lizardblog ( the blog of liz creech

May 29, 2005
Sunday morning

Yesterday was my 17th wedding anniversary. It was a nice day. Alan and I went out early in the day to get some things for Conor for baseball and we "snuck" and had lunch too. Hee Hee! He made me buy some new shoes, I mean I needed them but I am CHEAP and don't like buying shoes over 35$ a pair cause it just feels like I am being very selfish. My new tennis shoes weren't too bad and I did need them.

We had a tiny visitor last night kind of late. Our cat likes to be outside in the summer and then inside during the winter (duh - cause she is a smart cat). So, after I had fallen asleep she was meowing outside our bedroom window and Alan assumed she wanted to come in. He opened the door and called her and in she came. He saw he kind of mess with something and then this baby bunny took off into the living room. So, he wakes me up to come help look for it to get it out of the house. It had hidden under a table and crawled into the rings of a large 3 ring binder and was sitting very still in there. So, I pulled the whole binder out and carefully put it out front so it could get out and hid again from Emily. This morning I thought I should check that we didn't have bunny guts (sorry that is what Emily does) on the front door mat. I didn't see any and thought it might be best to check the binder - the bunny was still in there! So, I took it out in the back yard and put it in a warren that had been there from last summer. Now, I am trying to keep and eye on the cat so she doesn't go back there and get it. Last spring we had several bunnies, a couple of ducklings, and seems like a bird or two that found their way into our house last year after some form of injury. I am an animal lover and will try everything I can to make them better or remove them from peril. It brings heart ache but you get to see things you wouldn't normally see - like baby bunnies and duckies!

So, it is still quiet around here this morning - it is going to be a busy day though. Our friend Debi needs a new car by midnight tomorrow night and I seem to be the only one with time to help. We are having an open house and I have to work tonight so that puts a crunch on things. This is funny, we actually found her a car a couple of days ago and the dealership would not come down one cent on the car. I reckon they think women are stupid and will just pay the price they are asking. I did my research and found out they had only paid 3000 for the car and were asking 4980. THEY WOULDN'T BUDGE! Well it is their car and they can say no - but I don't have to pay what they are asking either. So, I have been looking on line and doing research as much as I can but time it limited. I think we might find what we are looking for tomorrow. I know it is stressful for her because she has to turn in the rental car by midnight Monday and then she won't have any convenient transportation until we do find a car.

I have to get to cleaning up the house just in case someone decides to come to our open house - Oh, they have started bricking the new house so you all pray for a buyer to come our way soon. I believe this house will sell in the right timing so that we won't have to make a double move. As fast as they are getting the new house done I can't imagine it taking until October to be finished, but we will see.

posted by Liz at 8:50 AM - permalink - -

May 27, 2005
test

test

posted by Liz at 6:11 PM - permalink - -

May 18, 2005
Wonder vs. Worry

I actually wrote this yesterday and saved to post today:

When I say wonder, I mean question. I wonder if this new house thing is actually going to go through. I think the guy behind us sold his house, and I am jealous. They put their for sale by owner sign up about a week and a half ago, maybe two weeks and now the sign is gone. Their closing date for their new house (they are doing the same thing as us and will be "behind" us again) isn't until January and they don't "have" to sell their house until August. What can I do to make my house more desirable with out going crazy again? How come God let their house sell first?(that is just stupid there, but because of old mind sets, it does pop in my head)

I could stay in this house, I could. It might actually be better if we ended up not moving, money wise any how. There really wouldn't be room for the hospitality we want to extend, but we could make do. I would have to encourage my husband to get rid of some of the stuff he is so sentimentally attached to. We would have to be adamant about keeping it clean and organized. But could we stay here? Sure, and it would be fine. I sure want that new house. It will be nice to have some more room. And a fresh clean start on getting and staying organized. I still wonder where I will put all the stuff we have stored if we end up staying in this house. But maybe we could go from here to the rural community in 3 years instead of waiting 5-6 years if we get the new house. You know, just lots of questions as to why, why not, or when and how.

I think it takes time to build character, and all those "difficult" things you go through make you better. But sometimes, I don't want the character building, I just want it to be easy for once. Now, all that is relative because I have it good, no I have it great. And in all reality I sound like a spoiled brat saying "I want it now". I think ultimately if we don't sell this house, I will just be embarrassed. Because I have been talking about this stupid process for so long and invested so much time, energy and money. Yeah, embarrassed. And I would kind of feel like God doesn't "love" me as much as someone else, but that is my own mental illness. I think a lot of us experience that, because of the sick way we have been taught about God.

I DO believe that it will all work out for the best. Naturally or supernaturally it doesn't matter, I just need to learn to be happy with what I have. Just hurry up God, Ok?

I wasn't feeling all so great mentally yesterday and didn't get much done which makes me feel even worse. There is still stuff to do around here, little things that can be hidden but that I wouldn't/couldn't leave undone if/when we sell this house. My excuse for not getting them done yet is lack of time and money. We have to pay both car registrations this month and that HURTS! And running ads in the paper are not cheap. And I believe we might have to expand to other local papers like Georgetown, Nicholasville and Versailles. I don't know. Do you all have any ideas about how better to market our house? Without a realtor? I have done all the things the professionals in all the books I have read have said to do. Maybe I need to get a professional stager/decorator to come in and help me arrange things differently. Wonder how much that will cost? I am so weary of talking and dealing with the house issue. And this post is much too long. I will leave it at that.

posted by Liz at 8:56 AM - permalink - -

May 17, 2005
Found: Angus Creech

Well, thank God, he has been found. About a mile away and in the opposite way from his original direction. He did however bite the son of the man who found him. I swear, does anyone know how to train that out of a dog? He isn't vicious just nips like a border collie does. Everything is ok and the people weren't all upset. I am very relieved, and so are my kids. Thanks for all of you who prayed for his safe return.

posted by Liz at 9:12 PM - permalink - -

Missing: Angus Creech

Our dog, Angus, is missing. I believe he is lost and I hope he eventually shows up. My In-Laws are watching him for us during this whole house selling, moving, in general upheaval we are in right now. On Saturday night, about 12:30-1 a.m. he got riled up and went after something. I don't believe it was a person because he would have caught them. Anyway, he went into the woods and disappeared. It rained that night and he probably couldn't find the smell path back. I fear for him because out there they shoot dogs who get on their property. He also had a harness on and it might have snagged on something and he is stuck. He can find water and he had gotten fat due to the great care my Father In Law was taking of him so I don't worry about that. I actually went there Sunday night as soon as they called us to let us know and went out hunting for him early Monday. I whistle really loud and he is used to coming to that. No sign of him. I just hope someone sees him and calls the animal shelter. I have already contacted them about it. I am at a loss at what to do except just go and call and hunt for him. The kids are sad, but Meaghan is taking it hardest. She seems ok but no one wants to loose a pet literally and end up never knowing what happened.

On a really good note, the Rains came and had dinner with us last night and hung out for a bit. It was nice. Their kids and our kids get along very well and had a blast running around playing. We took them over to the new house and showed them the progress. It is exciting. I am looking forward to 5 or 6 years from now when we have our rural community and have meals, like the one we had last night, all the time. It is such a joy to have friends over just because.

posted by Liz at 8:43 AM - permalink - -

May 12, 2005
I couldn't help myself

I planted peas yesterday. Dwarf grey sugar peas. I really hope I don't get the benefit of them though. The wall is done and filled and lattice put up for Morning Glories, and Moon Flowers and Cobaea to grow up. I still have to cement the rocks on top as caps and then stucco it in a buff color but in general I have done everything I have wanted to with the back yard. I am going to be sorry to leave it all. I kind of hope the new owners won't like the land scaping and will ask us to come take it away. I am going to have to divide the hostas and lilies. My mom brought me the hostas and I should at least take some of them. It is about time for the day lilies and others to be divided anyway, so that they grow better. Anyway I asked Alan to put some pictures on here, so if they aren't here yet I am sure they will eventually make it.

posted by Liz at 8:38 AM - permalink - -

May 11, 2005
Just wanted to blog

Not much going on around here and in general that is good. We had a good discussion last night at our small gathering, about progressing in our transformation with God, about how that might look after we die. It just makes you think.

I wonder some times about spiritual maturity. I think it has a lot to do with regular maturity, age and attitude. I have seen plenty of 40-50 somethings act like they wish they were 20 something, and look pretty silly. I have seen 20 somethings act twice as old too. I think that different levels of maturity need different levels of proof. Like how fast a prayer is answered. Or how soon their house sells. Some people need rules to feel like they are progressing down the spiritual path. Some people need to work or do things for other people to feel worthy of all the great things God has promised us. I think some people feel like they have to suffer in some way in order to be spiritual. I think in some way you have to go through all that along the way. As you progress through each stage you become clearer on where you need to focus. I know that focusing on problems only makes them worse, yes you need to deal with them, but if you keep your focus on God the problems become less. When you have a supports system of other Christians on the same journey dealing with the same life stuff it is good. We all need to realize we are on a transformational journey and it never really ends. I like that, because I like me better all the time. I can see me change for the better, not that I still don't need A LOT of work, but God is good and he is along the journey with me. He makes me better, He helps me to see what needs to be changed, and He helps me love others and that is good.

posted by Liz at 8:35 AM - permalink - -

May 05, 2005
Assumptions

I do not like it assumed that I am a weak female, I am not. I do not like it assumed that I am stupid because I am a female, I am not. I do not like it assumed that I do not like help, I do need it and want it. I do not like it assumed that I am not worthy of such offers of help because I am not a hot young blond acting all stupid and weak, I am not nor do I act that way.

This was brought on by something I did today. I have in the past, as I did today, gone to the Kentucky Horse Park and literally shoveled a truck load of compost myself. Then I have proceeded home and unloaded that same compost, myself. Now, most of what I do I do because I enjoy it and I like/love to do it. When I went today, I knew I would have to do it myself and I went prepared. When I got there a young man was in a front loader leveling the road, I had to get out of the truck to ask him where I would be out of his way until he got done. Here I am talking about assumptions and I have doing it myself. I really believe the chivalry is dead in most of todays youth. I also believe that we are such a sexually charged society that most of our thoughts focus around such things. I haven't a doubt in my mind that if I had gotten out of the truck with a hot body, blond hair and shorts cut so that half my ass hung out, that guy would have volunteered to load my truck for me. I don't ask for things I know I can do myself, I knew they weren't loading the compost today. But, if I had been the one in the front loader and someone, even the most able bodied person in the world had gotten out of the truck, I would have offered to take the 5 minutes it would take to load their compost for them. Maybe I am way off base but I don't think by much.

I know I can't expect anyone in general to read my mind, and maybe if I had asked he would have. I am just complaining. Not really being fruitful. I just wanted to unload a bit.

posted by Liz at 11:18 AM - permalink - -

May 04, 2005
Not always what you want or think

God makes promises to us. Sometime they aren't fulfilled how we think or hope. I always think it is what is best but not always exactly what we WANT to happen. I say that because we are down to six weeks exactly to sell or get a contract on our house. I believe that God made me a promise a couple of weeks ago that "everything would be ok". Now God's view of ok may not be mine. In our evening prayer last night this line just jumped out at me: "If you live in me and my words live in you, all you ask for will be yours".

What could be the worst that happens? Really? We don't get the new house because we don't sell this one. I would be ok with that, although I wonder how I could fit all the stuff we stored back in here without junking it all up again. It took 17 years to get our house in shape enough that I am relaxed when I come home and I enjoy being at home. I like this house, I always have. There is nothing like preparing to sell that makes you see the good things even more. Or fix stuff up like it should have been ages ago. I am not ashamed of my house any more and a surprise visitor wouldn't send me into fits of rushing around to pick stuff up to make a path for them to even get into the house and sit down. I believe we have done a lot of work that most people getting ready to sell wouldn't even think of. Things that most people who are selling their house themselves wouldn't invest the time into or even think to do. Maybe that is a pridefull stance and if it comes across that way, I apologize. I just want someone to come in here, see a great house and buy it. I want to get back to normal life and not be focused on this process any longer.

On another note, my birthday(37) is this Friday and our 17th wedding anniversary is the 28th. Lots of celebrations this month with mothers day and all. Oh, here is something interesting, yesterday we found out that the owner of the horse Meaghan has been practicing on for an upcoming horse show is taking him away and the show is Saturday. I am rather upset at her for doing that. Meaghan has to ride an unfamiliar horse and that doesn't give her much of an advantage. I understand taking care of your pets, but to think that a Vet doesn't know what they are talking about and that everyone but you is wrong about the health of an animal just makes me wonder about peoples mental health. So, pray for Meaghan that she will do well, not necessarily win, but that it will go well. It is about the fun of it and the prizes just happen to be an added bonus.

posted by Liz at 10:06 AM - permalink - -

spiritual

> vine & branches
> vineyard central

blogs

> Garden Escapades
> Trish Hiduk
> Maryann
> Alan Creech
> The Vine
> Little Houses
> Amber Bishop
> Jody Nixon
> Laura Ogle
> Debi Warford
> Jason & Brooke Evans
> Eric Keck
> Beth Keck
> Pete Matthews
> Trudi Matthews
> Brian Phillips
> Bryan Sherwood
> Malie
> Kim Johnson

Homeschool

> vegsource homeschool
> discovery school channel
> saxon math and phonics

general interest

> john rosemond's affermative parenting
> lisa welchel
> thunderstruck
> Homestar Runner

gardening

> Kids Gardening

books i like

Here are some books I suggests if you are looking to homeschool or just for information. I gleaned a lot from them. Our church gets credit if you buy through these links.

In their Own Way
by Thomas Armstrong

Seven Times Smarter
by Laurel Schmidt

How to Talk So Kids Can Learn
by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish

Teen Proofing
by John Rosemond