And...we are officially moving

Ok...so for the past two months our house has been on the market.  As many of you may know...it's a great time to buy..not a great time to sell.  Never the less...my hubby and I said that we would try to sell for a while and if it didn't sell by the time we had the baby (due in 5 weeks) then we would rent it out.

Well..this weekend we got a phone call.  A dear friend knew of someone who needed a home to rent asap so they recommended our home.  Within the blink of an eye our house is now rented.  Since these people need a home asap...we have about 1 week to pack up all our stuff and get out.  EEEKKKK!!!

Stressful....yes, but and that's a huge BUT we know this was God's timing.  We were not looking for a renter and hadn't planned on it for a few more weeks.  God is totally providing for our family so we do what we have to do.  And, surprisingly...the house is getting packed quicker than I thought.

So...after work I'll be heading home to pack up as many boxes as possible until I just crash.  But I'll leave you with a little picture of my family...before we add one more (which may be here earlier than we think after all this mayhem.)

We made it!

So...here's the story...and I'm sorry if it's a bit long.

Since our first daughter was born, we have dreamed and even planned some on our next house.  We quickly started outgrowing our 3 bedroom twin.  We tripped over swings here...stepped on tubby toys there and overall, I just felt crammed.  (granted...our house is very nice and is a GREAT home!)

When we found out baby number 2 was on her way...I felt the pressure even more.  Nesting? Possibly.  So...my husband and I started looking at some larger homes within Downingtown School District because that is idealy where we would like our kids to go to school.  (Considering that's where we both went, we are a little biased)  Well...we just couldn't find something that we liked and that was in our price range.  So...diappointed we said we will just have to make due with what we have and never forget that God blessed us with this home for a reason.

About 2 months ago, we got a call from my parents saying that the woman who lived in the house next door could no longer afford the home.  Her children had abandoned her (she is 72) and she just couldn't take care of the property.  In addition, she was having a hard time getting up and down the steps to even get into the house. (The house is on a hill)  So...my parents had asked her if she was interested in selling (as per a suggestion from her son) and she JUMPED at the opportunity, knowing she could get a small, first floor apartment somewhere and be really happy.

With that...things moved forward.  We came to an agreement on price, drew up an agreement and started working on the process for a loan.  Now..I will say that this house is in no where near good condition.  In fact, when the appraiser from the mortgage company came out, they deemed the house "uninhabitable."  Yep..they were basically saying that the house should be condemned.  So we had a huge list of things that needed to be done in order for the mortgage company to give us the money.  According to the appriasier, it should have taken about one month to do and $8,000.

But...we pushed forward and God provided many helpful hands.  We were able to do all the jobs in half the time and for half the price.  God is SO GOOD!!!  The appraiser was very impressed when he came back and all he could say was "wow!"

So...as of yesterday, at 4:30pm my husband and I became the owners of another home.  In Downingtown school district, with 1.5 acres of land, right next to my parents.  I see the house finished and it will look nothing like it does now.   My husband will have a detached garage for a workshop and we will have a two car attached garage for the cars.  Our girls will be able to play in the back yard without me worried that they will run into the street.  And the BEST part is that they will be able to see their grandparents whenever they want!  The thought of watching my girls run next door just warms my heart.

Today...I am thankful to God for this opportunity.  For giving us above all we ask or even think.  I trust him completely with the sale of our Thorndale home and if it's His will for us to rent it, then so be it.  I know that he will give us a sense of peace during this transition, especially with a new baby on the way and I trust that He will provide our every need.

24 Weeks

How far along? 24 weeks

Total weight gain: Not sure...but my guess is around 20 pounds.  I'll find out next tuesday.

Maternity clothes? Oh yes...but every once in a while I can get away with a pair of regular sweat pants and my hubby's t-shirts.

Sleep:  Not too bad actually.  My body pillow is my best friend (and a very good snuggler)

Cravings: Chocolate....especially chocolate milkshakes.  Yum!

Best moment this week: Got to have another ultrasound of the baby yesterday, specifically of her heart.  It was so cool to see all four chambers beating away!  Pefection!

Movement: ALL THE TIME!  Holy cow this baby is A.C.T.I.V.E.

Gender: GIRL!!!!   Yep, God answered our prayers once again and we will have our little Abigail Rose.

Labor Signs: No..No....No!

Belly Button in or out? More flat now...not really in, but not really out either.

What I miss: Sandwiches, not struggling to pick things up off the floor, carrying my oldest daughter up to bed at night.

Weekly Wisdom: Take things one day at a time and if you clean a little each day, it's not so overwhelming.

Milestones: 6 months in!

Favorite Moments: Watching my belly contort with her movements.

Blessings

I feel so incredibly blessed by my Jesus today and know without doubt that His hand is upon my life.  To me..this song says it all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mmgV6mPvb0

16 Weeks 6 days

How far along? 16 weeks 6 days... (17 weeks tomorrow)

Total weight gain: 10 lbs. turns out I was wrong and to date I've gained the EXACT amount of weight that I did with Isabella.  My doctor said it's a little more weight then the average person...but since I lost all the weight the last time..not to worry about what I gain.

Maternity clothes? You bet!!!

Sleep: Still bad....I wake up every hour to use the bathroom...get my body pillow....tend to my 2 year old....or just plain stare at the wall.   I'm very tired.

Cravings: My cravings have actually gone away for right now.

Best moment this week: Hearing my little one's heart beat.  I don't think I'll ever not love that sound.
Movement: Every once in a blue moon....but still nothing consistent.  Surprises me actually.

Gender: Sticking with girl for now.  My daughter insists she is having a little sister, no matter how many times I tell her she could have a brother.  My doctor told me yesterday that the heart beat is in range for a girl if you go according to the old tales.  We find out in 3 weeks!

Labor Signs: None!!!

Belly Button in or out? Still in....but slowly diappearing just like with Bella.

What I miss: Sleep....and a hoagie.

Weekly Wisdom: Don't have any this week really.

Milestones:  A third of the way through my 2nd trimester!

Favorite Moments: Just looking at my growing belly, knowing there is a very little person in there.
 
 

How can life possibly get any better?

Well...I never thought this day would come this quickly.  I mean, people tell you that your kids grow fast, but my goodness this is too fast.  I just enrolled my daughter in preschool.  Yep.....a church in the area has a 2 1/2 year old class and my little princess makes the cut off.  So....I filled out the form, wrote the check and it's in the mail. 

I have to say...part of it is a little bit depressing.  After all...I want my little baby to stay a baby.  But fact of the matter is that she isn't a baby anymore.  She sees the kids getting on the school bus every morning and says "I go to school too mommy?"  So...when the opportunity came up, how could I deny my child a chance to get some education and make some friends?  I couldn't.

Through this, there has been a lot of discussion with some friends and family.  Is she really ready? Is it worth the money for her to just meet other kids? Who will take her?  I came to the following conclusion for what is best for my daughter and my family.  (I am a firm believer that you must do what is good for you and your child, regardless of what other people think you should do)

Although I am a full time working mommy, my Isabella is not in daycare.  I am blessed to have a wonderful friend and two loving mothers who watch over her while my hubby and I are at work.  That being said, she doesn't get much interaction with other kids other then an hour at church on Sunday mornings.  We have enrolled her in soccer and swim class, but since they are both "parent and child" classes, she doesn't really get the opportunity to interact with the other kids.  She tends to cling to us.

I want my child to be well rounded.  She is amazing at playing by herself.   I see her imagination run wild before my very eyes and it makes me happy to see that she is being creative and that she can entertain herself so easily.  However, I do feel she needs to learn to work with others and  I personally feel the more I push that off, the harder it will be to teach her.  So...that was the first reason why we decided to send her.

Second....an extra year of having someone educate her can never hurt.  I feel that going to school for a few hours twice a week will help her attention span and help her learn to follow instruction.  Again, because she isn't in daycare, there is really no set schedule.  So teaching her to be able to sit in a structured environment for two hours will be good.

Third...with a new baby coming in the fall, I feel this will give Bella something of her own.  She will have something that the new baby can't do or that the new baby won't interfere with.  I am hoping that it will help with any sort of jealousy issues (although I definately expect there to be jealousy of the new baby.)

Finally...I am looking forward to helping her find something to take to show and tell....packing her "healthy" snack.....hanging her artwork on the fridge......and hearing her sing the new song she learned.  I'm excited to send her on her first nature walk or her first field trip to pick pumpkins.  I'm looking forward to a christmas tree covered with homemade ornaments.  I'm looking forward to baking cupcakes for her class to eat in celebration of her birthday.

I tell people who have babies that it only gets better with time and here I am telling it to myself.  Watching her grow does get better everyday and today is no different.  I'm sitting here with a heart that is overflowing with joy and I just don't see how it could possibly get any better.  Then again...all I have to do is look down and see my growing belly and I know the joy is only just beginning.

Reunited a month later.....

Exactly one year ago my company changed locations.  I work for a rather small company so when it came to packing and unpacking...well there was two of us to do the job.  My co-worker (who happens to be one of my best friends) spent the weeks before the move packing the office as well as our storage facility.  When it came to moving day...the movers came and each of us took a location.  I had the new office directly people where to go and she took the new office...making sure everything got packed.  The two of us worked great together.  We were in and every single box was unpacked within two days.  That's a miracle and a half.

Within just a few days of being at the new office, this wonderful girl named Taryn came into my office.  She said she worked for the company down the hall.   They too were a small company and she was often left alone to run things.  She just came to introduce herself and welcome us to the building.  I knew instantly we would become friends... and we did.

About a few weeks ago..I went down the hall to deliver some mail that we had gotten of theirs and she wasn't there.  Her boss informed me that she had been in a skiing accident and had broken her back.  I literally almost cried right there in front of him.  I made sure to email her immediately to see if she needed anything.  I was just heart broken.  Above all else...I prayed.  A broken back is very serious.

Well...after a month of being out...Taryn just walked in my office.  I literally ran out of my office and gave her a huge hug.  She told me all about what happened and oh.my.gosh has she been through a lot.

I'm so grateful to have her back but more grateful that she is walking and is recovering just fine..without any complications.  She still has some pain so prayer is still needed, but my friend is back.  That wonderful smiling face that I have grown so used to seeing everyday is finally back.  I thank God for bringing such a sweet person in my life and for bringing her healing.