if we build it the rain will come

I am all about grand ideas when our lives are already 50 shades of chaos. Obviously, it makes perfect sense that this would be the year I decide that Brooke needs an outdoor playhouse for her birthday. In my defense, I was shopping around for one that would only require some assembly since Luke has been working like it's going out of style. It's not by the way. 

I was super surprised when he announced {via text} that he could build one WAY better than any of the options I had presented. I wasn't about to argue because that was my thought all along. I had no idea where he was planning on getting a few extra hours in the day to accomplish this, but hey, daylight savings was around the corner so that would help. I mean, it's not like parents of young children sleep right? With the new plan in place, I started collecting all kinds of inspiration. And Luke started giving me the "reign it in" look. Basically, we will not be going with any kind of dutch door; however, the window boxes are a possibility. It's the little victories. Choose your battles, people. Start with the ones you know you won't win because then you'll win the battles that really counted anyway. 

See how cute some window boxes can be?

Since this will be a place for Austin to play as well, I don't want to make it too girly which is why I love the colors of this house.

Please note that this playhouse is located inside the kids' playroom. Because their parents are cooler than us. 

Everything was falling into place including the fact that the kids would be gone for part of their Spring Break which would allow Luke to get started on the construction. 

And then it started to rain. 

And just when the meteorologists told us it would quit...it rained a lot more. 

So obviously we should have been making plans to build an ark. 

Oh, and did I mention that Luke is about to be out of town for TEN days?! He is and he will be getting back the day BEFORE Brooke's actual birthday. Now you know why I have been in a state of panic for the last couple of days. Want to know something I don't do well? Use power tools that can cut a board in half. Cooking knives are where I draw the line because I enjoy using all 10 of my fingers. 

Luckily, today brought cloudy skies but no rain! Hallelujah. Let the building commence. 

We plan on putting a little garden behind her house that will hopefully live longer than a couple of weeks. Say a prayer because this girl comes from a family of people who like to kill plants. 

The older I get the more appreciation I have for my parents and the sacrifices they made to make sure we felt special. This is certainly not an ideal time for Luke to be taking on extra projects, but our little princess only turns 4 once. I'm so thankful for a husband and grandparents that are willing to make some of her dreams come true. 

Spring is coming!

Spring Break is officially here at our house, but the spring cleaning has already begun. We started in Brooke's room because it was a hot mess. She is a closet-stuffer. I say "clean your room" and she hears "go shove everything in your closet and slam the door." Here's the thing, she has a rather large walk-in closet. I'm not a math expert but that's quite a bit of  available square footage for a three year old who doesn't like to put things away. So we cleaned out all the clothes that didn't fit, organized her shoes, and took stock of the toys that were left. 

It was all fun and games until she caught me throwing away some of her glow in the dark spiders. That she stole from her brother's room. Neither of them even remembered they existed, which is why it makes perfect sense that she would be horrified to find them in the trash bag. 

Next up was Austin. He is my pack rat. There is no toy too broken or forgotten that he will not fight to keep. Bless him. His tender heart knows no limit. 

FOUR trash bags later, I could finally see the floor of their closets. My kids have too much stuff. It's embarrassing. We picked out a couple of things to pass on to friends and cousins. You know, toys that were still in excellent condition. Sure, we could have taken them to a resale store but I want Austin and Brooke to know that blessing others is important. This was a way for them to give a thoughtful gift without actually having to spend money. 

I have a couple of projects for each of their rooms that I'm working on, but all of that work is pointless if it looks like a bomb went off upstairs. Plus, they both need new spring/summer clothes and I like to take advantage of the spring sales. I'm also a big fan of online shopping for the kids. Because have you tried to shop with little people? Here are a few of my favorite online sites to shop for deals.

hautelook.com: You can join this flash sale site for free and any returns can be made to Nordstrom Rack. Brooke is obsessed with shorts and flip flops so in an effort to save our relationship I ordered these for her. You can't beat $9 for cute flip flops and sandals!

And these sandals for church or to dress up the shorts she picks for the day. 

jane.com: Another site with daily deals. I've ordered leggings and a sweater for myself from this online boutique and wear them all the time. Someone please order this tulle skirt...

You can't beat $19.99 for a super cute skirt you can dress up or down. And speaking of super cute, this yellow shirt is perfect for spring. I can't do yellow so I would probably get the pink.

You can also find great stuff for kids like these princess aprons. 

simpleaddiction.com: I've ordered jewelry from this site and been very pleased. I love this necklace. I would wear it with my new pink shirt. 

 And this leather infinity bracelet is really cute. 

hazelandolive.com This is actually a store in downtown Rockwall, but you can also order some of their stuff online. I love all of their things! I really want this dress. 

And this skirt. 

You know what looks great with this skirt? Sunkissed legs which means I would have to get my self-tanner out so as not to blind anyone. 

It's hard to find great stuff for boys on some of these sites. Well, boys that are no longer babies or toddlers. For Austin, I mostly shop at Old Navy and Target. They have great basics and seem to last all season. 

I'm ready for spring temps and summer nights!

Happy Sunday

{jenwoodhouse.com}

he has promised

March is the month that we celebrate our youngest. It took us awhile to decide on her full name, because with girls come a lot of monograms. And, let's be honest, we don't need the added drama of someone making fun of her name in middle school. Oh middle school. Jesus, be near. Here is a post I wrote not long after we officially decided our second born would be Brooke Elizabeth Keiffer. I never want to forget that God can speak to us even through the names we give our children.

Luke and I went through some of my "keepsake boxes" yesterday. And by boxes, I mean four or five MOVING boxes. It's funny what you deem Keepsake Worthy when you're in elementary, middle, and high school. And by funny, I mean sad and pathetic. Can someone just praise Him with me right now that I'm not the girl I used to be back then?! I won't give details, but what I will tell you is that somewhere along the way I thought it would be a good idea to keep my diary...

And then let Luke read it...

I'm not saying that someone slipped something in my drink at lunch to make me think that was a good idea....I'm just sayin' it's possible.

As I sat there going through hundreds of notes from friends, birthday cards, and pictures...OH THE PICTURES!...I realized that Keepsake Boxes are really only good for one thing besides complete and total embarassment.

Reflection.

From the moment we found out there was going to be a Keiffer #4 in our not so distant future, we have been trying to figure out what to name our baby. What we learned is that we like simple, traditional names that aren't too terribly common. Unfortunately, the majority of our aunts, uncles, and cousins feel the same way and have used some of our favorite names. We discussed millions of possibilities. Basically, I thought of names with potential and Luke vetoed most of them.

We finally settled on the middle name for each. Allyn for a boy {a combination of my dad and Luke's dad} and Elizabeth for a girl.

I debated for a long time on the middle name for a little girl. At first, I thought Faith. Then Joy. And like any other woman, I changed my mind again because if we were going to have a little girl, I wanted her to have my middle name. I felt bad because the other 2 choices seemed to have so much more significance to the season of life our family has been in lately. Not to mention that they are character traits we pray for both of our children. The good news was that I could still change my mind, but in the meantime, I decided to research what the meaning of the name "Elizabeth" was. I've always known what my first and last name meant but not my middle name. There's nothing like having a baby to get you all fired up about the meaning of a name.

If you're familiar with the Christmas story, then you've probably heard about Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist and cousin of Mary. The mother of Jesus. You may know Him. He's kind of a big deal. She was also the woman whose husband questioned an angel name Gabriel...so God hit the mute button. Elizabeth, on the other hand, gave immediate praise to God for the miracle He had done. {Luke 1} I guess I would have too if my prayers consisted of asking God for a baby along with a miracle cure for gray hair.

Once you've read the story, it probably won't surprise you that Elizabeth means "God's promise." Suddenly, that middle name seemed much more fitting.

My life {much like yours, I'm sure} has been filled with God's promises. Yesterday, while going through The Boxes, I realized that so many of those promises have already been fulfilled.

He promised that He would never leave me or forsake me...even if others did. I may not have the same friends I did back in elementary, middle, or high school but I still have Jesus walking right beside me every step of the way.

He promises only the best for me...even if it's different from my version of The Best. Well, gosh, all you have to do is read notes passed back and forth between high school girls just sure their lives were the only ones full of drama and disappointment.

He promised that if I would put Him first, He would grant the desires of my heart... Enter Luke. Best. Promise. Fulfilled. Ever!!

He promised that Austin would be a gift. Second. Best. Promise. Ever!!

I could go on, but I think you get my drift.

Two years ago, I began praying that God would give us a little girl next. I knew my chances were 50/50. Obviously. But Luke is from a family of all boys. My dad is from a family of all boys. My mom has a brother. Luke's dad has 4. Luke's mom has 2.

I think you understand why I chose to believe in the power of prayer.

Praying for a little girl became more of me pouring the desire of my heart out to the Lord, while at the same time believing with total confidence that His will is ALWAYS best...girl or boy! I wish I could explain the feelings that came next but I honestly wouldn't do them justice. Let's just say that whenever I would picture a Keiffer family of four, there was always a little girl in our midst.

Lord! I prayed, Please protect me from wishful thinking! I want to be thrilled no matter what!!

Even still, I continued to feel a connection with this little girl in my mind. I began to feel like I already knew her and loved her as much as Austin.

When we found out I was officially pregnant, God promised me that this baby {timing and everything} would be a blessing and a reward. Our joy that would come in the morning. I felt like God continued to tell me in little unexpected ways that He would grant the desire of my heart.

And still, I had a hard time believing it.

On October 26th we found out that the next little Keiffer would be a girl.

And on December 5th we decided to name her Brooke Elizabeth Keiffer.

Because He promised.

To our Brooke: You have been on loan to us for the last almost four years. May your name be a constant reminder that our Heavenly Father keeps His promises.  You are our joy, our laughter, and an extravagant blessing. We love you.   

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

2 Corinthians 9:15

His miracles are unforgettable...

Psalm 111:4

a new chapter

Do you like change? I do not. Like not even a little bit. True story: right after Austin was born, I went through a troubling phase in which I ate a hot dog {no chili}, fruit, and chips with salsa for lunch. Every. Single. Day. To be fair, we had a new baby, had just moved to a new city, and were looking for a new house. I needed something that would be the same when everything else was complete chaos. I like routines and knowing what to expect each day. Obviously. 

Over the years, God has been very patient with me when change is looming up ahead. Usually He prepares me in advance. Because He cares about the people in my life that have to deal with me on a daily basis. 

Once again, I find Him preparing me for yet another change. For the last couple of years, Luke has talked about having some sort of family business, but financially, it just didn't make sense. We have kids. Kids get sick. A lot. So insurance is kind of a big deal. Not to mention all the perks of having a paycheck you can count on each month. I'm sure you can guess my reaction to walking away from all of that. We both knew it wasn't the right timing, and if it was something God had for us, He would have to pave the way. 

This year started like any other year. We spent the first part of 2015 with Luke's family. All of them are self-employed. So everyday, Luke would get up and drive downtown to his job while everyone else walked down the hall to their "office." And then I heard the words "family business" being thrown around all casual like we were just talking about the weather. PEOPLE, let me be a truth-teller in your lives. THIS IS NOT THE WEATHER!! We are talking about change and unknown things and taking advantage of Obamacare! I can't even.

 One night Luke mentioned to me that he might be interested in doing some accounting stuff with his brother on the side. The best of both worlds, right? I was totally on board for that. But then he called me one day and told me that his dad wanted him to pray about being a part of the new company he started about a year ago. I wanted to make sure I was hearing him right so I said, 

"Like leave AT&T?"
"Yes."
*crickets*

Needless to say, we talked about this decision AD NAUSEAM for days and prayed. There was quite a bit of praying. We were excited and a little terrified. We definitely felt like we were crazy. Still, everything seemed to be falling into place, and as scary as this life change appeared, we both felt a peace about the decision to start a new chapter in our lives. That's big considering that we're both the oldest children in our families, which basically means we're super responsible. Risk is something we don't typically do. But this has been a dream of Luke's for quite some time. If there's one thing I know about our Heavenly Father it's that He cares about our dreams. And then He dreams BIGGER than we could possibly imagine. He's awesome like that.

Today is the last day of the known, and tomorrow is the first day of the unknown. We've asked ourselves a million times if we're crazy to walk away from the benefits of working for a large corporation. We are crazy. AT&T has been a wonderful to Luke. They truly care about their employees, and we are so grateful for the opportunities provided to Luke while working there. 

But here's the deal, God is crazy. He sent His Son to die on a cross for a bunch of sinners that were undeserving of such an extravagant love. So no, I don't love change, but I do love my Heavenly Father. I know He's calling us out of the boat into a place that requires greater trust and a deeper faith. I keep telling Him I'm not ready, but I don't think we're on the same page. Per the usual. Oh, and also, I keep telling Him that it doesn't feel like we're stepping out of a boat. It feels more like we're jumping off a cliff. 

{via}

I guarantee you those people are NOT oldest children. No way would we jump off a cliff and destroy a dress that cost our parents an arm. And maybe part of their leg. For all that's good and holy, preserve that thing in your attic. It's the responsible thing to do for crying out loud. 

I know it won't be easy. Luke will be out of town for a week every month. There will be long hours and sacrifices on both our parts. But we believe it will be worth it. Luke will be working from home with a more flexible schedule that will allow him to be a part of more family activities. He will get to work with some of his favorite people, which is exciting and a prayer request all at the same time. 

In the words of Michael Buble "it's a new dawn, it's a new day," we're feeling mostly good. Here's to new chapters, taking risks, and dreaming God-sized dreams!

goals, goals, and more goals

Remember when I told you that Luke and I set some goals? In February? Better late than never, I say. Last night we finally sat down to put those goals on paper. Or phone rather since he sent them to me via text after our conversation. Technology is a wonderful thing. Until it's slow, freezes, or dies. Nothing makes you feel more isolated than realizing you can't access your contacts list, therefore; you cannot communicate with the outside world because WHO MEMORIZES PHONE NUMBERS ANYMORE?! 

Anyway, we committed to a few goals. And by a few, I mean the text message looked like Austin and Brooke's Christmas list for Santa: long. I felt the same way last night as I did when I received their lists: overwhelmed. 

True story: when my sister was little, she thought it would be a good idea to cut her own bangs. So she did. And then hid the evidence under her dresser, because it's not like my mom would notice that her bangs were 2 inches shorter and cut at an angle. It took weeks for her bangs to grow back to an acceptable length, and even longer before either of us was allowed to do any sort of craft involving scissors. Since then we've both had bangs and then waited for them to grow out. Now we both have bangs again. Go figure.

And you better believe we know better than to try to cut those bad boys ourselves. So if my mom can wait a sweet forever for Britt's bangs to grow back, then I suppose I can commit to a few goals and stick with them. Even if it gets ugly. Oh, who am I kidding?! When it gets ugly. 

Here are a few of the goals we agreed on: 

1} Pray together everyday. If there's one thing the our family needs, it's a lot of Jesus up in this house. Hallelujah. Amen.

2} Read the Bible everyday. Again, we need A LOT of Jesus up in here. Strong-willed child, career changes, and life in general. You get the idea.

3} One date night per week, and we alternate who plans it. I can't say for certain, but I have a strong feeling that several of my dates will involve comfortable clothes. 

4} At least 4 dinners at the table together per week. I mean, who doesn't want to look at these faces while they eat and try to talk to us at the same time. See-Food: it's what's for dinner. 

Side note: Brooke looks so little. However, she still tries to talk and chew at the same time so not everything is changing.  What a relief. 

4} One family activity per week. We took the kids to see Paddington last weekend. It was our second attempt to go see a movie with Brooke. The last time was full of hope and promise...

...and then she ran up and down the aisles for half of the movie. Moral of the story: sometimes hope and promise isn't enough. Thank goodness we were the only ones in the theater. God's gift to us that day for sure. Luckily, she did much better this past weekend, which means we can now add "Movies" to our list of approved family activities. 

5} Get healthy. This is where I suspect things could get ugly.

6} Save money. I wish I could say that I was the one obsessed with saving money in our marriage. I'm not. In fact, I've contemplated jumping on the Coupon Train but the whole process totally stresses me out. I will never need 20 tubes of toothpaste at one time. Ever.  No matter how big the savings are. I mean where do you even store that much stuff if you don't have some kind of Armageddon closet?! So basically, I'm just really going to miss Target...

Nothing worth doing is ever easy right? At least that's what I tell myself every time I take my strong-willed child to time out. For the tenth time that day. Luke and I feel like for the last couple of years we've been in Survival Mode, and that's not the way we want to live our lives. Don't get me wrong. Some days Survival Mode is the only thing you're capable of doing, and that's okay. We just decided that we want that way of thinking to be the exception instead of the rule. I'm not gonna lie, I get overwhelmed pretty easily. {see above comment about couponing} I think it's because I tend to focus too far ahead when I should just be taking things one step at a time. So this is my new motto:

{via}

Sure, I want to get to swimsuit season and not feel like a beached whale every time I take the kids swimming. However, I'm not one that can look that far ahead and feel more motivated about achieving my goals. I'm the type that will think to myself, "You know, I've been wanting to try a cleanse. Maybe I'll do that the last week in May." Bad idea. On so many levels. 

Here's the thing we should remember when we set goals. This is our chance to dream bigger, live better, and reach our full potential. It's not easy. Everyday we have a series of choices to make, but, I believe that with God anything is possible! Let's face it, defeat is not in our DNA since we were created in His image. In fact, the Bible is full of stories in which God did the impossible just because He is that good. So let's not be afraid to set big goals and ask God to do not just what is possible but what is impossible! He is able to do more than we can ask or imagine...so ask BIG! 

life lately

So far 2015 has been busy and full of fun. We celebrated the new year in Colorado...

We spent some time in Denver with Jared, Lindsay, and Matt followed by time in the mountains with my family.

We were ready to get home and back in our own beds. Also, I was ready to feel my fingers and toes on a regular basis, which is why I was super thrilled to be greeted by a broken heater. Oh and did I mention that we were getting ready to host a house full of people? Ready, set, PANIC!! Meanwhile, Luke was calmly working in the attic to figure out what the heck went wrong while we were gone. And that's why we're a good match. I take care of the drama and he solves the problem. I'm supportive like that. 

Then we spent the next two weeks with Luke's side of the family celebrating a very late Keiffer Christmas. We got to enjoy a little Lady A and the National Championship thanks to a couple of family members blessing us with their connections. And I got to pretend I was cooler than I really am. 

Ummm yeah, that last picture proves that Lindsay and I aren't the only crazy ones in our marriages. We had the best time! And then real life smacked me in the face the next day in the form of the flu. Everyone belly up to the Tamiflu bar!! This little guy was out of school for a WEEK AND A HALF! 

Thanks for nothin' flu mist. 

Life has gotten back to normal now with school, sports, and lots of long work days for Luke. We're gearing up for another big change, but that's a post for another time. I don't have time to hyperventilate today. 

Luke and I ride the emotional roller coaster that is our daughter Brooke on a daily basis. I promise I have no idea where she gets her crazy. Austin is getting too big, but moments like these remind me that I have a little bit longer before I have to admit he's a big boy. 

The day he says goodbye to Lambie will be the day you find me curled up in the fetal position crying my eyes out. 

I can't believe how fast time flies, especially since the afternoons can feel like a sweet forever! I'm so thankful I get to call these people mine.