Pure love. Pure joy.

"There's a place in every heart just waiting for someone special to fill it with love."

Tyler Steven Whiting

April 26, 2011

7lbs 6oz- 20 1/2inches

5:51pm

Proud Daddy and the beautiful unending circle of life.

blue or yellow?

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1

 It took us about a year to sell our home in Texas. In that time, we have been searching for one here. We knew that Colorado lifestyle was 35% higher and completely different from Texas lifestyle. We were totally up for the it. Challenge and all. When Josh was working here I even trusted him (and Mom, brother, sis-in-law...) in February to actually put an offer on a home that seemed "perfect" for us at the time. With me only seeing it through the eyes of the internet and Josh's camera- that's a pretty big fat TRUST if I must say myself. Well, low and behold it wasn't the one. Another offer was accepted not an hour before we wanted to put one in. We stopped looking then. While getting ready to move- we were getting too exhausted, desperate and way too vulnerable. Time was ticking. Apartment it is.

So here we are. And I will try to make this a bit short. We found a new house (a darling blueish one) this past week in a neighborhood that we started looking at a year ago. With family opinions and all- in two days we put a contract on it. To be honest the whole time I/we had a bit of this "oh, we are settling, rushing, there might be something else out there, kinda great but not quite sure feeling". Totally a heart thing because it really was a nice home. On the way to look at the elementary school that the girls were going to go to, I stopped and noticed another house in a different location. A yellowish one. I couldn't get it out of my mind and heart. It turns out.....THIS WAS THE SAME HOUSE ON A FLYER THAT WAS SITTING ON OUR COFFEE TABLE IN TEXAS FOR MONTHS- THAT WE DIDN'T THINK WE COULD AFFORD!

We called realtor friend and went through. It was older, needing a tad updating and oddly the EXACT plan as the blue home. It offered so much more and felt just right (see: instincts, heart stuff, Holy Spirit always comes out on the top). We quickly decided to terminate the contract on the blueish one. Yellow house was it. Well, not-so-easy. This is where the short part of this blog post is coming in. I will spare the details.

A heart-racing but blessed week.
Offer on the yellow house. Blue house finally terminated. Yellow house contract signed. Loan stuff starting (so we aren't celebrating quite yet:) and that heart thing? Much better. Confused now?

For the most part we are continually being convicted, tested and ultimately surrendering to listening to the magic of life and love. Every detail of it. Every moment. The good, the bad and the ugly.

Those soft spoken heart voices.
They most always are right on.

                       among other things working out; to mention later...this was on the master bedroom wall 

Santa Fe

"Where I was born and where and how I have lived is unimportant. It is what I have done with where I have been that should be of interest." Georgia O'Keeffe

My hard-workin-honey had some work down in Santa Fe this past week and he insisted that I would go with him. Insisted. Ooookaaay. ha. The drive down from here was about 5 hours and it was a spectacular mountain drive. We got down to our old, beautiful downtown El Dorado hotel and IT was spectacular. The architecture everywhere is so native and over 400 years old. Santa Fe is America's oldest capital city. We chowed at a local Mexican restaurant with way-too-ohmygoodness-good-margaritas. Gettin' away like this was just what was needed. My Mom kept the girls, so no worries there, she was happy to be around them because it had been too long not.

Well, the next day- Josh had to work so....he ordered a hot stone massage and a day of shopping for me. What. a. guy. I. have. It was delightful being on my own in such an artistic and eclectic place. I only touched upon the over 200 galleries, old buildings, sculptures, turquoise jewelry, sites and world class food. All are one of a kind.

There is a strip of local Native Americans selling handmade jewelry. They just lay blankets out and sell their beautiful sterling silver/turquoise/beaded things. Most of them had symbols hand stamped on them. I got a sterling guitar pic for Josh that had a bear, arrows, sunrise on it (for strength/protection/direction) and I got a tiny bracelet with a small turquoise on it with sunrise symbols (meaning new beginnings). It was neat talking to some of the natives, of whom still belonged to tribes.

Here's the old hotel we stayed at and their restaurant had THE best steaks. The pool/hot tub on top of the roof and wood burning fireplace in our room topped off our 2 night stay. It was really special for me to wear some of the beautiful Indian handmade jewelry that was Grandma Foster's from the 1920's when we had our fancy dinner there.

I didn't want to leave!

After the best french toast breakfast of my life in another popular local place we headed to the Georgia O'Keeffe museum. I must say, I have always loved her but now I adore her even more. Her life. The way she looked and enjoyed her surroundings. Her ways of abstract freedom in her art... an inspiration I tell ya. I actually got teary eyed when I watched the little documentary film of her life and some of the things she said about art. It would have been touching for any creative spirit.

There is so much more to do and see there. It will be saved for next time. I now know why everybody that has gone to Santa Fe has told me to go. The southwest organic style and art/design is unmatched.

okay- one more picture...

jumpin' in.

We hopped into the whole Colorado thing this weekend. Here's the thing:

Saturday was a perfect, clear sky 84 degrees. Kids were even swimming in the pool here. Being that we are living in a high altitude this temperature means no humidity, no stickiness, no bugs, no condensation on cold drinks, different cooking, good hair, etc. Yay!
We climbed up (huffin' and puffin' a bit) what our little town is named after in the afternoon. Josh and Lauren rock climbed to the tippy top of it. Yes, fearless Lauren will more than likely be our mountain girl.

Then we woke up on Sunday and around 10am it dropped to 34 degrees and there was a couple inches of snow accumulating. We couldn't believe it. That's a 50 degree difference in less than 24 hours! Apparently this is a pretty normal thing heading into springtime here.

Never mind the freezing cold, wet, muddy stuff that snuck up on everybody....Josh and the girls hit one of many nearby state parks for a 2 hour hike. The girls loved it. It's the experience of it all I guess.

apartment living.

All week we didn't know where the rest of our stuff was. The mover called and had it all on another semi ready to be unpacked again. I have no idea how the movers/we (mainly Josh, really) crammed, shoved and piled a 3000 square foot home into a 1000 square foot second floor apartment. I mean, stacked 10 feet high in our single garage. And best of all....we get to move this stuff AGAIN when we find a house here. Yippee. Phahaha. When ya look at this place it looks like we should be aired on the show "Hoarders: Buried Alive" on TLC.

Josh and I had flashbacks. Flashback on when we were first married. We couldn't find (among many other things too) the screws to our bed frame. So we are sleeping just on a boxspring/mattress too. Boxes everywhere. Everything is everywhere. We only have maybe 10% of our house up in this apartment and we're making do. It's like the good ole' days. Minus the two extra little people that occupy our hearts now too. Speaking of the girls- they are loving just sleeping with their mattresses plopped on the floor and making a bit of a monkey mess. They are relishing in the fact (me too) that they can clutter up their space a bit. There won't be spotless house showings or much entertaining here for awhile.

This first week has had it's challenges and joy's.
The key word right now is: adventure.

The family times/celebrating a new baby Whiting coming soon: awesome.
The newness and missing the comforts of everything and everyone: rough.
The girls adjusting: fabulous.
The work that Josh has missed and has to catch up on: bummer.
The weather and views: totally rocks.
The homeschooling: tough, but I'm acting as if I know what I'm doing.
Leaning into God's plans...
being all together and having everything in one place at this point: priceless.