April showers bring....New Freedom, PA

Well folks, it is with mixed emotions that I post our moving news. Miguel and I put a contract on a new townhome today! It is a gorgeous (at least what I can tell from the drywall!), underconstruction, yet to be finished townhouse in New Freedom, PA. We've been in our current home a little over a year, yet feel a leading to buy a townhouse in PA and rent our current home. We see this as a wise investment, a risk worth taking while we are young and childless. So while we signed contracts today, we wait for more open doors. We wait for a renter to be placed in our paths. We wait for our financing to be fully approved. Please pray that God's will is clearly revealed to us. Pray for peace over all of the decisions and details yet to be worked out. Pray that our hearts will not become anxious. And PRAY that if we do move, I don't eat too much icecream from this great little icecream/snowball shop called Bonkie's!!!

On a practical note, if you or anyone you know is looking for a place to rent, give us a call. =)

Who ME?!!!

Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil....uh, Danielle???!

Over spring break, I managed to put all of my old photos into albums. I stumbled across this picture and thought it would be fun to post!

Walk the Plank

Adventures in the Barowski household are never lacking. Last night, Miguel and I decided to make a late night trip to Lowes to buy materials for our new deck. Our old deck, is well, old. If you stand in the far right corner and barely shift your weight, the entire deck sways from left to right and then back to left. Very scary. Needless to say, the new deck is a want but also a need! We headed out last night around 9:15, knowing we'd have 45 minutes to buy the boards, load them into Eric's full-size pickup, and get home. After choosing our boards (there is a fine art to board choosing), Miguel and the Lowes' employee decided it would be fine to load all 30 planks into the back of the truck, with the gate down. The planks were 18 feet. That meant 10 feet would be in the bed, 2 feet would be on the gate and 6 FEET would be hanging over the edge. No problem. We had one tie-down, that should do the trick. We only had 1/2 mile to drive, anyway. On the drive home, I trailed behind the truck, just in case. We turned onto Tolgate, no problems; we made it up the hill, no problems; we made it halfway through the roundabout, BIG problems. All 30 planks slowly began to spill out of the back of the truck and all over Westover. I began frantically blaring my horn, knowing full well that Miguel understood my honks. I stopped in the middle of the round about, slammed on my emergency flashers, slammed my door shut and give a little, "I told you so!" (Because in my mind, I had seen this happening before it even did!) Out of the darkness came a woman's voice asking if we needed help. Did we ever!! One man was kind enough to stop his truck and help. The four of us quickly got the planks reloaded into the truck and off we all went. Me silently praying that the planks would stay put for another 2 minutes. They made it. Thank God!

After all was said and done, I laughed. Chuckled was more like it. Lifting 30 planks a total of 3 times is no easy chore! Next time, I say we have the boards delivered!

Spring Cleaning

My spring break is nearly half way over. And that means my spring cleaning to-do list should be half way through, right?! Not so. But I have tackled several major tasks--cleaning the entire office, including going through the file cabinet and shredding everything dated before 2006; cleaning out all of my kitchen cabinets, reorganizing them, and throwing away food and items that we don't use and won't use.

Here is what I've accomplished thus far:
1. Cleaning out the office (Emptying file cabinet, putting all pictures into albums)
2. Thoroughly cleaning the livingroom blinds
3. Cleaning out the cabinets in the kitchen
4. Filling boxes and taking them to Goodwill
5. Moving my winter clothes to the "other" dresser

What's left to do???
1. Scrub the kitchen and bathroom floors
2. Clean out the hall closet
3. Wash all the windows in my house-inside and out
4. Scrub my car--inside and out

Hmmm....the list could go on and on. I think I have to be a little more realistic and work on my list over the next several weeks! Spring break was a nice idea, as far as spring cleaning goes, but 7 days only gets you so far. Especially when you have outlet shopping to do, friends to see, parties to attend, and a puppy dog to love on! ;-)

Has anyone else started to tackle spring cleaning? What have you accomplished so far?

Children

Within the past two four days, I have received some absolutely wonderful news and news that outwardly appears to be devastating. Both have to do with children. First, I found out that I am going to be aunt!!!! Erika and Aaron are pregnant with their first child, due sometime in December I believe! =) Second, many of you have already heard, but Emily and James Haughery's daughter, Alivia, has been undergoing serious medical testing to determine which type of lukemia she has. Alivia is only a year old. Please visit her blog (see my links) and hold her up in prayer! Emily and James are desperate for our prayers on their behalf.

With the first bit of news, my heart immediately said, "I want a baby." With the second bit of news, my heart just as quickly said, "Lord, it's just too risky." The pain of seeing a loved one sick is, at times, unbearable. How much moreso would it be with my own baby?

God faithfully spoke to my heart. There will be joy and suffering in motherhood. I cannot control the extent of either. I am called to one thing, and one thing only. Trust. Trust in a faithful, sovereign God who blatantly reveals that children are a blessing to be desired. He does not say desire the blessing only when you know things will go smoothly. He does not say desire the blessing on if the child will be healthy and without physical blemish. He simply calls me to trust in His loving hand.

Fear has no place in the life of a believer, which means, fear has no place in my life in the area of children. Lord, help me to view you as a sovereign God. One who gives as He sees fit and right. Help me to praise you, despite my circumstances--present or future.