees. We moved in on July of 2013, after painting, repairs and updates. I will try to add some before and after pics, but can't promise it will work out this time. Here we go:

Garage had been turned into a family room (Before)

After removing carpet, laying tiles, and painting

Same room before

After building an office into the room (wall to the left)

Dining room, all grey walls (before)

A look from the dining room into the living room (before)

The dining room (after), I love bright colors!

                                       

The living room (Before)

The living room after removing the carpet, laying hardwood floor, and painting

I will continue the walk through and around our house another time. It is time for beddy bye.

A New Year

This is already March. I can't believe it. We still have not found a house to buy. I must honestly say that I am getting a little bit impatient. Surely there must be one out there for us!!!!! But I try to wait patiently-impatiently on the Lord.
We had a wonderful surprise today: An old friend, Sam Means, called us on Skype. It was great to see his family and him on the computer and talk to them. They are missionaries in Mexico, wonderful family, busy working for the Lord, but I can selfishly say that I miss them.
There is really not much that happened. Well, no, there are a few things: The kids and I went to Loveland, Colorado to visit Sina and the Rockies. Sad to say we all got sick, the whole time we were there. But it was still a great time, just being with my niece and her family. We sure enjoyed the talks, laughter and ice cream. LOL. Tommy had his 12th birthday while we were there. The kids are surely growing up. Groan. On our way home, I was still sick, we had a run-in with a coyote. Damaged the front of my car. My husband had to find a trailor at 9 PM to pick us up. The good thing is that he could repair the car for a lot less than any mechanic. Praise God for a husband who can fix almost anything!

Life is good, not always easy, but good. Living for the Lord was the best decision I ever made in my life. Jesus has saved me, I can not thank Him enough! This beautiful country is going downhill, so fast, that I need Him to hold on for the ride! He will take me through whatever is coming. Sad that there are still Americans who can not see what is happening.
Enough of this, I just had to scribble a few thoughts down.

Merry Christmas

This is one of the most exciting times of the year for me. It is the season I love the most. To think that a holy God came down from heaven, took the form of a human baby, born in one of the lowliest places anyone can imaging, to live a perfect sinless, life, and die for our sins.

It is a sobering thought as well. What can we do to please our Lord and Savior? We can try to live a righteous life, help others, put others first, do good deeds. But more than anything HE wants us to live for HIM, give HIM our lives and tell others about the wonder of Salvation HE gave us - a free gift!

Even though my family is apart again this Christmas, I dwell in the safety of HIS love and protection. And I know my children are protected by HIM as well. What a peaceful thought.

 We even had a few snow flurries in the morning!

 Baking Christmas cookies. We made 8 diff. kinds of German cookies. Yum

 Decorating the Christmas tree

 The final touch: The Angel!

Happy Birthday, JESUS!!!!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

After the last election I had to come to terms with my personal feelings. I felt discouraged, mad, scared, upset with the American people who voted for the evil. Then I realized that God is still in control, and that America deserves what is coming. We allowed the evil, abortions (murder), new definitions of marriage. Is that crazy or what? We replaced God's law with men's law. Looking back at history, did that not all happen before? Take a look at Germany and Adolf Hitler, or what about Russia and Stalin? Does that ring a bell?
Anyhow, after all these emotions, I came to the conclusion that God has been good, is good and still loves His people. We need to focus on Him and reach the lost world.
So we decided to have a wonderful Thanksgiving, with Christian friends, thanking Him for His love and mercy. Pastor was so gracious to allow us and use the fellowship hall of the church. We decorated the day before, and what a great day it was!!!!! Then we had the Pena's over for the weekend, friends from Knob Noster, MO.
On Friday Precilla, Leeanna and I went Black Friday shopping. Actually we started around 8:30PM the night before. Found a few good deals. Going home around 10 AM the next morning, we were tired.
I forgot to mention that Leeanna turned 15 on Wednesday before Thanksgiving. I am so blessed to have 3 wonderful children. Lo, Children are an inheritance of the Lord....

 In the morning, everyone is still a little bit tired. Leeanna's 15th birthday!

A trip to Mansfield, MO, the late home of Laura Ingalls Wilder and Almanzo Wilder.

The news I forgot to mention are: I got a new bird, Opus, from a bird rescue in Springfield. He has plucked and has problems growing new feathers. But he is a sweet bird. And we are - again - looking for a house. This time to buy our own, hopefully with acreage, so that we can have our own garden. Lots to learn for me. Carie, where are you? LOL.

Life in Ash Grove, MO

We have finally moved to another house, 5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. This is not our own, though, but we love it. The only downside is that the train tracks are running through our backyard. I really mean it. The boys enjoy watching the trains go by, I am not so much. Especially at night...
The church is doing well. We had some visitors, one woman got saved through a bible study with Pastor and Jill, his wife. Praise God!
We also went to Berean Baptist Church in Springfield for a ladies' retreat. It was amazing, and it was a big blessing. Lots of things I need to change toward becoming a submissive wife. Not always easy, but God didn't say it was.
I am teaching the 5 to 8 year olds in Sunday School. Jason is preaching in the nursing home here in town every other week. We love to be more involved and enjoy every minute of it.
Jason has not found a job yet, but we trust in the Lord to help him find one in time. The kids enjoy it here, even though we miss Sina and her family a lot. We are trying to plan a trip to Colorado this fall. Hopefully it will work out.
There is not much to add, so have a blessed week everyone.

Ash Grove, Missouri

Now we are back in Missouri. Ash Grove is a small town of 1,472 people + us now, I guess. LOL. We enjoy living in a small town again. Our church home is Bible Baptist of Ash Grove. Love it! Right now we are living in a small trailor house, but we will be moving into a 5 bedroom house this coming Monday, also in Ash Grove. I am extremely excited!!!! Even though we will miss our neighbors next door. Tommy and Timothy have become friends with Nick, his brother and little sister. They play together every day. The parents were having problems. After getting to know them a little bit, and Nick going with us to church, the parents decided they all would go one Sunday. And they did come. Loved it, and came back the following Sunday. We are praying for their salvation, and that they will pull through their difficulties. It is wonderful to see how Christ takes sinners and turns them into people that are excited about going to heaven. Praise God for Salvation and our blessed Hope. Thank you Jesus!

Jason is doing online school for his bachelors degree. Financially we are ok due to the retirement he gets from the Army. We won't be able to purchase a house though, unless he starts working. Which is ok, renting allows us to meet people and help them in different circumstances. Like my husband helping people to cut up trees and branches that fell in their yards after the last storm.

I do ask for prayers for the upcoming election. We need to get Obama out, otherwise this country will go down. I am not choking. Our future here in America will change forever with him being President a second term. Thank the Lord, He is still in control.

Oh, I almost forgot: The beginning of July we went to family camp again. Wonderful preaching, great fellowship and as always, very encouraging! And lots of fun!!!
Well, I hope everyone will have a great week.

 My 3 men love to fish. Even Timothy got the hang of it. And they caught some little fish!

 Canoeing was another blast on Lake Pomme de Terre.

 Waiting for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I don't remember. Hanging out with good friends!

 My husband made 2nd place in archery. So proud of him! The first place was given to a first time archery trier. His arrow hit the ground, bounced up and hit the center. And he was proud of it. LOL.

Leeanna and Libby got 2nd place in fussball (table).

 Leeanna, Caroline, Libby, Abby and Tommy- always smiling! The girls look tired. Wonder why?!

 The boys ate outside....

...the girls on the other hand, enjoyed AC while eating.