These photos are about five years old and I have posted them before, I wanted to show them to a friend and I am traveling and cannot access them - so here they are again!
They go along with my post - see how we are all together and smling in both photos - (Nathan is in the Philippines) The second photo is taken in the winter with no leaves and no hair, the night ended, morning came... leaves and hair returned... deep breath!
On Monday Greg went to Huntsman for his final chemotherapy. In a couple hours he will be de-accessed - and complete six months of treatment.
I realize I have been holding my breath... for six months! With this final tube removal I can breathe more deeply.
Greg sent a text on Monday saying that this treatment has gone by quickly and has gone by very slowly - I can totally relate. He also sent me the following, "Night always becomes morning if the night is long enough."
The final words about night being long enough don't need to be there - night does always become morning... and some nights seem really, really long. Right now Mark and I are in Texas - we have not yet figured out the hotel thermostat and last night was very long, hot and uncomfortable. This morning I am up and refreshed - but I just know last night was longer than usual! Chemotherapy is a "night" that seems longer than usual... yet here we find ourselves once again with the sun rising and a new day beginning. The promise of a sunrise is a beautiful and powerful component of our life here on Earth!
David flew to Utah and was able to be with Greg for his final treatment!
I find I am still holding my breath on many other issues... my sweet little friend has had a return of her brain tumor and are waiting to hear if she can be part of a study for a possible cure... Jackie had an MRI last week but we have to wait until the 19th to hear her results... we are meeting our realtor in an hour to see if we can find a home for our family here in Dallas... School is starting in a few weeks and I don't want to give up summertime and playing with my kids...
Still holding my breath - I am picturing the promise of sunrise... I am picturing the promise of "entering into the rest of our Lord" - I believe that it is not until we are in His presence and it is his Light that greets us that we will truly be able to breathe deeply and know that all is truly well. Until that day - I will breathe the best that I am able, surrounded by loved ones supporting each other through our long nights and celebrating each sunrise together.
The sunshine is beautiful today here in Washington. Sitting at my desk I can see my yard - so pretty with the trees, flowers, flagstone patios... and the water feature sounds great through my open window. My house is for sale - and I am rather frustrated that I cannot personally take prospective buyers through my home and show them a few things that I like - and the reasons why.
I often march to a different drummer - and when we built our home we did things our own way, as we liked them - regardless of what was "in-style." What I really wanted was to find an old farmhouse; one that had even renovated by someone who knew what they were doing, and had a great kitchen. Mark wanted a new home, so we worked together and built a new home to look old...
Curb appeal - It was important to me that our house not appear large - that wouldn't fit the old farmhouse. Looking from the front I think that we did a good job. We made sure that our eaves were large, our windows tall and narrow. I love my front door - copied from an antique door that I found for our builder to use - turns out old doors don't work too well in new homes.
We moved in 13 years ago - I was nine months pregnant with my sixth baby. Our builder was a good friend - and this is important - he is Swiss. This meant that everything he did was quality built. We were on a tight budget so there wasn't a lot of showy extras... but as women walked through the house they would ohh and ahh, but the men would have their eyes on the foundation, walls, etc. - and they were always impressed.
While outside, we should explore the yard. We just had it professionally landscaped last summer. Luckily I had done my own amateur landscaping so we had some good trees already. Someone asked me if we landscaped to sell the house... NO! We landscaped to STAY in the house. It looks great. I have heard that someone may not want to live here because of all the yard work, but no! I have never had such an easy summer - the only work (almost) to do is some springtime RoundUp, then I water my flowerpots because I didn't set up a drip system for them yet. I also have to water the garden - it is plumbed for sprinklers but doesn't yet have heads. Every plant is surrounded by landscape fabric and has its own, personal drip line. It is amazing! I also love flowers and our landscaper has surprised me by having constant blooms in my yard. The flagstone patios - Wow, work of art! ...and the fountain/bubblers are fantastic. At night I leave windows open so that I can always hear them.
Blueberries for breakfast
Here is a drone video of our yard - it is fun to watch. We have five acres. Two sides back up to uninhabited properties so it is very, very quiet. No road noise at all. Notice the Rainbow play structure. This was the first thing that we built - this way my children could play while we came to inspect the building each day. The little play house was a surprise that Mark built for the kids several years ago. The woods have many paths to explore. My favorite takes us to a birch forest - beautiful on a sunny day!
We eat most of our meals outside, weather permitting...
Master Bath - also has large 2-head shower
The arbor in the garden is flanked by blueberry bushes that are taller than I am. I got them from a blueberry farm going out of business - they are loaded with berries. There are 15+ blueberry bushes in my yard, several rows of raspberries, fruit trees and gooseberries; along with garden boxes. I like fresh fruits and vegetables, and also thought that these would add to the "farmhouse" look.
Master Bath - quaint
In the house - there are a few things that are unique and perhaps warrant an explanation. I really wanted a home that would benefit the family. We put our master suite upstairs with the children. As I am looking at homes in Texas I remember how unusual this is now. I cannot understand parents/children being on different floors and opposite ends of the house. Also, I wanted the square footage put to good use, not all in a ridiculously large master bathroom. It is frustrating to look at homes that have bathrooms larger than the family room! My ideal renovated farmhouse would have had a quaint bathroom, so I managed somewhere in between. On the other hand - my guest baths are some of my favorite rooms - spacious and attractive, to me this makes them easier to clean.
Downstairs Master
We also have a master suite downstairs. This room is part of our addition, built in case we ever needed room for an aging parent or newlywed couple. Initially is was used as a homeschooling room, then it housed ping/pong and air hockey. Now it is our second guest room - but there is a wall that has a door already framed so that it can go straight into the bathroom if necessary. This bathroom has a sauna - when I was 17 I spent a summer in Finland and fell in love with the sauna experience. This is the real deal - I love to pour water over the heated rocks and fill the room with steam. When we feel a cold/illness coming on or are sore from hiking - we just let the sauna take care of us.
Guest bath
Sauna - I'll miss this!
Speaking of the addition - we added it in 2007 (I think). At this time we still had a bonus room full of toys but wanted a place for teens to gather - so we built this large room with a pool table, wet bar and theater. Most houses I see now have a separate media room, but this room can not only fit many couches - we can move them all against the walls for a party. You can play pool and watch the movie - with food set out on the island. We have definitely had our money's worth out of entertaining!
Theatre
Mark's office upstairs
Game room
From office window.
Before adding on, our mudroom was just the hallway leading to a small bathroom (I don't like cleaning small bathrooms). We opened it up into a mudroom that I really enjoy - I think it is so cute. We found this corner armoire in an antique store and built around it (these photos are at the end of this blog post). The bummer is that I would like to take it with me... oh well.
Mom's office/piano room
We have two offices which I love - they must be the best rooms. Mark has worked from home for years in the upstairs office - the views are spectacular. Downstairs was supposed to be "Mom's office" but spent most of its years housing a grand piano. It was only a couple months ago that we replaced the piano and I was able to move in. I would love to add some built-ins and comfortable seating... maybe in Texas. Anyway, just walking into these rooms makes me happy. Mom's office is right off the family room, across from the kitchen. I thought that it would also make a great play room for small children. It has a french door which softens the sounds of piano practice.
Guest Bath
Another favorite room downstairs is our guest room - I love the bay window and walk-in closet! I also appreciate the transom windows over the door and the matching door into the favorite bathroom with the claw foot tub. We found this in a salvage yard and had it refinished. Someday I had planned to add fancy hardware, but then ended up liking the simple and historically accurate faucet.
Baking Butler's Pantry
Guest Bath
For me, the kitchen functions like a dream. There are two butler's pantries. One on my "baking" side of the kitchen for pots/pans/flour/sugar, etc... which then walks into the food pantry. The drawers on this side of my island/kitchen are full of tools for food preparation. The other butler's pantry and the island drawers/cabinets are full of dishes/bowls/trays, etc. for serving. That may sound confusing, but I just love it. The large garden window is wonderful during northwest winters.
Service Butler's Pantry
The pantry - well, I will never find another one like this. It even has a window - and it is so large. I had always planned to add shelving above the "shelf-reliance" can rollers but didn't need them.
Pantry - when I am bored I read cookbooks...
Pantry - with a window!
More pantry...
There is certainly room for more storage if desired. This whole house is full of storage - double wide coat closet, two linen closets upstairs, walk-in game closet... The girls have more closet space than they need. My own closet is big enough for us. We were supposed to have his/her closets but chose to make a larger landing upstairs instead. This landing has had many uses - sometimes a couch, sometimes a desk... right now it has our bookcases.
The multi-purpose landing
Back to storage - there is a partially finished attic and I don't know how I will live without it. It runs the width of the home (in front). Three fourths of the walls are covered in sturdy, permanent shelving - the rest of it has temporary shelving and open space to pile bins. I guess I should go take a photo - though I imagine that the suitcases from our last vacation and the camping gear from last weekend are not yet put away properly...
I just watched this virtual tour and remembered a few other things that I like:
Side porch from Mom's office
Look out the windows! - When I house-shop online I try to see what is actually outside. How close are the neighbors? What is growing?
Entry
Flooring - this is wide plank (variable width), eastern hard pine, shipped in from New Hampshire (Carlisle Flooring). Unlike the local soft pine, this is a hardwood, but it is more easily distressed than most hardwood. I like this because it goes along with my old farmhouse goal. I love it when deliverymen or workmen ask about the age of our home - they often think it was the original property in the neighborhood (as in early settler)... this always makes me smile. Kids' rooms: - large... I had three boys in one, three girls in the other. They all fit just fine and are good friends as a result.
View from my desk. Those are giant lillies - their scent is intoxicating.
Master bedroom - four windows... great for cross breeze, my windows are almost always open. Exercise Room - I forgot about this room. It used to be the play room - when the girls took Irish dance classes we ripped up the carpet and put down a floor for a practice room. Right now it is ideal for exercise equipment and our ping pong table. Hmm, I wonder why I forgot this room? Actually, in the rain of winter, I wouldn't exercise at all if I didn't have a comfortable place for my treadmill - it used to be in the landing also! The upstairs office is also a good spot for exercise equipment, I liked it because of all the windows and proximity to bedrooms.
Bonus Room
Kids' vanity
Kids' bathroom - Every house I have seen in Texas has a Jack/Jill bathroom for the children to share. This seems like a small nightmare to me - a child's bathroom out-of-sight seems like a recipe for disaster. We thought it was just fine for all of the children to share - but our vanity is open for all to use, and there is a separate room for the bath and another for the toilet. Six children (three girls) and almost never a line... I am also fond of that black granite. I prefer light, but found this amazing granite remnant which made it affordable - and I think it looks great.
Island/Butlers Pantry
Laundry Room
Firepit - How could I forget this? We have tried a few, but this one is the best ever - the rocks are perfect for resting your marshmallow stick as well as your feet (they get warm), the rocks on the far end make a seat. I mentioned our Swiss friend, the quality builder... well, our landscaper was also our friend and he was amazing as well. Top quality house, top quality landscaping... top quality fire pit. Sport Court - This is less than a year old - it is super-industrial-thick, so I guess it could also be a foundation for a shop... but oh, how I wish I had had this when the children were young! It was just right for watching fireworks on the 4th of July - and we had thought it would work for a dance/dining floor for a wedding reception... oh well, perhaps we will have a big flat surface in Texas...
Sport court
Rock Walls - I don't think photos would do justice to our stacked-rock walls - we ended up with a lot of them. I might miss them most of all. Lots of parking! - for all of those parties in the back room... Battle Ground Lake - five minutes away. We go swim almost every afternoon in the summer. We also like to take our kayaks. There are always fishermen there as well, but we aren't too good at that. Lewisville Park - about twelve minutes from the house. Several miles of trails, swimming, fishing, pavilions... I like to go here and walk throughout the year. The kids are there swimming right now. I will have to see if I have photos.
Lewisville last week
My morning walk, we are at the end of this road.
The dirt road... a deal killer? We have heard that there are buyers who have not come because they are ruling out homes on a dirt road. Well, they probably wouldn't like it, they probably aren't looking for a family-friendly old-looking farmhouse. Though our cars are dusty in the summertime, we have never, ever had extra dust in our house because we are at the end of the road. It is a very quiet neighborhood and truthfully, I love the idea of turning off the pavement for a quiet drive down a country road to my own quiet oasis. The stars can be clearly seen, we often get out of our car at night - stand, gaze and enjoy the solitude. With Mark's busy job/travel, coming home here is like therapy - we are really going to miss it.
Here is another chance to view the virtual tour and see the rest of the house. These photos were just snapped with my phone, the tour has some really nice ones. The overhead drone video is found below. I hope that you have enjoyed this sneak peak into our home - please share this link with anyone who may want to move their family to the country. I am not yet ready to be labeled a "motivated seller" - but they do want Mark in Texas sooner than later. Autumn here is my favorite time, so I am very content to watch the leaves change. We often host a big Thanksgiving, and Christmas here is always popular... I guess that there is really no good time to move. Click here for the Zillow listing - I know there tend to be mistakes, but it's always fun to look.
We have absolutely loved living here! I am very hopeful that our beautiful home will be purchased by a family wanting to raise their children in a quiet, comfortable, country setting where they can play and use their imagination to their heart's content... ahhh, it almost makes me want to start over. Almost, but not quite...
I like the exposed brick. This is the back of fireplace.
I wish that Type I Diabetes could be renamed - it is quite different from Type II. My final pregnancy introduced me to gestational diabetes and I have family members with Type II Diabetes... so when my niece, Annie, was rushed to a children's hospital a couple years ago and diagnosed with Type I Diabetes, I thought I could help... but no, and I have had quite an education, mostly teaching me that Type I is an incredibly serious disease of its own. Only those who are exposed to this disease can nod knowingly - an individual and their family's lives are forever changed on every level when Type I Diabetes enters their home.
Off the top of my head are just a few things that I have observed. Of course there are the constant needles for checking blood sugars and administering insulin, this includes EVERY NIGHT around 2 a.m. - for the child and the parent... when the numbers are off they may be up for hours trying to get her regulated again! Even with health insurance the monthly bills have added up with no end in sight. Rarely does a day go by that my sister isn't contacted by the school with health issues. As Annie's blood sugars vary, her ability to determine that she needs help wanes.
Annie with big sister, Hope
About a year ago we learned that there are Diabetes alert dogs which can sense their master's blood sugars! How cool is that?! An alert dog would be idea for Annie - she is a natural with animals and this companion could prove to be a life saver - not only for her physical needs, but emotional as well. Our family certainly has learned that there is a certain loneliness that comes with being a teenager diagnosed with a serious illness. Annie's illness isn't going away anytime soon.
Last January Annie started a "gofundme" campaign to try to earn the money for a dog. She was even willing to learn to train the dog herself to help with the costs. There is simply no way that this dog can be purchased without assistance. What a blessing to have others share even $20. It has added up and she has 10-20% of what she needs. [I mentioned that Jackie had a hard time deciding what she wanted to receive as a Make-A-Wish gift - her initial reaction was to provide Annie with an alert dog, but pets are not an option.]
This is Libby, the trainer, with Suzy. She just wrote a book about training. Click to see Libby's book
During the past month Annie was contacted by a sweet girl in Kentucky who trains alert dogs, but is now going to college and has a special dog, Suzy, that is ready for a home. This young woman prayed and read though many gofundme pages looking for just-the-right family. When she saw Annie she knew this was the right girl and she made contact. My sister's family and this Kentucky family are all praying together that somehow this transaction will be able to take place (quickly)- there a lot of details that I do not know, or that would take too long to share... but it is a good fit. I like the way these two families, thousands of miles apart and of different religions, have combined their faith to help one another.
Another kind friend heard about this and contacted our local newspaper (The Columbian) who came and interviewed the family. There will be an article tomorrow.
Having just returned from an amazing trip to Italy, compliments of Make-A-Wish and thus many caring individuals who donated to help children in need, I thought that I would pass along the opportunity to help my sweet niece. Please click Annie's Alert Dog or http://www.gofundme.com/jmh4fk for more details.
Another way that our family is helping this family today is to be involved in a Fast for Annie.
Suzy was the model for the book
The dictionary in my Bible defines a Fast: Fasting, a voluntary abstinence from food, is a principle of the gospel of Jesus Christ for developing spiritual strength; it has always existed among believers.
I learned to fast when I was 8 years old. I used to imagine that I was eating a Snickers bar and let my mind pretend to be satisfied. Over the years I learned to fast for two full meals - this has taught me humility as I try to rely on the Lord for spiritual strength rather than my own physical strength. During a fast, I feel that I pray with more feeling and faith, and therefore there is an added "power" to my prayers. It isn't easy to explain. Christ teaches that when we fast we shouldn't appear unto men to fast, but should do so in secret. (Matthew 6:16-18) Sometimes, however, we share this fasting opportunity with family or church members in order to combine our faith and prayers.
Annie (left) with family 2014
As a church, all around the world, we practice the Law of the Fast each first Sunday of the month. As a part of this fast, we give an offering of the cost of the two meals as money to be used for the poor. Most people that I know give much more generously than that. These funds are administered by volunteers and there is no overhead, so every penny is given to ease the burdens of our fellowmen. It is a beautiful program.
Often, as a family, we will discuss personal reasons to fast, or something particular for which we need to pray together. We encourage our children to find their own reasons - last night Mark read to the family from the Old Testament (Isaiah 58:3-9). In verse 6 God says that one aspect of fasting is to undo the heavy burdens. By giving a Fast Offering of money we help easy the financial burdens of others, and we pray for their burdens to be lightened, but we also can pray or our own burdens. We discussed with the children three burdens - that Annie's family has of needing to get this dog and praying that the newspaper article will help; we also share a burden of needing to sell our home so that we can be together when Mark begins work in Texas... and we asked the children to think of a personal burden that they have which they need help with. Isaiah gives a promise along with the fasting in verse 9, "Then shalt thou call and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am."
Little Annie with her puppy, Lexi
This morning as I prayed for Annie, I felt that perhaps there was someone who would read this blog and be able to help. I hesitate to ask, but since my blog is focused on my life lessons, I will record for everyone to read that I have learned the power of fasting and prayer. I have also learned the joy of serving others and receiving service from others. I am sharing this situation with the public because that I is what I felt impressed to do. I didn't ask Annie or my sister for permission, I hope that they do not mind. I hope that if the reader does not feel inclined or is not able to share, they will share this blog post with those who can. Or at least find a way to help someone that they know and love today - service brings joy!
