A house is built....

Ssshhhhh.  Don't ruin this moment.

I am cuddled up in my living room.  Coffee to the left, lit Christmas tree to the right.  Two sleeping babies upstairs, one at preschool.  I am showered and dressed, house is clean...enough.  Bible and prayer journal opened for the last 30 minutes.  

The fog is almost....clear. !

What a fall this has been! It has been so much fun and full of adventure.  Except that day that I wrote my last post.  That was a rough week, please disregard the overall depression that oozed from that entry. :)  Instead, look at this:

Can you even believe how gorgeous he is?  Maxwell Ryan.  He is here and was just accepted by the final family member (Mathias) into our family.  He is 6 weeks this week!  What the?! He is the easiest baby of the 3, sleeping through the night for a few weeks already, eating well, and forgiving of the regular head butts he gets from Mathias.  And occasional left hooks.

And we are fully moved into our new home.  I was planning on blogging about Max, and what our daily life looks like now as I mother three boys 3 and under. As exciting as my daily schedule may sound to you, I'm gonna go a different direction.  What I'm feeling, is to share my heart about my house.  

When I was growing up we lived in a few different houses, but our Ames house is what I would refer to as 'home'.  When I reminisce about that house I don't think about how small it was, or that is was kinda run down.  As I take a nostalgic tour in my mind's eye I think of the foyer and how it welcomed guests CONSTANTLY.  I think of the kitchen where my mom faithfully made us meals, despite a tight budget.  I think of the breakfast nook where Dad would often sit with us and share about God's promises before we drove off to school.  I think of the dining and living area, where we had magical Christmases, tons of laughter over meals as Ruthann and Ryan performed, and where Rachel and I brought our then boyfriends in to meet our families, knowing that we had found our husbands. I hear games being played (Midnight Madness and Silent Football), I hear Steve Green on the CD player, and I smell....cat pee.

But anyway, those rooms were the workspace in which God built me into who I am today.  It was in that home that I learned to fear Him, learned to have a passion for others, learned to crave God's word.  In that small little home my parents taught me, directly and indirectly, that doing life as to the Lord, would lead to protection and blessing.

I have big plans for my new home.  No, not remodeling.  Not even curtains. (I'm a simpleton)

But, oh, how I want this house to become a place where God dwells.

I want to log hours of praying for my 4 boys in this room:

I want to fill up prayer journal after prayer journal pleading for Matt before God, dedicating my boys to His service, and asking God to move in my heart. I want my boys to someday join me in this room, having their own time with God.

And in here,

I want to serve my family great meals.  I want them to be so full of pride and...meat....that my boys want to invite all of their friends over.  In this kitchen, I want my family to feel provided for, no matter the budget.  I want to learn to serve in a way that honors God. 

And over and around this table, 

I want to have lots of and lots of coffee :)  I want to hear what my babies are excited for for that day, be in play dough or prom.  I want to build the priority of family and watch the bond grow between the 3 brothers.

And in here, I have dreams.  Literally.
Ha, I kinda just kinda fell onto that pun.
Anyway, in our room I want to become a great listener to Matt. I want to learn to listen well as he processes through his day. I want our room to be our save haven.  I want it to be a place of prayer for Matt and I, and unity, and giggles...and....I'll move on. ;)

Ok, a less awkward room:

In our family room, I picture years and years of rough housing.  Where Matt gradually gets more and more beat up. :)  I picture packing teeange girls on that huge couch and hearing about their lives.  I picture football on the TV and my house full or noise and testosterone and...chicken wings.

Anyway, you are getting the picture.  God has blessed us with this house.  He provided through a great realtor, a great interest rate, and a great husband who worked his butt off building equity on our first home.  But I don't want to think for a minute that this house is just dry wall and granite and bricks.  I don't want to fall short and think that this house is just for our comfort. 

Instead, I want to fully ingest what I learned from my parents.  That "by wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it's rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures."  As the Lord provides me with wisdom, may this house become a home.  For my family, and for countless others who need a home in one way or another.  And how I crave understanding, of the Lord's heart and mind, so that from these rooms will pour out treasures: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control......