Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Got it!
Well...Praise God...we finally got our purchase agreement back from the bank! Yippee! Now we just have to try and get the house closed on before the 15th which is when we have to be out of our current place! T minus 10 days and counting!...
Monday, February 4, 2008
In a holding pattern!
The good news: we're all healthy now!!! Kalea is still working on a tooth so her nose is a faucet...but no more pneumonia or RSV! The bad news...well...we're still waiting! The bank seems to be dragging their feet for ever! It's been four weeks since we made an offer and it was accepted and three and a half weeks since we turned in all of the official paperwork and earnest money. And yet we have no paperwork. We've been told for the last week and a half that it will be coming the next day...and, yah...you know how that's worked out! :o)
We're trying our hardest to be patient as we wait, hoping that we have a place of our own to move into (though we have very generous friends that have offered to let the four of us impose on them for awhile until everything has gone through on the house)...but time is limited! We have until February 15th here. I'm starting to make contingency plans if the house doesn't work out in time.
Kalea is done with her breakfast now so I should go give her a bath! She loves her blueberries and blueberry muffins! Here are a few pictures of the kiddos from Friday evening! Enjoy!
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Still Sick
Well...the kiddos are both sick. Jonas does officially have RSV and Kalea woke up this morning with a fever of 101.8. What a nice low number for first thing in the morning! :o) She was a bit cranky and quite a bit needy all day. But on the upside - it was great to have a cuddler again!
We went and signed the papers to make our offer official on the house. We just have to wait for the bank to sign the papers and it'll officially be ours...once we pay them more money! :o)
Since we were already out and it was dinner-time, we decided to go to Buffalo Wild Wings for a great meal. Poor Jonas was asleep the whole time (and of course now that I want to go to bed he's wide awake!!!) but we didn't let him miss out on the fun as evidenced below. Kalea actually ate a pretty decent meal (Yesterday's lunch was 6 goldfish, breakfast was a half a container of yogurt...she hasn't been eating much while sick). A favorite is chicken nuggets - or something like that! She ate one and a half little pieces...what a good girl!
Another praise...I'll probably be doing all of the float coordinating for ACR! What a blessing as it will all be work that I can do from home (ok...almost all - but it'll be perfect with the kiddos!). I'll be doing 40 hours a week...but it'll be the perfect job for this stage of life! I'm going to turn down the job at St. John's. ACR is going to pay better and be something I can do during the day with the kids. I won't have to be sleep deprived from doing overnight shifts and attempt to be sane for two little ones!
Well...off to bed...maybe. We'll see what Jonas decides to do! :o)
Goodnight!
We went and signed the papers to make our offer official on the house. We just have to wait for the bank to sign the papers and it'll officially be ours...once we pay them more money! :o)
Since we were already out and it was dinner-time, we decided to go to Buffalo Wild Wings for a great meal. Poor Jonas was asleep the whole time (and of course now that I want to go to bed he's wide awake!!!) but we didn't let him miss out on the fun as evidenced below. Kalea actually ate a pretty decent meal (Yesterday's lunch was 6 goldfish, breakfast was a half a container of yogurt...she hasn't been eating much while sick). A favorite is chicken nuggets - or something like that! She ate one and a half little pieces...what a good girl!
Another praise...I'll probably be doing all of the float coordinating for ACR! What a blessing as it will all be work that I can do from home (ok...almost all - but it'll be perfect with the kiddos!). I'll be doing 40 hours a week...but it'll be the perfect job for this stage of life! I'm going to turn down the job at St. John's. ACR is going to pay better and be something I can do during the day with the kids. I won't have to be sleep deprived from doing overnight shifts and attempt to be sane for two little ones!
Well...off to bed...maybe. We'll see what Jonas decides to do! :o)
Goodnight!
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Home, Sweet Home!
Well, today we found out that the house is ours!!! Now we just have to get the paperwork in before someone out-bids us...yikes! It is odd to think that we, almost, own our own house. I'm sure eventually it will all sink in!
Jonas had his 2 month check-up today. Both he and Kalea have nasty colds and Jonas also has an ear infection. I think they're both miserable! The doctor thinks he has RSV but we won't know for sure until the test results come back tomorrow. He weighs 12lbs 7oz...which means that he put on 3 pounds in his first month of life...and 3 pounds in his second month of life. I sure hope this trend doesn't continue. He'd be 36 pounds by his first birthday...umm...I don't think that'll happen! But he is a happy, and aside from his cold and ear infection, healthy baby!
God is Good!
Jonas had his 2 month check-up today. Both he and Kalea have nasty colds and Jonas also has an ear infection. I think they're both miserable! The doctor thinks he has RSV but we won't know for sure until the test results come back tomorrow. He weighs 12lbs 7oz...which means that he put on 3 pounds in his first month of life...and 3 pounds in his second month of life. I sure hope this trend doesn't continue. He'd be 36 pounds by his first birthday...umm...I don't think that'll happen! But he is a happy, and aside from his cold and ear infection, healthy baby!
God is Good!
Here is a picture of Jonas from his 2 month birthday!
Sunday, January 13, 2008
When it rains...it pours...in a good way!
What a week! I was telling Kevin last night that this week was almost stressful with all that happened. We have been praying since Kalea was born (08/06) for Him to lead us. I knew that I wouldn't be able to stay at ACR as an RS forever with all of the duties that the job requires. It would just be too much for me with 1 kid (and now 2 for sure!). The downside to the job is that when I quit, we'd loose our housing, income, and insurance...that's a lot for one decision! So we prayed...and prayed...and prayed. We trusted that He would work things out and I officially quit the RS position at the end of November. Nothing seemed to be coming together and so we waited...and prayed some more. But, God had a whole bunch hiding up his sleeve.
I already told you about Monday - Wednesday of this week, but I'll recap quickly: Monday - I was offered the Emergency Float Coordinator position with ACR, Tuesday - we put an offer in on the house, Wednesday - we heard back about our offer with a counter-offer that was below what we wanted to pay! The week continued with the same trend! On Thursday, I was offered a nursing assistant job with St. John's hospital...the pay was good, we'd get insurance with me only working 20 hours a week outside the home, but the downside is that it was all overnight shifts...yuk. But, this was an answer to prayer as we need insurance and we'd been waiting since the middle of December to hear back about this position. I accepted. On Friday, we accepted the offer on the house!!!! We haven't heard back yet, but we're assuming that it went through. I guess we'll find out 100% for sure tomorrow when the bank opens again! On Friday I also spoke in person with the lady at St. John's about the specifics of the job. As soon as I hung up (I was at the ACR Office), I was offered an administrative position at ACR! What a blessing as we'd be able to continue our current insurance, I'd be able to continue vesting in my 401K, and we'd have a good income that I could make with the kiddos around and not having to work overnight...I think my body will appreciate it...and my family too as I won't be as cranky from a lack of sleep!
God is soooo good and His timing is perfect. There were so many times when I'd doubt and wonder what was going to happen. Even when I went on my maternity leave 2 months ago (I can't believe Jonas is that old!) we had no answers to our questions. I knew that I could come back to the RS position temporarily, but it'd be so difficult with the kids! Come to think of it...we had no answers 2 weeks ago. Like I said in the beginning, when it rains, it pours!
Jonas and Kalea have come down with yucky colds so we had to miss Church this morning...but it's probably good since I didn't get much sleep last night with Jonas having a hard time cleaning out his nose on his own so I probably wouldn't have been able to stay awake for the sermon anyway!
We continue to work on packing knowing that our time here is coming to an end. The boy/girl room in the back (where Kevin and I store our hobby stuff) is almost packed (I just have a bit more!). A friend came over on Thursday night and we worked on taking down pictures, packing up the bathroom, and some of Kalea's toys. Now I just need to go buy a few newspapers today for packing material for the breakables in the kitchen and we'll get started on that!
Well...I guess I should go get lunch started so it'll be ready for Kevin when he gets home from church!
I already told you about Monday - Wednesday of this week, but I'll recap quickly: Monday - I was offered the Emergency Float Coordinator position with ACR, Tuesday - we put an offer in on the house, Wednesday - we heard back about our offer with a counter-offer that was below what we wanted to pay! The week continued with the same trend! On Thursday, I was offered a nursing assistant job with St. John's hospital...the pay was good, we'd get insurance with me only working 20 hours a week outside the home, but the downside is that it was all overnight shifts...yuk. But, this was an answer to prayer as we need insurance and we'd been waiting since the middle of December to hear back about this position. I accepted. On Friday, we accepted the offer on the house!!!! We haven't heard back yet, but we're assuming that it went through. I guess we'll find out 100% for sure tomorrow when the bank opens again! On Friday I also spoke in person with the lady at St. John's about the specifics of the job. As soon as I hung up (I was at the ACR Office), I was offered an administrative position at ACR! What a blessing as we'd be able to continue our current insurance, I'd be able to continue vesting in my 401K, and we'd have a good income that I could make with the kiddos around and not having to work overnight...I think my body will appreciate it...and my family too as I won't be as cranky from a lack of sleep!
God is soooo good and His timing is perfect. There were so many times when I'd doubt and wonder what was going to happen. Even when I went on my maternity leave 2 months ago (I can't believe Jonas is that old!) we had no answers to our questions. I knew that I could come back to the RS position temporarily, but it'd be so difficult with the kids! Come to think of it...we had no answers 2 weeks ago. Like I said in the beginning, when it rains, it pours!
Jonas and Kalea have come down with yucky colds so we had to miss Church this morning...but it's probably good since I didn't get much sleep last night with Jonas having a hard time cleaning out his nose on his own so I probably wouldn't have been able to stay awake for the sermon anyway!
We continue to work on packing knowing that our time here is coming to an end. The boy/girl room in the back (where Kevin and I store our hobby stuff) is almost packed (I just have a bit more!). A friend came over on Thursday night and we worked on taking down pictures, packing up the bathroom, and some of Kalea's toys. Now I just need to go buy a few newspapers today for packing material for the breakables in the kitchen and we'll get started on that!
Well...I guess I should go get lunch started so it'll be ready for Kevin when he gets home from church!
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
What a week!
Well...we started off this week on Sunday morning at Church where many friends asked us two questions:
1) Have you heard anything on the townhouse?...and we said "no" for the upteenth time (we've been waiting to hear for over seven weeks).
2) Any news on a job for you, Rachel?...and we said "no".
Nothing seemed to be working out for us anytime soon. However, God had other plans for this week. On Sunday night I was talking with a float that was working upstairs and I heard that the Emergency Float Coordinator position was open (the person who tells the floats where to go based on the needs in ACR homes). I immediately went downstairs to send an e-mail to the Lead PD to tell her that I was VERY interested! She got back to me very quickly and offered me the job!!! What a praise as this was added income that we weren't expecting that will be VERY easy to do with two kids!
We then decided to make an offer on a house in White Bear Lake last night (Tuesday). Our offer was placed around 6pm and by 2pm on Wednesday we heard back from the realtor the counter-offer from the bank. How odd since it's taken the bank for the townhouse almost 8 weeks...and we still haven't heard anything! We went to look at the house again tonight. It is a 4 bedroom / 2 bath home on a very nice sized lot. The house does need some new flooring, and lots of new paint. The lady that owned the house before did a very nice job stenciling...but peach and pastel blue seashells just aren't my thing! And oh ya...a VERY, VERY, VERY good cleaning. There is dog hair everywhere...including the fridge! YUK. Maybe I'll just by all new appliances since the ones there are pretty gross anyway! We'll see on that! Below are pictures of the house with a description below them of what you're seeing.
Here's the Garage. 2-car attached...not too bad. Kevin and I are both SO excited to be able to pull in straight. We haven't done that for over 3 years!!! Anyone need a grill?
Hwre's the bathroom upstairs...it'll be updated before too long. The pinky/salmon color just isn't me!
This is the laundry room/furnace room/exit of the basement! Behind the photographer's (Kevin) back is a big chest freezer that was left and the door to exit the basement. This room is unfinished but is on our list of things we'd like to do to the house.
This is the view from the corner of the living room upstairs. Behind Kevin is a wall of windows that face South...it'll be great! My dream would be to get rid of that wall between the kitchen and living room....we'll just have to wait and see if it's a load-bearing wall! The two doors are for the bathroom (L) and Bedroom (R). There is one more bedroom to the right of the bedroom shown. Do you like the dishwasher from when the house was built ('85)?
When you come in the door, this is what you see. Stairs up and down, and as you can see in the picture below a HUGE closet/mud room!!! To the left of the closet is the door to the garage.
Well, I hope you enjoyed a tour of our (almost) house. We'll be very excited when the final offer goes through...hopefully at the lowest price! Our plan is to have a painting party at the house once we close and then redo the floors? Anyone up for painting? Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself...who knows...maybe this house won't go through and God has something bigger and better for us...but we'll just have to wait and see! :o)
It's been fun to see how different our lives will be after this week. Some weeks seem to be so "hum-drum"...not this week at the Muramatsu household! Next time you see the house, hopefully it will look VERY different...that is...unless you come to help!
1) Have you heard anything on the townhouse?...and we said "no" for the upteenth time (we've been waiting to hear for over seven weeks).
2) Any news on a job for you, Rachel?...and we said "no".
Nothing seemed to be working out for us anytime soon. However, God had other plans for this week. On Sunday night I was talking with a float that was working upstairs and I heard that the Emergency Float Coordinator position was open (the person who tells the floats where to go based on the needs in ACR homes). I immediately went downstairs to send an e-mail to the Lead PD to tell her that I was VERY interested! She got back to me very quickly and offered me the job!!! What a praise as this was added income that we weren't expecting that will be VERY easy to do with two kids!
We then decided to make an offer on a house in White Bear Lake last night (Tuesday). Our offer was placed around 6pm and by 2pm on Wednesday we heard back from the realtor the counter-offer from the bank. How odd since it's taken the bank for the townhouse almost 8 weeks...and we still haven't heard anything! We went to look at the house again tonight. It is a 4 bedroom / 2 bath home on a very nice sized lot. The house does need some new flooring, and lots of new paint. The lady that owned the house before did a very nice job stenciling...but peach and pastel blue seashells just aren't my thing! And oh ya...a VERY, VERY, VERY good cleaning. There is dog hair everywhere...including the fridge! YUK. Maybe I'll just by all new appliances since the ones there are pretty gross anyway! We'll see on that! Below are pictures of the house with a description below them of what you're seeing.
Here's the Garage. 2-car attached...not too bad. Kevin and I are both SO excited to be able to pull in straight. We haven't done that for over 3 years!!! Anyone need a grill?
So the pictures aren't in quite the right order and I can't figure out how to fix them, but here is a great picture of Kalea and her friend. Each time they see each other they point, squeel and dance! What good buddies!
And we can't let Jonas feel left out!
Hwre's the bathroom upstairs...it'll be updated before too long. The pinky/salmon color just isn't me!
This is the laundry room/furnace room/exit of the basement! Behind the photographer's (Kevin) back is a big chest freezer that was left and the door to exit the basement. This room is unfinished but is on our list of things we'd like to do to the house.
Ummm...the freezer and the door! :o) Maybe this will be my craft room someday!
This is the family room in the basement. Again...nice stenciling!
This is the view from the corner of the living room upstairs. Behind Kevin is a wall of windows that face South...it'll be great! My dream would be to get rid of that wall between the kitchen and living room....we'll just have to wait and see if it's a load-bearing wall! The two doors are for the bathroom (L) and Bedroom (R). There is one more bedroom to the right of the bedroom shown. Do you like the dishwasher from when the house was built ('85)?
Kalea examining the dishwasher! I'd like to get new appliances, sink and counters at the minimum. Idealy we'd get an island in there somewhere too. Oh...and we're going to take the contact paper out from the drawers too...it's UGLY!
The rest of the kitchen...notice the stenciling? :o)
When you come in the door, this is what you see. Stairs up and down, and as you can see in the picture below a HUGE closet/mud room!!! To the left of the closet is the door to the garage.
Well, I hope you enjoyed a tour of our (almost) house. We'll be very excited when the final offer goes through...hopefully at the lowest price! Our plan is to have a painting party at the house once we close and then redo the floors? Anyone up for painting? Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself...who knows...maybe this house won't go through and God has something bigger and better for us...but we'll just have to wait and see! :o)
It's been fun to see how different our lives will be after this week. Some weeks seem to be so "hum-drum"...not this week at the Muramatsu household! Next time you see the house, hopefully it will look VERY different...that is...unless you come to help!
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Welcome!
Hello!
Welcome to our blog! I wanted to start this to share with you some of the fun things that happen around our house with two little ones, but to also share how we see God moving as we go through the journey of life. I heard an idea of an "I Spy God" book where you trace how you see God moving in your life and then when hard times come you can look back at these times and remember how God provided!
To start off, here is a picture of Kalea (16 months) and Jonas (6 weeks) at Christmas wearing their matching PJ's.
Welcome to our blog! I wanted to start this to share with you some of the fun things that happen around our house with two little ones, but to also share how we see God moving as we go through the journey of life. I heard an idea of an "I Spy God" book where you trace how you see God moving in your life and then when hard times come you can look back at these times and remember how God provided!
To start off, here is a picture of Kalea (16 months) and Jonas (6 weeks) at Christmas wearing their matching PJ's.
I hope that you enjoy reading this blog and are encouraged!
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