Moving in... and moving on!



Our Welcome sign!

Wow, I really cannot believe it's been almost 3 weeks since our move to Indiana!  It's funny how time is relative when it comes to transitions.  Some people say "it's just gonna take some time to get used to things...", but to be totally honest with you, I feel really "at home" here.  

"Front" view of the church building... parsonage on the right.



Church Parsonage - our new "home".



The changes are obvious:

1.  I now live on a "county road", as opposed to a Street, Avenue, Drive, or Lane.

2.  My neighbors are a "ways" away, sometimes a whole "urban block" away!

3.  I see Amish buggies pass by our front windows daily.

4.  John Deere tractors come by to transport "goods" here and there... (what?  really?  YES... and Joshua loves it!)

5.  The nearest Walmart is "only" 8 miles away.

6.  No commuting to church!

7.  Going to the store is not something you just "hop in the car" and do it.  It's a planned activity.

8.  We'll have a garden without a fence around it (No, I will NOT miss having the deer in our backyard!).

9.  No TV (we didn't bring ours from Ohio).

10.  Staying at home FULL-TIME to be a mom to dear Joshua (and Baby #2).



The boys working the garden



...  HOWEVER, some of the changes aren't so obvious. 

They're quite subtle:

1.  I can drive 8 miles to Walmart, Target, Walgreens, Panera, Starbucks, Kohl's, and Aldi, which are CONVENIENTLY located almost NEXT to each other!  Yay for proximity within my favorite shops!

2.  The rain and the wind during a Spring storm sound and feel the same... like a breath of fresh air.  I love rain!

3.  Fabric stores galore!!  Love it!

4.  Looking forward to fresh produce around the "hood", I mean, around the "county". 

5.  We have a lovely church family.

6.  I have a garage full of Joel's "toys"... meaning, tractors and more tractors.

7.  The Bunn still brews delicious coffee in the morning, no matter what kitchen I'm sitting in.

8.  Friends are only a phone call away.

9.  We're covered with people's prayers, from all around the world.

10.  God is near me, all the time.

So, as I reflect on my new residence, I am truly thankful for God's faithfulness in bringing us to a place where "home" would be felt so early on.  I can truly say that if it weren't for God's grace in the process, I would still be yearning for a busy life.  That's how I was born and wired to live.  Isn't it ironic how God also calls all of us to BE STILL and to REJOICE in the midst of trials? 

Here's an excerpt from one of my recent journal entries:

"...God has been faithful in providing people to make this transition so much smoother than we could've asked for!... There are really no words to describe how PEACE feels like in times of transitions like this.  I know this is where God wants me now.  Despite having a hard time transitioning to being a full-time mom, I'm at peace, feeling God's hands of grace and protection.  He reminds me... 'eucharisteo' precedes the miracle, as I read in a book recently.  I am enjoying the small moments with Joshua.  I know these moments are precious and I won't be able to take them back once Baby #2 arrives.  Joshua is a gift.  I praise God for gifting me with a healthy, curious, and loving boy.  He's transitioning really well... as much as a 22 month-old can, I suppose." 

Looking forward to what's ahead...