it's gonna be monumental

New year. Big changes. 2012 is gonna start with a BANG!

If the Lord continues to bless the process the way he has, in 2 weeks we're going to settle on and own our first HOME. Holy cow. Since when did we become old enough for this to happen?! With this new place and our baby AJ due in two months, life is on the brink of changing forever... we're so excited, so sobered, so humbly scared out of our mind ;) haha!

This season we're entering is backed by much history, talking, planning, preparing, and much dependence in prayer... and now here we are about embrace some HUGE blessings and responsibilities! It's not been an easy process and there have been lots of little sacrifices along the way but God has been so undeservingly GOOD.

We have been searching for a home to call our own for almost a year now, actively looking in the last 4 months. We've seen so many houses that would never work for us and quite a few that we thought we could "settle" on but need to compromise a lot of desires for. We had a short sale home that we absolutely loved take 3 months considering our offer only to fall through on the seller's end last minute. We've battled the biding war wondering if we'd ultimately loose in the end. We have watched our desired deadlines of moving pass us by time and again all the while AJ's arrival ticking dangerously close. There have been so many times where we could have been completely discouraged. It's not been an easy process but boy has it been amazing one!

Only by God's grace (and I really mean that, not just saying) we have both been given SO. MUCH. INCREDIBLE. PEACE through the entire ordeal. We've grown a ton in learning to pray fervently and specifically together. We've grown to trust and physically see that God shutting doors or saying "no" actually meant extreme care and guidance on his part and not just depressing rabbit trails. God has helped us live by the promise in Philippians 4:6-7:

"The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything,

but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving

let your requests be made known to God.

And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding,

will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

So with MUCH thankfulness and hearts that have been reaping the promised gift of peace that guarded our hearts and minds, I present to you... our very first home!

Livingroom: paint will change, eventually the blue carpet will be ripped out, dark hardwood will go in it's place, and part of the wall will be knocked down to create a more open concept layout.

Dining/Multi-Purpose Room: located in the back of the kitchen, the eventual livingroom hardwood will continue into this room and the fireplace will be modernized

Kitchen: wallpaper will be taken off, back splash will come down, island will be ripped out and temporarily replaced until one day when a peninsula breakfast bar will be built off the counters on the right.

Backyard Deck: our all time favorite spot in the whole house and where we expect to have many a summer BBQs :) In the non-winter months the trees are thick enough that you do not see the back of the shopping center. (yes there is a Panera and Starbucks in my backyard!)

Master Bedroom: this is half of it, there is a sitting room around the corner to the left. Paint will be changing.

Master Bath: big tub = awesome bonus!

Joe's Office: no the leopard print will not be staying... or should it ;)

AJ's Nursery: so much love will go into this room!

Lower Level Renter's Apartment: this is half the space, a big project as we knock down walls to open it up even more, add in a kitchen (room not pictured), finish off the bedroom (room not pictured), add a shower to the bathroom (first door on right), modernize the paint and lighting, etc.

The view out front... all zoned "recreational" with no plans for any building, ahh.

So blessed, so happy, gonna be so busy! (let us know if you want to help. haha)