That’s my experience here.  These last few months have been somewhat difficult, because makign friends has been difficult.

Oh, believe me, I’ve tried.  But the culture of life here means people are in their cars more. Even dropping Phoenix to school, [...]]]> When you make a friend, it’s amazing what it does to make you feel at home.

That’s my experience here.  These last few months have been somewhat difficult, because makign friends has been difficult.

Oh, believe me, I’ve tried.  But the culture of life here means people are in their cars more. Even dropping Phoenix to school, I don’t get out of the car.  Only at pick up do I “interact” with others, but if you don’t already know someone, you might be at the line the whole time without talking with anyone.  And of course, the fact we’ve been attending a large church hasn’t helped in us getting to know people, cause we’re always in large crowds, without many chances to talk to others.

So, it’s been a nice surprise to start to develop a friendship with one of Phoenix’ friends’ mom.  We’d see each other in line, and say hi.  She always smiled, and seemed friendly.  Then one day, I ran into her while going into a nearby supermarket, and we talked just a bit more.

About a month ago, we planned a play date for the Matt and Phoenix, and we met at the library.  It was the perfect place, as the boys looked at books, and we got to talk.

Since then, Sue and I have gone out for coffee twice, and the fact that she just moved to the area helps us connect to each other better, as “outsiders”.  I think we’re gonna make it a regular thing on our schedules.  It’s nice to have someone to go get coffee with.  It makes me feel at home.  It makes me feel like I have connections.  It makes me feel like I’m not isolated in my own house.

I’ve also now officially joined the choir.  I had to “audition” to see where I’d fit in best.  Then I’ve been attending chour rehearsals and sand on sunday morning for the past 2 sundays.  It feels great to be starting to get involved in something with the church.   It’s also nice to be in a choir setting.  It’d been so long since I was reading music, and singing with a group.  I didn’t know I missed it til I was doing it.

After all, there will never be a church that meets our needs like Graffiti. It’s the church where I gave almost 2 years of my life to, as a semester missionary, being a youth director, and even the children’s director for [...]]]> Before we ever left New York, we knew that finding a church would be tough.

After all, there will never be a church that meets our needs like Graffiti. It’s the church where I gave almost 2 years of my life to, as a semester missionary, being a youth director, and even the children’s director for a time.

Because of being on staff there, a variety of things led me to meet my husband.

We were married by Taylor, the pastor of Graffiti.  We dedicated both our boys to the Lord, there.

We’ve given countless hours to serve God thru the church in one way or another, and they’ve become family to us.  It’s beyond words, and yet I could go on and on….

So, how do we even begin to find a church that can be all the things that Graffiti is to us, and meet the needs of the whole family?  We can’t.

And frankly, I didn’t think we’d find anything for months.  I know that part of me just doesn’t want to like any church, because it almost feels like it’d be a betrayal to Grafiiti. Well, believe it or not, I think we’ve found a church already.  And it’s very different than Graffiti.

It’s a pretty BIG church, with upwards of 600 people gathering on a Sunday morning, over the course of 3 services.  It’s got an orchestra and a choir.  It’s got several buildings, with a gym, and a whole wing for kids with murals, Not to mention, plenty of parking for all those cars. You’re probably wondering, like I did, how we could even meet anyone?!  Yeah, I would have thought that same thing, except from the first visit, we were greeted warmly by people as we made our way around the different buildings, and we were told where to go, when we looked lost.  There was as place for our children, each in their own grade levels, which was welcoming, and well-stocked, and filled with many adults to take care of and love the children. During the service, from the very first song, I felt overwhelmed by God’s presence in this place, even as tears rolled down my face, knowing this wasn’t Graffiti; I wasn’t serving and leading in any way, and I didn’t know any of these people.  The power and reality of true praise could not be denied. The weeks to follow, had us visiting other churches, and even making a trip back to NYC to help my parents church with the “Brazilian Day” outreach. A month had gone by, and I really did not know anyone.  The kids were going to school and making firends, Fabio was adjusting at work, and I was at home, alone.  Not fun for an extrovert.

Another thing that stuck out to us about this church was it’s many ministries.  For one, they sponsored Missionaries all over.  Ones in Brazil and Papua New Guinea, to name 2 we heard specifically about.  Then there was the new church they started in a nearby town, the Pennridge mom’s prayer group(which is where the boys go to school), the kids club, the afterschool evengelism club…the list goes on.

So, it’s not an urban church.  There’s not a ministry to the homeless.  They don’t seem to have a food pantry or give lunch out in the park, but they are meeting the needs of the community where they are at.  Which by the way, is surrounded by farms, mostly.

Anyway, the boys are loving the church.  We’ve been dropping them off to the wednesday night program(which has been receiving more than 140 kids) and they are loving it!  We’re enjoying getting to know people, especially me.  I’m part of a group called Moms to moms, which meets every other thursday, and we’re trying to figure out ways we can serve here.

There’s lots of Brazilian people here, and that’s a nice bonus too.

It’s not Graffiti, and it won’t be, but First Baptist Church of Perkasie has found a place in our hearts, and I think soon we will become members and start serving somehow.

Pray for us as we figure out how and where we can fit in to serve.

The boys did great.

Willik was a bit anxious and excited, but he came out of school the very first day saying it was “Awesome!!!”  He’s very excited about the fact that recess is a total of 45 minutes long(15min. in the morning and 30 min. after lunch), and as [...]]]> The first week of school is over.

The boys did great.

Willik was a bit anxious and excited, but he came out of school the very first day saying it was “Awesome!!!”  He’s very excited about the fact that recess is a total of 45 minutes long(15min. in the morning and 30 min. after lunch), and as opposed to his school in NYC, he’s actually allowed to run during recess.  He also seems to be making friends, and enjoying his teacher.

Phoenix was very eager to go.  Unfotunately, Phoenix has only half-day kindergarten, because that is all they offer here.  Also, he’s going to the afternoon session which further cripples his flourishing.

It doesn’t do much for my schedule either, since I have Phoenix most of the day, and when I do drop him of for K. I have to be back there in 2 and a half hours.

The dropping off system, as mentioned in the previous entry, doesn’t conduce friendships, but I did have a short conversation with one of Willik’s classmate’s mom–Dottie.  And that made me happy.

So the first week is over, and it looks as if the transition to a new school will continue to go well.  Praise God the boys are making friends, and enjoying all that is new.

The church thing is still up in the air.  Tomorrow we shall visit our 4th church since being here.  Let’s see what that brings.

Below are some pictures of the boys first day.  Don’t they look like “big” boys?

We’ve moved in and the kitchen is almost all unpacked.  Only spices and cookbooks to unpack.  I forgot a bunch of pots inside my cabinet in New York, so I have to get some new ones, and cooking has been a bit challenging.  [...]]]> I have so much to write about, but I’m too busy to write.

We’ve moved in and the kitchen is almost all unpacked.  Only spices and cookbooks to unpack.  I forgot a bunch of pots inside my cabinet in New York, so I have to get some new ones, and cooking has been a bit challenging.  The rest of the house is full of boxes, and we still have virtually no furniture except for the wonderful couches from Patrick and Stacey.

We made a major trip to Lowe’s yesterday, to get paint, closet organizers and a variety of garden and backyard supplies.  It was so cool to buy a hose, and  a pitch fork, to work on my garden and compost.  It reinforces my homeownership.

Fabio is still sick, and is so frustrated at how little he has energy for.  Please pray for his recovery.  He goes back to work on Monday.

The boys are still traveling with my parents in Florida.  They will be back only on the 16th.

My computer is still on the fritz, and I need to finish up this design work for my dad’s church.  Please pray for God’s healing of machines, and wisdom for me to figure out a way to get these things done and printed.

I’m looking forward to sunday, when we can go visit a church, but already feeling overwhelmed at how much I will miss Graffiti.

Will post soon with the pictures and more stories from our new neighborhood.

The day before we’d gone to get the U-Haul truck– a 24-footer, which Fabio had to drive around in Queens.

We stayed up til 2am packing, and we got up at 6am and continued packing, in order to be [...]]]> Yesterday was the big day. we had asked everyone to be here at 9am to help us move.

The day before we’d gone to get the U-Haul truck– a 24-footer, which Fabio had to drive around in Queens.

We stayed up til 2am packing, and we got up at 6am and continued packing, in order to be ready for the move with our friends’ help.

It was 9:30am when Liz showed up, and we were still not ready.  The other friends and family trickled in as time went on, each helping us load that truck.  All were part of making it all possible.  We all just kept working hard.  Some very hard as they carried heavy boxes up and down.  Some watching the truck.  Some carting the dolly. 7 people helped us here.

I was mostly still packing up in the apartment, and helping people know what to take and what not to take.

Not everyone could go to PA with us, so we made the voyage with 3 others.  We were blessed to have Fabio’s dad and Susie come up from Virginia to help unload at the new house.

We got all done in less than 3 hours , even with less people.

Fabio rocked it.  He worked so much, and he is feeling the effects of it today. But he was a real workhorse.

Afterwards, as promised, we went to Cracker Barrel for a nice big dinner, and we all shared dessert.  We had certainly earned it, or rather, they had.  Me, I’m not so sure.

Now we are back at the apartment.  We’re about to send off the boys to Disney World, with my parents in the morning.  We will pack up the 1/8th remainder of our stuff from the apartment and make our way to OUR house.

I can’t wait.

I will include some pictures on the next post.

We have not had the pleasure of putting our window unit in, because there’s just too much going on.  That’s also true of the mini van, which needs a booster of that special air stuff.  I bought it right before the super high temps weekend [...]]]> the boys and I have been surviving without an air conditioner.

We have not had the pleasure of putting our window unit in, because there’s just too much going on.  That’s also true of the mini van, which needs a booster of that special air stuff.  I bought it right before the super high temps weekend in June, but life has been so crazy, that it just doesn’t pop up on the radar, as one of the thing we need to do.

So, we’re surviving, and in a way, I think there’s been some good in it, cause it keeps us from getting sick from going in and out of cold air.

Don’t get me wrong, right now it’s so hot in our bedroom that I want to scream–because of the muggyness only–but I guess it’s just part of our crazy transition this summer.

If you want to count down with us, it’s 12 days ’til the settlement!

If you want to help pack or help us move, we’d love to hear from you.

The whole time you are searching for a home, you have to keep in mind your price range. Your price range largely depends on how much you have saved to put down as your initial down payment. Your budget [...]]]> This home buying stuff is a good lesson in math, investments, planning, and borrowing money.

The whole time you are searching for a home, you have to keep in mind your price range. Your price range largely depends on how much you have saved to put down as your initial down payment. Your budget will also be affected depending on what rate the bank will offer you on your loan, and that depends on your credit, and how much you want to borrow.

Then you gotta factor in the real estate taxes, and if there are any other fees associated with a condominium or other common thing.

At the end of it, one has to decide whether all this is a wise investment. Sometimes, you really like a house, but it doesn’t meet your most basic needs and desires. Sometimes you like a house, but it’s price is just beyond your reasonable monthly expenditures, and buying it would be a poor investment.

So, here we are at another financial battle. The original offer for the home we liked was high, so we made an offer, taking about 7-8% off the asking price. Unfortunately, they came back with a counter offer that was $10,000 more than we offered them. Now, as our “final” offer, we went up $2000. At this point, it becomes a matter of wise investing…

If we go higher, the house might not appraise at that high value, in which case we wouldn’t be able to be approved for our loan. Not only that, but then we might feel like on resale, we might never make back what we invested.

Today, the seller will once again be given a chance to accept our offer. If they do, hurray, we move on.

If they don’t, I think we will walk again, and start looking again. Either way, we’ll keep moving forward.

Here’s a picture of the house we’re trying to get, from the front/side view…