Spinster House

I have often made the comparison of selling a house to courtship. You gussy it up with paint and elbow grease, then you put it out there on the market hoping for the phone to ring. When a walk through comes, it's like the first date. Sometimes you do all that cleaning/prettying up and they stand you up. Sometimes they show up early when you're not ready. And then you wonder if they liked you enough to call back for a second date. Well, our house is becoming an old maid. Nobody wants a second date much less an engagement. In fact, we haven't had a call in three weeks. I find myself cleaning things up in expectation and I keep thinking "wishful makeup-ing" (Pretty in Pink reference for the John Hughes fans out there). I can find no logical reason for our loser status. Our house is one of the newest in the neighborhood, and one of the cheapest per square foot. Sometimes it feels like God has made it invisible.

I find myself constantly asking Him why?? What is His purpose? I like having things figured out in my head. I have a very hard time going day by day trying to discern His will when it is completely unclear. God seems to know that about me, and I think He likes me to be uncomfortable sometimes. Don't you find that is when you are on your knees and talking to God the most? If nothing else, I will say that my walk with Christ has changed in the last couple months. I've gone from fasting from chocolate or soda or whatever to being on my knees and crying in prayer to a more consistent morning and night devotion and prayer. I find my priorities and personality changing a little too. I've never heard a booming God voice in my head telling me what I was supposed to do, and I've often wondered if that really happens (or if I just can't hear it). Even when I was dating my husband and I knew I was supposed to marry him, there was no voice, I just knew.

I'm reminded of a few years ago when my husband was working and living hunreds of miles away and I was taking care of two toddlers with a house up for sale all by my lonesome. It went on for four months, and we kept praying for wisdom, clarity, guidance. What were we supposed to be doing? But I couldn't hear anything. Don't get me wrong, I felt peace when I really needed it, but He never gave us a neon sign or an answer of why. Then two months after hubby came home and we decided to stay put, everything came together perfectly... for a totally different job, different state. It made sense then even though it hadn't when we were going through it.

Oh yes, God is stretching me. I'm hoping that it will all lead to our house selling, and us finding the perfect house in the perfect neighborhood (closer to everything). But either way, I think I've matured a little more this year. I don't want to be a waiter, waiting for the house to sell, waiting for a referral, waiting to pick her up, waiting, waiting, waiting... Everyday must count because we don't know what tomorrow holds. Sorry to get all schmaltzy and philosophical, but I needed to just talk that out. I know it's just a house, but it's gotten to the point of frustration.

Give Away Day Winnings

Here is my much delayed post about all the cool stuff I won from the Sew Mama Sew giveaway day. I just recieved the last item this week (I guess she was much delayed also :). Let this be a lesson to you, if you neglect house cleaning and cooking dinner for a few days and devote yourself fully to entering oodles of blog giveaways, you too could be just as lucky as me. I was extremely surprised by all contests I won, and I made sure to share with my family, children and friends.

So, in photo #1, we have a Surfing Nelephant from Danger Kitty Designs, underneath that is a heavenly smelling tropical soap set from The Nadalet Family, and the adorable little red bag is from Mackville Road.

In photo #2, I put my 20 year old pincushion next to the beautiful cupcake that I won from Hillary at Designing Happy (she also included that lovely fabric scrap). I am still going to keep my old pincushion. Child #1 is very excited to be able to start using it.

In photo #3, cupcakes were the charm this year, and my cupcakes actually came on my birthday. How cool is that? This is my lovely personalized apron and cupcake clippies from Julee at Green(ish) Mama. I love this apron and I keep it hanging in my kitchen. My daughter wore the clippies on her birthday four days after mine!

And lastly, in photo #4, a super soft pair of wash mitts and goats milk soap from Breezy Babies. Seriously, I just kept closing my eyes and rubbing my cheek against the mitt. I cannot recommend the goats milk soap enough, it's fabulous!

9 Months Waiting

I have been busy busy busy lately. Relatives visiting, summer camps, and occasional walk-throughs. I'm feeling happy this week because Ethiopia just announced they will be leaving courts open longer this year. See, usually Ethiopian courts close for about two months every year during the rainy season (August-September). It has been confirmed that they will be staying open through August, not sure about September yet. It is great news for anyone waiting and anyone in the process. I just feel bad for the judges because they won't be getting the normal vacation time this year. We will be updating our homestudy this month, whether we move or not. So there you have it.

Took the words right out of my mouth

This article was written by one of the ladies on my adoption agency's forum about the Madonna adoption fiasco, and it says everything I wish people knew about our decision to adopt from Africa. She says it all so eloquently, and well, just read the article...