House Pictures

Home Sweet Home

Living Room

Living Room

Downstairs Half Bathroom

Very Very Green Dining Room

Kitchen

Bonus Room/Office

Bonus Room/Office

Backyard

Backyard

Laundry Closet

Bedroom #3/Storage Room For Now

Bedroom #2/Guest Bedroom

Very Very Green Guest Bathroom

Master Bedroom

Master Bathroom

So that's our house!  We have lots of plans for it, but for now we're just happy to have our stuff unpacked.  This weekend we are starting to paint, so that should be a big improvement when it's done.  The previous owners really liked bright colors.  I'm looking forward to personalizing this house and making many great memories in it!

I don't like making decisions about paint

Picking paint colors for our house is stressing me out. 

First we had to decide what the general color scheme was going to be.  I know what colors I like, but I am worried about flow.  If I get too many colors going on one floor, it could look disjointed and weird.  If I use too much of the same color, it might look boring.  And I really don't want all neutral walls; I've had enough of that from apartments. I need color in my life.

Once we talked it over and vaguely agreed on colors, James and I happily brought home paint chips to tape up on the walls, only to discover that we both have very different opinions on what shades look good.  He likes dark, I like...less dark.  He prefers more primary colors, I prefer muted colors. 

Then, once we hash it out and finally decide on a couple of shades that we can both live with, I go to Lowe's and get those little sample jars of paint, just to see what it looks like on the wall.  I have done this three or four times now.  Every single time the paint color looks completely different than the swatch.  I even tried the same color paint in the kitchen and again in the living room and they look completely different from each other. 

I don't know if it is the lighting or the color that is already on the wall or what, but I don't understand how the same paint can look so greatly different in two different rooms.  So now I'm wondering if I need to prime the whole house first, even on the more neutral walls.  But then if I do, the paint that we have picked might look different and then it's not what I wanted.

Bah!  It's not supposed to be this hard.

The Shepherds: Homeowner's Edition

First I just want to apologize to anyone who might have been offended by my last post about Chick-Fil-A.  If I came off as judgmental, I am sorry.  I understand why some would disagree with me and I truly do not judge anyone who supported CFA appreciation day.

Ok, now that I've said that, on to the meat of this post: WE BOUGHT A HOUSE!

It's been a whirlwind of a week, and I still can't believe we own a house.  I'm sure it will hit me once the first mortgage payment is due.

We had a stressful moving day because we were supposed to close on the house at 10 a.m. but at 7:30 a.m., we got a call from our realtor saying that the title company had never received the loan package from our lender.  Several phone calls later and all was resolved, but we had to move the closing time up to 3 p.m.  This was a problem because we had planned to start moving right after lunch and we had friends coming to help.  Fortunately everyone was flexible and willing to help us into the evening, and all went well.  We even had friends load our truck for us while we were gone at closing!  Our church family is awesome.

Since then we've been unpacking boxes (so many boxes...how do we have this much stuff?), organizing piles of stuff, and enjoying our new digs!  I am especially loving the nicer-than-apartment-grade appliances and extra cabinet space in the kitchen.  We had to make some big purchases recently as well; a lawnmower, microwave, and new door locks.  And we've been deciding on paint colors!  We pretty much have to paint the entire house.  The previous owner really loved bright colors, and they are not working for us.  But I'm excited to really make this house reflect us through paint.

Also, we have a yard!  With a shed!  Casper hasn't figured out that he is supposed to do his business out there yet, but we're working on it.  He's been programmed to do his business while on walks, so it will take some re-training, but I think we'll get there.  Meanwhile, I am enjoying it for its garden potential.  I have grand dreams of growing herbs and veggies next season.  I might kill them all, but it will be fun to try!  And the other awesome thing is that we now have curbside trash pickup so we don't have to walk our stinky trash bags a block to the dumpster anymore! 

Of course, we have discovered some less fun things about the house.  I love the look of the laminate hardwood on the first floor, but it doesn't hide Casper's fur at all and he sheds.  A lot.  Vacuuming is probably going to be a daily task.  And we also found out about the fun of trying to cool two stories with one AC system.  When it is comfortable downstairs, it is warm upstairs.  We have a ceiling fan in our bedroom, so that has saved us from having to set the thermostat really low at night.  We'll have to see how our first electric bill looks and adjust from there.

When we get the house a little more settled I will post pictures.  Until then, you can find me scampering around with a mile-long to-do list.  I am so excited that we won't have to think about moving for a long while!

Chiming in on the Chick-fil-A controversy

Now that the whole Chick-fil-A debacle has mostly passed, can I just share my opinions on the subject?

First of all, the CEO of an openly Christian company that is closed on Sunday is asked his opinion on gay marriage, and he states it in a very non-hateful manner, and the whole world explodes.  I don't understand why anyone is surprised!  And it seems that the people who preach tolerance and accuse Christians of being hateful really are very intolerant and hateful themselves. 

And yet even though this whole issue makes me annoyed and mad, I don't think that Chick-fil-A appreciation day was a wise choice.

For the record, I agree with Chick-fil-A's stance on gay marriage and I am proud of them for standing by what they believe.  And I absolutely 100% believe in standing up for our rights as Americans to have freedom of speech.

But here's the thing.  Standing in line and buying a chicken sandwich really does nothing to ensure that you keep those rights.  All it does is make a statement.  A fighting statement.  A retaliation statement.  An "us vs. them" statement.  Even if that was not the intention.  And that is not a loving reaction.  If you want to stand up for your rights, then vote for leaders who will uphold those rights.

I may get in trouble for saying this, but we are Christians before we are Americans.  It is more important to be the hands and feet and love of Jesus than it is to fight for our rights.  We represent Christ and we have to be very cognizant of how our actions will be viewed. Isn't He supposed to be our standard?  When Jesus was persecuted to the point of death, he did not fight, he did not rage, he didn't even speak.  And yet his actions spoke volumes.

Here is a quote by Rick Warren that I think is excellent. “Our culture has accepted two huge lies: The first is that if you disagree with someone’s lifestyle, you must fear them or hate them. The second is that to love someone means you agree with everything they believe or do. Both are nonsense. You don’t have to compromise convictions to be compassionate."

I know I might get some flack for this post because it is controversial.  And please know that if you are reading this and you went to Chick-fil-A day, I don't think any less of you.  This is just what I have been convicted about as I read the news.

I'm going to end with a few verses that have been swimming through my head as I write this.



"A gentle answer turns away wrath,  but a harsh word stirs up anger." Proverbs 15:1

"But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also."  Matthew 5:39

"Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”  Matthew 22:37-40

"Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ." Philippians 1:27

"Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." Ephesians 4:29-32

"If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother." 1 John 4:20-21

"Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing."  1 Peter 3:8-12

"Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”  says the Lord."  Romans 12:19

^"What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?  God will judge those outside."  1 Corinthians 5:12-13