Quick Prayer Request

Hey blog friends,

Please say a prayer for Randy and I to hear God's voice and give us guidance. The opportunity has arisen for us to buy a house much closer to the school and Randy's office. It needs a little updating and is a good bit smaller, but still big enough (I think). I just don't know what to do. The three bedrooms (other than the master) share a hallway bathroom which is fine for the five of us (Scott would stay downstairs and use that bathroom) but my biggest concern is when the other kids visit. They are used to having their own space and I don't want to disappoint them. Except for Marshall, who practically rooms with Hallie and Ethan anyway, I am not sure how it would work. Of course, Alex will be in college next year anyway and may be living here, too. Then I know we would have to build a bonus room onto that house for it to be big enough.

The advantages would be that it is much less space to keep clean! Here I have 5000 square feet which includes 6 bedrooms on 3 levels (that's a lot of vacuuming) and 5 bathrooms (that's alot of Lysol) and I am constantly overwhelmed keeping up with it. The master bedroom is upstairs there and here it is not which I HATE! I don't like being so far away from the kids at night. I still use a baby monitor in each of their rooms because I am so paranoid about it. The playroom there is downstairs which is good because the kids can play within earshot of me while I am working in the kitchen. It has a beautiful yard with tons of flat areas to play, and has a pool very similar to ours now, so we wouldn't have to give that up.

We are very conflicted. It would be so much better in a lot of ways, but again, I just don't know. I love this house. We have lived here for four years. It is where we brought Ethan home from the hospital...where we have had the kids birthday parties...where they learned to swim, ride bikes and we have the best neighbors in the world. The fact is, though, that we are going to have to move eventually because neither our cars nor I can take driving over the mountain six times a day. I feel like I live in my van and I am sick of it. It's a good chance to downsize a little and not have to give up much and really gain a lot in the way of convenience.

I am sorry to be asking for prayer about something so non-essential. It's just a big decision and I have come to value the prayers and advice of my fellow blogging Christians. Thanks so much.

Oh, and Ethan seems to have developed a chest cold and the doc says that is what caused his asthma. I am relieved because hopefully that means it's not becoming a chronic problem and will go away when the congestion does. Thanks for everyone's concern! I love ya'll!!