That's right! Our dream for the past few years is finally becoming an reality. With our changing priorities (see: new baby), it was becoming more and more apparent that we needed to find something bigger and a little more permanent. So on July 4th, we signed into a Lease Purchase. We will be moving into our new place on August 1 (or so) and we will buy the property officially either in December or January. This month is a whirlwind of packing and ripping up carpet and trying to figure out how the heck we are going to pull this off. The house needs work. Actually it could use quite a bit of work. However, it has a ton more space and is a project that Missy and I can finally sink our teeth into, which we love.
This move should also help with the blogging as the computer will no longer be in the same room as where young Riley sleeps. It WILL, however, be in the room that the last tenants used to smoke pot in so if my posts seem more laid back and reference "the munchies", you will know why.
If you think of it, please pray. We have taken a big leap of faith in so many ways and are trusting God will be there for us. Please pray that we will keep trusting Him even when things may look and get a little (or alot) crazy.
We are so pumped and hope that all of you who read this will be able to come by and visit with us some time in your travels.
One very positive sign is that Riley seems to like the house already. When we are over there ripping up carpet or staples or whatever, he just sits in his bouncer seat and talks and laughs and kicks. Then after a while, he simply falls asleep. I guess the place feels like home to him already.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
4th of July
Happy 4th of July everyone. I was watching TV this morning and they had a reporter in Afghanistan with the troops that are over there. It hit me then that while I sat in the comfort of my own house, holding my healthy happy son, there were thousands of people who could not have that privilege. They are in a foreign place risking their lives so I could watch TV, drink coffee, enjoy my family and not worry about a car exploding where I am working or having lunch.
Most of you will probably not read this on July 4th (which might be even better, it's easy to be patriotic on this day). If you read this, please take one minute to thank God that we have incredible men and women, moms and dads, brothers and sisters, husbands and wives living in places of the world we would never want to go, spending each day including the days we all have off of work, defending this great country so that we could go to BBQ's, watch fireworks and spend time with our family and friends.
So once again, Happy 4th of July everyone. We live in a great country. On behalf of myself and my family, I thank those who are fighting to keep it that way.
Most of you will probably not read this on July 4th (which might be even better, it's easy to be patriotic on this day). If you read this, please take one minute to thank God that we have incredible men and women, moms and dads, brothers and sisters, husbands and wives living in places of the world we would never want to go, spending each day including the days we all have off of work, defending this great country so that we could go to BBQ's, watch fireworks and spend time with our family and friends.
So once again, Happy 4th of July everyone. We live in a great country. On behalf of myself and my family, I thank those who are fighting to keep it that way.
Monday, July 02, 2007
Father's Day on a park bench....
Yes, this is a little late but like any father of a young child, I have had little time for anything but watching baby Riley. The phrase that I have come up with to describe parenthood is (in addition to my last phrase):
Beautifully unproductive.
To do lists be darned. Our schedule has one thing on it. Anything else that happens is a bonus. But it is time well spent. These days will never happen again. Everything on the to-do list will need to be done again next week or next month. But this day with Riley will never happen again. We are trying to savor every single moment.
Father's Day began down at our house in Maryland. I got to go fishing with my dad. A regular event each summer that I cherish. We only catch 5 inch perch - 8 inch if we get lucky - but we prepare each time out like we are going out for blue marlin. And you can't beat the company and the scenery. The rest of the day was spent like any good weekend at the Bay. Wiffle ball. Crab feast for lunch. Then we made our way back to a favorite local restaurant in PA to celebrate Father's Day with my dad. As soon as we sat down, Riley got fussy. Actually, truth be told, he was fussy for the 15 minutes leading up to sitting down as well. So to spare everyone in the restaurant from his ear-splitting cry, I took Riley outside for a little fresh air.
So we walked around and stopped in a little courtyard outside of the restaurant. Together, we looked at the flowers (he has discovered colors) and listened to the XM radio station playing the best of the 70's, 80's and 90's. All of a sudden, Riley started to smile. He not only smiled, he laughed. He was having a BALL. And it hit me. Maybe he just wanted a little time alone with his dad on Father's day. Of course, he may have just had gas or something but it was clear he was having a great time. So we sat outside, Riley with a smile on his face, me with tears in my eyes, savoring our first Father's Day together, just me and him.
It must have been obvious that I was a first time dad. As we sat there and as we went back into the restaurant (even dads have to eat some time), a number of people smiled at me and wished me a happy Father's Day. It WAS a happy Father's Day.
Thank you Riley. I love you buddy. Wanna go fishing?
Beautifully unproductive.
To do lists be darned. Our schedule has one thing on it. Anything else that happens is a bonus. But it is time well spent. These days will never happen again. Everything on the to-do list will need to be done again next week or next month. But this day with Riley will never happen again. We are trying to savor every single moment.
Father's Day began down at our house in Maryland. I got to go fishing with my dad. A regular event each summer that I cherish. We only catch 5 inch perch - 8 inch if we get lucky - but we prepare each time out like we are going out for blue marlin. And you can't beat the company and the scenery. The rest of the day was spent like any good weekend at the Bay. Wiffle ball. Crab feast for lunch. Then we made our way back to a favorite local restaurant in PA to celebrate Father's Day with my dad. As soon as we sat down, Riley got fussy. Actually, truth be told, he was fussy for the 15 minutes leading up to sitting down as well. So to spare everyone in the restaurant from his ear-splitting cry, I took Riley outside for a little fresh air.
So we walked around and stopped in a little courtyard outside of the restaurant. Together, we looked at the flowers (he has discovered colors) and listened to the XM radio station playing the best of the 70's, 80's and 90's. All of a sudden, Riley started to smile. He not only smiled, he laughed. He was having a BALL. And it hit me. Maybe he just wanted a little time alone with his dad on Father's day. Of course, he may have just had gas or something but it was clear he was having a great time. So we sat outside, Riley with a smile on his face, me with tears in my eyes, savoring our first Father's Day together, just me and him.
It must have been obvious that I was a first time dad. As we sat there and as we went back into the restaurant (even dads have to eat some time), a number of people smiled at me and wished me a happy Father's Day. It WAS a happy Father's Day.
Thank you Riley. I love you buddy. Wanna go fishing?
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