Sometimes Adventures Stink

My husband and I have been on an adventure for several months now. I’ve heard it said that the journey is half the fun. Honestly, I’ve not found that to be true in most cases. The journey for me tends to be difficult and riddled with challenges. I suppose they are learning experiences, but still not fun.

My husband and I have been in the process of moving since January. It started with the Lord telling us that it was the right time to sell our house. We got it ready for the market by decluttering and staging it, then found an agent and put it on the market. We then prayed about where we should move. It had always been our dream to move to Central Oregon, but that’s not where He said to go. He told us to go to Montana, specifically to help my parents. That was not what we expected to hear, but we set in motion plans to move to Montana. The hardest part was He said not to buy a house, renting was not an option due to the market, so my dad invited us to come live in his little guesthouse he had been building with the help of a single contractor since last fall.

Our home sold in about a week and a half. After that we had six weeks to sell, giveaway, or pack 29 years worth of life. We did it happily, although sometimes it was hard to sell furniture we loved but knew we wouldn’t have room for at the end of our journey.

Our journey was supposed to have ended by now, but it hasn’t. We are almost 90 days past the closing on our house and we are still not in the little guesthouse. It’s crunch time and we are feeling the strain. We have six days to finish mudding, apply texture to the walls, paint, and install the flooring all before our stuff arrives from Oregon, which I cannot reschedule again. My amazing husband is currently the labor along with one volunteer from my parents’ church. My dad is off doing his thing and the contractor he had been using is currently out of the picture. I sincerely hope he will be back soon.

Talk about feeling the pressure. This in not a fun journey! That being said, we are at peace in knowing we are in the Lord’s will and that He is in control. I have no idea if we will get everything done in time. I know the downstairs flooring won’t be installed since it’s still not here. I am praying we have the upstairs flooring down, so my husband won’t have too much to move when he’s laying the flooring.

On the positive side we have wonderful friends who have volunteered to help with things, my husband has become skilled at many things he otherwise wouldn’t have, and I even learned how to tape drywall seams. Oh yes, I’ve been helping out too. I stained all the wood siding and will be assisting in painting the interior. I also deigned the upstairs floor plan and all the interior finishes.

One thing I remember the Lord telling me when all of this started was that it wouldn’t be easy. Well, He was right! Wow, was He right. This journey has been one of the most difficult challenges of my life, not only physically but emotionally as well. But He is with us, and I know everything will be okay if we keep listening and obeying.

Below a pic of the house as it looks right now. We are still waiting on the deck and balcony railing, but imagine a black railing.

You might be wondering why I would take time out of building to write this post, well sometimes a writer has to write. It’s therapeutic and its free :). I’m also working on a Christmas novella that is set to release the middle of December. It’s been beyond a challenge to write in the middle of all of this, but I’m not going to give up.

If you’re going through something that is pushing you to your limit I pray the Lord will see you through. Hang in there!