A million and three

So...there are a million and three things (well, pretty close!) that I could have blogged about in the last few months, but the truth is that blogging just doesn't get the priority that it would need to to actually get it done. 

I am not really apologizing for that but anyway, I do try to upload my pictures every few weeks, so you can still kind of keep track of what is happening around here by looking at them. (Click on the link at the side that says Carissa's photos.)

I thought maybe I would post some pictures of the more recent changes around here (a few of them):

Back some time ago we started talking about changing some things around in our living room/dining room/kitchen area. It is a big open space and seemed to lack something... So we got some ideas from my sister-in-law (thanks, Rach!!) and made a trip to Phoenix to Ikea and Hobby Lobby, found a great friend and fellow staff member to help us paint and put together furniture (thanks, Samuel!!), and well, wow! I think it added that "something" that was missing! We love it! 

Techinically we still have some decorations (mainly pictures) to take, order, and hang as well as a few other details to figure out, but the majority got done in about 24 hours (thanks to Samuel)! Amazing!

A few pictures to give you an idea of what things looked like before:

Living room area

Dining room and kitchen area

Painting in progress:

Kali and Jaqui

Living room

The kitchen with it's final coat of green

Samuel, the amazing painter! (He did all the rolling and is super quick!)

More painting (Karla twisted her ankle and was given the position of supervisor)

Adding some yellow to the dining room wall

Yellow finished

Dining room and kitchen finished (with new chairs replacing the benches). We are still missing our wall decorations.

A view of the finished green kitchen

Looking into the living room from the right (still a few changes to be made)

The main living room area...again with some more minor changes to come. 

Another shot at the living room. The pictures don't do it justice (so you will just have to come visit!).

On to other "new" things... 

Just had to add this picture from the beach. 

I had so much fun with these two (and their parents)! The girls here at the house loved them too!

Levi, Addie, and me

I guess I could title the next two pictures "New Pets"

This is Karla's new pet chicken, Josefina. Levi loved to hold her. :) 

She has even laid a few eggs already.

Jaqui and Fede got two baby rabbits, Fifi and Salvaje ("Wild"). They are super soft and cute.

Our other newest addition to the house here is a trampoline! Thankfully, Jeremy and Rachel helped put it up when they were here and the girls have been LOVING it. It is good for jumping, getting wet (with the hose), sleeping under the stars, getting exercise, and of course, good conversations. We have only had a few minor injuries (Karla's ankle injury being one).

Trying out the trampoline right after we finished putting it up.

Addie got to enjoy the trampoline too while she was here. 

Here she was the center of attention. (Levi enjoyed it too, he was just taking a nap when this picture was taken.)

Addie jumping with the girls.

A picture with the girls the night before Jeremy, Rachel, and the kids headed back to IL.

Levi, Yaneli, Tania, Jaqui with Addie, Karla, Michelle, and Lupita (in front)

There are many more changes coming up, like Kali and Jonathan's wedding in less than a month for one. Thank you for your prayers as we transition and adjust to the constant change around us. Pray that we can be grounded in and depend on the One who doesn't change. 

For I am the LORD, I change not;... Malachi 3:6