Say Yes to the House

Our house hunting journey over the last month can only be summarized as a cross between two of my favorite TV Shows..."Say Yes to the Dress" and "House Hunters"

In "Say Yes to the Dress" brides go to Kleinfeld's in NYC to hunt for their perfect bridal gowns.  Most brides have to try on countless dresses... the good, the bad, and the ugly, before coming upon "THE" dress.  They have their "aha" moment, tears flow and the fairytale journey ends. 
On House Hunters, the couple look at several homes all of which have "pros" and "cons".  At the end of the 1/2 hour show the couple have to determine which home they will purchase. 

Over the last 3 weeks, I have come to the conclusion that searching for a home to rent in the greater Los Angeles area is much like searching for the perfect wedding dress.  You have to see a lot of properties to have your "aha" moment.   Some homes are plain, some are ornate, some are on the low side of the budget and it is NEVER a good idea to see a home that is out of your price point.  As what happens on the TV show, the bride will ultimately fall in love with the unattainable dress and walk away discouraged and heartbroken. 

House hunting for a RENTAL, not even for a purchase, has been all of the above things... we must have seen over 30 homes and competition is fierce!  Who would have known that in L.A. there are bidding wars on rentals?? Most people can't afford the outrageous home prices out here for a home, so costs of rentals are at a premium.  The first home we saw was a nightmare.. NOT what we expected and not a place I would ever consider living in.  When we walked out my son turned to me and said, "That place was bad to the bones!"  And it was.  Lesson learned... ALWAYS do a drive by of a property before scheduling an appointment to see it.  Pictures can be deceiving and you never know if the surrounding area is good or not.  It may be a McMansion with a shack next door to it.  Another townhome we saw was perfect!  It was modern with tons of space and storage and could easily accommodate all of our things.  It was priced right, but was in the wrong part of town..even though it was gated, there was no way we were going to live in that neighborhood. 

In the end, much like on the show House Hunters, we had to choose between two homes... the dream 3 story beach townhouse that had ocean views, a modern floor plan, a HUGE kitchen, but an awkward layout and not enough space for all of our furniture which meant we'd have to pay for storage. Option 1 was what I think everyone would expect to see when coming to visit us in CA.  Totally unlike anything we've ever lived in.

Option 2 was a single family, older ranch home with a huge living room, new carpets, small kitchen and small bedrooms.  It fit our needs as far as space, but could use some updating.  The home itself was in great condition, in the school district we wanted.

In the end we said "yes" to Option 2 and are so glad we did.  Although an older home, I am sure we are going to have no problem putting our stamp on it while we rent it.  It's in a great neighborhood located 2 miles from the beach and 2 miles from great shopping and 5 short blocks from Chris' new school. 

So thankful to God for helping us through this often tiresome experience and leading us to the home we know he had meant for us. 

Working Women

Whether you work in a job outside the home or if you work by staying home with your family, you are a working woman.  I have been on both sides of the table and both are tough jobs!  Now that I am a work at home mom again, I am rediscovering how hard it is to keep the home and family on task and organized. 

I wanted to share a verse with you that I think applies to women regardless of whether you work in or out of your home.  "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men." Colossians 3:23 

I had that verse posted on my desk at work for the last year.  There were some days I was pulling my hair out or was so stressed that I needed this reminder that I am doing all this hard work NOT for my boss, but for God.  That I had to give it my all for HIM and pray that others will see Him through me and my work.

Now that I am home full time with Christopher again, I find myself needing this reminder just a much! I need to take care of my family and the work around our house with a cheerful heart as doing it unto the Lord, and not just for the benefit of my family.  I find putting on some uplifting music sets the right tone at home.  Hope this verse will bless you too!

A Good Read

A few months ago, a friend of mine suggested that I read this book.  If you haven't read it, and you have a son, I would definitely recommend it.  I have been praying for my son's future wife since the day he was born..actually properly since I was pregnant!  It's never too early to pray for her and her family. 

This book offers moms great tips for boys of all ages so even if you have a teenager or son in their early 20s who is unmarried, it can be helpful.  I love the practical examples of how in our everyday lives, I can find teaching moments to show my son how to let me know he loves me and how his actions SHOW me his love.   I know it will help him in the future to love his wife and how to SHOW her his love.  Great book!!

Here is a synopsis of the book:
What Kind of Husband Will Your Son Grow Up to Be?

His is a generation of boys who have better relationships with their Game Boxes, i-Pods, televisions, and computers than they do with their families. His understanding of marriage is that it has little hope for success, witnessing a fifty percent divorce rate both inside and outside of the church. His world is one where pornography is no longer a hidden shame, but encouraged as entertainment.

Can you raise your son to one day love, lead, and protect a wife and family in a world like this?

The answer is yes. The heartbeat of this book is to give you the tools to help your son become a tender warrior who will one day fight for his family, a godly husband who will faithfully love his wife, and a leader who will be a man of his word.

The time is now to take your love, tears, prayers, and influence and pour them into his future. Even if our world does not change its moral fiber, you can influence your son and bring hope to the next generation. It’s an opportunity of a lifetime—yours. 

Never Let Go

This is what I've been singing in the car for the last few weeks.  Although my son says he is tired of hearing it... I still crank it up!  What a great reminder that no matter what we are going through, God will never let us go!

Rebecca St. James -

A Love Letter.. Sort Of

The other day I was feeling under the weather... then I received this note from my little guy that just made my day!

The Pilgrimage

This past Saturday, we took the first family pilgrimage to Legoland California.  It was a great time for all of us.  Christopher loved the water park and especially taking me on the Technic Roller Coaster which was in his words, "wild and wicked".  Indeed, indeed!   I love a good roller coaster but my I think I left a few brain cells on that wicked ride.  Wow!!  I guess my body isn't as young as it used to be (...sigh...)  If you have a little lego builder and are near one of their parks, I would highly recommend it!  Here are a few pictures from the first of many days we'll spend at the park. 

The Launch

Today marks the beginning of it all... the reason why we moved to California in the first place.. today is the beginning of the new Spanish language network, MundoFox.  If you are on the East Coast and care to tune in, check your local listings for MundoFox in your area.  Steve's newscast will air at 6:00 pm Eastern.   We are all excited as the team has been working very hard over the last few weeks to get this station up and running.  So, if you think of Steve, say a prayer for him today.

Let's Give Her A Hand

Up until two weeks ago, many of you know I had spent the last year working in NYC for one of the world's largest executive search firms.  l was blessed with a great job working for a fantastic company.  It was certainly a sacrifice of time .. A big commute via express bus into NYC each day as well as time away from my family.  My days started at 5:15 am and most days I would roll into our front door around 7:15 pm...  But the one thing I could count on every day...no matter what type of day I had in the office...no matter what time I got home at night was being greeted by my hubby and son at the front door.  Not just with a hug, but as I walked in they would stop whatever they were doing and run to the front door to greet me with a thunderous round of applause.  At first it took me off guard..it's not every day you enter a room let alone your home and receive applause.  I came to love this..it made me feel so special and so appreciated.  God knows you are not getting applauded at work for a job well done...it was so nice to get that validation from the people I love most.

Thanks you Steve for always making each day so special!  I hope to continue the tradition now that Chris and I will be the ones to greet you each evening!

The Revelation

As I walked down the corridor leading to the operating room, I looked back tearfully at my husband.  The last two minutes had totally rocked my world and my sanity.  Up until then, I was relatively at ease regarding my upcoming gall bladder removal operation.  I had the best surgeon and hematologist in NYC on my medical team and I was was in a fantastic hospital.  That gave me a sense of assurance.  But, as I was walking towards the operating room reflecting on those things, God had quietly whispered something to me that brought on the tears and convicted my heart.  All at once, the tears started flowing and I felt so ashamed.  You see, I prayed that God would watch over me during the surgery and to especially take care of my blood disorder so there would be no complications.  I thanked God for the surgeons, doctors and the hospital that I was in.   In my heart I knew that I felt confident because I had the BEST.. best surgeon and  best hospital so it eased my fear.  And that's when God said to me, " But Beth.. I have been with you all along.  You should have had confidence in ME all along..but you feel at ease right now because of the people I have placed in your path.  You should draw your strength and confidence from ME alone.  "   I cried.. I repented.. I told the Lord that I was sorry for not finding my confidence in Him.  I wished I had more time to talk to God and tell Him how much I loved Him and how thankful I am for all he has done for me and to tell Him that I DID believe that he was in charge and would see me through.  But my time was up.  I was in the operating room.  The anesthesia was being applied.  So, I just whispered  "I love you Lord.. I trust in YOU. "

I know that God uses doctors and physicians.. I am not knocking that at all.  In fact, I know that God orchestrated everything leading up to my surgery.  It's just that my fears were so great that I forgot to remember that peace and comfort should only come from knowing the Great Physician, while being thankful for those he uses to tend to our needs. 

The operation was a great success with no complications...and I am more careful to remember that God is the giver of peace and comfort ..even in our greatest hour of fear. 

"The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them." (Psalm 145: 18-19)

What I Have Learned So Far

It's hard to believe we've been in California for an entire week.  In some sense, it feels like an eternity.. in another, every day feels like we are still on vacation and starting our adventure.

You'll be happy to know that I've managed to successfully navigate the notorious LA highways BY MYSELF without incident... okay, perhaps one wrong turn, but I am blaming that on my GPS.   Everything you have heard about LA highways are true.. they are big, they are crowded and there is a ton of traffic.  But, having said that, I honestly don't see what the big difference is from NY highways and traffic.  In fact, I dare say that the traffic at least crawls here in CA as opposed to dead stand stills in NYC.   I am happy that my first road trip without my husband was a success and I feel more confident in using the highways to get around.

On the house hunting front, we've seen over a dozen places... honestly, I feel like I have just finished shooting a week's work of house hunter episodes.   Trust me when I say that house hunting is a full time, agonizing, stressful job that can definitely put a strain on your sanity.  And that's only when you are looking to RENT a property let alone BUY one.

Here's a photo of what you DO NOT want to see on the entrance to the community you are looking to live in.. don't worry, we didn't even step inside this building..

We'll save the "buying a home headache" for a later date.   We felt it was more important to rent initially and get comfortable with a community/school, etc. before taking the plunge and mortgaging my life away in the ridiculously over-priced real estate market here in LA.    I am happy to say that we have found a house that looks extremely promising.  Hope to have more news on that later this week, so please pray for us especially this week!

In other news, Steve is hard at work at MundoFox.  If you are interested, the "launch" is next Monday at 6:00 pm Eastern Time so check your listings for channel information.   We are all pretty excited although I am still traumatized that I won't be able to see ANY of the broadcasts my husband is overseeing because they are ONLY airing on the east coast.. ironic, isn't it? LOL.  Thanks to my Dad who is going to tape a few for me. 

Off to the local supermarket for a few last minute things.  Looking forward to some quiet time at the pool later today (it's a tough job, but someone has to do it!)

Here's a photo of the sunset we got to enjoy at the Manhattan Beach Pier last night.  Have a great day everyone!