Here's a bit of what we've been up to...
Our Ordinary LifeA Portion of Our ThankfulListA Few Big Events |
Things haven’t changed a whole lot for our family. There are a lot of weeks where life just rolls on as it has and how it seems destined to for the foreseeable future. Some of that normal includes: worshiping with our church family each week, volunteering & subbing at the kids school, Girl Scout Troop meetings at our house and Cadet meetings Mike and the boys attend in Holland, mix in a pinch of the mundane of life: laundry, groceries… and you have a beautiful picture of our ordinary. Not much usually to write a whole news letter about each year, but I suppose that’s the job of the Family Chronicler: finding the extra in the ordinary.
Then just when you think, your extraordinary is just perfect and after a busy summer that ordinary seems just what the doctor ordered, life turns upside down for two months. God started us on a journey that I suspect isn’t quite done yet. The upside down part is mostly right side up again, though, but I’m learning the journey is just as important as the destination. That destination we thought was going to be a house (that we weren’t looking for) and then a piece of property that seemed perfect for our family. Yet, things fell through and after packing up our home, I find myself rather anticlimactically unpacking a select few boxes. It’s disappointing but I believe God’s protecting us from something. I have no idea what yet, but I do know that we kept asking Him to show us and make His will clear as we went. He sure did. I was fantastically against the idea of moving, at first. Our home holds us well and many people live in so much less than this place. I just couldn’t see the point of “bigger/better” for no particular reason. I loved the idea of our gray ranch being the homestead for our children, the home their newly married parents began life together in, the place each of them were brought home from the hospital, the place they drew on the walls, signed their name under a light switch, learned to ride their bikes, snuggled under blankets listening to mommy read aloud… then I realized it was me that was holding on to this place. I’ve never lived in one place longer than 4 years and so much of my life is held in these four walls. I don’t remember who that girl was 13 years ago who married the tall guy and tent-camped on her honeymoon. I certainly don’t have her figure anymore. But I’m realizing her life isn’t meant to be held on to but to change. She has grown up into the woman who is typing these words now. Her reddish brown hair is more gray than brown now. She’s quite a bit softer in all the places her children love to snuggle. Her teaching and parenting style is far less edict-heavy and more helping them learn and think and understand why. She still has issues and is learning and struggles, but her Abba Father holds her close. Isn’t that the definition of ordinary? There’s nothing special about our life except that our Abba Father holds us close to Him and that makes our life special. He directs our steps. He helps us walk through the middle school years. He keeps us fighting for each other and protecting our marriage. He reminds us our good is still His glory. So, here we stay. 324 Summerlin Drive. I’m content. Our house plans are still there waiting for the right place and God’s time. My Pinterest boards testify to my ideas as well as the kids ideas for their rooms - as their daddy is the one who brings ideas to life! I’m so thankful for our ordinary-extraordinary!
I’m thankful for places to donate all our extra stuff that this process has revealed we just do not need. I’m thankful for in-laws who don’t mind our boxes still in their basement. I’m thankful God never stops working in our hearts. Pruning and shaping and causing fruit to grow, even when imminent change freaks us out. I’m thankful for my best friend, Mike. I love discovering new things and understanding him in different ways as we grow together. There is nothing I love more than talking about anything and everything with him. I’m thankful for the process of maturity and not being the same person I was at 26. I’m thankful for Chloe and how our relationship is growing closer the older she gets. I’m thankful for Michael and his sensitive heart toward God. I’m thankful for Jonny and the joy he brings to our family.
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