Of termites and time lines

So... the building inspection was this week.

Basement floor

Jordan, my husband, drove all the way up to Goodland, Kansas for it.  The termite inspection was first, and it came back positive.  Positive, as in positive for termites, not positive as in good news.
But all is not lost!  Since this is before the property has changed hands, Four Square Church as agreed to pay for the repairs and termite barrier (?) around the building.

Nice lighting

Our big expenditure will be for egress windows in the basement.  We want to put our bedrooms down there, so all the windows have to open at least 5.7 square feet to allow firefighters to crawl in and save us.  Ours are not.  And they have to be closer to the floor.
This is just the first of many things we will have to pay for.

Typical a communal fridge!

The problem is I don't really like paying for things.  I often have the problem where I make my mind up to buy something to make my life substantially easier, and then see the price tag and say "Eh, I've been doing it the hard way all these years, what's the big deal?" and never buy it!!  Sometimes I am talking crazy stupid things I don't buy.  You know I make 4 loaves of bread every week for my family because they raised the price from $1 to $1.25.  That is a 25% increase!  Overnight!!  I looked at that and said "I am putting my foot down.  I'll just spend 3 hours in the kitchen every week and not pay that quarter!  You take that grocery store!"
I guess I am going to have to get over this and actually start paying money for things (ugg).  I take such pride from my stingy-ness.  Now I have to grow, and take risks, and put money on the line (ugg).
In other news, we've got our moving date!  So if you want to see us in sunny Arizona, I suggest you call in May.
And we are still asking for any book donations y'all have!  Thanks for the donations we've already got!

Things I am going to miss- The Hope Women's Center

Hope Women’s Center serves women and 

teen girls facing any difficult life situation. 

Whether faced with drug/alcohol 

addiction, domestic abuse, sexual abuse, 

unplanned pregnancy, unemployment, 

prostitution, homelessness or family 

conflict, trained mentors and teachers are 

available to provide assistance, 

encouragement and support.

... or so says their website.  But for me, it has helped me meet women, make friends and grow my faith.  

I started volunteering at the center in January of 2011, and my first day was daunting.  

After going through the training I was asked if I would like to work in the store, at the desk, teach classes or mentor women with their problems.  Teaching and mentoring seemed so scary.  

The women who already worked there had this amazing biblical knowledge.  Client A comes in and says "I have a problem with this random issue"  then the mentor says "Let's look in the Bible, here is the exact passage that deals with your random issue."  I know I don't have close to that level of knowledge.

Teaching says to me lesson plans, homework, classroom management,  and out of my league.  I was kinda interested in doing it, but I wouldn't have admitted it.

But after just a short time, Terry and Glenda were asking me what else I would like to do.  Soon I was teaching and loving it.  Normally, after High School, you don't get the chance to really discuss things with people.  You talk about day to day stuff, but discussions on morals, life principles, even hearing someone's story.

Think of your friends you've made as an adult. In how many cases do you know their history?  What were their turning points?  Why were they saved?  What brought them to the point where they knew, KNEW, they needed God?

At Hope Women's Center, I got the chance to hear stories and even to affect the way they would end sometimes.  I got to hear people's problems with Christianity.  Those church experiences that made them decide they would never go back.  That person who called themselves a Christian who victimized them so much.

These aren't the things you get going to Meetup events or on Facebook.

Would you like to get involved with this dynamic group of women?  To spend a bit of you week serving and getting filled?  

On June 1 at 6pm is the Women with Hope Gathering.

They'll show you around and even give you a light dinner! (The one I went to was delicious) You can see if you want to get behind this mission and see if it's where God is bringing you.

Click here to contact them and sign up!

The adventure begins...

So we've done it.  We got word that we are now under contract.  We are moving.
We are buying an old church in Goodland, Kansas.

 We are planning on converting it to some living space, and space for a used book store/art gallery.

Right now, we are at the start of the zoning process.  And seeing how zoning works here in San Tan Valley, Arizona, we hope it is faster in a small town.
We have never lived in a small town, but we are excited.  If everything goes smoothly, we should be moving at the beginning of June.