It sounds like we are making it up, but we really aren't. To catch up on the early miracles if you have missed them, rejoice with us HERE. All we can say is none of it has been our doing. Yes we have been the instruments…the body who cleaned under all the beds and in closets…the one who organized and cleaned our home to prepare for listing it for sale. Yes I was the body that listed the home online, took pictures, printed flyers, created and sent off to the printer lawn signs, etc. ,etc…. Yes I have done a lot of things as an instrument; however, this is all to God’s credit. Neither Mark nor I can take any acknowledgement for the miracles nor the strength He has filled us with. I’m not sure how to adequately describe what we have experienced the past few months. We have almost been the shell that did it, but with His orchestrating the details perfectly and carrying us the entire way. He has wonderful blessings to bestow and we simply got out of they way. Even then, He has carried us to remove the blocks on our end that would have previously prevented such great blessings from actualizing.
For all the inquiring minds, here is a status update for our family:
I felt frustrated that it was taking “so long” to list the our home for sale. We had known for almost 3 weeks,
although we hadn't publicly shared that early.
I felt like I was spinning my wheels and no matter how hard I pushed, I
just couldn't get things together long enough to get our home organized, let
alone pictures taken to create flyers and list it. In a moment of clarity, the Spirit whispered
that the timing was important. Yes I
needed to do all I could, but I would be able to list it on the perfect day, at the perfect time. I felt like we would never make it, then BAM,
one night Mark and I were able to finalize the organizing and cleaning, snapped
pictures before the kids woke up to live in the house again J,
and created the flyers and online listing.
I had picked up the lawn signs several days previously.
WITHIN HOURS of placing the lawn signs in front of the
house, our buyer found us as he "happened" to drive on our street. I am not
exaggerating! Within 24 hours of touring
it, he made us an offer for our full
asking price in cash. He is covering closing costs. In exchange for us giving up the garage for
his uhaul coming to town with his possessions, he is giving us free rent for
May. WHAT?! The more I mulled this miracle over in my
mind and began to comprehend it as reality, the more I couldn't help ask
myself, why not? Why not?
God is great! Why not?
We officially closed today and no longer own a home in
Rexburg. Check.
As far as on the Utah
side, we have begun the process of closing on our new home. It is in Brigham City and is a beautiful home for us
to grow into with a fabulous yard and garden.
We hear the neighborhood is amazing.
We are thrilled! Finding our home stretched us uncomfortably mentally and emotionally at times in the past several weeks; however, so far things
have gone quickly and smoothly in moving forward with this specific home. We will let you know when we have more to
share. Check.
We have been blessed with a relocation package for this
promotion. We will use part of it to
hire a moving company to pack us up and move us. We have gotten over the belief that we aren't
“To-Do enough” or our furniture isn't “nice enough” and will gladly accept the
extra time it will mean to parent our little ones differently through this time
of transition. I will wait a few more
weeks then deep clean one or two things a day until the move, then just go over
walls, baseboards, and floors one last time as we scoot out the door, followed
by touch-up paint while littles are unavailable to “re-kid” it. Check.
AS FAR AS ADOPTION GOES, OUR PROFILE WENT LIVE LAST NIGHT! We have completed all necessary steps to
qualify to welcome our little one. We
will do a simple home-study update once we get to UT, but in the mean-time, we
expect baby any time from now on. This is
it! Our profile is HERE (updated) or our adoption movie clip HERE (updated) Please share as you feel inspired!!! Check out this post about adoption too (updated). We look forward to watching the continued
miracles unfold in our baby’s arrival to our family.
I read this yesterday and shared it with Mark. We both agree that on a smaller scale, yet still very
important and real to us, it is exactly what we have experienced. As we felt the willingness to invite another
baby into our home burn within us, we didn't know HOW it would happen. Our prayers of faith granted a miracle and as we then accepted the promotion that would fund our new addition, we couldn't see how we would get it all done and make it from Idaho to Utah. The path has become clear as we have stepped
forward in faith. God is so good!
“It takes faith--unseeing faith--for young
people to proceed immediately with their family responsibilities in the face of
financial uncertainties. It takes faith for the young woman to bear her family
instead of accepting employment, especially when schooling for the young
husband is to be finished. It takes faith to observe the Sabbath when ‘time and
a half’ can be had working, when sales can be made, when merchandise can be
sold. It takes a great faith to pay tithes when funds are scarce and demands
are great. It takes faith to fast and have family prayers and to observe the
Word of Wisdom. It takes faith to do ward teaching, stake missionary work, and
other service, when sacrifice is required. It takes faith to fill foreign
missions. But know this--that all these are of the planting, while faithful
devout families, spiritual security, peace, and eternal life are the harvests.
Remember that Abraham, Moses, Elijah, and
others could not see clearly the end from the beginning. They also walked by
faith and without sight. Remember again that no gates were open; Laban was not
drunk; and no earthly hope was justified at the moment Nephi exercised his
faith and set out finally to get the plates. No asbestos clothes or other
ordinary protective devices were in the fiery furnace to protect the three
Hebrews from death; there were no leather nor metal muzzles for the mouths of
the lions when Daniel was locked in the den.
Remember that there were no clouds in the
sky nor any hydrometer in his hand when Elijah promised an immediate break in
the long extended drouth; though Joshua may have witnessed the miracle of the
Red Sea, yet how could he by mortal means perceive that the flooding Jordan
would back up for the exact time needed for the crossing, and then flow on its
way to the Dead Sea.
Remember that there were no clouds in the
sky, no evidence of rain, and no precedent for the deluge when Noah builded the
ark according to commandment. There was no ram in the thicket when Isaac and
his father left for Moriah for the sacrifice. Remember there were no towns and
cities, no farms and gardens, no homes and storehouses, no blossoming desert in
Utah when the
persecuted pioneers crossed the plains. And remember that there were no
heavenly beings in Palmyra,
on the Susquehanna or on Cumorah when the soul-hungry Joseph slipped quietly
into the Grove, knelt in prayer on the river bank, and climbed the slopes of
the sacred hill.
But know this: that undaunted faith can
stop the mouths of lions, make ineffective the fiery flames, make dry corridors
through beds of rivers and seas. Unwavering faith can protect against deluge,
terminate drouths, heal the sick, and bring heavenly manifestations.
Indomitable faith can help us live the commandments and thereby bring blessings
unnumbered with peace, perfection, and exaltation in the kingdom of God”
(Spencer W. Kimball, in Conference Report, Oct. 1952, 50–51).
That quote is one of my absolute favorites. Thank you for sharing. God bless you in your continuing adventures!
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