"We're home!"

These were Ellie's words just over a week ago as we pulled into our new home in Whitewater after visiting a local church.  We all smiled, thankful that she's recognizing what's really happened.  It still feels weird to call this place "home".  But it is our home.  And for the house itself, we couldn't be more thankful!

God has placed in me a desire to trust Him for big things (at least in some areas of life).  He's answered prayers too numerous to count over the last several years.  I try to write at least some of them down.  (I've done a pretty poor job of this).  But every so often a story comes that I don't need to write down, because it's so memorable.  This has been the case with this house.

In the months preceding our move to Champaign, we prayed regularly specific prayers for a house to rent. The Lord provided incredibly above and beyond.  We have truly loved life on Green Street! As we've prepared to move to Whitewater for a new season of life and ministry, I wondered if He'd provide again in a similar way.  Katie and I have tried to prepare for the possibility of buying a house by saving up money for a small down payment.  I called to mind the above verse as a reminder (to Him but mostly myself) that He would provide for our needs.  Would He provide a house to buy?

So what did we need?  I asked God for a house that would provide three things:

• a place for our family to thrive
• a place to bless, host, instruct, and share life with the students we minister to
• a place to bless the many guests that stay with us at various times

I made a specific list of what this house might look like:  I'd need space for an office, a guest room, bedrooms separate from the living area (so our girls can sleep during loud student gatherings at our home), close to campus, and many other specifics.

I spent much of December-February scouring the internet for options (WW is a smaller town so options were limited).  In the meantime, we qualified for a rural housing loan through the USDA with incredible terms, but some limits on value and square footage.  If the house didn't qualify for this loan, it was unlikely we would be able to buy a house that fit our needs, so it was very important to us that the houses we were looking at fit the terms of the loan. Finding a house that fit "the list" and the limits of the loan was quite difficult. It was easy to think:  maybe this prayer list was too ambitious.  The Lord didn't have to provide anything we wanted.  I was reminded that our God isn't a vending machine.  Maybe He had something else in mind.

Yet, this Scripture reminded us of the Lord's generous provision in every way.  I continued to pray and research.  And over-research.  It was hard to keep this house search from becoming the focal point of everything else.  And we weren't finding "the house."

Then one night in mid-February I got home late.  Katie and I decided to check craigslist.  This is how we found our Champaign house, but WW doesn't even have it's own craigslist, so we had rarely checked it at all.  Only 5 houses came up for Whitewater and this one stood out to us.  It was newer and seemed to fit "the list" very well.  

This was the first house Katie was excited about (a big plus for me, knowing this would be a difficult move).  It all looked great until we saw the price and value, several thousand over the limit required by the loan for Walworth County, where Whitewater is located.  Oh well, we thought!  Back to the drawing board!

But then I noticed the county listed on the information sheet:  Jefferson.  

Turns out a small fraction of Whitewater is actually in Jefferson County.
And as you might guess, Jefferson County has a higher limit for the loan ($20k higher!)
This potential house fit easily into the limits!  
We sensed the Lord might be giving it to us.

A friend from Katie's hometown offered to be our realtor and within 36 hours of seeing the house on craigslist we were headed up to visit it.  On our way there I made the off-handed comment "if only it was near one of Whitewater's parks for the girls to play at."   Wouldn't you know, an hour later as we drove in front of the house for the first time, we noticed a park that had been built in recent years a few houses down from us.

We wrote an offer that day and received and accepted a counteroffer all before we were halfway back to Champaign.

This house matches up perfectly to the list we'd been praying, and then some.  It is simply an incredible gift from our good Father, and we are GRATEFUL.

The house was for sale by owner and so we are blessed to have met the previous owners. They are gracious people and followers of Jesus.  They hung brand new shower curtain liners before they left, filled the water softener, changed the furnace filter and numerous other really kind things. They even brought a bouquet of flowers to our closing.

We have been abundantly provided for, beyond even what we could ask.  I researched and obsessed way too much over this whole process and it was like the Lord said, "You do your research, but I'll provide for you when and how you least expect it."   I write all this to point to HIM, who provides abundantly for His children.  We don't deserve this, but we're incredibly thankful. And each night as we watch the beautiful sunset in our backyard, we are giving God the glory.

Please join us in thanking the Lord for an abundant start to our time in Whitewater!

-Noah

While I may not have asked for it, wished for it or even admitted I wanted it,  it has happened.  Our life has become a whole lot simpler. 

We live in a small town. 

After having every store I could ever want to shop at "just across town" I now have Wal-Mart, Sentry grocery store, Walgreens, a hardware store and Maurices as my local options. (I've been to all but Walgreens at least one time already :))
We have one coffee shop.
A few parks.
Maybe 2 or 3 places that are open past 9pm?
One weekly story time option at the library
We get an ad and coupons for ONE grocery store.
We had one good option for a local bank

Our life has gotten a lot simpler! Noah and I LOVE to find good deals.  We can spend too much time online shopping around and looking for the best deal. And I can spend way too much time going to 5 (or more) stores just to get the best deal. I guess the Lord wants to make things more simple as He knows that is what we need!

Our life has been anything BUT simple for the last month.  In 5 weeks we have had two major trips to Chicago for my brother's graduation and then again for his wedding, packed up our entire house and life in IL and moved to WI. We have unpacked an entire house, cared for two little girls, hosted my parents and Noah's parents for long weekends, gotten new drivers licenses, license plates, bank accounts, library cards, purchased (and assembled) a house worth of furniture, found a new dr. for the girls, visited two new churches, been shopping at a LOT of stores (including 2 carts at Lowes!) getting everything under the sun to complete our new home.

It has NOT been simple.  In fact we are exhausted. But somehow God has found a way to slow us down by eliminating options and making life more simple. 

I don't know if I like it, but I guess it's good for me!
Here's to a simple life in small-town Wisconsin. 

(Where the only thing that isn't simple is choosing what flavor of ice cream I want and what lake I want to go to :))

When Elllie gets exasperated this is her plea, "Please mommy daddy please mommy daddy please mommy daddy".  It doesn't matter if her mommy and daddy are even both around, it's like she's trying to be kind and polite but she is so worked up and she struggles to control her emotions.

Today I've felt like Ellie.  I'm tired.  I'm sad.  I am trying to control my emotions, but it's hard.  This morning in the Jesus Calling devotional book (Thanks Matt & Julia!) I read this, "Let me prepare you fore the day that awaits you and point you in the right direction.  I am with you continually, so don't be intimidated by fear.  Though it stalks you, it can't harm you as long as you cling to my hand."

This was so me.  Fear is stalking me.  I am doing okay, but I'm afraid.  Afraid of not making friends, afraid of being sad, afraid of Ellie not adjusting well, afraid of being insufficient on campus, afraid of all of the changes ahead, mostly afraid of not liking it here. 

The Lord continues to tell me I AM YOUR REFUGE! I continue to take refuge in Jesus the best that I know how. When I picture Jesus as my refuge, I picture being safe.  No matter how I feel or what is going on around me, I will be okay with Jesus as my refuge. 

But then today I read Psalm 5:11

"But let all who take refuge in you be GLAD; let them ever sing for joy.  Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you."

It just hit me. When I take refuge in Jesus, not only will I be safe, but I will be full of JOY! I haven't even been asking for joy, I've just been asking to be okay.  

So today my prayer has become a pray for JOY! I feel very weak today.  But, I'm learning from my two-year old and I have a new plea, "Please Jesus, Please Daddy, Please Abba Father, Please Father God, PLEASE, I ask for joy in your presence! I plead for joy as I take refuge in you! " 

After months of praying, planning and preparing, we are here in Whitewater! We closed on the house last Friday and are getting settled.  We're grateful for everyone who has helped us along in this journey- whether it be packing boxes, cleaning windows, helping with the girls, unloading a moving truck, praying for us, bringing us food, etc. etc. THANK YOU.  I've re-worded the old saying and have been saying to myself, "It takes a village to move the Haas family!" :) 

Yesterday was an emotional day.

Worshiping at the church we've grown to love and spending time with good friends made us realize what we're going to be losing as we move.

Yet the Lord has met us, giving us all we need.  The church service yesterday seemed custom-tailored by the Lord for us.  Our staff supervisor, Norm Hubbard, was the guest preacher.  One of the hymns was "Be Still My Soul".  It's eerie melody and right-on lyrics brought tears to my eyes.

And that's just one verse.  It's been easy for me to focus on all that's exciting about our upcoming move and new ministry opportunities...and there's a lot to be excited about.  I'm thankful the LORD isn't letting me get away without properly mourning the many losses we face as well.

Should we have any reason to doubt or worry or fear as we leave Champaign, we only need to recall the verse of the month that Ellie received at that same church service, which couldn't be more timely or relevant.

Yes, Lord.  We will trust in You.  Help us to do so!

Please continue to pray for us in this very exciting and very challenging time.

Love,
-Noah

Ok, so updates are usually on Fridays.  These are crazy times, so an update on Wednesday counts for last Friday and this upcoming Friday right? :)  And probably the Friday after, since we move to our new house that day.

So, the University of Illinois has a famous statue set near the Union on campus, Alma Mater.  You'll notice her in the background of the picture to the left.  She was cast in 1929 and has become an iconic symbol of the University.  Old Alma has taken quite the beating by the weather over the decades, and the University decided to remove her and send her in for restoration, a 1.5 year process.  She was a popular backdrop for pictures throughout the year and especially at graduation, so in her absence, the University created many opportunities for photo opps with Alma.

I saw this free photo booth as I was working on campus during the last couple weeks of the semester, and decided that getting an Alma photo would be a sad but appropriate memoir of our time at Illinois, which is rapidly drawing to a close.  We move to Whitewater a week from Friday!

*sigh*

Exciting possibilities ahead, watch for my next update on something we're calling LAUNCH.

But for now, we'll miss you Illinois!

And you too, Alma!

-Noah

Our life is ...... there is no word... insane maybe??  We load the truck a week from tomorrow and we have
SO
MUCH
TO
DO

It's hard to stay on top of daily life, let alone packing up our entire house and saying bye to all of our friends! But if you know me, you won't be surprised to know that time with friends is at the top of my list.... the house is a mess, the to-do list is endless.....o the packing will get done.. somehow :)

Yesterday was a sweet trip to Prairie Farm with friends after naps. It was PERFECT weather. Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures of sweet baby Silas! :(  

My brother got married this weekend. It was FABULOUS... an incredibly meaningful ceremony performed by Julia's dad, a ridiculously BEAUTIFUL bride inside and out, a very special couple, a rockin dance floor, and a wonderful weekend all around!  We are so grateful! 

As much as I complain about being the middle child, Ive always wanted "everything" (an older brother, older sister, younger brother and younger sister).  Now that Julia is a part of our family, I do! :) We couldn't ask for a more sweet sister (not to mention the most amazing niece to four little nieces!)  

It was a BUSY weekend. I was a bridesmaid (or is it matron?) oh boy!, Noah was a groosman and Ellie was a flower girl with her cousin Claire. No wonder I didn't take very many pictures :) Here are a few... ENJOY!

We love you Matt & Julia!