Playing Catch Up: Stepping Stones

I wrote the below post in the heat of our renovation. It was a dark day that day, but the Lord redeemed it. Read below...

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Last week I loaded the kids up and drove around the city for 2.5 hours. I couldn't quiet my fears and insecurities and I needed to remember, remember all that the Lord has done. So I drove to places that were clear marks, or stepping stones, of God's faithfulness and care over my life. I drove to Birchwood, the church where the Lord opened my eyes to who he is and the place I married Bob, God's greatest gift to me. I drove to Bob and I's first house. I remembered the time we couldn't make our house payment and God provided through a knock on the door and an anonymous envelope.  I drove to our second house and remembered all of the memories we made with family next door and what it was like to bring two healthy babies home. I drove to our old church in the Crossroads and remembered the friendships and community. I drove downtown to my old job. I was so young and naive when I started there, but those 6 years brought experience, friendship, and financial stability that set Bob up and I up in ways I still don't quite understand. I drove to our current church and remembered walking through the doors for the first time. We went there needing a place to rest and recharge. I was in the midst of a season of doubt and needed God to show up in a big way. That first service left me in tears. From singing in unison as we collectively confessed our sins, to Kevin's ability to preach to a mind like mine. All of it has made such a difference.

And now, to be where we are, with friends we love, in jobs we love, at a church we are excited to be at, in a home we renovated, and with hearts that are miraculously becoming more like His. It's all too much to take in some times, just how good he has been to us.

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It's amazing looking back on his hand in my life. How capable, loving, and able he is to sustain me.

If you find yourself bearing the weight of this broken world, wondering how you'll take your next breath without suffocating, let alone navigate your difficult circumstance, know there is a loving, mighty, God who is able to carry your load. Turn to him. He went to great lengths to bring you to his side, and when you realize the magnitude of who he is it will change you. I'm certainly living proof of that.

Playing Catch Up: Easter 2015 and Braydon's Preschool

"Let the world chase itself and call your great love a little thing. But as for me, I will behold your face." -Trinity Grace Church

Easter is a big deal for the Gibler house. Our entire identity is founded on the truth that there is a God who went to great lengths to display his glory and love for us through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. I realize it all sounds ridiculous and backwards, I would think that too had he not opened my eyes to the beauty of it all, but it is, and will always be, the best news we've ever heard.

Side note regarding pictures. Apparently a few files on my Canon were corrupt and I lost most of my spring pictures, including our Easter photos. So here's another round of grainy iPhone pictures :)

Bray began preschool this past January and he absolutely loved it. I was unsure how he'd fair, he's a bit shy and when I'd ask if he was ready to go to school outside the home he'd say, "I want to always do homeschool." But I knew I wasn't serving him well. I mean, relying on Daniel the Tiger for moral lessons and Leap Frog via Netflix for everything else wasn't what I wanted for him. Though we still love both those shows and use them frequently, especially right now, because good gracious summer days are long. Getting to send Bray to such a great school, to be challenged by a wonderful teacher, was just what our family needed. At least for that season.

Thank you for the memories, Old Mission!

First day of school

Just before his spring concert

Spring concert: Bob's parents

Spring concert: My parents

Bray and his good friend, Jude

Preschool graduating class

At his graduation, telling us he'd like to be a baseball player when he grows up

Bray's preschool class 2015

   

The last three months...

Over the last several months I've, in some ways, gone off the social media grid. After a long season of being open and vulnerable, both in my parenting struggles and renovation, I needed space to process the last two years.

And I'm so glad I took time away. Leaving Facebook, not committing to many social gatherings, being selective on what I shared (I'm a total over-share-er by nature). I needed to do all of these things to recover from the craziness of the last few years, as well as take time to discover our new normal without all the noise.

My little sabbatical was quite fruitful, and we are slowly gaining capacity for more. Which is why I wanted to take a second and fill you in on the last few months. I also want to record what's happened, because while blogging takes a lot of time, without it I don't record our family's memories or take as many pictures. I have no idea if I'll be able to maintain blogging, I'd at least like to try for the sake of memory keeping, though.

As for the last three months:

God's faithfulness and kindness has overwhelmed us, both in his presence and how he's worked out the details of our closing renovation. We still have projects to finish, but we expected that and we're not unfamiliar with living amidst undone work (hello, no kitchen cabinets for 3 years). It will likely be years before we have the time and money to finish these projects, but I really can't complain when 90% of my interior has been redone to my liking.

Exterior work began on the house this week (exciting!) and at this point (there are still a few question marks on some of these) we are getting our porch rebuilt, exterior painted, new driveway, and new windows. The grants we're getting won't cover our detached garage, so it'll continue to look gross, but again, I can't really complain now can I?

As for life. Well. Brooks continues to refine my soul with his constant crying. I mean really, kid. GIVE IT UP. The other two are having a hard time adjusting to sleeping in their own bed which, in large part, is our fault since they've been in the same room as us for the last year and a half. In fact, there's not been a night in the last three months they haven't started or ended in our bed. No amount of spanking, conversing, reassuring, or bribing has kept them in their bed, because they're genuinely terrified. So until they mature a bit more, or we gain some awesome new tactic that helps them feel safe and unafraid, we will continue walking through their fear with love and gentleness the best we know how.

Other than sleep habits and Brooks' crying, the kids are doing well. Their growing friendship is adorable and they love to mimc snakes and panthers that slither and prowl about the house. No one goes upstairs by themselves, which is quite cute and equally as annoying. Avery continues to perfect her made-up songs skills, and Brooks has discovered a love of dance. Bray is obsessed with Jurassic World, though he will likely never see the movie, at least not until he knows how to sleep in his own bed.

Most meals happen around our kitchen island which has been so fun. And the most significant benefit to this house has been the space. Oh my word. I didn't realize how quickly a house becomes cluttered when you're doing most of life in one room. To have bedrooms upstairs, bedrooms large enough to play in, and to have the dining/kitchen/living rooms be their own space has made such a difference!

As a family we are loving our neighborhood. The kids frequently play in the yard and field across the street, and we have some amazing friends nearby. Bob takes the kids for walks often, usually while I'm working, and in doing so he's built lots of relationships with our neighbors. Who knew he'd be such a social butterfly?

I absolutely love living in the city and could not think of a better place to raise my family. The culture, the coffee shops and restaurants, the parks. All of it is so enjoyable and refreshing. It's also pretty awesome to be in Kasnas City, specifically. So many great things are happening in the way of craftsmanship. People are really taking back their city with loads of care and investment.

Thank you to everyone who has encouraged us throughout these crazy years. We feel loved and supported and are excited to see what God has planned for us in this place.

Now for a gob of grainy iPhone pictures. I'll have more photos once my iPhoto is able to import my camera's pictures again.  I'll also have a few catch up posts to follow this one, that chronicle some of the bigger events from my non-blogging months.

Oven mits as boots? Awesome.

She yelled, "I LOVE MY PEOPLE" right before tackling me.

My goodness these two are snugglers

First Valentines Day basket

That belly!

Just another amazing outfit choice

Cousin trip to the vintage markets. We had so much fun!

One of our first weekends in the house. My mom took the kids for the night, so Bob and I got pad thai and a movie and LIVED IT UP. 

Welcome to the neighborhood gift from the Beans and their chickens. We also were spoiled with a fresh loaf of bread from the Janis' and tulips from our housing association. I love our neighborhood!

He actually put a toy in his diaper and that "look" is when he went back to retrieve it.
Still hilarious, though. 

Basically what I looked like for the first month in our house. Unpacking, organizing, and decorating with three littles takes a toll. Clearly. 

We found our beloved scone recipe that had been in storage and this was our first batch in the new house.
So. Good.

He can't keep his hands off her

Sisters are the best

 I had a hott date that night

Lunchtime conversations over chips and salsa. Our fav.

She looks so tiny out there

Peek-a-boo

Royals Game

Her first Royals Game

Dinner out as a family! We are just now doing these types of things. Still a bit risky with sir cry alot, but at least this dinner went well. 

#threenager

My first handmade Mother's Day gift. swoon.

He insisted on wearing brother's underpants over his diaper

Brother snuggles

Their attempt to "multiply" the bacon.