It has been a while...

It has been a while since I have posted anything and due to an overwhelming amount of trials and tribulations we have not been online.

Jason and I have been busy. I can hardly believe we are almost in December. Yikes!
Jason is working at his new job with Triamp Group and really enjoying it. Cavanaugh Auto is still going, but more part time. He also continues to work at our Church leading the Truck team (the church) on Sundays.

Liam is loving Kindergarten. He is learning to read and doing such a great job. He just had his first parent/teacher conference and had a great review. He loves to write and draw (no idea where he gets that, i.e., mom) and he loves to sing in choir (hmmmm...dad). He is growing so fast and learning so much.

Reilly is active and all boy. He loves John Deere trackers (hence the Christmas photos) and camo. He wants to hunt and be with his dad at all times. Yet, he is my snuggle bug and loves to be with me. He is learning to read and writing his name and learning the alphabet and sounds.

Natalie is funny and sassy. She loves to be with me at all times. "MOM where aur you?" (yelling of course). She loves to change her clothes about 10x a day. One drop of anything and a new shirt or pants go on. She is loving the library and we are doing gymnastics together and she loves that. She has fun hanging with her brothers. She still eats a ton!

I have been busy being a wife and mother. What more does there need to be! Well lets see. Besides those two jobs (most important)...I trained in Oct. to be a Stroller Strides Instructor and will start teaching January. I am taking on a babysitting job 4 days a week because it brings in the extra money we need to get out of debt. I am a neighborhood advocate for our property rights. I am researching, meeting with city officials, attending city council meetings, and reading piles and piles of RCW codes in order to save our home from being taken by the city. Oh did I mention that I also do MOPs on Thursday twice a month (for me) and that I teach Sunday School second service on Sundays.

It all sounds crazy, but honestly my life would feel weird with out so much stuff. See until the house stuff came along I was feeling pretty good about the family calendar. Now I am not overwhelmed. I have a lot of friends who have been helping out. I also realize I am one person and can only do so much. So there you have it!

December 2nd is the next meeting with the City. Basically in a nut shell we live on Category I wetland (the highest protected due to wildlife habitat and aquatic). This means that the city wants to protect this wetland from being endangered by noise, light, and other strange factors. So they have a created a Sensitive Areas Ordinance that includes a CORE Complex (that would be us) and a 225ft buffer onto our property (our property is like 325ft or something like that). The SAO has strict guidelines for use of property within this buffer. The city does not pay us for our property, they just take it. Well tell us what we can and can not do on it. We pay for it, we own it, we pay the taxes on it, but we have little rights to it. That is it in a nutshell. Sounds fun...it gets better, really!

The county (King) has presented us with presentation showing what they would like to do to upgrade the sewage treatment facility in this area to accomadate the growth that will be happening in the next 5-20 years. One example includes 2 12ft pipes (where a current 9ft pipe, underground exists), a county workers access road (where our easement is) and a odor/pump house on the back side of the property. We told them no. However, it is in writing and they are doing the research and going to sit on it for a year thanks to the budget cuts.

What this means to us? First, if we put our house on the market we have to disclose all of this information to the buyer under section 17. Second, the property value of our home may/may not go down (most like it will). Then we will be backwards in our loan and well you know the rest of the story.

Fun times. OK so what I have failed to mention in all of this. Jason is working three jobs, I am busy with all I am doing, the kids are busy. BUT we have a home, food on the table, we are happy, we have a good marriage. We have the LORD! He is sustaining us and making us laugh. We are wondering and waiting in anticipation to see what the outcome of it all might be.

Jason says we should walk away move to Africa and teach. Funny I probably would do it. I would miss my family like crazy, but I would do it for the experience for something much simpler.

Through all of this we stay true to the fact the Lord has us here for a reason. He loves us and he will protect us. As Reilly says "Mom, Hes in our hearts, do not be afraid". Childlike faith, it's priceless!

Happy Thanksgiving and remember what you are Thankful for this year. May God Bless you!