To Sell or Rent

January has arrived, and the hopes of Matt being promoted to a better paying position have pretty much gone down the toilet.

We're now looking at the possibility of either selling or renting the house. We still have a few months of emergency funds before we're tapped out, but I'd rather be prepared for the worse. We're also considering that we may have to move somewhere else for a better paying job. I'm purging closets and getting boxes to do some packing.

I'm debating though on which route to pursue--sell or rent. Any advice? We really like this house, and I'm not sure we want to give it up. I also fear that if we sell--it will be years before we are ever available to purchase another house. Renting though comes with all kinds of headaches--trying to find a decent renter, caring for the property even when you don't live there, etc.

I'm earnestly praying it doesn't come to that. I'd like to just stay here. We still have several other options and possibilities to consider before we do anything, but like I said, I want to be prepared even for the worst-case-scenario.

Look What I Can Do

It's been awhile since I posted updates on what the kiddos are doing.

Eden:
If you didn't already know--she's walking, all the time. She's speedy and scrappy. She LOVES to say "hi," all.day.long. Over and over and over and over again. She has a few other words, momma, dada, and also trys "all done." The last two days she's been trying to say "beep" when she touches her nose or mine.
Her fifth tooth just popped through, and we are enjoying the joys of teething again. She's definitely developing opinions on food, and would much prefer what is on our plates to her's. As of late, she's really enjoying raisins, especially golden raisins.
Eden loves the rocker her daddy made, and you can find her sitting in it with a book daily. After a week of, ahem, "tummy" trouble--she became very fond of bath time, and comes running any time she hears the water running.
She enjoys tumbling & rolling, and I'm hoping she'll get to take gymnastic classes soon.
She follows Owen around all day, and for the most part they play very well together.

Owen:
Owen started speech therapy about a month ago, and it's going very well. In many areas he's ahead of the game, but he has a few areas that needed some catching up. Our speech pathologist is very impressed with his progress (SO ARE WE). He's such a smart kid, and it's so exciting getting to know him better with, now clearer, conversations. He enjoys coloring and drawing--he's a great artist, and is learning to spell quickly. I just wish I had more one-on-one time with him to keep his momentum up.
He still enjoys trains, but has broadened his interests. He received a drum kit for Christmas, and I'm amazed at what he learns just by watching his daddy. This kid has natural rhythym and talent. He also is showing a lot of interest for sports--lately, for football. Anytime I'm watching t.v. he insists on stopping to watch "the game." He'll watch mesmerized by the action, and he has started asking questions. I totally LOVE that he's into sports. I'm hoping to get him playing on a soccer team this spring.

Both kids are eager for warmer weather. Owen bundles up & goes out to ride his bike when it's not too cold. Eden usually watches from inside, but we did take her out a few days ago. We all stayed out playing with the soccer ball for about 15 minutes before our noses were red and the kids asked to go inside. I'm ready for spring too, but we have several more cold days before spring.

Prayer request:
We had hoped that Matt would've been promoted by now. He's looking for better paying work, but we'll be getting the house ready for renting or sale in the next couple months. It's not what we want, but we're preparing for whatever could happen.

What a difference...part2

From January:

From December:

Plus a pic from a year ago:

Owen still asks to hold Eden, and occasionally she allows him a few seconds of "holding time." The day is never complete until Owen has kissed his sister goodnight. Though during the day they have their moments of sibling rivalry, I am so thankful for the bond that is growing between them.

What a difference a year makes

From January:

From December:

I'll post a couple of Eden soon too.

A Self Portrait by Owen Cramer

Owen loves to color and draw. He has a dry-erase table and markers. A few nights ago HE WROTE HIS NAME! I wasn't able to get a picture (he's a bit eraser-happy), but I did capture this later:He drew this, and said "See, mom? Owen!" I asked "Is that a picture of Owen?" He said "Yeah! Owen!"

Pretty amazing kid.

Decorating the Tree

Owen & Matt's Christmas Tree Photo Journal