One Year

Well, one year ago today, we were sitting on pins and needles praying that our paperwork would go through on this little place that we now call our own. We literally did not know until the "morning of" whether this would be our house or not! Banks don't really understand the concept of support raising and the fact that our paychecks look so different each month. Thankfully, we had a Christian real estate agent - and friend; a Christian mortgage loan officer - and friend; and the person at the very top who had the final say on whether or not he would sign off on our house was a believer, as well. The whole story from start to finish is totally and completely a "God thing."

We had lived in Pennsylvania for three years - which was very much the city to us; and we were living in an apartment above a hotel in town ever since we moved home. Loved LOVED the landlords, and had rockin' next door neighbors - but we were in town, nonetheless, and our "backyard" was the hotel parking lot. Once we found out baby #3 was a boy, all I could think and pray about was finding some wide open spaces! It had now been almost six years since we'd had a place of our own.

So, the countdown began. We looked and we prayed and we drove all over God's creation praying over places and weighing the pros and cons. Kev kept coming back to this place over and over again. It never really rocked my world, but I have a hard time seeing past other people's style etc. So, all I could see were the fire engine red shutters and doors, and the black and lime green bedrooms. But, this was just looking at it online - we never actually scoped it out for ourselves.

So, one day we called our real estate agent friend and we all went for a drive. After seeing the place - and looking past the walls and shutters, we thought we'd place an offer knowing we had nothing to lose. When we told our agent the price we were offering, he told us that if we were serious about the place we'd better make a more realistic offer. We told him that this was VERY realistic for us! He just shook his head but called the other agent, nonetheless. Within the hour, the other agent called, and by day's end a price was agreed on!

After the many MANY weeks of waiting and praying - and just partially packing because "what if" this falls through - we went hard core with the packing TRUSTING and PRAYING that this would go through!

That morning - t-minus 11 hours before Ransom made his entrance -

That was me. I know. READY TO POP. I believe whenever I wore this shirt, Kev called me "Barney." The dear. But, I digress......

we signed papers, completely packed up and cleaned our apartment - with family and friend's help; got everything into our new house - boxes in the appropriate rooms, anyway; got my kitchen and our bedroom (which would be Ransom's room for a few weeks) completely set up; and got paint colors chosen for the living room and the two bedrooms for the boys.

When our heads hit the pillows that night, my exact words to Kev before we rolled over and fell asleep were: "If the baby comes tonight, I am totally and completely okay with what we got accomplished. I'm ready!"

And within hours of falling asleep, little Ransom Malachi Booker - just one day before his actual due date - made his entrance into our lives! What an amazing year it has been! A year FILLED with gifts and growth, challenges and life lessons. A year where we've learned more about ourselves than ever before, and where we've trusted Christ on a whole new level. He has proven Himself faithful over and over again, and He has, once again, given "exceedingly abundantly above and beyond all that we could ever have asked for or imagined."

Who knows what next year will bring? Who knows how long we'll call "here" - HOME. We're on a crazy journey, and we know all that He gives is on loan. We know that tomorrow, He could ask us to give it back. And we know that once again, He would prove Himself faithful. It is ALL His. May we be good stewards of all that He has given. May we use it to bring Him alone honor and glory.

We are humbled, and we are so very very thankful.