August 2012 - March 2013 UPDATE...time flies and we're moving...

It has been an exciting and jammed summer. This past week was down right sad. We had to put our greyhound down after a short, sudden illness. I miss him. I'm sad. BUT...it will all be okay. Eventually. So, the whole last post about my hubby's company treating him so poorly? Well, they did. Hubby heard a rumor that his section was dissolving within 3 months...hubby started looking for another job. In another city. !!! Move again? NO! Sell our house? NO! But...when you hear the rumor that the major private employer in town is closing down your division in a few months...you start looking. And your wife begrudgingly says...okay. Long story short, my husband got a great job, for a great company, doing something that is highly sought after all over the US in Medford, OR. About an hour and a half from where we are now. He's almost been there a year. And you know what? If we hadn't hauled our butts out here for that OTHER company that treated him like dirt...we would have NEVER had this opportunity. Yes, I said WE. Because...WE are moving to Medford. We have sold our house (well, still awaiting on appraisals and it is taking forEVER) and have made an offer on a short sale in Medford (ALSO taking forever...)but we are supposed to be out of this house by the end of August. And so where will we go? Well, mom, dad and I will head up to the Long Beach Peninsula to hang out at mom's brothers house (my aunt and uncle). The boys and Tom...will live in Tom's one bedroom tiny little apartment for a while...till that short sale goes through. And gets the carpets cleaned and the walls repainted by Tom...and the boys. Then, mom, dad and I will return home to move in. (Then we will go pick up a new greyhound as I am desperately missing the one I had and want another RIGHT NOW.) Sooo... we are currently in three storage units and Toms apartment and will spread ourselves out even further....then eventually we will all be back together. Hopefully before it gets cold because our new house has a pool and I would like to try it before we shut er down for the winter! CRAZY. WEIRD.

UPDATE - So what happened?  We got the house and then GAVE it back and said No, thanks.  It was sliding down the hill and need $30k worth of work done to stake it to the ground.   We are renting  a house right now from someone Tom works with.  It is big and has enough room for all of us,  THAT is saying something.  It is also in the boys high school district. God provided well, for us.  We just lost another house about a week ago...short sales suck.  Now our house we were GOING to get has been relisted by another agent who thinks she can get the second mortgage holder to release his grip.  That is why the last sale fell through.  We are, once again, playing the waiting game.  IF this one doesn't go through, we think we may build a house.  We are currently looking for a level lot whilst we wait upon the rel estate powers that be...they have alll the control and we are finally to the point of "WHAT EVER.  God, if you want us here, make it happen.  If you want us to move on, make THAT happen."  We have been house hunting for over a year now with NO luck.  It took us a while...but we FINALLY gave it back to the Lord.  Because, bottom line, He has all the control anyway.  He will find us a house - or - build us one.  He continues to take care of us NO MATTER how whiny we get.  So glad He is God and I...am NOT!

High School boys...TWO of them.

It's been over a year since I posted...and it certainly isn't because nothing has been happening.  We have moved form a small town to a big city.  My husband took a new job.  And BOTH of my kids are...in HIGH SCHOOL.  When we adopted the boys, I knew life would change.  I knew it would go fast.  But I have two boys teetering on the brink of manhood.  Still firmly entrenched in the "boy" phase...but dangerously close...WAY too close to forever stepping in to their adult life. Video games versus hormones...who will win THAT battle?

Several years ago, I pretty much pummeled God with my questions about HOW my boys were going to make it.  Were they close enough to Him?  Did they GET it?  Do they realize how important He is in their lives and what part He has played in orchestrating their lives?  I don't think they "get it...yet.  I certainly didn't at 15 or 16.  I didn't have a clue.  But as I was churning myself in to a frenzy about "what If" my boys didn't have a clue, God whispered in my ear "I've brought them this far, Lois...I won't leave them now..."  Oh.  Yeah.  That calmed me.  I let them go to the One who has held them since before they were born.

Will my boys make mistake?  Yes.  Certainly.  Bad choices?  For sure.  But God loves them more than I ever could.  And He loves them unconditionally.  No matter what they do.  No matter how they screw up.  He's got them covered...and His plan is infinitely better than mine.  Mine isn't even CLOSE to His.   Plus I don't think you really CAN put your kids in a barrel and lock them in until they are 25.  And it might not work that well, anyway. And, I have come to realize that as much as I wish I could, it is NOT my job to get them through this part of life without scratches, bumps and bruises.  Sigh.  I have to rest in the fact that God has it all under control.

He didn't bring them this far to leave them now.  And with that knowledge...breath.