WE GOT THE HOUSE!!!

WE GOT THE HOUSE! Praise the LORD!!!!

THANK YOU to everyone for your prayers!!! We got word today that the house in Eldersburg is ours. We'll be signing a lease sometime this week and beginning August 1st we have a new home. We are so excited!!! It's perfect for our family, and is exactly what we were asking the Lord for. God is so good... it is a testament to the power and glory of our King. This morning at mass, for the closing song we were singing, "Ask and it will be given unto you- Alleluia!" ... How appropriate!

We'll post pictures when we have them- thank you again to everyone who has been praying for Michael's job and our housing situation. God is so good!

Waiting and Wondering...

Still waiting and wondering what God has in store. Tim, (man renting the house in Eldersburg) said he'd make a decision by Monday. He told us he has the same offer from someone else, so right now the ball is in his court - and it's all in God's hands! Surprisingly I've only checked my email a few times today, but I've been carrying my cell phone everywhere in case he calls... haha. As soon as we know anything... we'll let you know! Please keep this in your prayers!
In the meantime we'll probably keep looking of course and see what's available in case he decides to go with other renters.

Also, we discovered that the pain I'm having due to the pregnancy is also sciatica. (YAY!!!) haha. I thought that my FM was just flaring up in my legs... but turns out the pain is typical sciatica, and that's the times that I can't walk... (the sciatica pain probably does flare up the FM in my legs also, so I'm sure that doesn't help.) But anyway, we are doing okay, just really starting to feel very pregnant, and occasionally losing my balance! haha! Only 6 more weeks to go... We can't wait to meet our gorgeous little girl!!!

PLEASE PRAY!!!

...We found a house that's basically PERFECT for us ... and we are making an offer to rent for a year (which is what the owner was happy with and asking for) and we really want this house!!! We'd have to talk him down in monthly rent a little... but we think that because he's motivated to get someone in there and ready to rent beginning August 1st, he might be willing to lower his price. It's a 3 bedroom, 2 bath single family home in Eldersburg!

PLEASE PRAY for us, that this offer will go through!! ... We know that if this doesn't work out, God has something else in mind for us... so we are trying to just be patient and trust in God's plan. We'll keep you updated!!!

THANKS!!! :o)





... What are you doing still reading this!?!? Get on your knees and PRAY!!! :o) hahahahaha....

House Hunting...Etc!

In celebration of Michael's new job, we went and got him a couple new snazzy dress shirts and ties yesterday as well as some pants. He's going to knock 'em dead! His first day is next Tuesday. This morning he was dressing for work and Josiah said, "Dad- let me see your blue shirt!" (this wasn't even one of the new ones...) and when Michael stepped in his view he said, "You're pretty handsome!" hahaha. It was hilarious and so cute- I laughed so hard. I just said, "I agree with him". Michael can't believe that today and Saturday are his last days working at C2 Education. He's been tutoring at this center since it opened (5 yrs ago I believe) and has been through 3 (or 4?) different owners/directors. I told him I think the whole operation might fall apart when he's gone! He's so happy to be moving on, but we are thankful for the time spent there as well and all he's learned and the experience he's gained.

So now we're in the midst of house hunting... we've found that there's houses in all different areas, beautiful single family homes, that are renting for as much as it costs to rent a nice 3 bedroom apartment! So- why rent an apartment when we can rent a house (possibly with the option to buy after a year or so if we're staying in the area for sure and all is well with Michael's job, etc...) We're looking at some of these houses tomorrow-- one in Eldersburg in the morning and then 2 in Towson in the afternoon. They all look incredible! It's very possible that we could be signing a lease and have a move-in date of August 1st. Who knows!? It's amazing what God is doing in our lives these days. We'll keep you posted when we know more...

I am feeling better the past few days, I thnk the antibiotics are kicking in and taking care of this kidney infection. (Oh, did I mention I spent last Sunday morning in the hospital? ... Well, it's a long story- but all is well with the baby and the pain I was having is subsiding, probably now that we discovered an infection I had brewing and had no idea!) I've been having a ton more contractions lately than usual, so I'm just trying to stay hydrated and am chalking it up to the fact that I'm almost 34 wks, and that's just what happens! I was shocked yesterday when we were all out to lunch and I actually had to stop and sit back and BREATHE through a rather strong contraction! WHOA...been a long time since that has happened... it's all coming back to me... I don't think I want to think about labor yet. haha! THANK YOU for your prayers.. it's nice to feel a little better and be able to help around the house and with Josiah. It's also been such a blessing to have my Mom back home this week (she was gone for three consecutive weeks helping at different places this summer!) as well as to have other family and friends who are always more than willing to keep Josiah busy if I need to put my feet up for awhile! God is good... I know that not all Mom's are so blessed!

Take care and God bless!

CONGRATULATIONS to Michael!

SO, Michael got a call today, and it looks like he will be starting his new job in a week! He's meeting to go over a contract, etc and then will be starting, I believe, on July 30th. We are still really shocked and kinda taken by surprise... but we are so happy and staying in this area is a really good thing because he will also be teaching at UB in the fall. Thank you so much to everyone for your prayers and support... We'll let you know how it's all going! (Now you can just pray we find a place to live! We're going to check out some nice apartments and homes to rent in this area for now.) Praise God!!!!

GREAT NEWS!!!!... We think!

Hi Everyone! Great news! Michael got a call today from the man he's been in contact with about the MTA job. According to him, everything is set with the job- (which he'd be contracted through Towson University to do consulting work -but technically working for the MTA- Maryland Transit Association). He said that he could start the beginning of August and that he should get a call soon from Towson!!! A little in shock, Michael text messaged him again later (since he's on friendly terms with this man) and he said, "So it's for real this time?" (it's been in the works for awhile, so we weren't and still aren't getting our hopes up entirely yet!) and the man told him that he told the company August 4th at the latest, but that if earlier is okay that might be able to be arranged! So that's even better! He told Michael that hopefully he will and should get a call on Monday from the consulting firm in Towson... SO... we'll keep you posted!! I would say, "MICHAEL GOT THE JOB!!" but... we don't actually know this officially just yet! Hopefully he'll get a call, and be able to come in and learn more about the job and get an official offer letter or sign an official contract soon. Assuming this job goes through...we'll also be able to stay relatively local to family and friends and our church and doctors, etc. AND Michael will be able to teach as adjunct faculty at the University of Baltimore this fall! He's already signed on to teach a class there (students registering online even see "Mr.Walk" as their instructor- he thought that was pretty great!) and he's really excited about teaching that class- so it's good news to be staying in this area for that reason as well.

Thank you all SO MUCH for your prayers! Please continue to pray and we will let you know more as we know more... hopefully- this is it! :) Praise God! (And if this goes through we may actually be able to move the beginning of next month or before the baby is born! Who knows!?) :o)

Thanks again for your love, support and prayers...
God bless!
- Lisa and Michael (and kiddos)

Prayers Requested...

Well, it's never fun to have to ask for help, but we've been asking everyone lately. It seems that my hip pain has been getting worse and my fibromyalgia is flaring up on top of that. So, that leads to mornings like today, where I get out of bed, get Josiah, change his diaper, and then the minute Michael is supposed to leave for work I collapse on the bed in tears because I can't walk. *sigh* Needless to say Michael was a little late for work... but thanks to the help of my awesome neighbor (actually her son who came to help with Josiah all morning!) the rest of the morning went relatively smoothly. Morning's are the worst and night's aren't much easier... but usually the middle of the day if I can get going I can keep going for awhile at least.

We all know that God provides everything we need, all we have to do is ask. I can't tell you what a blessing my Regnum Christi team sisters have been to us. It's one of the most remarkable feelings in the world to know that you always have friends who are willing to sacrifice anything they have going on or anything they can just to come and help. I know God will provide, because otherwise I know He'd give me the strength to do it all myself- and that's not quite the case. :o) On a more positive note, Lydia seems to be doing fine, and doesn't mind that I'm sitting down and resting more! She's happily wiggling around in there. Just like Josiah was (and still is) we know she's worth it all.

Please pray that my pain will subside a little so that Michael can keep up his work and I can take care of Josiah. Thank you to the Milstead and Downs families who have been offering their beautiful older children to keep Josiah busy when I can't chase him around. He's SO HAPPY having all these friends over lately! I'm just glad he doesn't have to suffer for Mommy not being able to function properly at the moment. He just says, "Mommy has boo-boo legs" and he always asks me to "get a bandaid to feel better Mom" so that I can take him outside and walk around... and when I tell him it's not that kind of boo-boo, he says, "I kiss it and make it all better. I make you happy mommy" He's so sweet and he truly does make me feel better. I wish, if only for his sake, that I was better at this pregnancy thing...but, like I said, God always provides. And children like him? DEFINITELY worth any of the hassle, what an amazing gift these babies are to us, to everyone.

Baby Photo Shoot

As a Mother's Day gift I asked Michael to play around with his photography hobby and get me some cute pictures of both our babies... once I was starting to show a little more. Well this morning we went outside in the grass and got a few cute ones that I really love- Daddy is a great photographer! Aren't they beautiful? I hope you enjoy them as well! God bless, Lisa


The first one is my favorite!



This is Josiah kissing Lydia... he sticks out his bottom lip to give a kiss!

Some of Michael's favorites... Josiah trying to find Mommy's belly button...