Cabin

Well, the cabin is here. We hit a few snags, but we worked it all out. The cabin is not at the top of the hill like we planned. The driver said he couldn`t get it into the place we had cleared, so we ended up putting it at the very bottom of the property, on the old homestead drive. It`s very close to the road, which we are not exactly thrilled about, but it`s not too bad.

We spent the night in it, and being from Texas, we assumed it would be as warm at night as it was during the day. BIG mistake. We were quite chilly, even though we brought lots of blankets and such. Lesson learned, but I did cook my first open fire meal. I copied Jared and made breakfast burritos.

We also made our first bucket "donations". It really was not all that bad.

OK, that`s all for now, we`re scheduled to be in the cabin full time by the 30th, so I may not be posting as often after that, but will try to post at least once a week, probably at the library. Love you all and thanks for your prayers and support of our dreams.-K

Timmmmbeeerrr....!!

Yesterday we finally went out to the land and got it ready for the cabin. Wade had to cut down a couple of small Oaks. It was quite a job. One of the neighbors, from up the road, was very kind and brought up his backhoe to help with the clearing and knocked down a couple of trees for us. It was a great day.

We finally got to meet the family right next to us. We have been e-mailing back and forth for several weeks now. They homeschool their two kiddos,as well.They are very nice people.We also took the opportunity to do a little shooting.

The cabin is being delivered today at around 5pm and we are planning to spend the night in it.So we`ll have lots more pics to put up when we get back. We are so excited! Hope you all have a great day-K

Awesome Day!

Today was a beautiful day, so we went to the wild life conservation center. We saw so much wild life, it was really amazing. There were deer that were so close to us, we could almost touch them. Hagen found a baby turtle trying to get to the water so we took a minute to check it out closely before putting him back in the water. We just walked along the path, no fences between us and the animals. God really is such a wonderful Creator. The pictures do not do it justice, but we hope you enjoy them. I took several, so I may have to put them in 2 posts. Blessings-K

Neighborly Love?

No love from our neighbor. This guy has no love for anyone. Not only does he cut his grass in his under ware, he refuses to cut under the trees on his side of the property line. This also happens to be the same neighbor who comes outside and stares at the kids anytime they are making even a little noise. We`ve tried being nice to him, saying "hello" and what not, but he and his wife both just turn their heads. My point to all this, is please be praying for this couple. They obviously have some VERY hard hearts. I wonder what could have happened to them to make them this way. So sad-K

Giving Honor where it is Due

May is always a month filled with action. Spring/Summer is in full bloom( depending on where you live ) and people are getting outside. For us, May will forever have a very different meaning, and although we too can get caught up in life, I wanted to give honor where honor is due, to our saving Lord, Christ.

In order to give a more vivid account of our experience I am posting some bits of my journal. Hope you all have a blessed day and would be a blessing to others-K

The week before we moved had been a hard one. Our family had gotten a stomach flu, Hagen getting it last and having it the night of the storm. We rushed to get as much as we could out of the U-haul before the rain started. Hagen lay on a mattress in the room that was to be hers. Matilda( 4mnths old at the time) sat in her car seat in the living room and little Gabe cried to be held, while Layla, Wade and I all unloaded the truck as quickly as we could. Wade ran to the corner store, and as soon as he got back it started raining, HARD. It was a HUGE storm, with hail and lightning, and very strong winds.

Wade was in our room when he heard sirens coming from the next town. He could just hear them. He quickly unpacked the rabbit ears for the T.V. and turned on the news. The entire screen was red! We started looking for candles, found them, had nothing to light them. The lights go out. Wade is very nervous at this point. He later told me he knew in his heart we were going to be hit.

We used our cell phones for light and pulled Hagen, mattress and all, into the hall, to sit on. Every thing was happening so fast. Gabe only had a t-shirt and underwear on. Matilda only had a cloth diaper and plastic pants on. (It had been hot that day, but I will forever feel guilt for those little babies not having more clothes on.)

We all piled into the hall, Wade grabbed the other twin, and we closed all the hall doors. I can not explain the tention in the air, poor Matilda must have felt it, because she threw-up all over me. Wade prayed over all of us, out loud, and then came the hail, and rain and winds like I have never heard before or since. We could hear trees breaking outside.

For a few seconds it got quiet, like a vaccuum. Then you could hear the tornado forming, or maybe that`s just how it always sounds. It wasn`t really like a train. It was more like a jet engine gearing up. That high pitched sound. The whole house shook, and then the sound of cracking wood. Wade yelled over all the noise something like "God Save Us" and the roof was gone. In that moment crouching under a mattress, that could have been nothing, for the amount of protection it offered, I realized just how small I was and how Big God is. For me it was not a feeling of fear. I realize now that it was a feeling of pure AWE. I was as physically close to my Creator, in that moment, as I have ever been. It was a moment that demanded my respect.

Wood splintering and popping. Lightning and rain flooding in. I was aware that the roof was gone, but thought we should wait a few minutes before moving. Wade Yells " OMG, the whole roof is gone, we have to go to the neighbors,NOW!" So, we followed him. First we try the front door, blocked. The rain has already soaked us to the bone. My poor babies! There was strait path to a window that had been knocked out, so we all climbed through. Wade carried Gabe, I carried, Matilda, and poor Layla tried to carry Hagen, who was frozen for a moment. She had cried under the mattress. Intsead, I had Layla carry a small clothes basket of cloth diapers I had thought to put under the mattress with us. I guess I knew on some level too. None of us had shoes on,yet none of us stepped on a single piece of glass.

We run to the neighbor`s house, through their garden. Wade starts knocking on the door. I push my way through and start banging and shouting" Let us in , We have Kids, Help Us!" This little old lady answers the door, and before she even gets it open all the way, I push us all inside. She`s a grand-mother, her and her husband are retired, must be close to eighty.

They have white carpet, we have clumps of mud stuck to our feet, so we`re all huddled in the little foyer, while she gets us towels and blankets.

We are all starting to feel shell shocked, Layla hides her face to cry, as the kids lay in the hall together. I hold Matilda, who is so quiet and calm, I worry she may be in shock. Her defense was to go to sleep.

Meanwhile, Gabe wants to be held, and Hagen is feeling sick to her stomach. I tell Layla God protected her and she is safe now, and that we all just need to calm down a bit. We couldn`t afford a whole family melt down at this point, so I was trying to just keep eveyone as calm as possible. There would be plenty of time to reflect later.

Wade starts calling family, mom and dad are first. I can`t remember who is next, but I am in the backround yelling praises to God." God Saved Us! He Protected Us!!!" I felt exilerated! Not shell shocked, yet. (that would come later, when I had time to think it all through) I felt so joyous that He saved Us. He loved us and heard our prayers and said Yes. It was an amazing feeling to see that such a huge God, creator of the universe and everything in it, would care to take the time to literally place His hand over our family. That He would reach down for me, is something I don`t ever want to forget.

There is so much more to this entry. Some of it too personal to share on line, but God made His presence so clear to us in the coming days.So many little details he worked out, right before our eyes. He was Yelling in our ears"I am here! and I am!" He is such an amazing, loving God and He has been shaping my life from the beginning, but few moments in life will ever compare to this. It is the closest I have ever been to hearing the Lord`s voice or seeing His face. I will Forever be changed because of it.-K

Play Time

We took the kids to a park today, that was located in this great little village town. It had all kinds of trails back into the woods and the prettiest creek I`ve seen in a long time. The water was freezing, but who could resist? There were also caves we could go in. Missouri really is a beautiful place, and although we miss you all, we are glad to be in this place the Lord has made. Sorry some of the pics aren`t very good. The batteries died in the camera, and I had to use my phone. Hope you all have a blessed day, and that you would be a blessing to others.-K

Side note- Gabe is often called a pajama sales man, in our family, because it`s the thing he loves to wear the most.

Wheeeee.....!

Mom`s day bike ride. It was a little chilly. I borrowed a helmet that was a little big, but did the job. It was a beautiful day. Hope you all enjoyed your day as well. Blessings-K

Happy Early Mom`s Day!!

Just wanted to say "Happy Mom`s Day" to all you moms out there. Hope you have a blessed weekend-K

Free From Bondage

Hagen got her cast off today.Thank you for all your prayers. She was a little nervous, as you can see from the pic of her laying down. She did fine until the DR tried to straiten out her arm, which made her cry. "Uh,DUH!" He was actually very nice and was kind to all the kids,even taking the time to show us the x-rays. I`m very thankful that the whole thing has worked out so well. God is GOOD! Blessings to you all-K