We've been busy...

as you might have noticed. Just trying to keep out head above water at times it seems. But we are doing well. We definitely feel like we're dropping the ball on some areas of our life while trying to juggle it all.



This is what we've been up to:

-California Trip, for Jeff & Julia's wedding
-Yakima Trip
-Varsity House Alumni meeting in Corvallis
-Doctors appointments
-Dentist appointments
-Jamie teaching Sunday School, and lots of church
-We put a offer in on a short sale house, it's been keeping us on our toes waiting.
-Playing outside everyday in the sand box, playing soccer, t-ball, digging for worms, watching our watermelon seeds not grow (poor Toby), sweeping my hardwoods 4 times a day from all the sand that gets dragged/dumped in, healing and treating little owies, watching Jack hit his 'terrible twos' a little early, bribing Toby to not have any 'freak outs'...
-Meeting with friends
-Jamie's weekly Ultimate Frisbee
-Me listening to our neighbors tag team me about how to treat the lawn, how to mow the lawn, how to edge the lawn, etc, etc, at least twice a day.
-Listening to our neighbor/tenant (who is 66 years old) tell me about how him and his girlfriend have 'Frech-Kissed'...I threw up a little in my mouth on that one.

We've learned something. We are very ready to not have neighbors this close and up in our business. Don't get me wrong, we have been soooo extremely blessed to get this duplex and be able to live here so cheaply because of it. But our road is a retired people road. We are the acception. It comes with many ups and downs. Let me document some:

Up's:

-No one would ever dare break into a house down here, we have eyes EVERYWHERE.
-They know every single car that lives on the street and if a unknown car comes down (its a dead end) then be sure to watch your back, you may not see them, but they are watching you. (this is also a down)
-Everyone is very friendly, and loves to chit chat all day long. It is a very normal site to have all of the neighbors hanging out in another's yard drinking iced tea together.
-You always have someone to get your mail, keep a eye on your house, etc if you leave town.
-If you don't have a certain tool, you don't need to run to Home Depot to buy one. Someone will have one that they would gladly let you borrow.
-If you are ever bored then just step outside your door. There is someone to talk to.

Downs:
-There are eyes everywhere.
-They have the same expectations out of us as they do the other neighbors that sit at home all day, while Jamie's week is literally planned out by the hour.
-We get bugged about mowing the lawn as soon as it's 1/4 inch over grown. This one kills me. There are at least 5,000,000 things more important to us than making sure we have the most beautifully manicured grass on the street, yet our tenant would whole heartedly disagree. And trust me, you want a happy tenant.
-As soon as Jamie pulls in the drive from work, he get's hit by one of the time-warps. He will be outside stuck talking with one of the neighbors while dinner is getting cold and children are standing at the screen door banging on it chanting/screaming "DADA! DADA! DADA!"
-They know every move you make. Seriously. They will see that Jamie left for work early on a Friday and know that it means that we are leaving town, if we were in Yakima last then they will know we are going to Eugene that day. Creepy.
-Toby screams. A lot. We call it his 'freak outs'. I have no place to put him while his fit runs it's course that one of the neighbors won't here. I can only assure that they think we abuse him.

We have had some ups and downs with living here for sure, but we knew that this is where the Lord has us for this season. I feel/hope that we're at the end of that season. I'm claustrophobic here. I grew up in the country and miss having the space. We're praying that we can find the right place to live, at the right time. We're totally trusting that the Lord will show us someway or another. I know that many other people would feel right at home here, it's just a difference of what I'm used to. Living this close to others is so odd to me. I like my privacy. A lot. I dream of the boys having a yard that doesn't back to 3 other houses. Where we can BBQ in the back yard and not have to whisper our private conversations. Am I freak for wanting this? But at the same time the Lord has taught me many lessons by living here. He has grown me in some neat ways and I know that I wouldn't have learned those things by living in my 'dream house'. Lesson learned, always trust Him. Be content in all situations, and make the best of it.