Extreme Room Makeover!

This past week we changed our 2 bedroom apartment into a 3 bedroom apartment!  Amazing!

Last weekend, the Jr. High youth group from Sunbury Bible Church came to our house and church to serve for part of the weekend.  They were able to help us switch all the furniture from our bedroom to the back room and the from the kids bedroom to the front room!

Then on Thursday, our neighbor/"landlord"/friend started the renovations to split the big front bedroom.  Jonerik, Frank, and two other guys from our church worked really hard all day and got the project completed by the end of the day (paint included!!).  We let the kids pick out the paint colors for their accent walls and I occupied the kids while the men worked.


Before:

The Finished Product!

Boys Room

Girl's Room

It's hard to describe how amazing this is.  But it's a big step for our family and helping the kids feel like they have a place where they belong.  A place of their own.  Someone recently told me that it sounded like I was "nesting" in a sense.  And I think that is true.  It feels so good to help get them settled and find fun decorations that fit each of them.

It has been an incredibly busy week/weekend, but it is all worth it!  To top off the weekend, Jonerik and I ran the Broad St. Run this morning!!  We had a great time and the weather was perfect.  When we saw the kids later in the day the first thing Damian said to me was... "Did you beat?"  Haha!  I don't think they understand how long 10 miles is and how big this race is, but it was too cute.  It felt so good to accomplish something that big (again) and to do it with friends.

Beautiful Weather

Last year, our neighbors had a group of people help them lay some concrete in the back yard.  We didn't get much of a chance to use it due to it going in at the end of the summer, but now that the weather is warming up the kids are loving it!  After dinner is cleaned up the kids will go out and stay out till dark. Thank you daylight savings time!  Yes we have lots of scrapes and some tears from time to time, but mostly it is all giggles, laughter, and squeals.

Another simple thing that has changed our routine and brightened our evenings has been....chores!!!  I waited for a while before getting the kids used to doing "chores" because I didn't have a system in place and thought I would eventually get around to doing a cute chart or board.  But that has proved to be low on the priority list.

And then one day I remembered the beautiful invention of sticky notes!!

...and we're back!

During these past two months we have taken a "guilt-free" break from blogging.  We stepped back and spent our time and energy on our family.  Lots of prayer, paperwork, reading, crying, hugging, loving and laughing.  Yesterday was the 2 month mark of Gugy's passing and it still seems so surreal.  She was the kind of woman who always left a smile on your face and an imprint on your heart.  She had a beautiful way of finding common ground with everyone and many people are missing her today.

Gugy loved her children with all that was in her (just under her love for Jesus) and I can't blame her one bit.  These kids are so great to have around.  We are honored and consider it such a precious gift that she asked us to care for them.  We are all still adjusting to...well...not-adjusting like we had been doing for so long.  God has led us and prepared us over time and as I sit here and think about last year at this time, I can honestly say that God has stretched and grown us in so many ways.

So, what have we been up to?

God has blessed us with some really fun opportunities recently.  We bought a membership to the Adventure Aquarium for the family because of a great deal online.  We also got a great deal through the same website to visit the Please Touch Museum for a day.  We were given a zoo membership for Christmas but haven't gotten there yet.  We have gone outside on beautiful days to walk across the Ben Franklin bridge, play capture the flag at the Art Museum steps and we were given some tickets to the circus to take Damian in celebration of his 7th birthday last week.  (Wow...I am just now realizing how busy we really have been!)

 

We also realize that many precious memories we hang on to 

are found in the small moments of ordinary days.

We still have a lot of work to do to get settled legally with some things and to get the kids all the help they need, but we have seen progress which helps us keep moving forward.  Each new day brings new and different challenges and joys.  We are so grateful for a supportive group of friends and family around us.  

So - you have been reading our blog for some time as the progression of our journey as a couple.  Now we invite you to jump on the "crazy train" and hold on tight as our adventures continue.  

We have hope.

The dust is settling.


The whirlwind of activity that the holidays brought, the loss of our sister carried in, and the very loved and welcomed visitors shared is now over.


School started again.  Ministry is still on break in part, but we are back to work.  Some things feel exactly like they did before Christmas.  Other things feel so completely strange and different.  


God continues to be sweet to us in the whole process.


We are starting to embrace our new roles sometimes gracefully and other times with more of an intentional effort.  


I read this verse in our Bible study this week and it has stuck with me:


But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.   
-1 Thes. 4:13-14


So we grieve - in hope and expectation.

Saying Goodbye

It is still hard to take in the reality of the things taking place.  On Tuesday, Dec. 27 Limaris Santiago went to be with her Savior, Healer and closest Friend.  She passed away around 4:10 as we were all at the hospital.  

We grieve the monumental loss that we are left with - a warm and caring sister, a fun-loving and humorous friend, and a hard-working, patient and ever-loving mother to three beautiful children.  Her children are taking it in slowly and in different ways due to their ages.  I think we have a long road of healing ahead, but we are confident that the same Jesus that is holding Limaris now is the same Jesus that will be near each one of these children as they grow. 

As we grieve our loss, it is true that we are also rejoicing that she is cancer free now and that she is feeling no pain, no sickness, no pic-lines, no fatigue.  She is finally face to face with her Creator, who she worships and loves.  She had full faith that this Jesus came to rescue her from her sins and that through grace he forgave her and adopted her into His family.  She is at her true home now.

Our family is overwhelmed by the love and support that has been shown to us from many different people.  We are grateful for all of your prayers.

There will be a viewing and celebration service for her.  Here are the details:

The viewing will take place at 10:00 am 

and the celebration service will be at 11:00 am

Friday, December 30

Cornerstone Community Church 

3167 Frankford Ave

Phila, PA 19134

 

Birthday Visit

Last night we got to celebrate Limaris' birthday with her in the hospital!  She had asked for chocolate cake with chocolate icing, and while she couldn't eat it - I know she was happy the kids got to enjoy it!

Jonerik brought his guitar and worshipped with her for a little while.

Our visit with her was brief but it was full of smiles and fun.  Limaris used Carlos (the cute pig above) to wave and do a little dance.  The kids loved it.

My parents are in town and staying with us right now at the our friends home (downstairs/next door).  We are making Christmas memories by singing and dancing to Christmas music, wrapping presents and making Christmas cookies.  Despite our heavy hearts, there is a spirit of excitement in the air that the children bring and it is a joy to help them laugh and smile.

We are trying to make Christmas as normal as possible for them and to make some new positive memories in the mix.  

Limaris' birthday

Today Limaris turns 29. 

Last night Jonerik and I stayed with her at the hospital overnight while my parents stayed with the kids at our house.  We did get some sleep and were grateful to be there as doctors came around and when she was awake and aware of our presence.  We had taken our ipod and a deck in so she could have some music playing.

Today Limaris is about the same - healthwise.  We were hoping and needing to see some major improvement today to move forward and while she is not getting any worse...she is also not getting better.  The pneumonia is still a problem - and they are almost certain that the cancer that had recently moved into her atrium (the muscle of the heart, not just the tissue where it started) is now affecting the lungs.  She is sedated because of the tube down her throat but she comes in and out and sometimes is able to write, motion, or mouth what she is thinking.

Because today is her birthday and Christmas is on Sunday, we are putting all conversations about next steps on hold until Monday afternoon.  We have a plan, but we are praying that God makes things unmistakably clear and she is able to tell us exactly what she wants to happen. 

We have seen in undeniable ways that God has prepared us for many life events in the past and we pray that this circumstance will follow that pattern as well. We already see God moving in our own lives, our family, and in the friendships that have been made prior to these struggles that are encouraging and supportive. 

This situation is not all about us.  It is so vast and widespread.  Limaris is deeply loved by so many people and because she is such a giving, caring woman of God this is hard for so many.  And ultimately it is about God and bringing glory to His name.  Yes we have moments of asking Him hard questions, pleading and wrestling over and over with Him.  That is part of what it means to have a personal relationship with an infinite God that we don't understand completely.  But in the end we know that His will is what we surrender too and that He is a good God that loves His children more than we ever could.

Please continue to pray for God to move in miraculous ways.  Pray for her precious children who have a difficult road ahead.  Pray that we will have wisdom that can only come from the Holy Spirit.  That His peace, that surpasses all understanding, will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:7)  We have felt His presence over the past week.

Limaris is still loving Jesus and knows that her peace comes from Him. 

Thank you again for your prayers, your love, and your support.