Bible Quiz, painting, and a whole lot more!

The New Paint Job!!!!! What do you think?????

Wow! Time is flying by and I can't remember being so busy in a VERY long time. I know I usually always complain that I am busy. However, until recently I didn't know what busy actually was! Let's see last week was pretty uneventful. My school is going fine. The kids were a bit wild coming back from spring break. They did fine about Wednesday though and really settled down a bit. I am amazed how much they have learned this year and am so proud that some have started putting letters together and reading. It's a blast watching it all click in their little brains. On Friday night MeMaw came and picked up Caleb and Aaron to take them home for the weekend. (It was only suppose to be Friday night but the little darlings (Hee Hee) convinced her to let them stay one more night. Jared stayed home with Mom and Dad because he and I went to Abilene on Saturday to compete in the AWANA Bible Quiz. OK he competed, I just sat back and tried not to throw up from being so nervous! We took 14kids with us to the competition and about half of them were in my 3rd and 4th grade class in AWANA. This was our first year to go to Bible Quiz and we had NO IDEA what to expect! We just went to have fun and learn about what it's like. Jared did great! He didn't place in the competition but he did an awesome job. The first thing they did was the paddle drill. They get a multiple choice question and they have to hold up the correct (A,B,C) paddle. Jared only missed one out of the 12 questions! I was so proud. I personally had to guess at 3 of them myself (while safely sitting in the audience). He was on stage with 23 other scared to death kids. Next was the written test. He got 20 out of 25 questions correct. That was awesome! Last was the speed round. Basically, the give to you a buzzer and then ask a question. You have to be the first one to hit the buzzer and get the answer right. You really have about a 1 in 23 chance of being the first one to hit the buzzer. He never got to answer a question in that round. I asked him later if the ever hit his buzzer and he said NO! He said he didn't know any of the answers! In truth, I think he was scared to death to stand up and answer a question in front of all those people! I would have been! He did great though and he is hooked on going! We did have two teams that placed in the competition. My group of girls placed 3rd in book one and my older girls placed 4th in book 2. I was so proud. I think they did awesome for their first year! Honestly, they didn't even know what a paddle looked like before they walked in!
The the meantime, Brian was busy as a bee painting our house with Daddy. He and Daddy got it sprayed on Saturday in about 3 hours time. It looks very good. I'm so happy that we were able to save the money and do it our self. Sunday we worked on getting the trim and painted around the windows, doors, corners and everywhere else. My arms and knees are so sore I can't hardly move!!! It really looks good though and we hope it will bring lots of lookers. So far we have only had one. However, from what I can understand, that is pretty normal for the market. They are saying that it takes about a month for people to really notice and get qualified and get an offer on the table. I hope and pray that they are right. Brian and I have been praying non stop over this all and really feel that God is going to sell our house exactly when it's the best time. We feel that He is leading us to buy the other house and so we will close on that house on the 14th of April whether our house has sold or not. It's very scary because we will have two house then and two sets of stuff to juggle. However, it will allow us to paint, put the in carpet, put down the new tile and get everything done before we have to move. I like the thought of not having to rush to get things done. Now know for SURE that we have sought God's face on this and would NEVER do it unless he told us. It's so not like us to take risks and own two houses. God just keeps telling us trust me, have faith in me, I will do what I say I will do. Do you believe me???? Then trust me!!!!! I know that his timing is always better than mine anyway!
Well, I had better run and get my sore bones to bed. I'm tired and we still have about 1/3 of the house left to trim. Yee Haw!

Love to all!
J.J.

PS On a special note please keep our family members, Jason and Michaelle, in your prayers. Jason lost his father today around 4:30. Monroe has been in poor health for a while but he died very suddenly and tragically. The whole family will miss him deeply.

We have a 100% Score!

Congratulations to my truly brilliant middle son Jared who made a 100 on his first ever 3rd grade reading TAKS tests. We got the results yesterday and the child was floating on cloud 9! He called Daddy and Memaw to let them know right away and will tell anyone who will sit still long enough. His comment was, "now I don't have to worry anymore"! Bless his heart he was truly stressed over the whole thing! It was hard to see him that way but also hard to sympathize with him because I knew he was going to make a 100 the whole time. The child freaks out when he gets a 98 for the most part! I don't have a clue where the brilliance comes from (other than God above)but I hope it NEVER stops! For his reward, he has picked a trip to the Abilene Zoo this summer. They always get to pick one "grand" prize for a 100 (shoot for the stars) and then a "runner-up" prize for a commended performance (missing 2 or less) then a "passing" prize. Jared's were the Abilene Zoo, heelies, and a BIG ice cream from Marble Slab. Anyway, I over heard him telling Memaw that he would get to go to the Abilene Zoo this summer "as long as I don't flunk the Math TAKS test in April. Because then I will have to go to summer school and wouldn't have time for the zoo!" He is such a hoot. I have a feeling he will have another 100 on the Math test because he never misses anything on them either. But, he considers Math is worst subject! He is just too funny! Anyway, I am very proud of him and can't wait to go to the zoo!

Love to all,
JJ

The wrap up!!!!

Hi everyone! Well Spring Break is officially over and I am NOT happy. I loved it! I love my time away from all the hustle and hassle of school. The kids are great and I love being around them. They did such a great job with having fun and not driving each other crazy. Saturday we got the house ready for the "showing" and then took Peanut (the dog) and headed up to our Youth Group Car wash. We had a lot of fun and I helped wash about 10 cars. The boys had a blast helping! OK with Aaron and Jared you can't really call it "helping" too much but they were bound to knock off some dirt running around with a sponge. At one point, Aaron was found sitting in a large puddle having a ball! He loved it. Caleb was worn out by the time we made it home around 1:30. He was also slightly burned even though we used sunscreen on him. I, on the other hand, did not burn but had to take Tylenol because on arm was killing me by the time it was over. OK, I am officially using muscles that have never seen action! With all the house fixing and the car washing I am going to get in shape! Hee Hee!
Sunday, we headed to church and had a great worship experience. Our pastor was out sick, bless his heart. However, our youth pastor did a wonderful job preaching. After lunch out with Wayne and Judy we came home and started working. I got my stuff ready for school on Monday, did all the laundry (yes ALL of it), unloaded and reloaded the dishes and then passed out for an hour nap. After the nap, Brian and I got out the power washer that we borrowed from Dennis and power washed the paint off the house. We are getting ready to paint it so all the old peeling junk off the eaves had to go. Man! I love the power washer! I would buy one if I had the money! It's so cool! We did the whole house in about 2 hours! I can't believe how it just blasted the stuff right off. The kids raked the all the paint chips and bagged them up. They did an OK job until Jared climb a tree and fell out. Big,big, big scrape on his side. He was Ok after a band aide and some loving.
Well, I guess I had better run and get some sleep. Tomorrow is going to come very early. I loved being able to sleep in until 8:30! I got spoiled! Have a great week everyone! I will let you know about any house developments! We haven't heard anything from the showing on Saturday. You couldn't even tell they had been here except a door was chained that I had left open. Be blessed today!

JJ

We have a looker!

Hey everyone! I'm so excited we have a "looker" to come and look at the house. OK I know it's only one so far but I rejoice in the fact that at least we have one. It really only takes one right???? Hee Hee! We have been chilling out the last couple of days and taking it easy. On Wednesday we ran around with the Kerr Herd (Amy and the kids) and went to the park and to McDonald's. We also stopped by Home Depot and wished a little for the "new" house. We checked out flooring, wall colors and back splash tile. I have some great ideas flying around my head for the new house but they are just ideas in my head right now. I know what I want however I'm not too sure how to execute them on a "$ 0" budget! Mainly, we need to start with the flooring first and them work up to wall colors and tile. We are still working on the carpet deal. The carpet in the bedrooms that survived the flood is Berber (I don't have a clue if that is spelled right). I have never been a fan of Berber carpet. I don't know why really. It's pretty but I just don't like the look really.
Anyway, Thursday was filled with chilling out and Caleb having a friend spend the night. We went to Kids Kingdom and then took them out for pizza. We ended the night renting a video and a new video game. Today, I woke up with a slight tummy bug. No one else is sick so who knows where it came from. I have laid in bed and read most all day. The kids played the video game, fixed lunch, and did the "house showing" prep (you know vacuum, dust, sweep and make the beds). They were so good while I stayed away from them and was yucky. Brian just came home and took them to the park again. They love playing "cops and robbers" which is hide and seek plus tag rolled into one big game. You should have heard them yesterday planning the game, making the rules, talking about strategy. It was so fun to listen too. Anyone who thinks that 12 year old boys don't like to "play" has never been around Caleb. He would rather play than talk on the phone! I love that! I know it will end soon and he will sit for hours on the phone but I love the fact he can so outside and have a blast.
Well, the crew will be home soon for dinner so I had better run. I hope you are all doing well. Pray for Wayne and the family and for the "lookers" we have coming tomorrow. With God all things are possible:)!!!!!

Love to all,
JJ

The Sign is UP....where are the buyers?????

Hey guys, I can't believe I haven't blogged since Saturday! However, it's safe to say that I haven't sat down since then also! Today was my first official break from the house selling madness! On Sunday, Judy and Wayne took the boys home from church and Brian and I started working at 1:00 that afternoon and stopped at 12:00 midnight! We painted the boys room (2 coats of Kilz and 1 top coat, remember it's the one that was blue on bottom and sponged different colors on top), raked and cleaned the whole yard (thanks to Mason, Dennis, and Grandma for all the help), cleaned the bathroom from top to bottom, cleaned the stove (yuck), cleaned the inside of the dishwasher (I going to need therapy soon), and numerous other odd jobs. On Monday, Brian went back to work to get some rest while I got ready for the official sign to be put up and added the finishing touches (planting Marigolds in my flower pots outside, putting a vase of flowers on the table and setting a place setting out). After the sign went up I had an overwhelming urge to watch traffic outside to see if anyone slowed down or stopped to look. On Tuesday, the troop of Realtors came by to do a "walk through" of the house. I counted about six cars outside of the house. Yes, I circled the neighborhood with the kids and the dog to see what they were doing! I know, I'm sick! If curiosity killed the cat...I'm just glad I'm not a cat, I'd be dead by now. After that, we just chilled out and waited for the offers to start pouring in and someone to come and "view" the house! I'M STILL WAITING! This is making me a nervous wreck! Those of you who KNOW me know that I am soooooooooooo not a person who cleans out the inside of her dishwasher and keeps it clean. I feel like the "clean" patrol around here. The boys have been forbidden to wear their shoes in the house from now on. After having to vacuum 3 times a day to get rid of all the specks of grass and dirty footprints, I finally just banned shoes all together! I have also had to keep up with the dishes and laundry waaaaaaaaaayyy more than I care too! Who knows maybe God is using this to teach me and the kids how to have and maintain a spot free home!

An update on the flood, everything dried out fine. After 3 days of running 20 or more fans in there, spraying mildew preventing stuff, and who know what else the flood is over. The sheet rock and cabinets made it through Ok but the flooring will have to go. Bob is getting prices on getting it replace. He has to eat the cost himself. I hate that for him. In the latest twist of home buying, our contract is still not set in stone. I haven't a clue what is holding things up really, other than the seller is being his normal self and is taking his own sweet time. We have a verbal agreement, but we don't have his signature on everything. Anyway, I'm so not going to stress over it anymore. Whatever happens is fine with me. I just have to believe that everything will work out for those who love God and are called according to his purpose. I rest in the fact that we are praying and seeking his face in all things that we do. I trust him to lead us where he wants us and will bring all things around in his timing.

OK for the last bit of news. I have had you guys pray for us on an unspoken request. I have waited to let everyone know about it because we needed to find out all the details and tell the kids. Please pray for our father-in-law Wayne. We found out about two weeks ago that he has prostrate cancer. We have been praying that the cancer would be contained and not have spread. After a bunch of tests, God has answered our prayers and the cancer looks to be contained. He will have a few more tests, EKG, stress tests, and blood work to prepare him for surgery on April 15th. They plan to remove the cancer completely and then will evaluate whether or not to follow up with radiation. Please join us in prayer that they will be able to remove the cancer and that he will not have to have any follow up treatments. It hit us all very hard but the shock is wearing off a little and now and we are trusting God for a complete healing. The kids took the news very well and seem to be doing fine. It helps that Grandad is up playing with them and is filling up large loads of junk to haul away from our house. He is doing well right now and even wanted to put off the surgery until after the annual men's fishing trip and the Texas Baptist Men's cooking training in May. The doctor told him "no" so he went ahead and set it up for April. He will be in the hospital for 3 to 4 days and home bound for about 10 days total. Then he will have to do "not much" for about 6 months???? 6 weeks??? something like that. Please keep Wayne and Judy and the whole family in your prayers. We have a peace that only God can give about the whole situation. We love each one of you guys and can feel your prayers of strength and healing. Keep it up!

Love in the name of Jesus,
JJ

Then there was a flood.....

Ok I guess things have been getting pretty boring around here lately. I mean really it's been about 12 hours without something major happening to us! So of course SOMETHING had to happen. I am wondering if maybe God just wants me to have something to blog about really? Anyway, yesterday we went to the real estate office and turned in all the paperwork to have our house listed this coming Monday. While we were there our realtor made a call and had the Electric company set a meter at the new house so we can check the well, air conditioner, heater, lights etc...... While in the office we made a comment about "surely everything is turned off in the house right? It's been vacant for a long time." Bob says, "it's ok they will make sure the meter is set but they always turn off the breakers. Then we can turn the house on when we go out and look at the house." Sounds simple right?????? You forget who you are dealing with! Judy called us last night around 9:30 to report that we have electricy in the house because when they passed it there was a light on. We think to ourselves...should we run out there and make sure the water is not running because the pump is on???? Something tells us that we should...but tiredness won out and we went to bed. Brian woke up this morning with the feeling that something was wrong. He called his Mom to run down and check things out. Sure enough...there is WATER running out off the front door of the house!!!!!!! The kitchen sink was running and both stoppers were in the sink!!!! Water was pouring over the sink all day and all night long. We called the realtor....who called a water removal team...who ripped out the carpet in the living room, hallway, and one bedroom. Now the question???? When you buy a house "as is" how "as is" is it suppose to be???? I have not a clue who is going to pay for the new carpet and flooring. I hope and pray it's not us!
Anyway, the moral of the whole thing is this....when you have a "feeling" about something don't ignore it/beat it with a hammer and go to bed! Act on it!

After the drama with the house that isn't even ours yet, the morning was shot. However, we managed to get 3 loads of trash,limbs,leaves, lumber and junk hauled off. I cleaned out every cabinate in the kitchen sorted through things to keep and things to sell. As well as, finally ripping the wallpaper off the kids bedroom and getting it ready to paint. I also finished off my bedroom and got Caleb's room ready. Actually, the boys washed all of Caleb's walls and windows and helped with the wallpaper. They want to help paint so bad it's not even funny. I promised they could help paint at the new house. We need the storage sheds painted so I figure that would be perfect for them. Well, I'm exhausted and I know Wayne, Judy and Brian are! I guess I had better turn in for the night.

Love to all,
JJ

PS Thank you for all your prayers on our unspoken request. God was faithful(as always) and has ANSWERED them! He is so good! I'll let everyone know what is happening soon. I ask you to continue to pray for us. Our family is just starting a battle that won't be over for a while. We covet your prayers!

And the Contract is ACCEPTED! Full blown panic attack!

We have an ACCEPTED CONTRACT!!!! Yippee Yahoo!!! Now the panic attack is starting to kick in! What in the world are we doing? Ok...so here is the deal we will pay "X" amount of $$$$$, we have 30 days to sell our property, we have 10 days to back out without any questions asked, and we are going nuts. There are so many questions and so little time. I wish Bob our realtor from church would just move in with us for the next month! That way I would not have the urge to call him 25 times a day! We are still making progress on out house but the wet weather has kept us from the outside area which really needs our attention. Mainly, the outside needs painting! The inside is finished accept for framing out a door to Caleb's room so it can be called a bedroom, touch up painting, and painting the boys bedroom. Why are we avoiding the boys bedroom...well you see it's bright blue with hot pink,yellow,and purple sponge painting along with a WIDE strip of Winnie the Pooh wallpaper around the middle. It's too cute but it's going to be a booger to paint and strip! Oh well, that is the weekend project/spring break project. Brian has been in denial about us needing to paint it. Even though, it's the ONLY room the realtors told us to paint besides the bathroom. Maybe he will get the hint when I mention it 50 times a day like I have been doing. I have a feeling I will end up in there doing most of it which is OK since I have skipped all the painting so far. I have been gearing up mostly to paint the New House! I am going crazy with all the possibilities! Of course we will have little to NO money left when we move in. Isn't that the way it always goes???? You spend all your money fixing up your house to sell and then have to wait on the stuff for your new house! Oh well, I bet I can pinch a penny until it screams and get most of the stuff done in the new house that I want.
OK I am rambling on and on I know. Now you have a brief look into my panic driven mind. I think about the old house, think about the new house, think about the old house, think about work, think about the kids/husband(try and remember to feed them)....and over and over it goes! Oh well, this too shall pass. OK now all my friends and family SELL MY HOUSE!!!!! It hits the market on Monday for $78,000! We will always take more though! Hee Hee Let's GET R DONE so I can start painting my new house and unpack my 25 boxes (they are multipling)!

Love to all,
JJ

Remember to lift us up tomorrow on our unspoken request! May God protect and lead us through everything that is happening in our wild and crazy lives! Interceed prayer warriors, we need you!

Blog Therepy

OK this is offically blog therepy. I blog my feelings/thoughts/frustrations and you guys call/give me sympthy/and love me. I LOVE it! It's cheap, easy and doesn't cost a thing. I have heard from so many of you guys today that are keeping us in your thoughts and prayers. Thanks so much for all your love and attention through what is one of the wildest times of our lives. If you don't believe me, all you have to do is look at my face. It is broken out like a teenage girl on an all chocolate diet! It's bad! I can't wait for all the stress and drama to end.

OK for the nightly update....we heard from "the guy/weasel". Brain talked to him and gave him the names of the couple that wanted to buy the trailer house. I know, I know he's too nice! No not really, we just really feel really bad for the couple. They had just lost their trailer to a fire and were living in a motel. I hope they can still work something out with the weasel. Anyway, the weasel said he would pass along the info to the new couple buying the house. Who knows, there might be an actual couple out there. The weasel just said thanks and see ya later. OH well, doors offically closed and sealed shut on the White Trash House.
Now, for the triangle house, (no it's really not triangle it's just sitting on an acre of land that is laid out in a triangel). Well, we are in "talks" with the realator about trying to get "the new guy" to replace the roof. Last night while checking it out, after the door slammed shut, we noticed it needed a new roof. We had 50 mile an hour winds around here about 2 weeks ago and we know that is why some of the shingles are scattered all over the country. The hope is...that "the new guy" will replace the roof with insurance money and we can buy it. Who knows if this is going to happen though. So far this guy has not been willing to budge on ANYTHING. Remember we have already made two offers on this property with him before and he has rejected both of them! The NORMAL human being would say, "sure the roof is bad...let me get the insurance company to replace that. Then you pay me what I want". However, if this guy comes back with, "nope as is MEANS as is"! I won't be surprised. Nothing has gone smooth or easy with this! I know for a fact though that God is ready for us to make this move. I just don't know if he wants us in this house or some other house. So you may ask yourself....why haven't you heard something already...it's been a full day. Well, it MIGHT has something to do with the fact that the guys realator came INTO the office at 5:30 p.m. to start work. I would love to have a job where I could show up at 5:30 to get my day started. Now granted, they work wierd hours and show property until late at night sometime but, come on! Really, 5:30! It's not the first time she's done this. It pretty much happens at least 3 times a week I think. Anyway, she's going to call triangle guy tonight and run it by him. We are in the meantime...waiting...working....waiting...going to church....waiting. Brian stay home today and Wayne and Judy helped him rip the piece off the bar and get it ready to fix, paint the closet, fix the storm window, hang the bathroom closet doors back and wash down the boy's bedroom. I on the other hand, worked all day and came home in time to fix supper, cut out Rainbow Fish for school, work on AWANA's with the kids and go to church. I'm taking off Friday though to go and excercise at school with the boys so maybe I can get a little done in between all the fun! At least they moved the excercising into the gym since it's been raining cats and dogs all day long. Jared said we are going to get paper plates to step on and then we get to "Texas skate" on the gym floor. Can you say, "I've fallen and I can't get up?!" I can hear the call to the ambulance now, "we have a large white women who broke a leg Texas skating on the gym floor!" Pray for ME! I have no TIME for goofy accidents or injuries!

Well, I guess that is the nightly update for now. The soap opera continues! However, I slept like a baby last night after God slammed the door and so did Brian. Just knowing that we would'nt have to move all that white trash junk was enough to help us sleep deeply! Hee Hee

Love to all,
JJ

PS Keep us in your prayers ALL DAY Friday for a special unspoken request. I'll update with more news about this later. We just need an outpouring of intersession to our Heavenly Father for us! Love ya!

And the Door SLAMMED shut!

Have you ever had one of those times when things looked good,looked good, looked good then SLAM! The door slams shut on the whole thing! Well, that is what happened to the White Trash house! It is NO more! Take with me a journey of the last 12 hours...it started with us contacting the "guy/weasel" (does that tell you about what is to come) and asking him if he would take $40 for the white trash house. He said promptly "no" that's too low. OK we said we can only go as far as $45. He said OK I'll call the "partners" and ask them about it. Wait,wait,wait phone rings about an hour later. Yes! We will take $45 but "as is" you rip of the trailer, haul it off, and haul off ALL the junk! There are 3 HUGE (as tall as I am) piles of junk. Ok we will think about it. Brian scrambles to find SOMEONE/ANYONE who would haul off a trailer and get it out of the way. We find a person willing to move it and pay us $1,000 for it!!! Yea! This is working out. We go out...take the guy to look at the trailer...let the kids look around and make up our minds to take the house for $45 and BEG our friends to help us load up the JUNK. As we are standing there looking at it and smiling that everything is going to work out SLAM! The door slammed shut! Now you have to realize that ALL day long at school and everywhere I am praying "Lord, if this is not where you want us. We don't want it! We want to be where you want us!" So we are standing there and the phone rings in Brian's pocket, it's the "guy/weasel". I think to myself...."he's calling to lower the price or check to see what we are going to do". I think also, "tell him hubby we are going to BUY this white trash house! Yippee! Now this the moment that will stay etched in my mind forever. I lean in close to the phone to here the "guy/weasel" talk to Brian. He is saying something to the effect of, "we can't keep going back and forth...I have another contract on my desk.....my partners were dealing with other people on the deal.....the price I gave you at 10:30 a.m. is no good....if you can do BETTER than $47 I'll let you have it!!!!!!!!!! OK are you shocked and stupified like I am!!!!! What the heck just happened????? He gave us a deal at 10:30 and weaseled out of it at 6:30. I can't stand people who lie and don't honor their word! I really feel like giving him a stern lecture about what it means to keep your promises. I'm not sure I could do it without 1. crying 2. yelling 3. slapping the snot out of him. Anyway, we called weasel man to tell him "all bets are off" and he didn't even take the call. I have not a clue when or if he will call back but the White Trash House is now someone elses. (If he was even telling the truth about the other "contract") So now we move to the triangle house. As God would have it....Bob dropped of the "MAGIC KEY" to the triangle house 30 minutes before we left for the other house. We took it with us on the off chance we might want to still look at it but FULLY planning on taking the other one. After "the weasel call", we went across the street and looked at it. We still like it. It doesn't have the storage shed and carport or the 4th bedroom but it's still very lovely and we can really picture ourselves there. We are going to talk to the powers that be tomorrow and see if we can get a deal hammered out about it. Keep our wild and crazy adventures in your prayers. We both feel like we have been hit with a hammer and are exhausted! Stress is a killer! We continue to seek God's will for us in this move and are going to keep working on our house to be ready to put it on the market on Monday. Lift us up in prayer when you think about it!

Love to all
JJ

House Madness UPDATE!

Hey guys just thought I would update quickly about the house madness. NO we still don't have the key! I don't know if the "key" really exists or not. But, in a turn of events we told the other guy, with the "white trash/trailer sticking out of the side of the house", that we would NOT be buying that house because of the cost of remodel, not sure what the house is like etc...... Anyway, he came off his price $5,000! Now it's back to the drawing board (literally) and putting pencils to paper to see if we can turn the big garage into 2 bedrooms and a bathroom for the same price as the other house! Now get this....we had a contractor go out and look at the property and he is working up an estimate. Brain showed him the "numbers" he had put together and he told Brian he could do it cheaper than that. Wouldn't that be the coolest thing EVER if we walked away with a house in the location we wanted with 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms! I never thought that it was possible really. I will forever call the house the White Trash house and the other one the Triangle House (because the land is triangle shaped). Anyway, I will defiantly have the trailer house ripped off and sold to the highest bidder (but not before I post lots of pictures of the wacky house!) The contractor is one we REALLY trust and we know he would do a great job. He estimates that it might take him no longer than 2 weeks to "get r done"! Anyway, keep us in our prayers! Ask God to make it really clear for us on the Triangle or the White Trash house! Or maybe there is something else out there that He has planned! Hey if I'll consider a house with a trailer hooked on it, I'll consider ANYTHING! lol HEE HEE :)! Well, I had better be off to bed (like I'll be able to sleep). Tune in tomorrow night for the continuing Soap Opera of Brian and JJ buy a house!

Love to all
JJ

Hey guys! How is everyone? Here are some pictures from Upward. Aaron's picture was before his first game. Jared was while he was sitting on the bench watching the action of the first game. I have pictures of Caleb somewhere but I don't have a clue where I saved them too. I thought I put them all in the same folder but Caleb's must have been added to who knows where! I was loading pictures of basketball, Christmas, and even Native American day from November! I was out of space on my camera for a long time! Hee hee!
OK house update......."We know nothing! Now your up to date!". That's a line from the new Pink Panther Movie coming out but it's the TRUTH! OK here we go...we tried to get the key to look at the house again. That was the plan on Thursday afternoon. We went to pick up the key to take it out to the property and take our time looking at it. Our realator had the flu so he arranged for us to go by ourselves. So I fly out to the office to pick up the key only to be told that the "guy"/seller had changed the locks and they don't have the keys. She said OK I'll get it and give you a call back.....I give her my cell number and wait....wait....wait....still waiting!!!!!! I have not got a call back/ a key/ or a PBBSSTTTTT or nothing!!!!! This is going to add to the gray count on my head I just kow it! It's so frustrating! How do people do this without Jesus???????? Anyway, in the mean time there is another property we DID get a call back on Saturday that we checked out. It's right across the street from the other one. It too was a foreclosed home that a "guy" bought to flip and resell. We went to look at it but, it's only a 2 bedroom 1 bath house. We would have to enclose the garage and add a bathroom. I think we have decided that it's too much for us to work on right now. Plus the people who lost the house to the bank had "ADDED" a Trailer house to the side of it. Really! I'm not joking! They built a hallway that had a series of steps up to the door of the trailer house and had attached it on to the brick home! What's more is that they roofed the trailer in with the house. It's the weirdest thing you will EVER see. I told the guy who is "flipping" the house that I was White Trash enough WITHOUT having a trailer house stuck onto the side of my brick home! Anyway, Brian and I could really make it work with a LOT of hard WORK but you really never know with a house like that what else they rigged on it. I'm afraid it would turn into a money pit! I think we will still try and get the STINKING KEY and see if that one is still the best deal. No I'm not frustrated at all right???? Hee Hee!
Anyway, that's a brief update on the "buying" end. The selling end is moving right along. This weekend we finished the siding and rafter tails (now we have to scrape and paint), we blew the ceiling in the laundry room and put one coat of paint on it, I then cleaned out the cabinates in the bathroom and boxed up box 21 full of stuff we don't need right now. We also filled the trailer with a load of junk (tree limbs, broken toys, building supplies) and need to get it to the dump and load it up again. We did a bunch of other stuff too but for the life of me it's just all running together now and I can't remember anything grand.
Well, I had better run. I HATE the whole spring forward thing. I looked at the clock tonight and realized I had forgot to feed the kids. Rats! Oh well we ate about 8:00! Hope your week is wonderful and that you always trust in God for everything! Pray that we FIND THE KEY!

Love to all,
JJ

Just when you think things can't get any crazier....

Hey everyone....if there is anyone out there who still checks in with us.....how are you guys????? I have been up to my eyeballs in 19 years worth of accumulated junk, dirt, and treasures. As I have reported recently, we are getting our house ready to sell and looking into moving to the country. We are serious this time (unlike all the wild hairs of past near moves) and have begun to box and store things we don't use on an everyday basis. So far the box count is up to 20! How in the world do you get 20 boxes of stuff you don't use everyday! It's mind blowing really. That is not counting all the stuff we DO use that is neatly tucked away in every hiding spot in the house. We are becoming such neat freaks that we threw away Jared's homework the other night because he left it out for more than 2 hours and I was getting rid of stuff. It's been a real journey getting this old house ready to sell. So far we have replaced all the siding on the house, had the porch top removed and repoured, painted the bathroom, boxed up everything in every room we didn't need, washed every wall that wasn't going to be painted,and washed the kitchen cabinets and oiled them down. Really, that just a short list of things but I'm too tired to remember anything else! So now you know why we haven't been seen in public too much lately! That plus the fact that basketball FINALLY ended last weekend. We loved it but 3 practices a week and 5 hours worth of basketball on Saturday was killing me!
We have so far place two bits on the house in Miles. Both were rejected. The guy is holding out for the full price. We are praying and waiting to see if God is wanting us to do it. We have had several things happen this weekend that we feel are a comfirmation from God for us to make this move. I believe we will make the full offer soon and will then pray to sell our house in 30 days. I know it is a tight timeline but I have a peace about it selling. We are going to see the house again tomorrow night and really look over it and pray about it. All we want is to be right where God wants us so I know he will look out for us and make the way smooth. All I know is that I am CASHING in all the favors from everyone I have helped move in our 20 years of post high school life. You KNOW who you are!!!!! I have moved your junk from place to place many times, now it is time to help me move mine!!!! Hee Hee!!!!! I have 20 boxes already waiting! UGGGGGHHHHH!
Well, on top of all the house madness, I survived my second St. Luke Rodeo! Yee Haw! It almost killed me and I think it definatelly will leave a scar! I hot glued 12 stick horses together and burned myself several times in the process. One place on my arm is still red and yucky looking. However, my kids were AWESOME! They did the boot scramble. They had to ride their stick horse out into the arena (circle of grass, surrounded by every parent at the school) and throw one shoe in a pile. Then they rode back and sat down. After everyone had done that, then they had to run out put on their shoe and race back to the starting line. I had one girl who tripped and took out three other kids, but all in all they did great! I was so proud of them. I really thought I would have some that would say, "No way, you're nuts, I'm not going out there with all those people looking at me". But, they didn't they are did what they were suppose to! I have one little girl that is so shy she hasn't talked to ANY of the kids in class EVER! She rode out there (with a little encouragement from me) and did great. Her mom was shocked and so was I really!
The boys are doing good. Jared takes his first TAKS test tomorrow. I think he will make a 100 on it and hypervenilate at the same time. He is soooooooooooo nervous! He has been blinking back tears all night and has been "off" all weekend. You know....crying about nothing, arguing with his brothers for no reason, whiney....just not himself. I know it's just the pressure. Caleb will take his writing TAKS also tomorrow. Don't ask me if he is ready or not. I haven't seen a writing paper all year long. No grades have been posted on writing papers. I only hope he is ready. (Now you see the reason we want to move!!!)))) Man I hate Junior high! In elementary, they give you so much information that you wish they would stop sending home papers. In junior high, you wish someone would give you the time of day!
Well, now you are caught up with our wild and crazy world. Come by if you are feeling an urge to pack boxes, paint (inside or outside), or clean!!! I can put you to work!

Love to all,
JJ