Remember when?

Remember when I dreamed of our 'new home'? ...it should have only two bedrooms...a living area...a good sized bath room...a place for me to study?

Well, we are still in a LOT of boxes, but that's about the size of our apartment...the rest of the house has everything we need! It's lovely...we just need to take care of it all, and make sure that the boys are taking care of it, and not destroying things!

Remember when I dreamed of our 'new location'? ...it needed to have plenty of room between us and the neighbors...not on gravel...and a gorgeous view?

We live in a rural area, that doesn't have a post office of it's own, so here we are...North Georgia...lots of hills/mountains and trees...gorgeous!!!! There are cows and a donkey right next door that we are having fun watching and a huge back yard that the boys can build a camp fire...they are loving it!--Of course, the girls are wanting four-wheelers, but I don't think that'll happen!

Remember when I dreamed of our 'new life'? That it would include lots of laughter, church that we love to attend & be involved in, and friends who truly honor and cherish each other?

Well, somethings never change. Like our friends, we still have so many sweet sweet friends who call, text, e-mail, or facebook to check on us...friends that we've had for years, just now we must be separated by such distance. However, the new friends we are making are such treasures, I could go on and on!

The "on staff "tutor for the kids stopped by last night and visited with Rand for a while. He's had a year similar to ours, in that change happened to them, through the loss of his job. They now live in 1/2 of a garage that they've converted in to an apartment for him and his wife. His spirit is so positive, and he speaks freely of his faith. He's an educated person with emphasis on special education...which happens to be exactly what the kids in our home need, and he's a person of faith...he & his wife are just trusting in God's provision for their lives! What an inspiration! And, a huge reason for me to, again, pause and praise an Amazing God!

We are taking the kids tonight to hear our founder's adoptive daughter's testimony in their church in Tennessee...that sounds far away, but we are only 20 minutes or so from TN! I'm excited to take the boys to church, this will be the first time, but I'm just as excited to hear this little girl talk!

Speaking of church, we think we've found the one we'd like to become involved in....not exactly like anything we've been to in the past....but the preaching was timely and good good good! We'll see! We'll keep praying about that!

We took everyone to a place called Fort Mountain State Park on this past Monday, it was a holiday from school. There was a beach at the top of this mountain! And, after a hike and a half, we found a huge waterfall! The hike reminded me so very much of my roots in the Shawnee Forest in Southern Illinois. And, it didn't hurt a bit that the leaves were changing colors almost before my eyes! After the hike some of them got in the water, the boys perfected their tumbling abilities...and just had fun being themselves--we laughed until our sides hurt!

The encounters I've been having have been so hysterical...today I went to a grocery/gas station/hardware store to get two things I needed...the only checker in the store went outside to mail something. Another woman was standing there looking at the newspaper...and they were having a conversation about the contestants on 'Dancing with the Stars' like they were all best friends--I think that's hysterical!--And, kinda homey in a weird kinda way!

Gotta go serve the afternoon snack now...then get dinner on the table while they do their home work...in time to leave for church!--It's a good good day!!!