Welcome to 2015!
Whether it's personality or practicality, I definitely tend towards "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." With regards to my blog, the 365Project style works really well for me. To top it off, a few days ago this article reminded me once again of why the "ordinary" days matter. So, by God's grace, we will press forward with similar format for the upcoming year. And as indicated in my last post, the upcoming year holds some significant changes for our family.
The Lord has been working in some amazing ways in recent weeks, and is very clearly leading our family to join Jenny's parents in the family business. To say we are excited would be an understatement. :) It's something that has been out there as a possibility for about three years, but it has been absolutely amazing and humbling to watch Him so clearly confirm His will and the timing of now for this move. It will be incredibly hard to say good bye to our church family--they truly have been our family for the last 15+ years. However, we trust the Lord's grace for even that, and we're excited to see what He has ahead for us. We anticipate moving no later than May, but, depending on when our home sells, it may be sooner. We covet your prayers as we prepare to sell our home and work through all of the details involved in moving a household of six over 800 miles.
And now, join us on the whirlwind with which we began 2015. :) I expressed to a friend this evening that I felt as though I had lived about a month and a half of "life" in the first week of the year!
Day 1. A few last minute cuddles with Grandpa before they left for home. ♥
Day 2. Ah. Our table is back in its place, ... and it's beautiful!! Chris did an amazing job refinishing it! It's so silky smooth, and I can get it clean now. (The old finish had deteriorated, so it perpetually felt "sticky.")
We're also enjoying a new game--Forbidden Island. It's a cooperative game which lends itself really well to younger players since everyone can talk about strategy and moves.
Day 3. We enjoyed a wonderful evening of fellowship with dear friends who were excited with us to see the Lord's leading. They also offered to stay with our older children for a few days (!!!) so that we could make a really. fast. trip. to see a home that looked perfect for our family without having to drag our whole crew through both halves of a 14+ hour car trip. Let me say once again that the Lord has blessed us with a.m.a.z.i.n.g. friends here. ♥
Day 4. The Lord blessed and allowed us to fly rather than drive ... we were on a plane headed to NY less than 18 hours after purchasing tickets.
Abby-girl is definitely of the opinion that flying is the way to travel ... cuddling with Mommy or Daddy the entire time? Why, yes, that'll work, thank you very much. :)
Day 5. Happy girl hanging out at G&G's ♥
Day 6. And less than 36 hours after landing, we were heading back home. Pshew. Most definitely a whirlwind. But, it was a very profitable whirlwind. We were able to see what we needed to see, and as of tonight, the Lord has blessed in allowing our purchase offer to be accepted on our new home. (!!!)
Yep. Flying is the. way. to. travel. :)
Day 7. And then it was back to school! :) It's nice when coloring is a legitimate school activity. ;)
Abby was oh so happy to be back with her big sister! ♥
Day 8. "NY, here we come!" Matthew came upstairs this morning packed and ready for our move. He had Blackie and his Planes DVD. What else could you possibly need? :) It took most of the day to help him realize that "We are moving to NY" doesn't mean today. Soon enough, though, it will.
Big brother snuggles are pretty good, too!
Day 9. I love little people's "people" figures. ♥
And I'm also thankful for an art curriculum which is teaching my children what I simply don't have the skills to teach! Shading with colored pencils was on the docket for this particular lesson.
Day 10. Field trip! We all enjoyed learning more about ocean life.
Sting rays ...
And pythons (which have nothing to do with oceans, but anyways ...)
Day 11. Watching these two say goodbye is going to be one of the hardest. things. ever. So thankful for Hannah's dear friend Faith-Ann! And so thankful for modern technology which will hopefully allow them to stay connected more easily. (And our new home has a guest room, so visits will definitely be in order!!)
Today they had fun baking cupcakes with a recipe from Hannah's new cookbook. :)
Truly we are rejoicing, even in the midst of some teary moments. ♥
