Provided for

This year has been a long journey.  It will be one that will stick out as we look back on our lives.  We will never forget it.

It's been awesome at times and really difficult at times.  But the Lord has remained faithful.  He always has and always will.

We've had our moments of missing Richmond, missing family, missing friends and small group, missing familiarity, missing our old home, and stability in a job.  But over and over and over we have been reminded that it is the Lord that has brought us here.  Nothing else has.  Why else would we leave the familiar, comfortable, and stable things?

One of the ways the Lord has blessed us this year is our neighborhood.  We really like our house.  It gives us the space we need, in a really nice community.  The only complaint would be our lack of yard, which is becoming a bigger deal.  But its the people that is blowing me away.

I've always wanted to live in one of those communities where you know all your neighbors and the kids all play together.  We're getting close to that here.

Tonight Ed and I sat in our backyard with two couples who live on our street.  One couple bought smores stuff  and pretty much invited themselves over to use our firepit, and that kind of explains our relationship.  Our next door neighbors have become dear friends.  They are seminary people so obviously there was an instant connection.  We have shared meals and desserts, traded babysitting our kids for their dog, talked on our front porches, discussed ministry ideas and philosophies, and dreamed about new babies.

The other couple just moved in down the street and they too are believers.  We are just getting to know them, but really like them as well.

So as we sat outside in our backyard laughing and telling stories, I was just reminded of this gift the Lord has given us.

Micah has a friend that lives right behind us that goes to school with him.  So this is the first time he has had a friend in the neighborhood, and he loves it!

All this in a neighborhood I didn't think we'd be here for much more than a year.  But all of a sudden I'm finding I love the people here and it breaks my heart to leave.  We have no plans of leaving yet, but know it will be in our future.

Right now I am just full of thankfulness for my God who has so richly provided sweet friendships for us all.  He has not only provided for us financially, but with relationships that go deep.  These are a treasure to me, and leaves my heart full and so grateful.  We are truly provided for.

These Two

I've really been enjoying these two recently.  They are trouble when they are together.  They are both so expressive and emotional that it is usually either laughing or yelling or crying.  So even though they may be wearing me out, I'm treasuring my time with them.

It may have something to do with my oldest being in school, and I really miss him.  So I know my days are numbered having them around the house everyday, and well, there's a little bit of savoring going on.

This day they wanted to be twins, which sometimes I feel as if they are.

And I caught them in one of their "we are the best of friends" moments!  Giggles abound on these days.  Mostly Caleb making Haleigh laugh, as he does with all of us!

Progress

Counter Chaos

We have a huge kitchen counter that is usually covered in stuff.  Like so...

The main culprits - school papers and mail.

Its things that need to be dealt with, not the "file it away" papers. 

So in an effort to become a bit more organized, I bought a wall file folder organizer thingy.
 

Its cute and functional.  Win.

Now lets see if it works in daily life. 
And by works, I mean if I actually use it!