This Other Eden

Posted by Sabrina at 11:00 AM

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Well, one week and one day and we have an offer on our home. We will be meeting with them tomorrow afternoon to start the process! YEAH!!!!! And we will be getting a little bit more than we "needed" out of it. What a blesssing, the Lord is so GOOD! I will keep you updated on when we will make the move :)

By the way, don't forget to cast your "VOTE" on my mini pole that I have added to my blog. I will be doing a number of them because polls are fun! THEY ARE!!!!!

And I just want to give a shout out to Tammie who is having her little baby boy in ONE WEEK!!!! You are gonna do great, I love you and I can't wait to meet little Matthew :)

Posted by Sabrina at 9:13 PM

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Yep, it's that bad!

So, like usual, I somehow think that when it comes to me and the sun, I am "above" sunscreen. I think, "ah, I may get just a little burn, but it will turn into a tan!" So, Matthew and I and some other young adults floated the Umqua River yesterday. It was a beautiful day, blue skies, gorgeous sparatic white clouds, in the 80's, it is a good day for the river! We actually got into the river at about 1:15pm and didn't get out until almost 5pm. It is a long float, but it is so much fun and so relaxing at certain points. I love it, it is one of my favorite things to do in Roseburg. Especially when you have a husband who does 95% of the rowing!!! Until 4 hours later when the burn begins. I am as red as a lobster and have no one to blame but myself. I know that I SHOULD wear it, but for some reason I just hate to wear sunscreen. I can't explain, lecture me if you must, but it is like a mental thing for me. Both Matthew and I are hurting, but we lathered up with Aloe Vera tonight and are feeling a bit better. Anyways, if I had a digital camera I would post a picture of our extremely red skin so you could all feel sorry for us, but that just ain't gonna happen. So, you will just have to use your imaginations! On a good note, we have had lots of calls on our house today and two viewings! Hopefully we will get an offer soon! Goodnight sleep tight!

Posted by Sabrina at 10:16 PM

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Okay, I hope you all know that I didn't put my times on this to "brag", I had no idea that I was fast because all I have to compare it to is myself. So, we have a little competition going, it is not strong, but I am positive that it will build. Maybe the challenge then should be...who can beat me??? Huh, does that get any of you riled up? Feeling provoked? Good! C'mon now, give me your best shot! Now start singing with me..."hit me with your best shot....c'mon and hit me with your best shot", or am I the only one that knows that song. I am painting a great picture of myself for all of you, a ultra-competitive, 80's lovin', closet minesweeper nerd who is addicted to blogging. Do you think there are any support groups out there for me that I fit the criteria for?

By the way, look what I found: http://metanoodle.com/minesweeper/ I thought I was doing pretty good, but the world record for fastest time in the expert is like 41 seconds!!! WOW. How do they do that?

Anyways, here are the high scores so far:
Beginner

8 seconds/Sabrina
16 seconds/Laura
77 seconds/Karen

Intermediate - 37 seconds/Sabrina
Expert - 139 seconds/Sabrina

Enjoy a GREAT weekend!

Posted by Sabrina at 3:08 PM

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Well, I have truly enjoyed Karen and Eric's blog with all of their competitions. I am anticipating their final tally of their books today. So as I was thinking about this, I was wondering if any of you would like to venture into a healthy competition of "MINESWEEPER". You know, the game that we all have on our computers. I am a bit of an addict. The problem is, I am my only competition. Matthew isn't into that game to much, so the only scores I have to beat are my own. And not that I don't enjoy that, but I thought it would be fun to get a tally of all of your current "Best Times" for the game. These are my current scores, can anyone beat them???

Beginner - 8 seconds/Sabrina
Intermediate - 37 seconds/Sabrina
Expert - 139 seconds/Sabrina

So come on all of you minesweeper closet nerds like me! Let's see who has or can get the fastest time!

Posted by Sabrina at 10:10 AM

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Yesterday, like every other day, Sophie woke up and did the "pee pee dance". She was moving and shaking all over. I asked her, "Sophie, do you need to go pee pee?", and she said, "No mommy, I am just shaking my bootie."

It's moments like that, that you know she has got some MAJOR Stratton blood going on inside of her :)

Posted by Sabrina at 11:05 PM

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The house we are in the process of buying if all goes as planned!

Posted by Sabrina at 12:47 AM

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A bit of the pool (which hasn't been cleaned yet for summer) and the HUGE back yard. They are planting grass this weekend hopefully.

Posted by Sabrina at 12:47 AM

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Living Room (that you can barely see), the dining/kitchen, and our bathroom which I love so much!

Posted by Sabrina at 12:46 AM

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The bedrooms, ours, the girls, and the guest bedroom in the loft.

Posted by Sabrina at 12:45 AM

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This is our current home we live in...isn't it cute?!

Posted by Sabrina at 12:45 AM

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Well, I have been waiting to tell everyone about this...(no I am not pregnant), but Matthew and I are in the process of buying a new home. Well it's not new, but new to us! We are SOOOO excited. As blessed as we have been in our little home of ours, it is time to move on. Since we have lived in Roseburg we have been without two important things, a lawn and a garage. And this house has both of those!!! We currently live in a 2 bedroom 1 bath home with a spiral staircase that leads to a large loft where our guestroom is. It is very cute! But I miss the days of having my own bathroom in my own bedroom. We have always planned on staying in this house for 3 - 5 years, and well, three years are up! This other home came to us just last week, for sale by owner, friends of ours, and a fabulous price. We met with them today and did the paperwork and earenst check, so now we just have to sell our home. We are finalizing some things around our house (new gutters) before we put it up for sale, but our goal is by Monday to have our "For Sale By Owner" sign up! We must sell it at a certain price for us to buy this new home, so we would greatly appreciate any prayers that you may offer up!
Our new home is 3 bed/2 bth, 2 car garage, HUGE lot w/ fenced in back yard, seperate detached office, and a pool! Did I mention that we will have a pool!!! My mother and mother-in-law aren't too excited about this, but we will certainly make it child proof. It is an above ground pool, but I am excited still! This home is so much more than we had asked God for, and came to us at a time where we were settled to stay in this home longer if need be. So we have had 2 out of the 3 doors open for us, now we need the last one to open (our home selling). If all goes without a hitch, we will be in our new home in August! That's all folks!

Posted by Sabrina at 3:04 PM

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Posted by Sabrina at 10:33 AM

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My Matthew....You are such a wonderful father to our little girls. If they only knew how blessed they are to have gotten you as their daddy. You protect them, cuddle with them, sing and dance with them, tickle them and make them laugh so hard, but what I love the most about how you father them is the prayers you pray over them, and watching you teach them how to pray and seek God because you yourself do that. I love watching you early in the morning pacing the floor praying, with Mattie in your arms. I thank you for that. Our daughters will be so rich because of all that you are pouring into with words and with example. I love you, and if the girls could say it too they would be saying the same thing. Happy Father's Day.

Posted by Sabrina at 10:56 PM

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Posted by Sabrina at 10:51 PM

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Well, I THOUGHT that I had did it. My new template was viewable on my computer only, so I am not sure what is up with that. Anyways, it is beyond my expertise, so I will just return to my old blogger template. Too bad, it was awfully cute. You can go to blogfrocks.com if you wish to attempt it, and if you do...then let me know how to do it!!!

Anyways, we had a pretty amazing service yesterday. For those of you who do not know, my father-in-law is the Senior pastor of our church in Roseburg. The need for a pastor at our church was through events that should never happen. In fact, the last three pastors I am told have left the church due to extramarital affairs. So this was no light task coming to Roseburg, by any means. He had a lot of repairing to do to restore trust and integrity as a pastor. Anyways, a few pastors ago, when the affair had happened, the church had split and another church began at that time which still exists today. Yesterday, this other church and their senior pastor came to our church and we did a joint service where there was repentance and forgivenenss on both sides for the past wrongs. Then, the pastor from the other church washed my father-in-laws feet. I can't tell you how emotional and powerful it was to experience that kind of reconciliation. I was so honored to witness it and be a part of it. I am sure Leah will be posting pictures of the event on her blog, so you will have to look to hers to see. I just wanted to share that amazing moment with you all, this kind of stuff rarely happens in the church world, unfortunately, but we believe that this is the beginning of a breakthrough that God is wanting to happen in our city. I love being a part of the move of God!

Posted by Sabrina at 12:57 PM

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I am so thrilled! I conquered this new template and I hope you enjoy it! It is almost midnight so I will write later! Just wanted to say YIPEE!!!!

Posted by Sabrina at 11:48 PM

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Thursday night I was up until 3:30am! Why you ask? (because I am sure you are asking yourself that question right now!) Because I was trying to add a new template to my blog. I found this great website that makes really cool background templates for blogger, you just have to follow the directions and do some HTML stuff. Well it sounded pretty easy, so I gave it a shot. There were a few steps in the process that they said would be there, but I couldn't find them, so back to "blogger" templates I must go. Not that I don't enjoy them, but you know me...always trying to be original! I must admit, I enjoyed myself the entire time. It was a challenge, and I LOVE A CHALLENGE. I am sure I will attempt it again soon, but I can't do two nights like that in a row, I was of no use yesterday. House needed a good cleaning, and didn't get one.

So, hope you are all doing well. Look forward to reading your new news!

Posted by Sabrina at 11:24 AM

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I was blog surfing tonight and out of curiousity went to "BUG", you know, the link on Robin and Chris' blog friend list. That sent me on kind of an adventure, a fun one at that. I wish I knew these people, they are so hilarious and witty. So it eventually got me to a sight that a bunch of them host called OVERHEARD. It is just blogs about conversations they overheard in their day. It was great! I wanted to share it with all of you so that you might enjoy it as well. I wish I had thought of the idea, but I am just not that creative yet. Anyways, it is at eavesdroppers.blogspot.com if you want to check it out. Curiousity doesn't always kill the cat, it can give you a much needed laugh as well :)

Posted by Sabrina at 11:39 PM

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MELODYYYYY.....Come baaa haaa haaack to uuuu huuuu huuuusssss!!!

Posted by Sabrina at 9:11 PM

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Better Days! Well, I took some of your advice and had some quiet time, a good nights sleep, a good cry, a long vulnerable talk with Matthew and some prayer and things just look better today. Thank you all for your encouraging words, it is nice to know that I am loved and I have so much support in Roseburg and beyond!

Posted by Sabrina at 8:52 PM

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You just ever have one of those days where you are feeling a little sad for no reason at all. I am having one of those days. In the midst of taking my daugther to see Madagascar and enjoying it with her, I have just felt out of sorts today. It seems that since having my second child I have struggled more with getting my emotions back to normal. So, this isn't a happy blog, just an honest one. It is sometimes difficult to live so far away from people who really know you, the good, bad and the ugly. I miss that on days like today. Today I am missing friends like Tammie that I can just be around, no makeup on, in pajamas all day long, watching a movie or just sitting and talking for hours about nothing and about everything. Tommorrow will be different I am sure, but today is a ho humm day. I have enjoyed reading all of your blogs though, it was a light in my not so bright day! Love you all.

Posted by Sabrina at 9:29 PM

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Is it just me or are our kids trying to tell us something.

Posted by Sabrina at 5:50 PM

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Hopefully you wont get offended by this, but this is an actual street in the Philippines and if you know Matthew, you know he couldn't resist taking a picture! Hope it makes you laugh!

Posted by Sabrina at 5:38 PM

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Have you heard??? Matthew and I are going to the Philippines for 16 days in August on a missions trip. He took a group last year (see picture) and I stayed home with the babies, but this year I am braving it and we are heading out with 5 others! My sister Leah went last year (she is the cute one in the pink bandana) but is unable to go this year. So we are in prep mode for that. I have not been excited at all to go until the last few weeks!

Posted by Sabrina at 5:36 PM

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I thought it would be nice for you to see my in-laws! Pastor Craig and Karen! Aren't they cute. They are such great in-laws and wonderful grandparents. I am so grateful God gave me the entire family and not just Matthew! (and that includes my sister-in-law Leah!)