To me, praying for a house seemed so impossible and above what we deserve, considering we have been married so little time and we don't really have all the resources to buy a home, it would seem. A friend reminded me (thanks, Anna :) the other night that God won't be upset if I pray and ask Him for a house. What's the worst He could say? No? Ok. I would live. So, yesterday, I started asking God for a house.
Now. Let me tell you why we would like to have a house of our own rather than rent for another year first.
We don't really have the money to keep renting. Sounds crazy, but buying a house turns out to be cheaper not only in the long run but also a lot of times in the short run, than renting. I would also love to have some space for the baby's playthings and our ridiculous amount of books. Nick and I would love to have something to call our own, a home that we can take care of and fix up, in which we don't have to rely on someone else to recognize and then fix a problem, like one does in a rental situation. We'd love to have a yard for the baby, so that s/he can sit outside with Mommy while she gardens. Children with yards seem so much happier to me than children without yards. We spend so much on rent right now that it's difficult to not be discouraged and overwhelmed with it all.
We are looking for a home with two bedrooms, more is ok, but not necessary. We are ok if it's a fixer-upper, but we don't want to have to replace the roof, and problems with the foundation are out of the question. Nicholas knows how to do quite a few handy-man things around the house, as do his father and mine. We would have plenty of help, and we know that we could do it. All that we desire is that it be in livable condition upon purchase, which would be a stipulation of the bank as well.
Our budget is low. We are still asking God for a house, though! Please pray with us for a house so that we can settle somewhere at least semi-permanently and provide as much stability as possible for our baby on the way.
Speaking of the baby, here is a quick little update: metabolic panel on me came back good, had our first ultrasound not long ago (so amazing to see the baby moving around!), our next ultrasound is coming up soon (we will find out if baby is a boy or a girl!), and s/he is moving around and kicking quite a lot these days! Nick got to feel the baby kick for the first time the other night, and his face was priceless; I couldn't help laughing. Baby loves movement, and if I sit down for even a five or ten minute break, jabs and kicks, elbows across my belly, those are the kinds of things I get haha! Baby also loves music, and we are convinced will be a fantastic dancer. We are loving it, and can't wait for the adventures that come! But we are savoring this one that is happening right now, as well.
Please thank God with us that our baby is healthy so far, and that all things are continuing as normal with my pregnancy. Please pray with us for a house. God knows His will, and He will make it plain when the time is right.
Godspeed.
21.3.10
25.2.10
Dinner? Dress? Beach?
I am slowly getting over the flu, and Nicholas is getting over what we think is his first kidney stone...ouch!
Listening to David Gray singing, "This ain't no love that's guiding me..." and reminding myself that he is wrong, dead wrong. That God's love is guiding Nicholas and me, and we can trust His hand.
The baby is growing, and God's Spirit is within me shaping this baby, turning him/her into the person He has planned.
Nicholas and I are looking for a place to move, nearby. Planning on renting for another year or so, then we can take our time in buying. If we attempted it now, it would be so rushed.
I am trying so hard to trust in God for all this. It is so hard. I have my next prenatal check-up on Wednesday, March 3. I have been having eye trouble and getting lots of headaches and low-grade fevers. Please pray that we find some answers, and that everything is really alright.
My summer class that I needed was closed before I could register, due to website hiccups. Trying to get in now, past the "limit." Pray for that as well.
Pray for patience. I need an extra measure of it.
That's all for now.
Listening to David Gray singing, "This ain't no love that's guiding me..." and reminding myself that he is wrong, dead wrong. That God's love is guiding Nicholas and me, and we can trust His hand.
The baby is growing, and God's Spirit is within me shaping this baby, turning him/her into the person He has planned.
Nicholas and I are looking for a place to move, nearby. Planning on renting for another year or so, then we can take our time in buying. If we attempted it now, it would be so rushed.
I am trying so hard to trust in God for all this. It is so hard. I have my next prenatal check-up on Wednesday, March 3. I have been having eye trouble and getting lots of headaches and low-grade fevers. Please pray that we find some answers, and that everything is really alright.
My summer class that I needed was closed before I could register, due to website hiccups. Trying to get in now, past the "limit." Pray for that as well.
Pray for patience. I need an extra measure of it.
That's all for now.
21.2.10
Stuck In Bed.
Yesterday and today have been bad days. I have to be truthful. I hate the stomach flu more than anything else. I'd also like to know why no one has cured it yet.
I am stuck in bed with it, and am so sadly weak from not being able to keep anything down that when I walk across my tiny apartment, I feel like I've run the length of a football field.
This too shall pass.
Waiting to see if I will make it to school tomorrow. Can't take too many cuts, but this pregnancy business is really starting to take its toll. Trying to keep up with school and play practices while a baby's growing inside me is turning out to be much harder than I thought it would be.
Nicholas is working hard, working full time now at Best Buy, and has a review in about a month and a half, at which point he will hopefully get a raise! Pray for that.
Time for me to go.
Maybe tomorrow I will be better.
I am stuck in bed with it, and am so sadly weak from not being able to keep anything down that when I walk across my tiny apartment, I feel like I've run the length of a football field.
This too shall pass.
Waiting to see if I will make it to school tomorrow. Can't take too many cuts, but this pregnancy business is really starting to take its toll. Trying to keep up with school and play practices while a baby's growing inside me is turning out to be much harder than I thought it would be.
Nicholas is working hard, working full time now at Best Buy, and has a review in about a month and a half, at which point he will hopefully get a raise! Pray for that.
Time for me to go.
Maybe tomorrow I will be better.
24.1.10
Big Little Changes...
In case any of you are wondering how our preparations for missions are going, well, this is your answer! They're not, haha!
Our missions trip has been temporarily put on hold. We found out about a month ago that we are expecting our first child! We are so thrilled to be so blessed by God, even though it wasn't in our plan!
The doctor says, "No traveling to malaria-riddled countries!" So we will be waiting to go to PNG, but are still in good contact with PBT, and maintaining some wonderful friendships there, particularly with Nathan Davenport and his family. They have been and continue to be such an enormous blessing to us!
Nicholas is interviewing for a full-time position at his job at Best-Buy today. We are praying that God will choose to bless us in this way, as it would give us otherwise unobtainable insurance and family benefits, not to mention more hours for Nicholas! Please join us in prayer for God's breakthrough financially and especially with insurance.
Part of what this means is that the name of this blog will be changing! We will now be called "Unexpectedly Expecting." (: Thank you, Sarah Hoobyar.
Joy has her first ultrasound on Feb. 3, as the doctor has been unable to pin down a due date as of yet. We are guessing that Joy is ending her first trimester, beginning her second, based on the way she feels, the dissipation of morning sickness, and energy and tummy size increasing. :) It looks like we will be having a late July or early August baby! Please pray that this goes well, and that we have a healthy baby boy or girl!
Joy is planning to stretch her last full-time semester at school into two part-time semesters, as she would like to be able to be home with the baby as much as possible. A schedule that is as fast-paced as a full-time semester so quickly after delivery may be detrimental to her health, in addition.
We will be looking for a place to live this summer, shortly after school gets out, as the baby will clearly not fit where we live now. (If you've seen it, you'll understand.) We are praying for an affordable house to rent in the suburbs, so that we can commute to the city if we need to, and also have a real house and a yard.
As an additional prayer request, we ask that you would keep our friends Jess and Micah in your prayers. They are leaving for a week in Haiti, working, evangelizing, and providing medical attention after the terrible happenings there. They will be there during the first week of February. They are an amazing couple, on fire for the Lord, and full of zeal for His house! The most important thing in the world to them is others' salvation. They are in need of $400 each, and need to raise it all in the next week. Please pray that God provides for their needs!
Thank you all so much for partnering with us this far, and we pray that you will continue to partner with us as we embark on the adventure that is parenthood! We are still planning on going to PNG with PBT, but it will be a few years, now, before we are able. Please continue to pray for us, as we are new to all of this parenting business and are trying to do it in a way that is God-honoring.
Much love to you all, and may God bless you!
Our missions trip has been temporarily put on hold. We found out about a month ago that we are expecting our first child! We are so thrilled to be so blessed by God, even though it wasn't in our plan!
The doctor says, "No traveling to malaria-riddled countries!" So we will be waiting to go to PNG, but are still in good contact with PBT, and maintaining some wonderful friendships there, particularly with Nathan Davenport and his family. They have been and continue to be such an enormous blessing to us!
Nicholas is interviewing for a full-time position at his job at Best-Buy today. We are praying that God will choose to bless us in this way, as it would give us otherwise unobtainable insurance and family benefits, not to mention more hours for Nicholas! Please join us in prayer for God's breakthrough financially and especially with insurance.
Part of what this means is that the name of this blog will be changing! We will now be called "Unexpectedly Expecting." (: Thank you, Sarah Hoobyar.
Joy has her first ultrasound on Feb. 3, as the doctor has been unable to pin down a due date as of yet. We are guessing that Joy is ending her first trimester, beginning her second, based on the way she feels, the dissipation of morning sickness, and energy and tummy size increasing. :) It looks like we will be having a late July or early August baby! Please pray that this goes well, and that we have a healthy baby boy or girl!
Joy is planning to stretch her last full-time semester at school into two part-time semesters, as she would like to be able to be home with the baby as much as possible. A schedule that is as fast-paced as a full-time semester so quickly after delivery may be detrimental to her health, in addition.
We will be looking for a place to live this summer, shortly after school gets out, as the baby will clearly not fit where we live now. (If you've seen it, you'll understand.) We are praying for an affordable house to rent in the suburbs, so that we can commute to the city if we need to, and also have a real house and a yard.
As an additional prayer request, we ask that you would keep our friends Jess and Micah in your prayers. They are leaving for a week in Haiti, working, evangelizing, and providing medical attention after the terrible happenings there. They will be there during the first week of February. They are an amazing couple, on fire for the Lord, and full of zeal for His house! The most important thing in the world to them is others' salvation. They are in need of $400 each, and need to raise it all in the next week. Please pray that God provides for their needs!
Thank you all so much for partnering with us this far, and we pray that you will continue to partner with us as we embark on the adventure that is parenthood! We are still planning on going to PNG with PBT, but it will be a few years, now, before we are able. Please continue to pray for us, as we are new to all of this parenting business and are trying to do it in a way that is God-honoring.
Much love to you all, and may God bless you!
6.12.09
Merry Christmas!
I would just like to say how amazing my husband is. (:
Last night, I was at work at the Disney Store, closing, when little did I know, my fantastic husband was busy all over town and all over the apartment making sure that my Christmas was beautiful. Let me explain.
Our apartment really REALLY needed some help--reorganizing, cleaning, that kind of thing. We also had no Christmas Tree yet! Horror of horrors! We also had NO EGGNOG! What is a Christmas without eggnog?! So. Last night, while I was at work, even though he hates cleaning, he cleaned and reorganized the entire apartment, bought a little five-foot tree, lights, and set it up, complete with two little birds at the top instead of a star. He then proceeded to put the first gift under the tree, for me, and I came home to a beautifully clean apartment and a little Christmas tree lit with little white twinkly lights in the corner. Fantastic!
Then! As if that wasn't enough. He knows it's tradition for my family to watch "It's A Wonderful Life" and drink eggnog and listen to Christmas music and decorate the tree, all at the same time, and so he got eggnog (and ginger ale for me, because I'm sick), and ornaments, and "It's A Wonderful Life" he put in the movie player, and then he turned on Christmas music! All today. The best. Nicholas hates eggnog, so I drank a little, and we decorated our first Christmas Tree together. (:
I'm so happy to be married to this man, Nicholas Randall Dertinger. (:
Seriously. So happy.
Last night, I was at work at the Disney Store, closing, when little did I know, my fantastic husband was busy all over town and all over the apartment making sure that my Christmas was beautiful. Let me explain.
Our apartment really REALLY needed some help--reorganizing, cleaning, that kind of thing. We also had no Christmas Tree yet! Horror of horrors! We also had NO EGGNOG! What is a Christmas without eggnog?! So. Last night, while I was at work, even though he hates cleaning, he cleaned and reorganized the entire apartment, bought a little five-foot tree, lights, and set it up, complete with two little birds at the top instead of a star. He then proceeded to put the first gift under the tree, for me, and I came home to a beautifully clean apartment and a little Christmas tree lit with little white twinkly lights in the corner. Fantastic!
Then! As if that wasn't enough. He knows it's tradition for my family to watch "It's A Wonderful Life" and drink eggnog and listen to Christmas music and decorate the tree, all at the same time, and so he got eggnog (and ginger ale for me, because I'm sick), and ornaments, and "It's A Wonderful Life" he put in the movie player, and then he turned on Christmas music! All today. The best. Nicholas hates eggnog, so I drank a little, and we decorated our first Christmas Tree together. (:
I'm so happy to be married to this man, Nicholas Randall Dertinger. (:
Seriously. So happy.
30.11.09
waiting....waiting...waiting...
So...quick little update...waiting for the school to approve our internship choice. Our paperwork for PBT is due tomorrow, so fingers crossed! If we don't have the approval by tomorrow morning, we'll go ahead and call Nathan Davenport, our missions rep, to explain what is going on, see if he can buy us an extra day or two.
Also, we are still searching for a church. We have, however, found one in Sugar Grove, IL, that seems like it may be a great fit for us! We are very interested, and would like to continue checking it out over the upcoming weeks. Sometimes work gets in the way, and we are attempting to properly balance it without being irresponsible on either end.
So excited for all the things it is possible for us to learn through this amazing process that God hands us, and called חיים.
Peace and blessings.
Also, we are still searching for a church. We have, however, found one in Sugar Grove, IL, that seems like it may be a great fit for us! We are very interested, and would like to continue checking it out over the upcoming weeks. Sometimes work gets in the way, and we are attempting to properly balance it without being irresponsible on either end.
So excited for all the things it is possible for us to learn through this amazing process that God hands us, and called חיים.
Peace and blessings.
13.11.09
And the Application Process Goes On!
We are in the process of filling out all of our paperwork for PBT...still. (:
There is so much! But we are so excited, and we can't wait for everything to be completed, and we are hoping and praying and crossing our fingers for those acceptance letters that will make us jump a little inside. (:
Please continue to pray for us and with us, as Joy begins her new job at the Disney Store on Sunday. This is an exciting opportunity for her to spread the Word of God in a friendly, yet not so Gospel-friendly, atmosphere!
We also ask that you pray for our fridge. Weird? Maybe. But we still need you to do it! The past few days it has been leaking water all over the kitchen floor. The maintenance guy stopped by today to check it out, and he said that the electricity in that particular outlet was only working sometimes, meaning that the fridge only got to run sometimes. He replaced the bracket, said it should be fine after that, and to call if there were any more problems. We're hoping that the water that is on the floor right now is just leftovers from when it ran under the stove. We shall see in a few short days. (:
Thank you so much for your prayers and support and encouragement!
Godspeed.
There is so much! But we are so excited, and we can't wait for everything to be completed, and we are hoping and praying and crossing our fingers for those acceptance letters that will make us jump a little inside. (:
Please continue to pray for us and with us, as Joy begins her new job at the Disney Store on Sunday. This is an exciting opportunity for her to spread the Word of God in a friendly, yet not so Gospel-friendly, atmosphere!
We also ask that you pray for our fridge. Weird? Maybe. But we still need you to do it! The past few days it has been leaking water all over the kitchen floor. The maintenance guy stopped by today to check it out, and he said that the electricity in that particular outlet was only working sometimes, meaning that the fridge only got to run sometimes. He replaced the bracket, said it should be fine after that, and to call if there were any more problems. We're hoping that the water that is on the floor right now is just leftovers from when it ran under the stove. We shall see in a few short days. (:
Thank you so much for your prayers and support and encouragement!
Godspeed.
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