This whole moving thing is ca-ra-zy

First off, let me start by saying how incredibly thankful we are to God, our Provider for leading us to a HOME.  Yahoo!  Hallelujah!  Praise the Lord!  Space!  No noisy neighbors!  Space!  Kitchen counter!  Yard!  Space!  Yippy!

    

Second, let me continue by saying how incredibly thankful we are to our friends who selflessly called and texted saying "When do you need help moving?"  They graciously helped pack up the truck and all their cars (when our rental proved to be a size too small, whoopsies!) and then once again, lugged it all into our home.  We will definitely be hosting a thank-you party in the near future.

It was boiling hot when the guys loaded up the truck at our apartment.  I felt so bad for them as sweat dripped off of them!  They were just about finished squeezing everything into the truck when the rain came.  Temperature relief!  But it POURED all the way to house... to the point where I was definitely nervous for Caleb as he was driving this big truck.  But we made it safe and sound :)  

Thanks to Bobbi for cleaning my fridge!  And thanks to Bobbi and Jess for bringing food for those who helped!  So sweet of them!

Now... good grief, who knew this whole moving thing would be so intense!  I can see now why moving is such a pain to people who have experienced it before.

The thing that's getting to us the most is the ever growing to-do list.  Once upon a time, the list was small.  The small list included tasks like changing the locks, mowing the grass, unpacking.   Tra la la.  The end.

A-ha!  No.  We have quickly come to realize that in order to accomplish A.... a whole new list of A1, A2, A3, A4 must be done first.  So, our once small to-do list has grown exponentially and it's beginning to be enough for my little head to explode.  Tra la la indeed. 
Don't worry, I will not bore you with our to-do list.  I grew up in a home where the honey-do list never ended, so I know you all know what I'm talking about.

Where to even start?!  

I ended the first moving day with a nasty headache and proceeded to crawl into bed at 9:30pm completely beat.  The next day we decided to pick one small battle with every intention of beating it: putting our clothes away and setting up the furniture in our bedroom.  We accomplished that goal: Roger Kieffer would be proud (TIU moment folks).

Although we needed a break for lunch!  Thank you to my mother-in-law for the sloppy joes and salad - much needed!

I'll post updates and pics as we continue making progress.  What is on the agenda for this weekend you ask?  Well... hold on to your hats!  Attacking the house, inside and out, with bug spray killer.  No creepy crawler shall pass!

Home sweet home

Well... we did it!  We nervously met our lawyer, nodded our heads at a bunch of mumbo-jumbo lawyer jargon while signing 50 bajillion papers within the contract, and excitedly yet cautiously accepted the key... the key to our home.  

Really?  So, we just take the key and we go?  Yes, you take the key and you go.  We left the lawyer's office and drove to 720 Lexington Avenue, pulled in the driveway and stared up at the house which was now our house.  We felt like a couple of 7 year olds on Christmas morning.

We walked in the house.  It's completely empty of course.  

We laughed.

We danced.

We squealed and jumped up and down.  Ok... I squealed and jumped up and down.

We took a nap on the floor.

We picked up a pizza and ate it in the dining room, sitting on the floor of course.

We are now back in debt.... "debt up to our eyeballs" as my boss would say.

I can't believe it.  It still feels so surreal.  It will be really weird when we go to the house on Saturday with ALL of our things and STAY there.  So many times we have traveled to St. Charles but had to leave to return to our apartment.  But not this Saturday. 

I will post more pictures of the move and all the helping hands but for now, welcome to our home!  

For those who have asked for the address:

720 Lexington Avenue

St. Charles, IL 60174

Let the packing begin!

It's for real this time!  We're moving!  And soon :)  No more checking Redfin everyday for new house listings.  No more walk-throughs.  No more pros and cons lists.  We have found our home, finally!  
It has been a year-long process but we're finally weeks away from moving into our home.

This past April we began walk-throughs of homes we were considering.  Ironically enough, the house we're moving into, we actually looked at on during the first batch of walk-through and didn't think twice about it.  To be honest, none of the homes screamed "This is it!  Pick me!" but once the price dropped drastically on one, we thought, "Hmm... we could live there!  Let's take a second look."   

Long story short, we prayed about it, the appropriate doors closed, one door seemed wide open and we felt really good about making an offer.  After all, we were the only ones who had been on a second walk-through.  It seemed good as done.  We made an offer and awaited anxiously to hear back on a counteroffer.    Much to our surprise, a second offer had been made the same day.  Really?!  ... wait... seriously?!  The same day?  There were no other interested buyers on the radar!  I had never felt so nervous.  We thought this was to be our home, we felt led to this home, what in the world was God doing?!  
We were shut out of the offer, our Realtor was given no explanation, they denied our offer and went with the other buyers.  

I was heartbroken.  I was angry.  I felt confused.  I thought we were following God.  I thought the door was open.  It seemed so clear... were we blinded?  Why did it feel like God was misleading us?  What was He trying to teach us?  It took awhile to get over the loss of that home.  
As silly as it sounds, it felt like we had just been broken up with.  We were head over heels in love and then got blindsided by "Oh, wait, I actually don't feel the same way, I love someone else, see ya!"  Ouch.

But.

God knew.  God knew we'd be upset at the loss of that home.  God knew I'd doubt him.  God knew the home he would have for us.  I'll be honest.  I can't tell you how many times I heard the phrase, "God has a plan for you." and I wanted to scream "I KNOW but right now, I just want to feel angry because I AM angry and I AM hurt and I AM confused."

Since then, I've dealt with my anger towards God.  I did feel misled.  Of course that is absurd.  God doesn't mislead... He guides... perhaps in ways or timing we aren't expecting.  The whole time, all He asks is that we trust.  And I failed.  But a learning experience nonetheless.  

We went on about 20 walk-throughs.  We went back for a 2nd visit to 720 Lexington Avenue, a charming home, in a charming neighborhood, in the charming suburb of St. Charles.  Did I mention it was charming?
The price had dropped and our attention perked up.  Remember, we had looked at this house the very first time we went on walk-throughs and we didn't think twice about it?  But when the price dropped... it quickly  peaked our interest.

We looked a 2nd time.  Made a pros/cons list.  Prayed.  We felt good about it.  Great about it!  But nervous at the same time because last time, as you recall, we got burned.  Would the same thing happen this time?  I kept the house at an arm's distance as not to get hurt as badly if the negotiation went sour.  After negotiating back and forth a few times, within 2 days from the time we initially offered, they accepted!  Hallelujah!  Seriously?  For real?  Are you sure?  

July 30: closing date
August 3: last night at 1201 E. Prairie Brook Dr. Apt C2, Williams Reserve Apartments

I cannot even express how excited we are!  We are incredibly thankful and have learned a valuable lesson in trusting that the Lord will lead and guide, even if our original plan was skewed.  God's plans are best.  And God knew all along.  He knew the tears would come, he knew the anger would come, he knew the happiness would come, he knew the trust would be restored.
Praise God.

Let the packing commence and the journey begin!

Facebook was my anchor, and not the good kind.

Ashley's Facbook account
2005-2012
Facebook was being checked more than 10 times a day out of pure habit.  Facebook had evoked emotion and a side of me I didn't care for.  Facebook had become an idol and a source of feeding my inner jealousy and pride.

My decision to delete my Facebook account is not temporary.  It is permanent.  And I feel great about that decision.  This decision was made because of personal convictions.  Allow me to expound.  This is not to make you feel guilty.  This is me spilling my ugly sin.  If I happen to encourage someone to examine their own heart, then praise God!

Allow me to be candid, this is not to offend; this is my perspective and my story.
I believe, the world we live in craves the need for affirmation and self-worth.  But most of the time, we are feeding that need through all the wrong sources.  That is what Facebook became for me.

Whether it's done subconsciously or purposely, why do you think people post pictures, statuses, updates?  Perhaps a part of it is to keep the family and close friends updated.  But I believe it's deeper rooted.
Again, whether it's done subconsciously or with purpose,  I believe people desire to have others want what they have.
Why?  It makes you feel so good when people comment on your beautiful wedding, on the amazing and expensive vacation, on your new house, etc.
People crave affirmation.  May I go so far as to say, there's maybe even a little satisfaction in knowing you make others a little jealous because of what you have.  (The comments that flood your Facebook page are a good indicator of that).

I found myself becoming jealous as I consciously scrolled through hundreds of photos.  "Man... that's what I want.  If only I had what they have, I'd be happier."  And then to make it worse, the flip side... I did find satisfaction in reading everyone's comments praising whatever "thing" I had posted.  I wanted them to be a little jealous of what I had because that told me that something I had in my life, was coveted by another.
Affirmation in all the wrong places - check
Pride - check
Jealousy - check

WHOA!  Not ok!!  I am not ok with that, not even a little, tiny bit!  It hit me like a ton of bricks one day.  I have checked Facebook almost every day from 2005-2012.  7 years of my life I have devoted to Facebook.  What has it given me in return?  A bouquet of roses.  Beautiful, bright, fun, but filled with thorns ... and they die quickly.

Sin.  It brought upon sin that needed to be squelched.  And step #1 to squelching that sin was cutting it off at the source, hence, the decision to delete my Facebook account.
So... that was a lot of junk I just spilled to you.  Am I embarrassed?  No.  Because I would be shocked if I was the only who felt this way.  Am I ashamed?  I'm ashamed I let something like Facebook be the source of feeding these growing sins, and for so long!  BUT, not ashamed enough not to say anything.

My affirmation and self-worth comes from the Lord.  And that's why I chose to delete it...  to focus on who I am in the Lord and to grow in Him.  If I didn't cut Facebook loose, the anchor tied to my feet would eventually hit rock bottom.  I was headed there.  But I cut the anchor loose and kicked with all my migh to the surface.  I'm at the surface now.  But the next step is swimming to shore.  It will be tiring and hard.  But as I pass through each wave of jealousy, each wave of pride, and with each wave of seeking my self-worth in the Lord, I'll make it one wave closer to shore where I can rest in the arms of Jesus.  What a glorious time that will be.

Don't get me wrong, I know it's ok to be affirmed and to desire affirmation, afterall, it's a love language!  There is nothing wrong with needing to hear affirmation that you're doing things well, or to appreciate it when people notice how nice you look when it took you a long time to get ready.  That's great!  It just became a problem for me when the craving became sin. 
So... I guess to keep in line with the premise of this entire post, if you would, only post comments on my blog if you agree, disagree, if the Lord lays something on your heart, or if it has spoken to you.  I DO want to know if I'm striking a chord with anyone.  I'm asking as a sinner who is trying to climb her way out of the pride and jealousy pit, please don't stroke my ego further.
P.S.
Don't be surprised if you stumble upon my other Facebook page... you'll probably be tempted to think I'm a hypocrite or liar... but please know, it's for work purposes only as it's important I have a Facebook page to connect with my students on their level.  So if you friend request me on my work page, don't be offended when I don't accept it.

Parenthood

Caleb and I had a mini-date night with homemade pizza and a movie.  We neHEver drink pop.  But last night we made an exception as we both were desiring the tingly goodness of good ol' Coke.  There's something very vintage about Coca-Cola that makes it that much more enjoyable to sip on.

As we ate our pizza and sipped on the ever sugary Coke, we popped in the movie 'Courageous'.  We've heard lots of good reviews and thought it was time to watch it.  It was really good and definitely got me thinking.

Being a parent is an incredible responsibility... a responsibility that is a gift as well as a charge to be a godly example.  It really puts Joshua 24:15 in perspective, "As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." 

It's easy to be a good parent when your little ones obey, tell you they love you and snuggle with you.  But how do you continue to be a good parent in the moment when conflict arises, voices are raised, more time is spent outside the home than in it, laziness creeps in, etc. 

I know the movie 'Courageous' is aimed towards fatherhood but it got my wheels turning as well.  How will I be a good mother to my children?  We don't have children of our own yet but we have been working with 3 year olds at church. Not at all the same, I know.  But hear me out. 

Something I've noticed is quality time and words of affirmation are precious to these 3 year olds and they crave them desperately.  

"Teacher, will you play with me?" 

"Teacher, will you read this book?"  

"Teacher, look at my picture!"  

"Teacher, look at my dress!"

Time spent with our children is crucial.  Time spent being honest and open, time spent asking them what their opinions are, time spent doing their favorite hobby, time spent teaching them about God's truths... I am seeing that this is crucial to building a solid foundation with your children.  

What strength from the Lord it must take to accomplish this crucial responsibility of being a godly parent.  The movie just got me thinking... food for thought this morning.  I know that if and when the Lord decides to bless Caleb and I with gift of children, that we will be seeking out godly advice from people, books, etc and we'll be expecting answers :)  So be prepared :)

Tastes unhealthy, looks disgusting, pour me a glass!

This is definitely worth posting.  Thanks to the wonderful world of Pinterest, another fantastic recipe has been floating around the web as of recent.  They call it Green Monster Spinach Smoothie.  I don't know how this person figured out the combination of these ingredients but they totally work.

How healthy are we?!

Four words

We anticipate Christmas for 364 days.  The lights, the parties, the songs, the joy... and as soon as the clock strikes midnight on December 26, there is a sadness in the air as the Christmas season is over, the long winter months loom over us as we must wait another 364 days for this joyous occasion to cycle once more.

But this blog entry is not about that.  While we do have to wait another 364 days for the wonderful day of Christmas, there is another event that is upon my family that we won't have to wait so long for!  Something wonderful happened this Christmas that our family will treasure for years to come.  My beautiful cousin, Aimee, said "yes" to committing herself to the love of her life.  Jered surprised Aimee on Christmas day but not only surprised her with his presence but surprised her by proposing, asking her to be his wife.

It was wonderful being able to celebrate with them and hear the story, the funny parts, the romantic parts, the sweet parts.  Jered will be the perfect partner for Aimee and she, the perfect partner for him.  I can see their love for each other in the way they look at each other.  I think at times, they even know each other better than they even know themselves.

I couldn't help but think back to when Caleb proposed and even before that, when he told me he loved me.  March 2008 - Victoria Falls, Zambia

Standing in the midst of the falls which felt like a downpour of rain, completely soaked, wet hair sticking to my forehead, soaked clothes hanging off me and out of breath from running through the trails to see the beautiful waterfall, Caleb held me, looked into my eyes, and told me he loved me.  That was the first time he said these words.  Those three words were monumental because he had told me he had never said those words to any other girl and he vowed he never would until he was absolute sure of the girl he would marry.

I knew those three words were as good as the four words, "Will you marry me?"

September 2008 - Canton, IL - Ashley's home

Caleb made the trek to Canton in a horrendous thunderstorm to ask me to be his wife.  He too, like Jered, surprised me with his presence but had a bigger surprise awaiting.  I came home from a wedding.  I was the first to enter the house.  The house was quiet.  Few lights were on.  Rose petals formed a pathway to my childhood bedroom.  I entered and saw my handsome boyfriend standing in my room with candles and rose petals that filled the room.  I don't remember all what was said but I do recall "Ashley, you're the only one I want to spend the rest of my life with.  Will you marry me?"

Those four words are every girl's dream.  It feels like a fairytale.  It feels surreal.  It's something you've dreamed about ever since you were a little girl when you watched Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Snow White be swept off their feet by their Prince Charming.

I'm not one for the mushy gushy romanticism but there is something magical about being proposed to by the one man who will stand by your side and love you through thick and thin.

I am incredibly happy for Aimee and Jered; it's moments like these that bring upon the memories of falling in love.  

Yum yums

Pinterest is blowing my mind!  I can't believe how creative some people are; thank goodness they are willing to share that creativity with the rest of us.  I found a scrumptious recipe that I made for a Christmas party.  The recipe actually tastes more summery but the red strawberries felt Christmasy.  Plus they were so easy and everyone loved them!

The problem with vacation

The term "problem with vacation" is an oxymoron.  Problem and vacation do not go together. 

Allow me to address some potential problems pre-vacation:

- Money - It can cost a pretty penny to take a vacation.

- Time off work - We all have vacation days to use but most people have to use it very strategically.

- Vacation location - Because vacations can cost quit a bit, deciding and agreeing where to go can be a strain.

I get it.  The above pre-vacation problems have entered the Redelman household before.

But.  Problems must be banished from vacation.  The very definition of vacation is, "A period of suspension of work, study or other activity, usually used for rest, recreation or travel." 

I love vacations.  I love vacations and I need vacations.  Vacations have been a huge part of my family ever since I was born.   We work hard all year long and have our eyes set on that yearly vacation.  It's something to work for.  It's something to look forward to. 

It's a time to get away.

It's a time to rest. 

It's a time to enjoy relaxing, playing, being together.

It's a time where you leave your problems for a week. 

Escape.

Problems don't follow you to vacation.  They are purposely left at home.  Problems are not welcome on vacation.

The only problem with vacation is that it isn't long enough.  

The favorite Tee

We all have our favorite, extremely worn yet extremely comfy, go-to t-shirt.  It's familiar.  You like the way it fits.  You like the way it feels.  You like the memories that are tied to that dadgum old, very worn t-shirt. 

You throw it on as soon as you get home from work.

You'll lounge in it.

You'll go to the grocery store in it.

You'll wear it with a nice pair of jeans and boots and justify it as your 'modern casual/sloppy' look.

You wear it when you're sick.

You'll wear it to bed.

You'll wear it as a 3rd layer when you go to a chilly fall football game.

It's your favorite t-shirt!  My favorite t-shirt is my Canton Little Giants 2002 State Playoffs.  The hem has come out at the bottom.  There is a hole under the armpit.  It's discolored on the back.  But that is my favorite t-shirt. 

What's your favorite t-shirt?