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.

Hello!

Life is an opportunity- benefit from it.

Life is a game- play it.

Life is a dream- realize it.

Life is a challenge- meet it.

Life is duty- complete it.

Life is reality- admire it.

Life is a promise- fulfill it.

Life is sorrow- overcome it.

Life is a song- sing it.

Life is a struggle- accept it.

Life is a tradegy- confront it.

Life is luck- wish it.

Life is adventure- dare it.

Life is life- live it.

Life is Love. 

Love it!

So here we are. 

One week we are in shorts/tanks, sunshine, large house, forever friends...the next week we are in scarves/jackets, tiny apartment, snow, no friends. It was a very emotional and exhausting week last week and more work than we had expected. Everything has changed. Everything. We are feeling like this awesome Colorado environment with family is just the right fit for us. But it has also been challenging, real...and totally faith building. Our 14 years of Texas roots have been lifted, misplaced, planted again. ALL is so new. The mountain air is so different from the southern air. Our hearts are wide open, raw and totally vulnerable right now. We are being brave and hopeful, strong. 

It's been about being sad and super excited and always looking to the beautiful light from the Lord that shines every minute of the day.

No matter where you are planted- it is what you can count on.

Move day(s).

Up and at 'em early. The four guys that moved us worked like dogs. We felt like we weeded through, sold, donated so much stuff (even my car)...where was all this coming from? We were sharing the truck with 2 other families also heading to Colorado areas. We filled up half of it, and the guys couldn't fit in the garage stuff. Another truck coming in the morning. 

Really? We were beyond exhausted. At one point (as my feet were tingling and it hurt to move facial muscles) I told Josh that I was so tired...I felt nauseous. Time for bed at a good friends house for the night.

 The next morning, they packed up the rest as we cleaned a bit. During this time our buyers were scheduled to move in. Soooo, they had delivery trucks dropping off their brand new furniture and moving in as we were still moving in! Moving is supposed to be crazy....but seriously? (Just one of the many bumps in the road with our house-selling process I tell ya.) Luckily the sweet family was working with us and we are so very blessed to have them living in our custom home. We both helped eachother and they prayed over us a few times. How cool is that?

Polly was packed in with us in the way-too-shoved-in-car. She had more room in her crate than anyone else in the car. Ha. Lauren must have known that Mommy and Daddy were spent one week (look at the bloodshot eyes in this drawing!). It was left on the fridge as we left because it was such a reminder every day.

Farewell's

For the past 4 weeks or so it's been packing, calls, more calls, searching, crying, laughing, frustration and saying goodbye in more way than one. I can't say that everything has been easy. It's been hard. 

 "Colorado-bound-Texas-style" party with some of my favorite girls ever (guys too!). Also a huge thanks to all the sweet "just poppin' by to say bye/hug" and meals from dear friends during our moving week too. xox.

 The girls school was really hard to say goodbye to. Owens Elementary has been a part of our family since we moved to Texas. Josh taught there, the older teachers remember when the girls were born, and Hannah was finishing her 6th year there. It was like home, teachers like family, and forever in our hearts friends.

 Close to every day bff Ellie and the girls would talk and play endless childhood games, searching for bugs and riding bikes...what kids should do. (And my dearest neighbor friend Mimi...miss our walks/talks already, girl.)

 Always fun. These kiddos have grown up with eachother. We have pictures of the older one's on a blanket when they were mere months old at their first "playdate". Tender, sweet friendships.

 We had a moving sale. I had been holding onto a big box of the girls baby clothes and it was time to say goodbye to the adorable little outfits (still spit up stains on some of them!) and the princess games, MY old Barbie convertible, play makeup, etc... oh, oh, oh........just too much.

 I had packed up all frames, mirrors, decor, fragile stuff right away. The one frame I left out was this one. I feel like it was one more goodbye to Dad and all the Texas memories we had with him.

spring has sprung.

One day last week we looked at the grass in our backyard and it was brown. Then just that afternoon Josh and I looked at eachother and mentioned how our grass was turning green already. Seems like when spring decides to show up in East Texas, well, it shows up within a few hours. No kidding. Buds popped overnight it seemed. Get out the shorts and t-shirts.

I love springtime. Always have. I love the flowers (and taking pictures of them:), the colors, the fresh smell, being outside, the sunshine, the fragrant breezes, the new skip in everyone's step. Needless to say, we have been c-r-a-z-y busy here with the clock ticking and the boxes piling getting ready to move. We are floating around with a ton of emotions and in a whirlwind of lists and to-do's. In the midst we have been really digging down deep to be able to stop and enjoy the breezes a tad. The girls had their Spring Break this past week. It consisted of: a fabulous ladies night away with best friends for me, taxes started/finished, a nasty stomach bug for Hannah and I (with fever, headache to boot), two sleepovers with the girls bff's, roofers/insurance adjuster chaos, Josh in Dallas (along with being a salesman, electrician, plumber, all-around fixer up'er here), packing, sorting, organizing, clearing, did I mention packing, tossing and finally selling way too much of our big and small accumulated stuff at our two-day garage sale.

By Saturday night Josh and I agreed our bodies felt like they had run triathlons. Where's the pillow?

It was Spring without the BREAK part for the adults in the house.

birthday fun

Hannah didn't want to have a large party thing this year for her 11th birthday. She has sweet friends at school, but she has this one really special friend. Her name is Ellie. She will be one of those best friends that you cherish your entire life and tell everyone that you've been friends since the third grade. Ellie's 11th birthday is just 2 days after Hannah's. They wanted to celebrate together! Josh mentioned that a freebie mall scavenger hunt would be fun to do. It was SO much FUN! We had teams and searched for 45 things at the mall in 45 minutes. Everything from a picture of a pair of red high heels and a JCPenney salesperson signature to how many dressing rooms at the Gap. (Daddy was a fierce competitor and it ended up being a tie!)

My mom has always made the birthday cake for both the girls birthdays since they were born. She is a cake master and I have loved that special tradition. Only one problem this year- she lives in Colorado! So, I surprised Hannah and Ellie telling them that THEY will be making their birthday cake this year. They were super crazy excited about the idea, did it all themselves, and I know it will be a sweet memory.

Hannah love. love. loves the water. So, off to a nearby indoor water park. What a perfect birthday weekend for her and her birthday bff!

Two favorite gifts: Wii Just Dance and a book of string games. She went to Camp Tyler last week with her class and Momma Bear camp counselor taught her some. She was hooked. Remember Jacob's ladder, Witches Broom...? I've enjoyed these favs just as much as her :)