Final Post...Kind of

Hiya!  I have begun to blog again...or at least that is my intention!  However, I have switched to a different blog site!  If you want to start following me again, check me out at colloquyofcommoners.weebly.com.  I would love to see all of you again.  You have been missed!

Oh...and I would LOVE to begin following you again!  Visit me so I know you are still out there and breathing!  I am fairly certain I am the only one who dropped off the internet wagon.

See ya soon!

MOVE THAT BUS!!

So many things have happened since I last blogged. Sooo many things. One of those things is really really cool...more cool than some of the other things. Are you ready?

Our family has been blessed BIG TIME. First, the background:

For those of you who haven't followed our life (or this blog) for long, it is a well known fact that Will and I have lived in a lot of places together. In our eight years of marital bliss, we have lived in eight homes. Insane, huh? We started out life together in a house on the site of a church camp and have been in an old couple's winter home, two houses, a duplex, an apartment, a town home, and some friends' basement. It isn't that we especially like to move around. I believe that God knew exactly where we would end up, and luckily, Will and I are extremely flexible.

When we lived in the town home last year, a dear friend of ours (whose father happens to be very involved with Habitat for Humanity) made the suggestion that we research Habitat and what they are all about. My mind was blown. Habitat is an organization that builds modest homes for families. In my ignorance, I had assumed that it was an organization for refugees or homeless people, or even for people who are extremely poor. I even thought that the homes were just given to people. I knew that people were expected to help build their homes but that was about the extent of my knowledge. Instead, Habitat selects families who meet certain requirements including income, zero outstanding debt, and current living situation. Once a family is selected, it is expected to put in "sweat equity" hours (working during building days) and to attend a few finance classes. All of the building materials for the house are either bought or donated, and the labor is volunteered by churches and people in the community. Once the house is finished, the family pays back a 20 year 0% interest mortgage. The mortgage is determined by how much it actually costs to build the house. This is a concept foreign to us in the world today. If Habitat spends $xxxx on wood and nails, a family pays back $xxxx. The labor is volunteered and the appliances are donated by big name companies. The mortgage payments are then used to finance the next home Habitat will build. I loved Habitat's vision.

After a little research, I decided to apply last April. In August, our family moved into our current home. Will and I had forgotten about Habitat. The house we are currently renting is amazing. Life is good.

After nine months of absolutely no contact from HfH, a message was left on my phone from the director asking for our current W2 forms. I kind of laughed about it, and because we were in a great place, I deleted the message. Over the next four months, the director called my phone asking for different information or forms, and I ignored the calls each time. Finally, the lady figured out that she wasn't getting anywhere with me and called Will. She told him that she just wanted to do a home visit, which he scheduled for the next Monday.

Before the director came over, Will and I sat down and talked about our expectations for that meeting. We both thought that she would come over and see that we were doing just fine and would decide that we don't deserve a home. Back in January, our pastor had presented a tithe challenge to our church where he asked us to tithe and just see what God would do. If God didn't do anything, the church was willing to give you all of your money back. Will and I had taken the challenge and had already been blessed with unexpected (and unexplained) gifts. It didn't occur to me at the time that we took the challenge in January, a week before HfH first called us...

Within five minutes of our home visit, the director told us that we were getting a house. Will and I were both speechless. It literally felt like we had won the lottery. She explained that we would get to design the house ourselves (within a square footage limit) and pick out everything from siding to carpet. The house will be modest, but Will and I can't imagine living in a giant ridiculous house even if we had the money. We have always lived modestly. It suits us.

Even after three weekends spent building our house, it is still surreal. I had a moment the first Saturday when I realized that all of the volunteers at the site were building a house to bless my family. I have been on so many missions trips where we have built homes or churches for other people. This time it was for me. It was a humbling realization and a really amazing connection that God showed me. It is so clear to me that God blessed us for honoring him during the tithe challenge. How can there be any question that God is real and that He is for us?

So, that is what is going on in my family. Kind of a big deal, huh? Our house was started three weeks ago and is supposed to be finished in October. God is so good.

Grave News

Judah and I watched The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe last night together. He had seen bits of it on tv the week before and was amused by the talking animals. We own it, so I thought I would save the full viewing of this film for a night when I could explain things and watch for cues that I needed to turn it off. He loved it. He had a ton of questions about everything, but he loved it. I have two stories that will forever be attached to this movie for me...I will begin with the sad one:

At the end of the movie, we were talking about how Aslan sacrificed his life so Edmund wouldn't have to die even though Edmund had disobeyed yada yada yada. At the end of this "Aslan did a lot of the same things Jesus did for us" talk, I was telling him about how we can choose to live like Jesus by asking him into our hearts and all that jazz. It was all stuff we had talked about before, but it felt like a good time to bring it up again. In the past, Judah has expressed great concern that he would go to Heaven and not get to see any of us. This is a big hang up for him, so he always tells me that he doesn't want Jesus in his heart yet. This time, however, it was a whole different story. I told him, like I always do, that he can let Will or I know if/when he is ready.

He looked at me with great concern and said, "Mama, I love Jesus, and I want to live like him and all, but, I don't really like the nails or the whole cross part. I don't think I wanna do that." With this, his eyes filled with tears. I have so much love for this kid. I hadn't mentioned the nails or cross even once...those were things on his mind from who knows how long ago...Easter? I explained to him that we don't have to die like that because Jesus did it for us, and I hope he understood. It just killed me that everything that I say or don't say plays a crucial part in who this kid is and becomes. I felt like I had failed along the way somewhere. It is even more clear to me that only God can bring someone to him...I am just a clueless dummy struggling to explain something that makes so much sense to me. This mama stuff is hard.

On to the good story:

We were watching the part of the film when Aslan dies and Lucy and Susan send the trees to tell the boys the news. The tree person says, "I have grave news."

Judah asked, "Why does she think it is great news that Aslan is dead?"

I told him that she had said "grave not great". He asked me to define grave, which I did.

After maybe a five count, he said, "Mama, do you want to hear a grave joke?"

Of course I did.

"Why did the chicken cross the road?"

"Why?"

"So he could get cut by a knife."

Now, if that isn't grave, I don't know what is.

Short Visit

Hello, my faithful friends. If you are reading this, it means you haven't given up on me. I haven't posted anything since July. Who out there is sick of looking at my blog and seeing sweet Lily and her Bieber Fever? I know I would be if I had internet at my house. Will and I moved to a new home in August. It is bigger and more suitable for a family of five than the two bedroom townhome we were in for three years. It has been a fantastic change with just a few road bumps (water in the basement, clogged pipes, leaking ceilings...you know, nothing we couldn't live around). With all of the changes of moving, maybe our biggest change is that we don't have internet. It's not that we can't have internet...it is just that we don't. We will soon...at least that's what I keep telling myself. Until that glorious day when we decide to get off our warm and cozy buns and call someone about hooking us up, you will have to live in the knowledge that my family is well and wonderful.

There are so many things that I could update you on that it is almost too overwhelming to start. If you really care, call me :) If you are just looking for something to read on the world wide web, you are going to have to look somewhere else for the time being.

I will leave you (and the library where I sit) with this story from today:

"What do you want to be when you grow up, Mayah?" asks Judah.
"I want to be Dora."
"No, you can't be Dora."
Crying ensues, followed by footsteps running into the living room where I sit. "MAMA! Judah says I can't be I can't be I can't be (we are in a stuttering stage) Dora when I is older."
Judah follows. "Mayah, you can't be Dora when you are older because Dora is a pretend character in a pretend show. It isn't possible to be Dora," Judah explains to his heartbroken sister.
He has a point. I ask him, "Judah, what do you want to be when you grow up?"
Without missing a beat: "Diego."

Lily's Bieber Fever Part 1

My fantastic niece, Lily, got to go to the Justin Bieber concert in Des Moines earlier this month. Lily, like most 11 year olds, loves all things pop culture. She knows every word to every song on popular radio and often introduces me to what is hip (which I am not:). Her mom, Andrea, drove Lily to the concert and then dropped this nugget of surprise in her lap:

Lily's Bieber Fever Part 2

Lily was clearly jazzed about this surprise. They waited in line with about 25 other girls for the meet and greet. There were no cameras or autographs allowed. How lame is that? The professional photographer took a picture of Lily with Justin and gave Andrea the website so she could download it. It turned out that Andrea had to pay $40 to even get on the website, and the picture wasn't even on there. She is still waiting (patiently or not) for the proof that her dreams came true that day. Lame.

Here is the video that Andrea sneaked of Lily and the actual meet. Warning: This video is not for those with the dizzies. Andrea wasn't even allowed to have her camera on, so this operation was very covert.

My favorite part of this video is watching Lily wipe the tears away. When is the last time you were this passionate about anything?

God Parties

In case you are curious about what is happening at the Owens house every single day lately, I will fill you in. Judah is hosting God parties. God parties are lots of fun, let me tell you. First, Judah chooses an aspect of God's creation for which he is thankful. Then, he holds a "team group time" with Mayah and Liam, where they plan out the party for about ten seconds. Next, comes the decorating. Judah puts up stickers and other random items that he deems appropriate. Finally, we celebrate.

We had a thunder party yesterday. We all sat in Judah's room while he turned the lights on and off and on and off and on and, you guessed it, off. Today we are having two parties. Today we are celebrating that God made the sun and...wait for it...ghosts. Thank you, God, for ghosts.