Day 4,307

The Sharing of our Lives

Peek-a-book, Mila!

We did some "Hot Cereal" making,

letter recognizing,

letter writing, 

a little napping, 

some Living Library playing,

a little gas tank filling, 

a six-child Costco shopping,



and some more letter learning.

Oh, we just can't get enough of these special girl cousins!

Day Eighteen Hundred and Eighty-Four

The Election Exhaustion

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This is how I felt at midnight when they still hadn't announced the new president-elect. But unlike Mimi, I stayed awake because I couldn't stand not knowing. And though my 5AM alarm clock rang me only 4 1/2 hours later for our flight back home, I wouldn't have been able to sleep anyways, so sleep, I did not. 

I anxiously awaited results all day. I think that's probably the sentiment of most Americans this election cycle. Sometimes, I wish being an adult was as simple as being a child and learning to color outside the lines with your toes. 

But it's not. And this is what our country now - unfortunately - looks like. We're divided, we're at odds, we're afraid and angry, elated and excited. Dumbfounded. Shocked. Worried. Hopeful. My heart is heavy. My heart is encouraged. And the only thing I can think to do is to pray and to genuinely love my neighbors, coming alongside them while sharing the freedom Christ offers, regardless of who's in the White House.

Just like these children. 

Please love on each other, friends. It's what were called to do. And especially now, when people are so polarized over this issue, be kind. Be gentle. Show compassion. Be real. You don't win people to Christ without being Christlike. 

Day Eighteen Hundred and Forty-Nine

The(re's) a First Time for Everything...Even a Hurricane

Happy Offseason, here, have yourself a hurricane!

No rest for the weary...that's how it goes, right?

As of today (Wednesday) at 11PM, the hurricane's path is headed directly at us. Not as a Category 3 like the above photo suggests, but as a Category 4. My heart. We're so in need of rest, but for now, we have to act. We'll fight on under the protection and favor of the Lord, regardless of how tired we all are. And so, we set out yesterday for some preparation.

We arrived to Home Depot at 1:30ish looking for a cooler and a water container among other things. Thankfully, we had already purchased flashlights from the storm scare a month ago...but others...not so lucky.

House supplies. Check! 

Water supplies. Check!

Food supplies. Check!

Palms trimmed. Check!

Hong Kong Orchid trimmed. Check!

Garage cleaned. Check!

Car picked up from the auto body shop. Check!

Both cars parked in the garage (with 8 inches to spare). Check!

Helping neighbors install shutters. Check!

And a last farewell to "normal" dinners for probably at least a week. Check!

We've decided to stay and ride out the storm. Our house was built in 2011 with all the updated standard requirements of new builds in South Florida. We have upgraded hurricane shutters and a gigantic electric door (looks and operates similar to a garage door) that encloses all our outside doors. We've removed as much potential debris as possible, cut back the trees from the house and pool screen, and secured everything we can think of. We've got 16 gallons of water stored up and plenty of food. We plan on grilling when we're without electricity if we choose to stay home once the storm passes. We've finished all our laundry, prepared some food, and tidied up a bit. To say that I'm terrified is about as accurate as it gets, but Adam - and the rest of our neighborhood - is confident that what we have here is sturdy to withstand the wind and rain and whatever else is headed our way. Please, please pray for our safety and everyone else affected by this storm. And please, if you get overwhelmed with concern (Nan!), have perspective that Haiti - one of the poorest nations in the world - just endured this storm with much much less than what we have. Pray for them. Their situation is far more serious than mine and they need as much of our help as we can offer.  But do know that we are NOT taking this lightly and have done every single thing in our power to prepare accordingly. Neither of us have ever seen a natural disaster in person, and though I would prefer not to begin my hurricane journeys with a Category 4, this is what we're dealing with.

A few things: 

It is highly likely that we will be without power and potentially cell service. We were told that our best bet at correspondence will be via text message, but that it isn't guaranteed. We will update once the storm hits if we can. It is supposed to begin really affecting us around 8PM Thursday night and continue until Friday morning around 8AM. I cannot say for sure that I'll be able to post my blogs either. Depending on if and how long the power is out, tomorrow's post might be my last for...however long. I will continue writing and documenting our days, but if I'm not able to upload to the internet, I will do it once we have power again. 

Thanks for your prayers.

Here goes nothing. 

Day Eighteen Hundred and Four

The Deadbeat

Yesterday.

Rolling eyes for sure.

Adam's car is currently dead in our local shop and we don't know what's wrong with it yet. At least it's not dead on the side of the Florida Turnpike anymore though, so there's that! 

Mimi and Mama made it home about two hours before Dada, as we had already arrived home by the time Adam's car died. He was picking us all up some lunch while we made the trek from Miami to home. When he called me from the side of the road, all I could think was well, at least he won't be starved! 

And because we were all pooped by the time Adam got home, our besties from across the street did us the BIGGEST favor and cooked us dinner! Love you, Brandi, Trent (Sal and Deverah too!)! It was scrumptious and the perfect welcome home (for the off day)!

Day Seventeen Hundred and Sixty-Four

The Welcome Home Home!

We're HOOOO-OOOOOME!

And we couldn't be more excited!!!!!

Just four weeks ago, Adam and I hired two generous and dear friends to furnish our home. Having very little time in the off season to do much of anything, furnishing an entire home was something that was overwhelming us greatly. We had next to nothing and I had no idea where to start and no idea how to logistically create a cozy, homey environment for us - and whomever else God brings into our house - to relax in once October (November?) rolls around. And so, we left our empty walls in the hands of Kim Spears Group and asked for as much bargain shopping, corner cutting, and deal finding as possible. We asked that the project be complete by October, and much to our surprise, our ladies delivered a stunning homecoming in JULY! They're not finished yet, as there's still items being shipped, but what they've already accomplished is nothing short of a miracle. We are SO grateful for their help, guidance, honesty, and professionalism. They made this project a joy and delivered daily smiles to us as we awaited the big reveal. 

Below, you can enjoy the before pictures I took just days prior to hiring them and after photos from yesterday!

Kitchen: before

Kitchen: after (!!!!!!!!!!!)

Dining Room: before

Dining room/kitchen: after (!!!!!!!!!)

More kitchen: after!

Study: before

Study: so far!

Living room: before

Living room: after (!!!!)

Amelia's room: before

Amelia's room: after (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Master: before (hahahaha)

Master: AFTER!!!!

WE ARE THRILLED.

What a joy. What a treasure. And what a blessing to finally feel like we're home.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Day Fifteen Hundred and Seventy-Five

The Myth: Water and Oil Don't Mix

So, Adam's new old car has a leaking problem. It's old. It leaks. It comes with the territory. But just please not on my pretty pavers!!!

We didn't realize the car was leaking until it was too late - the oil had already been dripped - but we wanted to remove the nastiness ASAP. So, Adam found a non-toxic(?) remedy and gave it a go.  

Yes. That's Coke. 

Our "non-toxic" approach at removing an oil stain. 

If that's not room enough to give you pause when reaching for that next crispy beverage, well, I don't know what is!! I can't believe this stuff can be used as a cleaner! Imagine what it's doing to your body! Ahhhh!! 

Amelia watched as Daddy poured and scrubbed. I will say - in defense of Publix brand Coke - that it actually didn't work as good as we expected. But it helped. And that's just insanity to me. The fact that it was even suggested as a stain remover is - well, I can't even fathom it.

When the last of the Coke was poured, Adam hit the oil with some of our Kangen water. Our special machine produces varying levels of acidic and alkaline water and actually has the ability to emulsify oil. With a click of a button, our water can mix with oil. Yep. It's true! And so, we poured the cleaning water onto the Coke-oil mess and sure enough, the stain began to rainbow and float away! Straight out of a magic show, I tell ya!

This was her face when I asked her if she wanted a tall glass of Coke.

Girl after my own heart.

Day Fifteen Hundred and Seventy-Three

The First Day of 2016

Happy New Year to us!

It was a quiet day, but a special one nonetheless.

We woke up to smiles, a Daddy-made breakfast, and a beautiful, sunny, 83 degree day. Itching to get outside, we put on our bathing suits and walked out to our little lake with some leftover biscuits Dad made.

We tried our best to feed the duckies, but they musta been stuffed from all their partying the night before. All the ducks swam away. And we were bummed. The first letdown of 2016.

But secretly I think Amelia was happy that the ducks didn't want our food, after all. Because some little lady definitely was in the mood for a Dada biscuit! Little stinker!

We walked back from the water, and while Dada cleaned the pool and tore down the spider webs,

Amelia got to put her toesies in the pool and play with the hose. She just loves the water!

We welcomed 2016 in shorts and t-shirts and bathing suits and towels and just a few fat rolls too! Our girl is starting to really chunk up and we think it's the funniest, cutest thing ever! 

Millie says, "Hey, don't talk about me like that! Mmmm. Apple juice!"

Happy 2016, my friends!

We're already working hard and praying lots that this year will be yet another beautiful testimony of God's grace and mercy flowing through us to empower our faith and to reach the lives of others. We can't wait to see what it holds!