Our new home

Well, we have been in our new home for 1 week and 4 days, as of today!  I though it would be appropriate to finally post pictures of the house--excuse the mess, as we don't have a lot of storage space.  SPACE we have, storage space, we don't.

Any way, the house has been a huge blessing.  It is so much bigger than our other home, that I think I am going to have problems adjusting.  Bedrooms and bathrooms are upstairs, everything else is downstairs.  I have already found myself changing my morning routine--it only take a few dozen times to realize the shoes are upstairs.  But these are minor thing to adjust to!
Here are some of the pictures (try to picture our last apartment while looking at these)

This is the view every morning from our bedroom window.  This was taken at 6am.  Needless to say without curtains, we are up REALLY early!  But it is such a sight to take in every morning.

The front of our house.  Has a huge covered garage.

Our street to the left (from the house)

Our street to the right (follow this around and it ends up at the Abraham Project! So close!)

Right across from our house. House on left is our friend's David and Natalia

Our front entrance

As you walk in.  In front is the TV room

This is the living room or our sitting area when we get more chairs! Just past that is the stairs (on the left) and into the kitchen.

The "make-shift" dining room--hey at least we have somewhere to eat as a family! (thanks George and Steve)

The kitchen

THE BACK YARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And laundry area

The stairs to.....upstairs

The landing/office area--don't mind all the stuff--need more storage!

Our bedroom--we have absolutely no storage for clothes yet....

The master bath--the shower is half the size of the bathroom!

Across the hall is the other 'kids' bathroom (about the size of our shower! haha)

Leyton's room...yeah we will be working on how to make the bed....

His closet--I mean our closet area :)

Emme's room--and Emme

Emme's closet--again, our closet.

 

 

 

Well, that's it! Other than getting more storage and a few things here and there, we are pretty much unpacked.  We are trying to function in the land of suitcases and trying to remember how to "walk far" in order to get something.

One of Bruce's first comments while trying to eat something in the kitchen was, "you mean I have to walk all the way to the other side of the kitchen to get it."  Where before it was literally 4 steps across our kitchen and a total of 10 steps from the kitchen, through the "dining room" and into the living room.  Now we have 15 actual steps in our house that we have go up and down to get to our bedrooms and bathrooms! 
Whew! We are exhausted!

Laundry in Rainy Season....

Although I am behind on many, MANY posts.  One thing I am learning is how to do laundry in rainy season in Costa Rica.

For the past year, our landlord has washed our laundry, and it was one less thing for me to have to worry about.  But since moving to the new house, laundry is something I actually missed doing--I know, not many people ever say that, and it won't be too long before I change my mind.

However, we have our own washer and dryer--PRAISE THE LORD, but we are trying to save energy and use the sun as much as possible, and so far it has been pretty good.  I have probably done at least 10 loads since we have moved here a week ago.  A lot of it was blankets, pillow, stuffed animals, etc.

But today was pretty comical.  Started the laundry early--8:30am or so, got it hung on the line, in the beautiful sun--kids were playing outside, and Bruce was starting to make something....

Then as soon as I hung the laundry, the clouds rolled in....and then sprinkles...

So I took all the laundry down and hung in under the pila area (covered laundry area outside). 

About 30 minutes later, the sun was out again...so I moved the laundry back on the lines in the yard...

10 minutes later.....sprinkles....ugh--half the laundry inside on chairs, and the other half under the pila

Of course, the rain stopped again, but no sun.

I kept the laundry where it was and within 20 minutes, it started raining harder--whew!

I'm exhausted and my laundry is still wet!

Oh well, wait for tomorrow!

My mantra is, I love rainy season, I love rainy season, I love rainy season....how many times do you have to say something to start believing it!!??

Ask, Seek, Knock!

As I have been awake this morning since 3am, I have been preoccupied with thoughts of fund raising, financial items, finishing school, moving to a new house, little time left with new friends, trip back home, lists upon lists of things to purchase while in the States, visiting with family, friends and churches, modes of transportation while home, schedules of meetings with potential supporters and future visitors of The Abraham Project and of course, since I couldn't sleep, I got up and went to seek comfort from our Lord.

I opened Acts--looking for some encouragement from other workers of the Lord.

As I was reading, I did find the overall sense of peace that I needed.  And then, I was reminded of two verses:

Matthew 7:7; James 4:3

Matthew 7:7 says,

 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."

James 4:3 says,

"When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures."


God expects us to ask. To do so reminds us that we can’t be without concern of the world around us, we must engage. This places a responsibility upon us as co-workers with God in his field of His creation, so don’t sit back and watch. Ask, seek, knock! This is the mandate and privilege of being children of God.  Sometimes this is in the form of going out into the world, whether across the street or around the world (Acts

But, He also warns about how to ask.  And this is what I have been struggling with...how do you ask for all the things we need (not want), without seeking for our own pleasures.  How do we ask for more supporters and financial help without seeking for ourselves.

The only answer I have is Faith.

Hebrews 11:8 — By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. - See more at: http://livingbyfaithblog.com/2012/04/12/my-12-favorite-bible-verses-on-faith/#sthash.8xZ9fEAW.dpuf

 Hebrews 11:8 and Romans 4:20-21

No distrust made him [Abraham] waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. - See more at: http://livingbyfaithblog.com/2012/04/12/my-12-favorite-bible-verses-on-faith/#sthash.8xZ9fEAW.dpuf

 "By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going."

"Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised."

I know that God has called us to be here in Costa Rica, so I am having faith, like Abraham to have unwavering faith that He will complete the His work through us.

Would you consider being part of our work here in Costa Rica?

Thank you for all who have been walking this road with us this past year....without the Lord working through you, we (I) couldn't have taken the first steps.

In HIM,
The Crawfords

 

Hebrews 11:8 — By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. - See more at: http://livingbyfaithblog.com/2012/04/12/my-12-favorite-bible-verses-on-faith/#sthash.8xZ9fEAW.dpuf