Praying for a House

The Anderson's are house hunting.  Sort of.  I mean, we're looking.  But not with a lot of hope of actually finding something.  Because we've been house hunting for nearly two years.  Two. years.  And even if we DO find something, my optimism is waning that we'll actually be able to buy it.  Because we've put in offers on four houses in the last two years, obviously coming up short each time :(

We moved into our current house a little over three years ago when I was pregnant with Carter.  We knew it wasn't our forever home (since it was a rental), but it's what we could afford and it was better than sharing walls with our increasingly noisy neighbors in an apartment building.  And it's a good house.  Ugly.  But good.

But as good as it is and as many great memories as we've had here, our house is just becoming too small for our family.  I mean, for the size it is, the space is laid out well.  The kitchen is a good size, the dining room is big & open to the living room and I love that there's an attached double stall garage (a rarity in our neighborhood).  But our 2 bedroom, 1100 sq foot house is just, well, it's just small.  The boys are sharing a room and Bennett is sleeping in our room.  Not a horrible arrangement, but not ideal either.  And someday Chris and I will decide we'd like our room back and move Bennett out.  The reason we haven't yet is that the logistics of having three boys in one room is kind of overwhelming to me.

And not only is our house small,  but the yard is small too.  Our house is on a corner lot and all we have is a small patch of yard on the front and side of our house.  We've spent hours playing in that patch of yard over the last three years, but my heart just aches for a big, fenced in yard where my boys can run!  Oh, how they need to run.  And let's be honest, I would love a yard where I can send them out to play in the frigid cold and I can watch them from the warmth of my kitchen :)

We would love a house with at least 4 bedrooms and 2 baths and a double attached garage.  We would love a big kitchen and dining room to host friends & family and a separate family room so I can get all the kids crap toys out of our only common living space.  We would love to be in a better neighborhood where we don't suspect anyone of selling illegal substances across the street and preferably not on a corner lot.  We would love a ranch style home with a big back yard.  And we would love to find a house that meets all of our needs and fits within our single income family budget.

We already have so much to be thankful for - an amazing marriage, three healthy kiddos, a roof over our heads, and food in the fridge - that I feel even a bit selfish wanting a new house.  We truly are rich and we have more than we need.  But I know that God cares about the big things and the small things in our life.  So we're praying. We're praying that God provides a house for us.

And every time I bring this need to God I feel like He's telling me to go outside of myself for this.  To ask for prayer and for help.  And so, would you pray with us?  Would you pray that God would provide just the right house in just the right neighborhood for just the right price?  And I know God's timing is perfect, but I'm really praying for a house soon!

Today I will Rejoice

Early yesterday morning a student of mine (and a new friend) gave birth to her twin boys, Isaac Ryan and Caleb Mark.  She was 31 weeks pregnant.  And as you can imagine, the boys are very premature, but stable in the NICU.  And my heart is sad.  And happy.  And ... I don't know.  When a baby is born, the event is usually surrounded by celebration and rejoicing.  And although we rejoice at the birth of these precious babies, I'm sad knowing the great struggle that lies ahead.  Not only are they premature, but during the many ultrasounds they had, it was discovered that the boys have some kind of genetic birth defects.  Definitely physical, possibly mental.

And then this is when I ask what I'm sure everyone is asking.  Why?  Why God?  But I've found myself not asking "why are these babies sick?" but rather "why are my babies healthy?"  Why was I able to carry my babies to term?  Why are they healthy?  And growing strong?  What did I do to deserve that?

Ryan and Barbara, Isaac & Caleb's parents, are incredible people with a faith that humbles me.  I know they've cried and asked the "why's" but they somehow continue to look to God for strength through all of this.  And although we may never have answers to the "why" in this situation, I guess this is where we trust that God does.  He knows.  He didn't make a mistake.  These boys were born in this way to these parents for a reason.  But I'm still a little sad.  And I continue to pray.  Oh, have I prayed.

And so today I've hugged my children a little tighter.  Thanked God for them a little more.  And today I rejoice.  I rejoice that my boys are strong and healthy.  I rejoice that God has an intentional plan for everyone on this earth and that I get to be a part of that plan.

If you will, friends, please pray for Ryan & Barbara and their boys, Isaac and Caleb.  I can't tell you how to pray or what to pray for because I still don't know myself.  But please pray.  God knows.  You can follow their story and updates on their blog.