Still Moving Forward :)

My mom sent a lot of my old baby clothes for Zoya

 So, our house is 1/3 packed.  Curt took a whole day and packed up the garage.  What a chore.  But it's done!  We are packing little things here and there but there is so much we use daily that most of the house is just waiting for us.  So, it is a daunting task as 2/3s of the house waits to be packed.
Everyone asks how everyone is feeling about moving.  It so depends on personality :).  Turism, our logical one, has already moved on in her mind.  For her, God has called us to this and that's the end of the story.  Why process further?  For Bitsuanit, our meek, faith-based one, God has called us to move and therefore, we are to move. 

Curt opening his b-day present...A LIVE lobster!

She feels the emotion of leaving but is excited to be a part of whatever God is doing.  (these are all their words :)).  For Tihitina and Carmen, my two who love their structure and routine, there is an uneasiness.  It's not overwhelming but every time something else gets sold or packed, there is a sad moment for them.  I wonder if they will grieve now and the others will grieve later.
Zoya, my easy-going, carefree child, notices nothing and might not even notice once we're in our new house :).
Amongst all the moving, there were many goodbyes.  This week was finals week for our students.  Our last groups met, tears shed, gifts given.  Curt had an especially hard time.  8 guys (from 0), 3 who became believers, handed him a book where they each wrote a letter saying how much he meant to them.  It was amazing to see their progress over the years and how much they appreciated and loved Curt.  3 years.  5.5 kids.  Great neighborhood with friends for the kids and us. An amazing ministry.  Awesome town.  Good God.

First watermelon of the season!

Everyone dying eggs

Zoya is such a ham for the camera

Carmen loved finding eggs!

 Easter was a really fun day.  Sometimes holidays can be so overwhelming.  I spend half the day cooking a huge dinner and am so worn out.  But the ham, rolls, potatoes and salad seem to put themselves together.  Curt took the 4 oldest down to Sedona (about 45 minutes away) and went on a hike.  They came back and opened their Easter baskets (we keep baskets pretty low-key; just a few small games).  Turi and Bitsu had hidden eggs outside and everyone went around searching for them.  Then we put the little ones down for their nap and ate our meal and the girls looked for eggs inside that I had hidden while they were gone on their hike.  It turned into a really fun AND relaxing day.  I always want to tell the kids to enjoy being kids!  Somehow you grow up and you have to make everything happen on the holidays and don't just run around having fun anymore.
Thank you again for praying for us.  Let's list off a few things God has done in the last few weeks, shall we?

• Curt was wondering how we were going to cover the cost of our move.  That same day, I spoke with some supporters who had given a few years back.  They said they wanted to give us $5,000, which just about covers the move.  Awesome.
• We have lost about $700/month in support over 

the last 6 months.  Recently, just through connecting with people over the phone, God has raised up about $250/month.  Not fully but it's a start!

• Everything I put on craigslist is selling.  Not only that, but I am learning to mark up prices some because we get so many inquiries!
• We have 5 healthy, thriving children who truly are learning to love each other well.

Amazing, right?  Thank you for your prayers!  I believe God does all this because you pray for us! We are looking forward to our next adventure of

Bitsuanit's all the way up in the tree :)

moving to Orlando and what God has for us there.  I mean besides adding Hanover #6 to the family :).

Still Moving :)

I put that title because I feel like things change with us so often.  I am always hesitant to put things in print.

For those of you who have prayed for us, thank you.  Things have been selling like hotcakes (does anyone use that word?) and it started the day after my last post.  I am down to selling small things and the crib and changing table.  It has been very reassuring.

The kids have also been doing ok with the house constantly changing.  We have been packing for the last two weeks and things constantly look more empty and different.  Every once in awhile, Carmen, my most established and settled child, will panic that something is missing.  But overall, they have been doing great.

We have been greatly blessed by family.  My brother and dad got together and, not only bought us plane tickets so I wouldn't have to drive 5 kids solo across the States over 4-5 days, but also are paying to ship the car we would've driven.  We were speechless when my dad called to tell me.  And so thankful.

She is such a ham for the camera

I was feeling truly grateful for all the things the Lord is doing to prepare us for this move.  And then, last night, we were together as a family dyeing Easter eggs and I had to leave mid-way to get Carmen and Zoya to bed.  When I came up, everything had been cleaned up and put away.  Turism and Bitsuanit had taken it upon themselves to clean up without being asked.  It was so nice.  It's hard to describe the pride and security that comes with watching two kids grow up, take on responsibility for themselves and decide to act out of kindness vs. obligation.  I was overwhelmed by grace.

We are...moving

Carmen reading a book to Zoya.  He actually was pretty accurate!

You know, moving was never a big deal.  We have been here 3 years in April and it's the longest Curt and I have ever lived somewhere together.  Every time we moved, we would sell/donate everything and walk away with whatever we could carry.  It had to fit under airline guidelines or in a car.  And now...we have to move a house.  A house full of stuff!  How do people do it?  Curt talks about how, when he was a kid, his parents would hire a moving company who would come in and pack everything, move it and unpack it at the next location.  What a dream!  I, meanwhile, have already started packing and selling stuff.  The house is starting to feel a bit empty.  And I can't believe how much we have collected.
Pray for us.  Flagstaff has a wonderful home that really can't be duplicated.  We live in the woods where I run and mountain bike with the hundreds of available trails.  The girls have friends, and even an art class!, in the neighborhood.  We are well-connected with neighbors that we hangout with and the girls baby-sit and dog-sit for.  We have perfect weather: 80's in the summer and snow in the winter.  Everyone knows everyone and our neighborhood is safe.  Town is close and is so small that we can count the stoplights on our hands.  We have no traffic.  We are close to climbing, hiking, skiing.
As I write this, I wonder if we are crazy to move.  Why are we doing it?  Well, God's hand has been evident in wanting us to go.  Lifelines NAU has closed down.  We do not have a job for next year.  We prayed about staying on with some other position but really see God's hand in wanting us to go.  We will be going to a one-year, short-term project in Orlando.  From there, we will make a more permanent (can I say that with our lives?) move with our six kids.

• Pray for our kids.  They will have LOTS of Crusade staff kids where we are going that they can interact with.  Most of them are kids transitioning from overseas.  What an awesome opportunity for some great friendships.  But pray for their hearts that they would feel at home and comfortable quickly in their new environment.  They seem excited to move but I know it will be sad for all of us.  
• Pray for the things we need to sell.  We need to get rid of stuff at a good price so that we can be compensated.  
• Pray for our moving costs.  It's gonna take a good bit of cash to rent a truck, pay for gas and get us all across the country.  

Thanks for praying for us!  More to come!

Daughter of the King

This past Tuesday, the day arrived for me to go to the doc for the ever awaited 20 week ultrasound and the findings of whether your baby is a boy or girl.  I have been waiting for this day, praying almost everyday that this one would be a boy.  I mean, when you have 4 girls, do you really need another :)?  My mom continued reminding me that the time for praying was long over.  Ha ha.
The ultrasound tech called me in almost immediately.  She got me setup and turned on her machine.  Then she began looking around and immediately she turned to me and said, "It's a boy."  I threw my hands to my face and yelled.  I was SO excited. 
Later, as I began reflecting on these past 20 weeks, something powerful hit me.  God knew that I wanted a boy.  He's known that since before I was born.  And for some reason, could it be just love?, He decided to grant my request.  He has no obligation to me.  He doesn't need to do anything that I ask.  But, as a small window of light shone on the situation, He merely did it because it pleased Him to. 

Luke 11:11-13 “You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”  (this is sort of what I'm looking for :)).

This kept them occupied for hours.  And the mess wasn't so bad :)

Sick Day

We grow up in this world with so many dysfunctions.  Things that stem from our family, from our friends and enemies through elementary, middle and high school, from boy/girlfriends, etc.  And these hurts become so deeply rooted in us and from that our whole worldview stems.  We all see God so differently, through that warped and twisted worldview.  To some He is a judge, harsh and cruel.  To others, a distant relative who checks in every once in awhile.  To still others, the grandfather who is there to grant our every request. 

For me, I have never seen Him as loving.  Sure, academically, I knew He was.  But that has never applied to my heart.  Him giving me a desire of my heart broke through that wall that has kept Him at bay for so long and I realized that He actually cares for me.  Not just cares but loves me deeply, more than I could ever love my kids.  Through this situation and the recent study I am doing (http://www.whm.org/sonship), I am slowly learning to act and react less and less like an orphan and more and more like a daughter of the King.  I am blessed.

First time in a snowsuit!

Tihi pulling us on the sled

 So, it seemed to be a busy month.  Curt and I got to spend a day out while Turi babysat.  It was the first time we left the girls without a babysitter over lunch and nap times.  She did such a great job.  The little ones were great and Turi had no complaints except that she was tired :).  Curt and I went and hiked the only mountain here (Mt. Humphreys 12,637ft.).  I have always wanted to but seem to always be pregnant or nursing :).  So, since I am again pregnant, I just asked my doc this time.  She said it was fine.  So, we went.  It was SO much fun.  We forgot our camera but promise we were there :).  Since we have done some pretty intense hikes, this one was just much more enjoyable vs. strenuous.  But it did make me give up my dreams of hiking Everest.  If I was tired at 12,000 ft., I don't want to think about double that!
Our other really fun thing thing this month was taking the girls down to Phoenix to see the play "Wicked".  I think they really enjoyed it.  It was SUCH a commitment (3 hours there and 3 hours back) but since it is one of Curt and I's favorite plays, we felt like it was a necessary thing.  It was fun.
This winter has been really lame weather-wise, so when we got some snow, I went out and took pics, thinking it could be our last.
Life on campus has also been really fun.  Curt lost one guy in his group but gained another.  He has really enjoyed watching those guys grow and bond together.  He took them recently on a weekend trip to the Grand Canyon, in which they all had a
great time of hiking together and doing some really cool devotionals.
The women's group has been such a growing time for me as we are learning about living the Gospel.  It's not just a one-time deal: believe in Jesus for your sins and ye shall be saved but rather the Gospel effects us daily.  How we deal with situations is whether we're living out the gospel (trusting that our significance is found in Him alone, that we run to Him for our strength and in our weakness, etc.) vs. living like orphans (that we are in this world to look after ourselves and no one else will).  After 12 years of being a Christian, my eyes are being opened, for the first time, to grace, and how it applies to me and others around me.  I am grateful it only took 12 years.  I am saddened that it took so long.  Pray for our family as we continue to wrestle through grace and learning to live it out!

Bitsu and Turi trying to go down the hill together

For some reason, this is one of their favorite games

Going to see our first play!

Yes, we are expecting #6

The 6th Hanover kid is on the way!  Lord willing, sometime around the end of July, we will be welcoming another little one into the household.  Curt and I are pretty excited.  The rest of the kids reactions are varied.  Turi: "Have you noticed that the oldest always gets stuck with the most work?"; Bitsu, "I knew it!  Your belly kept getting bigger and bigger and never seemed to go down." (careful who you say that to!);  Tihi, "Where will we put it?" (good question); Carmen was asked, "Would you rather have a new baby or a dog?" "Dog!"; Zoya: smile.
As we make preparations for, yet again, another life change, I wonder how this will all go.  I look at our current family and everything works.  One older child plays with Carmen, one with Zoya and one helps with dinner.  Now, who is going to help with dinner?  Or should I do all the playing and the girls cook?  Or will Carmen take over?  So many questions to answer.  So little time.