I hate it that...

I hate it that there are single homeless mothers out there.  I can not stand the thought of a freezing cold child, clinging to his mother under a bridge. It makes me sick to my stomach.

This post is inspired by another fellow blogger, Farmer's Wife. God gives us Holy Discontent, like a  holy hatred that we are to use for his kingdom.  Being a mother is the best thing in the world and not being able to give your children what they need is a gut-wrenching feeling.   I have never been a single mother, my children have always been feed but I have a passion for HOUSING.

God wants us to have an Embassy for our family. (see previous post on Raising Kids).  Right bow our families "Embassy" is the upstairs of my in-laws house, all 400 sq ft of it, for one more  month.  I am grateful for  family who have helped us in our transition of Stephen starting  his own business and buying our house, but it is rough not having a house to call our own. I can't imagine the heart-ache of calling the underpass of a bridge  "home".

I am 2 quarters shy of my BA in Architecture and worked for an architecture firm for 4 years and completely understand most things construction. 

I have this dream  of owning a ton of rental houses, cute lil' 3 bedroom 2 bath houses that I will furnish  and decorate.   They will house homeless mothers -FREE OF CHARGE - so they can get on their feet.  They will have their own house.  I get all teary thinking about it.  It wont be a bunk in a large room.   It will be theirs.

I know what houses to buy and for cheap (foreclosure, short sale).  I will fix them up, not just throw down some new carpet, but really fix them up, nice furniture, beautifully decorated so they feel like a real person, not just a charity case.  They are CHILDREN of GOD and I want them to know that they deserve the best and that GOD LOVES them.

Oh, I could go on and on but that is what I will be working on once we have the funds. What a great way to homeschool and really teach our children what matters. Teach them to build, teach them to give, teach them to LOVE.

Drag me (a more personal note)

Who would have thought that buying this lil' dinky house in the country would be so difficult.

Apparently, USDA (who we were getting our loan through) has run out of funds... .Isn't that just GREAT news to hear the day after we were suppose to be signing? So after 3 months of underwriting and negotiations, no USDA loan for us.

 So now instead of 0% down, we have to go with a FHA loan and come up with 3.5% ($6,500) out of thin air in 2 weeks and pray we can close before the June 30th deadline and that the sellers grant us the extension.

Our Skype Converstation from yesterday:

 Stephen Rhyne: We will get through this
 Stephen Rhyne: I am big strong manly Husband leader
 Stephen Rhyne: I will pick you up
 Stephen Rhyne: and drag you across the finish line
 Stephen Rhyne: if I have to!
 Melissa Rhyne: you already are...
 Stephen Rhyne: NP, I have been riding on your back for how many years?

This last year could have ruined our marriage completely. 

Launching a new business endeavor

Living with 5 people in 400 sq ft

Living with the in-laws

But we are going to make it through. Stephen is my rock (after God, of course). But I am truely understanding the  power and God's intention of  marriage. He is my strength  when I am weak and I feel so blessed to be his wife.

Who would have thought, that after an impromptu-eloped marriage after being engaged for 5 months would be working out like this?  Stronger than ever?

Looking back at these pictures (March 3rd, 2005), I can't wait for our 10 year renewal, in 5 more years.  Since none of our family was there the first time around, we are doing the whole thing over again, in the same place, in Waikiki, HI. The kids will be in it, and it will be a blast.

Ok, now I feel better.

Disneyland 2010

And there's the whole gang.  We were at Disneyland May 14-21, it was awesome!! The kids had a blast.  We bought my mom (blue dress) so she could relax at our hotel by the pool, but instead she came to Disneyland all 5 days, what a trooper, it was exhausting. Also, Stephen's step dad's favorite place in the world is Disneyland, so he and Stephen's mom came too.  It was great having someone to wait with Luella in the stroller while we took the boys on rides. 

But a good thing about Disneyland,  there are so many rides that you can take a baby on in the front carrier,  so Luella didn't miss much.

Luckily, my mom bought us "Quad-sie" our 4 seater stroller, so the little ones could nap and we wouldn't have to go back to the hotel for nap every.  But EVERYONE stared at us, it was weird. I'm a shy, hide in the shadows kind of girl, so  it was a little odd for everyone to be staring as we passed by like we were the Duggars or something.  One gentleman we were passing said

Man "Wow, that's a lot of kids"

Melissa "There's only 3"

Man "Only?????"

Three kids  is a lot, really???  They are all about 2 years apart, it's not like they are all Irish twins or something.

Anyway.. for your viewing pleasure...

We love Disneyland, it is a blast.  Can't wait to next year!

Giveaways!!

I just love giveaways!! I love to give them and receive them, hehe!!

One of my favorite blogs My Sweet Savannah is having a $75 giveaway  for Lisa Leonards jewelry.
http://mysweetsavannah.blogspot.com/2010/05/lisa-leonard-giveaway.html

Go check out  her site and sign up, Love it!!

Burlap love

I have this new found love for burlap.

These are Pottery Barn. Just the slip covers are selling for $25.

I found some  awesome burlap sacks at the architectural salvage shop. Second Use.  The burlap is chunky and authentic, I just love it. I looked like a crazy woman digging through the pile of burlap sacks that everyone was passing by. I wanted to buy all of them.  The clerk asked what I was going to do with them, I said, "Make pillow cases". Cue more crazy looks.  Oh well, I'm used to it!

I kept the original print. I loved that it said "German" and "Coffee".  

Then, I took the back side with no printing, and made this.  I just love it.  

 "Chaumiere" means cottage.

It would work great in the garden or in the kitchen / mud room to hold letters and keys.  Too bad the decor of my mother-in-laws house doesn't fit with this style or I'd take a few shots inside.

Check them out at my Etsy Shop.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/MommaRhyne

Maybe I am crazy, oh well!

Coffee Cheapskate

They look the same. They look EXACTLY the same.

One costs $2.50 more.  One is "Custom Roast" and one is "Classic Roast"

Why do I feel the need to save $2.50 for my addiction. I brew one cup of my cheap skate coffee and spit it out.  It tastes bitter, burnt and  old. I live and grew up in Seattle so I have to have my fix.

Custom = NASTY   :  Classic = YUMMY

So for the $2.50 I thought I was going to save, that can is now up in the cupboard, almost completely full and will never be used.  So I didn't save anything, in fact I just wasted $6.00 on a can of coffee that will never be used (unless some unpleasant relative is coming over, hehe).

Note to self :  Going the cheap route will NEVER save you money!