house: long time coming...

Here she is...our new house.  Well the main floor anyway.
We love it here.  It suits our family well.
I often feel as if I get my two favorite things in one; a house in the mountains/ridge in the middle of the city.

Our den/ main living area.

 Multi-purpose room.  Standing at the back door.

 Multi-purpose room. Standing at the front window.

Looking from the den into the kitchen.

 Galley kitchen.

Bookshelf wall in Josie's room.

Josie's bathroom.

So I seem to have forgotten Josie's room.  I will add that to the upstairs pictures and the newly renovated master closet.  We are missing some pictures on the wall, we keep debating on what goes where. 

And this is Thomas' playroom.  Because heaven forbid he actually sleep out there. 

This flat backyard will be receiving a swing set from Christmas!

Our kind family members pitched in for this fun present.

More to come....let's be honest...who knows when.

unconditional love

These two words have clutched my heart and mind for the past 10 months.  Sometimes just saying them to myself with no reflection, and often times sitting to contemplate what they mean in my own life.  And, this past week I was given the privilege to view unconditional love manifested before me.

I've been reading and embracing that Christ's love for me has nothing to do with me.  For so long I thought this love had to do with my behavior -- acting correctly, saying or doing the right things, not saying or doing the wrong things.  But I'm vividly seeing this is not the case, and I was mistaken for many years.  Christ came to love those that are full of sin (Romans 5:8, or all of Romans, or the entire Bible) and whose behavior is as I've come to label it, a "hot mess."  And, yes, that's me.  I'm the hot mess.  It's been freeing to receive love that is one-way -- from God to me.  Love despite myself -- completely separate from my behavior.  I'm speaking of grace.


Katie and Chris have always been dear to me.  I have watched their relationship develop, grow, and mature from our high school years until today.  But as I watched them LOVE Hallie these past 10 months I have, in a more deeper and more profound manner, understood God's love to us.  Despite Hallie's condition, appearance, behavior and lack of reciprocation she has been DEEPLY loved by her family.  She didn't have to DO anything.  She didn't have to BE somebody.  She was who she was and that was enough.  

Katie and Chris, our friendship is a treasure.

Hallie Lynn Green

Some of you may know the Green family.  If not here is the link to their amazing story.

Katie has been my
childhood friend,
cheerleading buddy,
college roommate,
maid of honor,
neighbor,
mommyhood refuge
and the dearest best friend the Lord could have selected for me.

Here is the link to her meal calendar if you are interested in helping out in that arena.
Kelly Ford has set up another loving way to help.