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I'm so behind on blogging!  I'm going to try to get caught up this week.   I can't believe it's a new year already!   So much is changing in our lives and we are excited for what lies ahead.   We sold our house this summer after Chad and I both felt like God put it on our hearts.   We loved our house and property and did not want to leave.  But, the payment had us stretched so think that we couldn't enjoy it like we should have been able to.  We both felt like we were supposed to sell and get out of debt.   Every little thing that came up...needing tires, plumbing problems, doctor visits, etc....seemed like an emergency because we just couldn't afford it.   So, our house sold after having only listing it on craigslist for a month!   So, we thought we would buy a very cheap fixer-upper.   Well, we just couldn't find one so we started renting.  It has not been a great experience.  From the very beginning there were issues and then we found mold under the house.   It's a bad case of mold and the landlords did not take care of it so we began to look for a new place to live.   After hours upon hours of driving around and looking at places, having contracts on 2 different houses that fell through, we got a call about a house that a friend of a friend of a friend was going to sell.   It wasn't exactly what we were looking for but it's an amazing opportunity financially and it will have an acre that we have do whatever we want with!   We could be totally debt free in a couple of years...including our home!  It's so exciting.   We're all looking forward to feeling at home again.  We can't wait to start a garden and get chickens again.   Most of all, we're so looking forward to being able to steward our money the way that God wants us to.  

In the meantime, you would think that we live out in the country.   Ethan has traps and snares set up all over our yard.   He has caught so many beautiful birds and they've been able to hold them and look at them up close before letting them go.   

He's also shot and eaten several doves.   

Luke gave himself a black eye with a bola that they  made!  :)

All the kids are having so much fun.  We've never let the kids watch a ton of tv, but, we've really tried to limit it to a very, very small amount here and there now.   Their reading has taken off incredibly and they also have proven that they don't need tv...they are so creative and can entertain themselves wherever we are.   We all read a lot more as a family as well.  I love the changes that are taking place.   

I'm so excited to see what God has in store for the next year.