Before and After

This is obviously a "before" picture. Actually the family room doesn't usually look this bad, but we were in the process of packing up a few things. It's looking VERY lived in. And AFTER! I love the color!
This isn't the best "after" picture because once again it's being lived in. Just imagine that the toys aren't there! You get the idea.
The shelves "before." Notice the treadmill. It's gone now!
And "after." No more toys on the shelves. Actually no toys will be visible at all when we show the house (in this room anyway).

It used to be the playroom, and now we're trying to stage it as the media room. We have a ton more space since we got rid of the tread mill and I'm not missing the piles of toys either. We've been playing lots of games and using our imaginations!

Just a slight delay :)

I have NOT forgotten about the McCollums Malawi Chip-In Event that just ended on March 1st! I just haven't gotten to it yet, to pick a winner for our drawing! Sorry! This is starting to become the story of my life it seems. Ryan decided to start throwing up yesterday and then Christian joined him. And this afternoon McKenna decided to start her own throwing up party, much to Abby's dismay (she almost threw up at the sight of it). I been very clearly explaining to the Lord why I cannot get sick and I hope he evaluations my very logical reasoning and decides to side with me on this one (hehe). So WISDOM is telling me to stop blogging and head straight to bed. Who knows what the night may hold!

On the MOVE and Driving Me CRAZY!

The picture on the LEFT is of McKenna yesterday! She figured out how to go up the stairs for real. She has sort of gone up a step or two for a couple weeks now, but yesterday she really figured it out. Our main problem is the cheering squad that usually joins her on the steps (as pictured), thus distracting her and then she stops and forgets she's on the steps and tries to stand up or turn around. And that just ends in disaster. So after some instruction the cheering squad now understands the importance of McKenna being on the steps by herself. She can safely make it up the steps and I'm not worried about that anymore. I am however very worried about the fact that she doesn't know how to go DOWN. We've been working on learning how to turn around backwards but she still tries to take the stairs in a head first position.

And there she goes! Head first down the steps! The steps are a huge issue for us because they are right in the middle of our house. You can get to them from the family room, living room, and upstairs hall! I really would need four gates to totally block them all off and right now I just have one up.

McKenna also loves the cabinets and quickly figured out that only some of them have baby proof locks on them and some don't. Christian never figured that out, but this girl is on the move and into everything. One of her favorite tricks is turning the TV on and off (much to the great frustration of the toddlers in my house). So also loves to stand at the toy box and completely empty it right after we've picked everything up. If Christian were blogging right now he'd be sure to tell you about his train track dilemma and how McKenna brings total destruction wherever she goes. I will just tell you that God gave Christian a little sister to teach him patience! We love her and she did fall asleep for her nap today with her cheek resting against mine. How long is she going to be comforted and soothed by the touch of her mommy? I don't know, but I'll take it for as long as I can get it and we'll continue to forgive her for all her curiosity! And hopefully she will figure out how to go down the stairs without giving me a heart attack :)

Going Wireless

We finally got a wireless router for our internet (I'm sure the rest of you did that about two years ago). We got a really good one, at a great price, at Circuit City (Probably the last time I'll ever be in that place)! So I set the whole thing up yesterday and couldn't wait to sit on the couch with my lap top and then it occurred to me that I didn't have the battery for my lap top. It is currently packed away in a box somewhere in our storage unit. You have got to be kidding! How annoying! I guess since I lived this long without wireless internet I can do it for a few more months!

Fingerprint Friday

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:

I can see the fingerprints of God

When I look at you

I can see the fingerprints of God

And I know its true

You're a masterpiece

That all creation quietly applauds

And you're covered with the fingerprints of God

So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them?

---------------------------------------------------

I know you're probably getting tired of hearing about how sick I've been this week, but here I go again. I've been sick for six straight days now and don't worry, I am getting better and you won't be hearing about this forever. But it's given me such perspective. This is really the first time I've been sick this winter and my sweet kiddos have been sick ALL winter. My precious McKenna has been sick for the majority of her short life. I have realized that I need to give my kids a lot more credit for being tough and for smiling and being fun even when they feel awful. I can see now how God's grace has really carried us this past year. McKenna had an ear infection for 5 months straight this fall and yet I have tons of pictures of her smiling! That's called the grace of God and when I look back I can see his FINGER PRINTS all over our days, our sleepless nights, our numerous doctor visits, the ridiculous fortune we've spent in co-pays and the countless times our bedtime prayers have asked Jesus for healing.

This picture was taken last weekend when Christian was super sick with a 103 degree fever and sore throat!

Enjoying his reward for taking his medicine! And this little boy has some serious FAITH. He always reminds me to pray for who ever is sick at night because he believes with all his heart that Jesus hears him and answers! I definitely see the fingerprints of God when I look in his eyes!


Pretty sad when your one year old knows just what to do with a stethoscope :) She hangs it around her neck or tries to put it on her ears as she crawls around the house!

Look at that precious face, that perfect skin, those delicate eye lashes and little button nose and just tell me if you see the fingerprints of God!

To join in "Fingerprint Friday" head on over to Beki's blog!

God Just Might Be Up to Something

So here's the scoop! Our house isn't on the market yet. We weren't even scheduled to meet with our realtor until later this week. We've been working like crazy to get things ready all weekend and then something unexpected happened. I emailed a friend last night about some church stuff and just happen to mention that we were putting our house on the market. She emailed back right away asking about our house because she and her husband were actually looking to buy a house. Hmm... interesting. They wanted to know when they could see it. So we said Sunday night and they left a little while ago. I'm feeling cautiously optimistic about the whole thing. It could be great for everyone. No realtor fees for us, so we could give them a great price. So God just might be up to something! Even if this doesn't work out it's been encouraging to us that God is already opening doors. Either way we are feeling more and more peace about the decision to put our house on the market. I'll keep you posted!

Whew...

To say that we've been busy is an understatement! This picture was taken by Christian of what we were up to!

Christian helped turn our bathroom from yellow to blue!

Ugh!
Much better!!

Then it was onto the family room/ playroom! It doesn't have any toys in it now and we refer to it as the "media room."

We went from one shade of khaki to a darker shade.

And here's McKenna helping me pack! She's a big help (can you sense the sarcasm???). And I don't even have pictures of the touch up painting we did in the living room. I've been painting all weekend and that is not an exaggeration! I still have to repaint the hall and a few window sills, but I'm done for the next three days. It's time for a break!

1 hour 45 min

That's how long it is until our first showing! So much to do! So little time! And staying up until 2am for the past two nights is starting to wear on me. But it's exciting! Can't wait to see what God is going to do! Pray for us!