Out in the Garden

moving past the broker issues to get a home of our own to "nest"

Well, alot has been going on around here.  Dougs brothers started packing out back to their home states.  Dan and Heidi left on Thursday afternoon with the twins to PA for a picnic and on back to MN they went safe and sound.   Charles and Diane left with their kids friday morning after a fun-filled wii game here with Aunt Becky and Uncle Doug.  It was really fun!  We miss them ALL.

We've been having problems with mortgage brokers.  We were pre-approved, but the broker our realtor suggested was trying to swindle us.  Praise God for catching it early, but she recommended another one who ran my husbands credit without really asking us and declined us....for a rediculous reason.  Anyways, back to the mortgage broker we origionally had last year.  I'm praying these last two brokers from our realtor didn't cost us a pre-approval from the origional broker for our bank.  I've heard the more your report is pulled, the lower your score.  We can't afford NOT to be approved right now.  I'm pregnant and REALLY in need of stability.  While I'm grateful to everyone who is allowing us to stay with them, I really need a place of my own to "nest".  Please pray for favor that we'll be approved next week for a home and that we'll find a home right for us in a good location.

We've decided to put our homesteading plans on hold and get a fixer upper so we can deal with the mortgage payments and be able to live life with our new little one on the way.  If the preapproval doesn't happen, then I suppose we go back to renting for another year.  I think I'm just jumpy because there's so much going on...but good grief, I didn't think buying a house could be so stressful.  I'll be sharing the "bad brokers" name once this is all finished.  Thank goodness I read fine print and get everything in writing.  Not to mention the guy doesn't know an FHA from any other loan.  VERY SCAREY!

We're getting ready to move to our friends house tomorrow.  They offered a room to rent while we work out the kinks in the housing plans.  We're hoping we don't put them out, but know this is only temporary and pray we may be of some help.  Thats if I can get through the tired feelings I've been having lately.  I'm exhausted! I guess this is normal for a pregnancy.

So we're still busy. I'll continue to keep you all posted as time goes on.  I laugh because Gods plans are so funny.  He KNOWS I need to fully trust Him for anything to work out.  I'm all discombobulated and out of my comfort zone.  But I feel His peace surrounding me.  Praise be to God!

I pray you all have a lovely weekend.

June 26th, 2009

Today I'm longing for the appointment next friday.  Right now, I should be 5 or 6 weeks.  I'm not having the naucious feeling I had a week ago. Still have the lower back cramps and anal pressure (sorry for the timi).  I also have tender breasts and sligtly light headed when I walk outside with Doug or sometimes when I stand.  Nothing bad..just kinda like an imbalance of sort.

I'm not sure at this stage exactly what I'm supposed to feel.  It will be good to actually see our dear baby in a sonogram and I'm told I'll start to feel fluttering around 16 to 20 weeks or so.  This is all surreal.  Praise God for this little miracle!

June 19th, 2009

After much trial, we FINALLY got the High Risk Dr.'s office to answer us.  We took an HCG lab and were called back.  Labs were good and our numbers were 340.  We're on track for a 4 or 5 week pregnancy. 

Later, we find it was in fact our mini-vacay to the Adirondacks where our little one was conceived.  Praise God!

An appointment is scheduled with the high risk OB for Friday July 3rd.  Please pray they give me an early sonogram so we can see our little one and know he or she is doing well.  Also pray we can hear a heartbeat this early. 

God created this little miracle, I know he/she/they are in HIS hands.

Glory be to God!

June 16th, 2009

Dr. Aziz calls to let me know in fact tests came back normal.  I didn't have cancer as suspected, of course, it wasn't "just stress" either.  I am in fact pregnant.

Today starts a new journey.  Dr.s said we couldn't have a baby.  God spoke, and said it wasn't so.  I was told I couldn't ovulate.  I don't even remember my last period.  God breathed life into my womb and so starts this unknown blessed journey. 

I shall jot down my thoughts, concerns and prayer requests as this type II diabetic works to carry this little miracle God helped create.

Today I was told not only that I was pregnant, but that I could lose the baby.  numbers are 14.  I need to contact High Risk OB for an appointment.  It's the greatest day and most scarriest day of our lives.

Another busy day...

Right now the girls are getting ready.... when my husband gets home we are going to go out to eat for his birthday. I got many things done today...5 loads of laundry it really piled up from the weekend. I weeded  two garden beds and watched the chickens:) I could have spent all morning out there but it just got to hot. It was near 90 at 10:00 Yuck but...... no rain and that makes me happy!

We haven't had anything sweet in a while and I didn't have a cake mix so I made my husband some birthday cookies:) I hope he enjoys them:)

I am still pretty tired from the weekend but I love looking out to see those happy hens!   It makes me so happy to see something we have been planning for such a long time actually get done! We are so blessed! I am also glad that we didn't doubt ourselves...we had and still have no idea of what we are doing. We have read many books and blogs but when you are actually building something it is  a little different and when I am looking at the chickens in the coop that we built  it is very overwhelming!  I knew that it was possiable but I kept asking when??? I know that God has the best timing and I am so grateful!

Many Blessings,

Ma/ Renee

Graduated Our "Baby"!

Well, 16 years ago, when we started homeschooling, we knew this day would come.  But I can't believe how QUICKLY it did!  Saturday, we graduated, Jenna - our 'baby'!  She didn't want the big outdoor ceremony like we did for Jasper in '06 (http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Buckeyeblog/153294/) , she just wanted an open house - a more social event.  We DID, however, still get her a tassle &, of course, a diploma.  And I am still putting together her memory book. 

It was a beautiful day & we had over 100 people between 1-9:30p.m.!  One of Jenna's dearest friends, Hannah S., put together a great slide show that was repeating on our T.V. whenever anyone wanted to take a retreat from the slightly high humidity or get a piece of cake (kept inside so it wouldn't melt - lol) after their hambergers & hotdogs.

It was a great day!  Here are a few pics for you to enjoy...

Jenna w/some of her Besties!

Jasper (DD#1 on right) w/life-long bestie, Beth, & her new beau!

Ty (in the middle)...a.k.a....Daddy...a.k.a....my sweeite...a.k.a....grill master!  And co-horts.

Proud grandparents.

Various awards, trophies, newpaper articles, graduation tassle, diploma, Golden Angels homeschool volleyball team pics, etc.

THE diploma.  (Thanks HSLDA!)

VOLLEYBALL!!!!!!!!!

 And what's a cookout w/old friends if it doesn't end in a grudge water fight?!  (There's history behind those water fights!)  lol 

It was a great day!

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

Chicken Moving Day/ Chicken Update

Pictures of our new chicken coop.....

Here are a few pictures of our chicken coop and some other fun pictures...hope you enjoy them:)

This is a picture of what it looked like working on our coop.

The chicken coop finished ready for the chickens!

Bringing them to their new home...

The steps to the inside of the home where they will sleep and lay eggs.

They seem very happy!

A few pictures of the garden...

Our peppers

The hanging tomatoes that we are trying out this year.

The girls enjoyed their weekend in the pool:)

It was a hot  one again today....a good day for a nice cool dip:)

Blessings,

Ma/Renee

Chicken coop is finished!!!!!

It is a very quiet morning at my house today...we finally finished the chicken coop this weekend. As I look out my back door I can see some very happy chickens! My husband and I worked all weekend and yesterday finishing up the chicken coop and it was well worth it. I am hoping to put on some pictures today of what it looks like along with some other fun pictures so stay tuned!

We are all a little tired from such a busy weekend...my youngest is on the back computer and my oldest is still a sleep. They didn't get to help a lot with the coop because we didn't have a realy plan of what we were doing but they played in the pool and kept thermselves very busy while we worked:) I am so grateful that they understand why we wanted the chicken coop and why it took so long.  I have Wonderful daughters!!

So today will be a lazy day....I say that but I am sure we will find many things to do:) I have a lot I would like to get done out side but it is going get up to almost 90 today. It was a beautiful morning this morning...It is very warm the sun is shining  and everything looks so pretty. I am so grateful that it has quit raining:)

My niece and nephew are coming over this weekend to spend the night with the girls...that should be a lot of fun. I can't wait for them to see our chickens:) I am sure we will spend the whole weekend outside with them swimming and just having fun!

We still have a lot to do in the garden the ground hog has eaten many of our tomato plants. We still need to plant some greenbeans. ...and there is always lots of weeding to do:) I think next year we are going to take a break from building anything and just work on the garden beds. We would like to get our hutches built for the rabbits but we might have to wait for the following year. We already have the wire cages and the feeders and waters so I know hutches would be easy to build.....maybe I am to tired to think about getting all that done:)

I hope you enjoy your day and stay tune for our pictures.....

Blessings to you,

Ma/ Renee

Strength In Numbers -Please keep us in your prayers...

Hi everyone!

Test we took two days after the Dr. notified us (to be sure she didn't have someone elses records)

After being sick for a couple of weeks, we were pleasantly surprised ((ok, who am I talking about here...REALLY SURPRISED)) to find out from our PCP that I am pregnant after 8 years of trying.

In the same sentence, I was told the numbers were low and that the baby may not survive.  Again, God has proven to be our sustainer as we had another blood test and the numbers went up from 41 to 340.  I was told I'm 4 weeks and we're on track.

Instead of holding on to this, we decided after the last lab that we would tell EVERYONE we knew because as the Bible teaches us, There is Strength In Numbers - For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.  Matthew 18:20

Dr.s said we could NEVER conceive.  God said it wasn't so.  And while nothing in life is guaranteed, we are standing on faith that our Heavenly Father will continue the good work He has already done in our lives as He created this "little miracle".

Each week is critical for this little baby.  The numbers must continue to rise and the baby much continue to strengthen and grow.  All while being inside mommy who is a Type II diabetic.

I am "high risk" and could also use prayers for God to continue to help me keep my readings lower than they have been and for a full term, happy, healthy baby.

Will you please keep us in your prayers throughout the next several months?

I will continue to keep you all posted.

Love in Christ,