Updates Part 1

Just wanted to try and get some of these things posted that I have been wanting to share and thought it would be good to do them in segments. Let's see I guess now would be a great time to look back on what has gone on in 2008. If you didn't already know we have now inherited 18 acres of rural country throughout the course of events from my father-in-law's tragic accident and later death. After her time of grieving my mother-in-law saw fit to move back to Oklahoma and start a new life. She has a new found relationship with her sister and is enjoying being a grandma! So where has that left my husband and I? Fall 07 we were able to purchase a used single wide mobile home that needed a little work ( and still does) but is serving as our first home! For the first time it's just him and I. No roommate, no relatives!!

You can believe how much of an adventure this was in getting our home setup. There have been a few rough spots here and there over the past year but I am realizing how truly blessed that we are in what we have. There are so many adventures that I have yet to discover, but look forward to being able to journal about them. Through the giving hearts of others we have a front and back porch, also the skirting is complete. I will have to take some pictures and post them! Without the help of my parents we would not have been able to move in as soon as we did. With the inheritance of our land also came the unforeseen problems which incurred unexpected expenses... new septic system, building permit ( yeah I still want to know what we were paying for with this, we didn't build anything), among several other things. At the time my husband was an OTR driver and was only home three days out of a month...boy am I glad those days are over. Christmas of 2007 my parents came up and spent two weeks helping me somewhat remodel this home. Ripping out carpet, laying tiles, painting...I can't even list all the things that they did. I am so thankful for my parents and everything that they have done to help us. We were also blessed by love bestowed on us through my church family! The weekend before Christmas several men from my church supplied the materials and built both the front porch and back ( which were one of the things necessary for us to be up to code and also in order to move in) Even still we were not able to move in because the new septic system hadn't been put in due to the weather. So my folks returned home after the holidays desperately needing a rest from all the hard work they accomplished in the two weeks they were here.

January's weather came and went with still no septic. I was scheduled for minor surgery at the end of February so my folks decided that they would make another trip up here to help with things seeing as DH was probably only going to be able to be home for one day. We were blessed in that time to be able to get the septic installed and get moved in. DH had to go back out on the road and was not able to actually help with the transfer of things from the A-frame to the mobile home, but there again we were blessed by my parents. I must say though that I was also unable to help with the moving process due to my recent surgery, but how good it felt that first night to sleep in our home that was warm, dry, had walls and even doors!!

Our home is still a work in progress but so is everything else:) In looking back on this past year there have been bright times and some very dark times but we have been blessed beyond all measure!