the laundry room

So I have rigorously worked on organizing and cleaning my home this week as we were having company over Thursday night. I used a few ideas from Pinterest to re-organize and decorate and just make my home more homey. Here is my laundry room that I am actually rather proud of. I spent the most money on this room, and the least time, but I really like the way that it turned out. So hear are some photos for you to take a look at. It is very simple, but I did it all myself. So I guess that's why I'm so proud of it...

New Development

So I have told a few people this already, but I thought I would just blog about it since it's been a little while since my last post. Andrew and I have been desiring, for quite some time now, a change in location. We had been discussing him going active with the military since he liked his job so much and he just wasn't finding a full-time job that would support us. Well, he has been working at Cardinal Glass in Amery for three weeks now and he is LOVING it. The job was such a blessing, and has helped him to make up his mind about the military. I am a little disappointed because I had been looking forward to a new adventure. In spite of that though, Andrew and I have still discussed moving. I think we would both just like to get away from our "home" area and find a new place where we can be adults and begin our family as OUR family.

For a long time now our hearts have lived in Madison area because we have developed very close, meaningful relationships with several couples over that way. Our desire is to be able to move over there and Andrew and I are praying about it possibly being next fall. We have been house-hunting online just to see what's out there and last night Andrew fell in love. He all of a sudden had a fire lit under him and he raced in and out of the house measuring, cutting and piecing trim and door frames. He is hoping to finish it all very soon so we can put the house on the market. I think he is hoping to move before next fall now.

I forgot to mention...while we are wanting to move, it still depends on a job for Andrew. I researched it and Cardinal has a branch in Mazomonie which is 30 minutes from the Madison area. Cardinal has a branch in Portage and Tomah, Wisconsin as well, but Mazomonie is the closest one. So we are praying and waiting on the Lord for some answers and direction, and Andrew is getting things done around the house. We will also have to sell our current home (which I really won't miss much) and I can't imagine how long it may take to sell, but I believe that if it is God's will for us that we move, He will just open all of the doors and make things run the way things can run only when it is God's will.

So if you would keep that in prayer for us, that we would sense God's direction and that He would clearly open the doors and close the right/wrong ones. I really feel that He is going to move us quicker than we had anticipated just because of how gung-ho Andrew became last night. But I am excited and can't wait to see the Lord's leading.

I suppose I could add a couple of notes about the development of Andrew's job...it is TOTALLY a "God thing." Andrew had quit his job at Dick's before having a new one but we were counting on a bonus from the Air Force and his leaving in September for training. Well, he won't be leaving now, and we did get the bonus and it allowed us to buy a camera for my business, a car for Andrew and to catch us up on bills. We had been praying separately for a job and Andrew had been SO incredibly diligent about applying anywhere he could find. He received a call from Cardinal for an interview and I was nervous for him. We decided to pray before he left that morning for the interview and then he left. I had gone out that day and hadn't been home. I got home and our friend was there hangin' with Andrew and after he left I checked the phone. Cardinal had called and told him that they would like to hire him if he was interested and he called them back right away and he started that Tuesday. We were able to go to Madison then and visit our friends and be back in time for him to get a good rest before he started his new job! As you can see, it is another thing that God just really had His hand in...It is just so incredibly obvious to me how strong the power of prayer is from that one simple act. He sure amazes me.

American Airman

Thought maybe some photos of Texas and the Airmen were due:

The Airman's Creed

I am an American Airman.

I am a Warrior.

I have answered my nation's call.

I am an American Airman.

My mission is to fly, fight, and win.

I am faithful to a proud heritage,

a tradition of honor,

and a legacy of valor.

I am an American Airman,

Guardian of freedom and justice,

My nation's sword and shield,

Its sentry and avenger.

I defend my country with my life.

I am an American Airman:

Wingman, Leader, Warrior.

I will never leave an Airman behind.

I will never falter,

and I will not fail.

Andrew is working on the base this weekend and I thought this would be rather fitting for today and since the 4th of July was less than a week ago, still applicable. (Not that it isn't ALWAYS applicable since we continually get to enjoy the freedoms that so many men and women have and are sacrificing today, but you know what I'm getting at.)

After a Sweet Reunion

Well, it's been quite a while again since I have updated this and thought it was definitely due time. Andrew is back home after a long three months that flew by (if that makes any sense...). We have been doing very well since he has been home. We have been getting along well and he has been working very hard. There has been a big change in both of us that is very obvious to me.

God hasn't stopped blessing us, or working in our lives for sure. Andrew quit his job at Dick's in Amery about three weeks ago and we were praying VERY hard that he would get a job quickly. I was pretty nervous about it because he had been jobless before for quite a while. We knew that he was getting a bonus from the Air Force, we weren't totally sure of when, but it came just in time. We were able to pay bills, get caught up (Dick's wasn't paying a fair wage at all and we had fallen behind on bills because of it.) and he bought me a camera and was able to buy a car for him (which I really like and am very pleased with.). Then two weeks later he had an interview at Cardinal Glass in Amery and that same day he received a phone call letting him know that he had a spot if he was interested.

He started on Tuesday and he has been loving being able to do the manual labor and getting a fair wage. It is his first full time job since we have been married, and it's still a little hard for me to comprehend...Things are going to be a little easier in the bank account department and it is definitely going to be quite an adjustment from living pay-check to pay-check and wondering if we will be able to pay our bills. What a blessing.

We were able to go to Madison and visit my very best friend, Abigail Celenia Burnard and her family and it was just wonderful. We are thinking that we may try to put the house on the market this fall and Andrew is going to look into either being transferred to a Cardinal Glass out that way or looking for other jobs over there. It was so refreshing to spend time with like-hearted couples while we were there. Granted we are still in a slightly different stage of life with the baby but they don't mind, and our baby is about the easiest he could be so it doesn't hinder much.

I am still trying to lose all of the weight that I gained from pregnancy and then-some, it's a very hard, trying, discouraging process for me and it almost makes me question whether or not I actually want to have another baby....I know that I do, but at this moment in time I am very frustrated and discouraged. I can't find time to work out because we still have a "house-mate" and granted he sleeps till noon every day, I just don't want to take the chance of him coming down while I'm exercising...that and the stupid house shakes while I do anything...

So there-in lies my dilemma. Move from one thing to another...Life just never lets go.

But we keep pressing on to finish the race marked out for us...