Summertime

I realized the other day that if I didn't blog soon, our boys would be adopted before I got around to it. That's right... ADOPTED!!  I'll fill in a few details about that later, but mostly wanted to give a few glimpses into our days now.

Overall, things have been good for us.  They boys are growing and learning and just generally being cute.  Until the times they're not.  But that's not news to anyone who's ever parented (heck, just been around) two and three year olds.  They have finished school and now we're in full summer mode.  I'm not going to lie, I was scared.  So I made a crazy weekly schedule for us to follow... for my sanity more than anyone else's.  I've got to have some structure.  A plan.  My children added the word "syllable" to their vocabulary, and I did a happy dance around the kitchen.  And then summer really got busy and all my well laid plans flew out the window.  I haven't given up, I've just backed off a bit... for my sanity.

The boys are doing gymnastics once a week, which is hilarious.  Big Brother's entire take away from each class is dependent on the trampoline:  "You did such a good job!  Was that fun?"  "I did NOT jump on the trampoline."  Little Brother's class is a mommy and me style class that I love.  It's fun to watch them learn and grow and develop skills.  But I repeat, it's hilarious.

I know if we could show you pictures, our boys would just make you melt.  Since we're not quite there yet, I'll just have to talk about them a little more so you can paint your own pictures.  We borrowed a book from the library called Ninja! a couple of weeks ago.  One of the boys' favorite lines from the book is, "I am a ninja!"  I had put the book on the dining table thinking that little hands would not get into them unless I was supervising (you know, these being borrowed books and all), until Little Brother wandered into the living room with the Ninja! book.  I said, "Oh, no.  Did you climb on the table and get the book?"  His response?  "I am ninja!!"

During the World Cup I was cheering for Germany, and while we watched the final the boys were cheering with me.  Still to this day, Big Brother will say, "I'm Germany!" when playing any type of sport.  He also will randomly yell at the top of his lungs, "GO GERMANY!"  Usually in a public place like the grocery store.  In other sports news, we took the boys to their first baseball game.  I cannot express how much it thrills me that my boys are into this.

We got a package in the mail the other day so I asked the boys what they thought might be inside.  Big Brother thought it was a "new teethbrushing," and Little Brother thought it was a "motorcycle."  I don't know what goes on in their heads, but it is a normal thing for me to be surprised by what they say.

And in other news, not related to the kids, my garden is growing.  This is a miracle.  I have never grown anything in my life.  And I busted the window out of our car.  Apparently I got a little too rambunctious with the weed eater.  Mercedes was singing in my head for at least 24 hours.  The Hubs and I also celebrated our third anniversary.  We went to this place that had several high ropes courses up in the trees.  Probably not your typical anniversary celebration, but perfect for us Curious Caves.  Oh, and I donated my pony tail and now have awesome hair.

My bad.

Love birds

And finally, our adoption update.  The last time I wrote about our case, we were waiting for May 12th.  It came and went uneventfully, thanks to the lack of urgency in our particular court.  We had to wait for paperwork that should have come in February but actually got to us in July.  Once those papers came through, we were able to start the process for adopting the boys.  It's more paperwork and more waiting, but it looks like we might actually be finished and finalized in a month or two.  I'm a little hesitant to put that timeline in writing, though, because we have learned not to expect a quick turn around on anything.  We are so excited to adopt for so many reasons!  We will have more freedom in decisions we make for our boys, we will get to give them our name, AND we can have a regular ol' babysitter stay with them while we go on a date like normal people.  ;)

This is what happens when your three year old takes your picture on date night.

He got a decent one, too, though.

Glad you were curious enough to read.

What A Man

A few days ago I was spending some time with one of my sweet friends and telling her how wonderful The Hubs has been in all of this new parenting stuff.  Her question to me was, "Have you told him that?"  I had told him, but I think he deserves some bragging in a more public arena.

My man has been with me 100% every step of this journey.  He has gracefully entered fatherhood by doing things like shouting and hollering when a diaper is particularly smelly, carrying a child at arms length in order to decide what to do with him right after he's pinched the tar out of Dada's inner thigh, and being the first to jump at the offer of a minivan.  He works hard all day in order to "Bacon home," as Big Brother puts it, and still hits the ground running when he gets home, where he tackles the dishes while being tackled by toddlers.  He gives the boys their baths at night, reads books with them, makes them laugh at the dinner table, and has epic dance parties with them.  He has instituted the "two boys" maneuver that is now a staple in our house, and also probably the cause of his recent back injury.  Oops.

While his praises as a father could go on, it's his unrelenting husbanding (yes, I just made that a verb) that blows me away.  We've had a lot to deal with.  And part of what Tim has had to deal with has been  The Ugly.  I cannot imagine how he could have done this better.  He has listened and waited and not tried to fix me.  He has made me laugh, been quiet with me, sent me out of the house, and been my best friend.  He hasn't pushed me to figure out my junk, but has walked beside me and loved me when I haven't felt very lovable.  My words don't do him justice... we're talking husband of the year, here!  I think I'll keep him.

The other day when I picked Big Brother up from school his teacher told me he'd been saying, "Daddy love Mama!" That speaks volumes on so many levels.

Hi-Ya and Happy Easter

If everyday life has not seemed enough to inspire me to write lately, what better reason than celebrating my Risen King to bring me out of hibernation?

The Hubs has been working like crazy.  His project was due for delivery on Monday so he had been working tons of hours with his team- we're talking until 10pm on a Friday night just to get up and go back on Saturday morning for the whole day.  So, Easter Sunday was the first break he had gotten in a while, and it was great to celebrate together and get to spend some relaxing time together.

I also have to brag on him a bit.  He recently had his annual review at work and rocked it!  I was able to read a copy of it and loved knowing the qualities his coworkers recognize in him that recommend him so well.  They spoke of his intelligence, work effort, and character.  Glad they see what I already know!

To celebrate My Ninja's awesomeness, I put streamers all over the kitchen and got an Easter egg dying kit.  We dyed the eggs Saturday night and the fun ensued!  Here's the finished product.  :)

Glad you were curious enough to read.

Ain't We Got Fun

I found this picture a couple of days ago while looking for some wedding pictures to print.  It brought back such fond memories of our wedding day.  (Photo credit Lisa)  In this particular photo, I was torturing my groom by not letting him see me around the corner.  And those who witnessed it will tell you it was torture.  Poor guy!  But he was rewarded about five minutes later when we snuck a peek and a couple of kisses before the ceremony.  :)

The beginning of a new year is always a time of reflection and looking forward to what is to come.  Here are a few of the things on our radar for 2013:

• Finally finishing our wedding book... a year and a half later!  Hence the above picture.
• Infusing our lives with scripture along with our church family.  
• Summer mission trip to South Carolina with our RealLife peeps.  Feel free to start praying.
• Getting better at playing the guitar?
• Bathroom remodels, oh my!
• Waiting (well, learning to wait) expectantly for the Lord to do BIG things.
• A possible trip to Alaska- oh, how I hope it's true!
• Growing our family.  Hold your horses, though!  We are researching adoption and it is a LONG process.  Don't expect a baby on my hip (or in my belly) the next time you see me.
• Memorizing 52 verses of scripture.  And a guest blogger to boot. 
• More silliness, laughter, and fun!  I started a 2013 folder for photos and this was the first thing in it:

Glad you were curious enough to read.

Power Hour

This morning I woke up very early.  So early that my mascara ended up in with the toothbrushes.  I very rarely get up this early, but it's is a weekly routine for The Hubs.  Every Friday morning he attends Power Hour- a men's Bible study at our church.  6:30am.  A couple of weeks ago he told me that a series of study was coming up that wives were invited to attend.  When I went with him this morning two things happened.

First, I showed love to my husband.  I didn't realize how much my early rising demonstrated love to him until we arrived at the church.  I was freaking out a little because I didn't want to be the only wife there.  Tim simply said, "I know I love you and you love me a lot because it didn't take any effort for me to convince you to come with me."  A simple statement that speaks volumes to me.

Second, I saw the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in a church building.  And that's saying a lot because I was practically raised in a church building.  These faithful men, many of whom are retirees, sang hymns together, listened to a lesson, and then it happened.  They closed in prayer.  They knelt down right in front of their chairs all across that room and prayed.  First they took turns giving thanks to God, then they entered into a time of petitions to God.  I was overwhelmed by hearing the voices of these men and knowing that there, on their knees, they were recognizing where true power comes from.  They were so contradictory to the world and completely beautiful.

Can't Buy Me Love

I love the Beatles!  Here's a little background music for your read today.

A couple of Sunday evenings ago, Tim and I had the chance to speak at our annual church conference about the college ministry.  We got to explain what has been going on in our group to the faithful few who will still attend a Sunday evening service, and all the staff (pretty sure it's required for them.)  They had a few people give testimonies about some of the life change that has been going on in our church.  I shared about the ways the Lord has been working through me quitting my job.  When the service was over, our pastor kind of made a big deal about me quitting my job... told me he was proud of me.  Then he said, "I leaned over to the guy next to me and said, 'I wonder how they are making it?!'"  My quick response was, "We don't have kids yet."  And we both agreed that made a difference.  But then I started thinking about his question and my answer.  It's not just the kid factor... we work hard at this!  The truth is, we really have changed very little financially since I quit my job.  So Pastor Gary, here's how we do it:

1.  We have a budget.  

Before we married, Tim and I decided that when we have kids I will stay home with them.  Therefore, we chose to live off one income from the beginning, even though we had two for a while.  It took us a while to get it all balanced out, but we've been living off Tim's income since a few months after we got married.  We also discuss the budget often to make sure we are both on the same page. 

2.  We save.

Part of our budget is savings.  We have multiple categories- retirement, new car, house repairs, car repairs, travel (my personal fave!), adoption (a close second).  We even have a sami fund... you know, for times when we can be good samaritans.

3.  We use Craig's List.

That's where we got our refrigerator, washer and dryer, and dining table.  Sure these things have been used before, but they work and the price is right.  These things are super expensive new, and we don't have that kind of money to spend all at once.  And we hate debt, so no payment plans for us, thanks.

4.  I buy most groceries at Wal-Mart.

I said it.  I know some people despise the above mentioned place, but let's face it, they are cheapest.  I do price matching from the circulars which also helps me get the best price.  I get certain items elsewhere, but the bulk of it comes from Wally World.  I do try not to look like the infamous emails floating around, though.

5.  We tithe.
Maybe I should have put that earlier in the list.  But the truth is, I just now thought of it.  I have tithed all my life, so I have the luxury of saying that it's really natural for me and I've always based spending money off 10% less than what was in my paycheck.  I say it's a luxury because I know this is not the case for everyone.  Tim learned this much later in life than I did, but we are both committed to it now.  It is something worth striving for, so if you don't do it yet, take heart!  You can!  Giving to God right away makes it easier to remember where the money came from in the first place, no matter the amount.

6.  We drive old cars.
Not long after we got married we were in a wreck.  No one was hurt, but my poor little B.B. didn't make it.  So we became a one car family.  Not the most favorable, I realize, but we made it work. (The Hubs absolutely loved the extra time he got to spend with me!)  Thanks to the money we got from the total and our new car savings, we were able to pay cash for a $6000 Corolla complete with man-power locks and windows, three cup holders, and a tape deck.  She is the perfect companion to Tim's 2000 Danger Ranger.

7.  We have dumb phones.
This is part budget choice, part life style choice.  While I know smart phones are really cool and super convenient, they can also be tricky.  For example, have you ever seen a family out to dinner, all with phones out and no conversation happening?  Or what about those college boys at church who must have that phone to read the Bible but can also look at porn on the same device?  Or there's me, who simply gets really distracted by technology and can waste a lot of time with something that cool.  Plus, they are expensive.

8.  We don't buy clothes often.
We budget a little for clothes each month, but don't buy that often.  That way, the money collects and we are able to purchase nicer or more things when we do go shopping.  We definitely take advantage of sales and discount stores.  Shopping can be a slippery slope of wants vs. needs.  One thing that helps me is to not buy right away.  If I'm still thinking about an item a couple of days after seeing it, chances are it will be a solid purchase, not just something I buy then never wear.

9.  We find joy in giving.
We both really like to be generous.  In our budget we have monthly money designated for spending on other people and missions.  It can be challenging to look for ways to spend that money, but we feel confident that we are following after the heart of God when we think this way.  Sometimes people need to be blessed before they can really see the Lord.  We also have four World Vision kids.  It's kind of a your's, mine, and ours situation, but it works.

10.  We eat at home.
It's healthier.  It's cheaper.  It allows us to spend more time together.  All three things I would vote are good for marriage and life!  We usually save eating out for when we are with other people.

11.  We are creative.
We go on dates to parks, free concerts, matinee movies, and fancy restaurants using gift cards Tim gets at work.  We use discount websites to book hotels.  We make up our own Crossfit workouts, although our neighbors probably think we are crazy.

12.  We try to do-it-ourselves.
Our house has needed a lot of work, but with the exception of an electrician, plumber, and a couple of professional cleaners, we have done the work.  We have been taught by the amazing Captain Ken and helped a ton by family and friends, but we have put in the labor.

13.  We make changes.
If changes need to be made to the budget or spending, we talk about them and make them.  We have made lots of changes.  That has helped us figure out that this finance thing is always going to be a work in progress.

14.  We are blessed.
Neither of us had college debt or car payments when we got married.  I understand this is the exception to the rule and do not take it for granted.  We also have an amazing story of how we were able to buy our house, which we know isn't normal either.  (Let me clarify... we do have a mortgage.)  But this does not mean that we have a free pass to go crazy with our money and build up some debt.

I hope this has not come across as us thinking that we have this all figured out.  We don't.  I do hope maybe it could be an encouragement for someone else, though.  It's probably pretty obvious that our finances reflect our lifestyle and I hope that will always be the case.  Living simply allows us to keep track of what is truly important in life rather than trying to "keep up with the Joneses."  We like the Caves a lot!

Whew!  Well congratulations if you made it this far!  I am certain that your circumstances are different than ours, but perhaps we have offered some encouragement.  Do you have thoughts?  Questions?  Suggestions?  We would love to hear them!

Glad you were curious enough to read.