Moving On...

I'm sitting in the midst of our cluttered - from vacation - apartment wondering where to start with packing boxes. I have to admit that I didn't think this day would come for another 2 years until after John had finished School. This house has come as such a blessed surprise to us and the reality has not set in. So as I sit on my couch wondering where to begin, I think of what this apartment has held for us and our first three years of marriage. I'll never forget the first time John swung the door open to reveal our new home filled with our boxes unloaded by my brother and sister in law and their kind friends. White walls, white floors...breath held as I walked in a daze (we had driven through the night) through the apartment - not too long of a walk. It was close to church and school, but not in a kind of location that I had ever lived in before. With some time and a scrub brush though I think we made it our own 'ghetto apartment' as we some times affectionately would call it. But wow... think of how much of our life has been formed in these four walls...we grew from newlyweds to comfortable husband and wife and best friends. We shared our first Christmas and our first Anniversary and our first family visits. And I suppose many of you are thinking, 'Sheesh, if she's this nostalgic over their first place I can't imagine what it's going to be like in the future'. Well... boo. I love filling my heart with memories and the emotions of each part of my life. I want to sit here and remember everything just as it is in our first home before I put it in a box to move on. I want to remember it when I'm old or when our son or daughter gets married and we visit them in their first home. It's been part of us. I have learned myself and I have learned and loved my husband more in this place. I believe that is worthy of a few nostalgic moments.

Wow...

I am amazed. I am amazed at God's hand in our lives and his direction. John and I just returned from our trip this morning and while I am brimming over with thoughts and stories, at the same time I find it hard to put the experience into words. So, it will have to wait. But not to fear, I do have another thing to share.

The Sunday night before we departed (we were departing Tuesday afternoon) I went for a walk with my friend who lives around the corner. John and I had been talking about looking for a home to purchase when we returned, but we held the idea pretty loosely considering everything we had looked at thus far was quite out of our price range. Sunday evening I walked past a little brick town home with a For Sale sign out front. I immediately loved the little rose bush that loomed out front and made a mental note to look it up online when I got home.

That evening at home I pulled up the realtor's site and was surprised to find this 'ready to move in' home right in our price range. John called a realtor and by Tuesday afernoon we had made an offer on the home, had it accepted, had an inspection, and signed loan papers and set up our closing date!!! This really is more than we could 'ask or think' from our Heavenly Father. The location and set up of the house is just what we were looking for. I feel so blessed. A trip to open our hearts to the Lord's goodness and blessing upon blessing. Every time I recount the story I am struck how His timing works.

I will say one thing about our trip - that after two weeks of walking where Jesus walked, following the Via Dolorosa, exploring the corridors of Jerusalem and standing where he was mocked and broken for me - I'm praying I never lose the wonder of it all.