Setting up house

Just a quick update, as we are still busy unpacking and organizing. We LOVE our new place and are so thankful for it. Thank you to Gabe, Laura, and Christa for helping us move in! It made the work load MUCH lighter for us. This past week has been spent unpacking boxes, cleaning, laundry, lawn care, picture hanging, etc. Craig's List has proven useful once again, for a lovely little piano now graces our living room. We've also glanced around some thrift shops and I found some cute chairs to add to the living room, in need of a paint and reupholstering job, yes, but that only adds to the fun and satisfaction of saving money and making an old thing "new"! I am excited to have a little corner set aside in one of the rooms for a craft table where scrapbooks (wedding and honeymoon) lay awaiting some creative manipulating...

This weekend has been a lovely one. My dear friend Christa came out from Ave to visit and spend the night, and a movie, good conversations, and much laughter were enjoyed. She also assisted me in picking out some flowers and herbs which we began planting. I'm so thrilled to have space to plant! And I'm off to finish my little herb garden right now...

"Give thanks to the Lord, who is good, whose love endures forever." Psalm 106:1

Here are some images captured around our new home this week...


It is fun to see our diplomas on the wall.

Needs a good tuning and a new bench cover!


Someone enjoyed mowing a lawn for the first time in 4-ish years.

A few large patio friends...



The 2 green thumbs ready to plant (We love you, come ANY time!)

And so it is.

Our last night here. Last night in our first home together as a married couple. As I look around at the (almost) empty rooms, walls, cabinets, ect., I feel a great sense of gratitude for the love, work, fun, laughter, and tears we shared here, but also a huge sense of peace that we are doing the right thing in moving out and moving on. It was time. To separate ourselves from this busy and close little town and watching eyes, from politics. I am very thankful for the time spent here and have some very sweet memories of living here, but am more thankful for our new place down the road a ways. Space, peace, and quiet for personal growth and reflection is an essential element in life and I thank the Lord for providing us with this needed change. Andrew will be able to return (drive!) to Ave Maria for graduate school in the fall with a healthy sense of detachment and thus be less distracted. And we are thankful for a real HOUSE. We are ready to stop feeling like students and thrive on completing the mundane, routine upkeep of a HOUSE. Bathtubs. A garage for storage. Kitchen space. Guest bedrooms. Room for planting. A lawn to mow. Simple tasks, but ones we will enjoy doing because it will be for our home, our peace of soul, our private lives, our continued growing together.

To those dear friends that I am "leaving behind": I'll be back to visit very very often and you're always invited to drive out!

I am especially grateful for a considerate hubby whose immediate thought (on my obtaining my new job) was to shorten any stress/fatigue that driving 45 min. to work and back would cause me. Thank you, my love.

Moving day tomorrow. And nephews coming to "help." Can't wait to see those precious faces. Pictures to follow...some day. :)

We're moving

Just a quick update...since I got my new job (located 45 min away), we have been on the lookout for a rental home that would make my drive shorter while still being close to Ave Maria for Andrew's schooling/work. We went to look at a few yesterday, applied for one, and were approved today to move in NEXT week. We are looking forward to living in an actual home (3 bedroom, 1 office/den, 2 bathrooms, garage) and amazed that we can get it very close to the price of what we are paying now for our little townhouse. It sounds like Laura and Gabe may be able to come down next week to help with moving - it would definitely make it more fun!

Some reasons why I am excited about this place:

-I will have a shorter drive to work; for organ practice, early Sunday morning Mass, for last minute funerals/weddings, ect.
-The kitchen has 5+ cupboards vs. 2.
-2 separate walk-in closets in the master bedroom.
-Lots of room for visitors.
-Lots of room for parties.
-There is room for a piano.
-I can hang curtains.
-The lanai has room for more than 2 people and a barbecue for Andrew.
-I can finally do some gardening; fresh flowers, herbs, tomatoes, peppers - yes please!
-This house has bathtubs! Bubble baths and Epsom salts here I come...
-We will no longer be wall-to-wall with our neighbors; in fact, no one else lives on this street.
-Closer to the airport.
-The house is less than a minute off the highway to Ave Maria.
-All in all, we will have 'elbow room' (no more small town living). However, we are thankful for the time we have spent living in Ave.

Here's a little preview of our new digs (yes, the lawn needs to be mowed!); more to come of course, as we move in and settle.


Now begins the packing rush...

Summertime...

It's been peaceful, albeit a little busier than I thought, around here these past few weeks, but that summertime feeling is truly setting in...

THESE DAYS I...

-enjoy being out of the classroom.
-sleep in a little later than usual.
-pause to listen to birdsong in the morning.
-have more time to read; currently the Bible, a Willa Cather novel, & some St. Therese of Lisieux.
-think about sacred music...lots of it, for my new job.
-spend non-rushed, quality time with dear friends.
-finally have time to sort through honeymoon pictures to be sent for printing so the scrapbook can commence.
-kiss my husband more often. (Am glad that Andrew decided to forgo summer classes this year in order to spend time with me :)
-stop to soak in a little sun while running an errand.
-paint my toenails, bright colors.
-have time to write more thoughtful letters and emails.
-delight in great book finds at Goodwill for .99 or $1-2, particularly children's books.
-indulge in an occasional movie during the daytime!
-crave sandwiches stuffed with veggies and lots of salads; the FL heat does not inspire one to stand over the hot stove all evening. On that note, I always want my water with ice and lemon.
-have been to the beach 3 times in one week (but I fear beach time may come to an end for a while as the oil spill creeps nearer).
-have bags full of lovely shells begging to be implemented into some crafty project; hmm, maybe a picture frame for a beachy picture or a Christmas ornament?
-simply relish the thought that I actually have the luxury and time now to 'do' crafts...and I do have some ideas.
-am especially enjoying breaking in my new-to-me car (pictures coming soon!!)
Here's to a beautiful and blissful summer!

Faces I love

Some highlights from my trip to WA; May 15-25.

Touring the Pittock Mansion in Portland, OR.

The rhododendrons were in bloom - beautiful! And so were the girls.


Enjoyed hearing Mary play the Steinway circa 1800's at the mansion.

Wearing socks for the first time this year, definitely not in FL!


An outing in downtown Portland.


Games in the evening.



Ready for Mass Pentecost Sunday.


Christopher is such a good uncle...

He held little Kieran throughout the whole 2 hour Mass despite being pooped and spit up upon.


Eliazbeth just after being confirmed - Elizabeth Ann Francis



I just enjoyed seeing Mary smile so much...love these two so much.


It was a great week, especially fun to have all the sisters together!

Three generations

I am happy to say I am writing from my parent's home in beautiful WA state...I flew in late Saturday night for a week of R&R (MUCH needed after graduation) and also to be present at my littlest sister and godchild's confirmation this coming Sunday - so happy for you, Elizabeth! So far I have comfortably nestled back into my former place as eldest child and sister, and have been blissfully enjoying sibling interaction (especially sleeping in a bedroom with my beautiful ex-roomie Catherine), secrets and laughter shared in sisterly confidence, parental advice/conversations, ect. :) The weather and scenery as well, is providing solace for my weary mind and soul...the abundant very-green foliage, variety of trees, aroma of evergreen mixed with rain, mountains in the distance, and the many misting waterfalls which cascade into the Columbia River...my favorite combinations of topography! (Due to continuous showers we have not yet been able to do any hiking - hopefully towards the end of this week.) Everything upon which my gaze falls, be it in or outside the house, provides me with a reason to give thanks to the Creator, and once again, be awestruck at His goodness to me. Of course, I am missing hubby VERY much; we all wish you could be here with us, hubby, and the children are very much looking forward to your visit in July. (Last night, Dad provided me with a large stuffed puppy to cuddle with in lieu of my absent husband, so I'm all set, right?) :P~ Too funny.

Mom and I finally remembered to print out one of my wedding pictures, and I'm proud to announce that the Steele's have finally made it to the "Hall of Fame" (aka. the Stone Family's stairwell picture gallery). While checking out Mom's display, I was inspired by the wedding photos of my elder generations - both of my grandparents and parents have been such wonderful witnesses to the marital and parental vocations - and so I want to honor them for their commitment to each other, their children, and their grandchildren...we have learned and continue to learn so much about service, love, and family life from you all, and your examples will never been forgotten. Thank you. <3


Paternal grandparents, Lee & Stephanie Stone ~ February 20, 1953

Maternal grandparents, Donald & Caroline Holst ~ December 5, 1953

My parents, Charles & Linda Stone ~ November 20, 1982

And the 2 married daughters!

Time with Mary-pie!

Andrew and I concluded a great week of celebrating our graduation with a special day with Mary! Mary is the only Stone child who has never been to a Disney park, and she has been wanting to go for a LONG time. Andrew and I had some days left on previously purchased D passes, and so we were more than happy to take her. Friday was spent running from park to park, getting Mary on the important rides. Below are a few pictures...we love you Mary and you are more than welcome to our FL abode anytime!