I knew that 2017 would involve a move for us. It was a good time to sell our home, and my dear husband has been counting down the seconds until we could make the move outside the city. Literally. He is like Dick Clark watching the ball drop in New York City. I have participated in my husbands dreams mostly because I want to support him, but I also believed deep down that we would never find a place outside the city. Honestly, I was not sure where we would end up. I never dreamed it would be here:
Our home sold quickly, and it was time to find a new place to live. Because of Joshua’s job, he could not take off work and look at houses with me. So, I scooped up the girls, grabbed my list of homes to check out (located across six different towns, mind you) (see! I had no clue!), and set out. I was determined to find a new home that day. I looked at quite a few, and as my list of potential homes grew shorter and shorter, my arm pits got sweatier and sweatier. I was nervous. The pressure of knowing you need to move and not knowing where you are going to end up is enough to leave you constipated.
As I approached the last home of the day, my hopes were high, but I was still doubtful.
I pulled into the drive, parked, and stepped out of the car. You would think that my first instinct would be to check out the inside of the home. However, the back porch took hold of me fiercely and I was drawn to the back yard immediately. As I stood frozen watching a small herd of deer make their way through the grass, a gust of wind blew past me. The smell of the air was fresh and new, yet familiar and comforting. This was it, right? It had to be.
Our Realtor met me out back, and before he could even get the door unlocked for us- I told him this was it.
We toured the inside of the property anyway. It was at the moment I was discovering that the girls would be sharing a bedroom…
pause
You might be thinking, “What is so wrong with that?” Well, our oldest is a very loud and weird sleeper- Bless her. And Betsy is barely one and such a light sleeper. So much so that we are afraid to even breathe loudly outside her door at night.
un pause
…that our Realtor informed me that the back pasture has access to the Colorado River. Well, sold. Who cares if we never sleep again, WE HAVE ACCESS TO THE RIVER. I did not even know this was something I wanted or even cared about. But, my face lit up with excitement as if you told me tacos were on sale two for one.
After much back and forth, more nervous armpit sweating, and even more anxious constipation- we were handed the keys to our new home.
The boxes are now unpacked. The clothesline is hung, pulled tight and ready for the weight of clean, wet clothes. The cast iron skillet is seasoned and ready to bake some homemade buttermilk biscuits.
Being here is like taking a bite of something that you didn’t even know you were craving.
I am excited for what God has in store for us out here. I feel like we are being called to a season of slow. Slow down to realize and appreciate what the Lord has provided for us. A slow season to reconnect as a family.
Strangely Unprepared 