Saying Goodbye.

This morning our 3 kiddos

left with their suitcases

and sleeping bags.

They are going on a 3 day retreat

with their school.

They also had to say goodbye to our house.

They were fine emotionally.

I don't think it's quite hit them

that when they get back,

we won't live here anymore.

It has definitely hit me.

This has been a great house for us.

We have loved the (nod to) Craftsman style, the open layout and

many details of it

(lots of storage, many windows and so on).

It has been so much fun to design the yard 

and decorate each room.

But at the end of the day,

a house is just a house.

It's the lives, the living that takes place 

inside the house 

that matters.

We moved here in November 2004.

We were some of the first people to

arrive in this new subdivision.

Our kids were 9, 6 and 4.

We were brand new to homeschooling.

Several new chapters at once.

Fast forward to August 2012.

Our kids are 17, 14 and 12.

They are all in school now.

I've got a job.

Several new chapters at once.

I know I must sound like a broken record

because I've mentioned this before quite a few times

(like here and here),

but God pointed out something to me the other day

that I wanted to share with you.

He placed us here not only for a season,

but for a specific season.

Our homeschooling season.

Somehow, 

in all the reflecting and memory recalling 

that I've been doing,

I had missed that direct correlation.

The amazing thing is that we didn't know

anyone in this neighborhood when we moved here.

Yet incredibly, God moved four other 

homeschooling families here, too,

all within earshot of each other.

Unbeknownst to us,

He had a beautiful plan for all of us during this season

that none of us could have seen coming.

It has been a throwback, a Mayberry, an idyllic situation

that our children have had these past

(almost) 8 years.

They probably won't understand this until they are grown

and have kids of their own.

This doesn't happen everywhere.

What an incredible blessing that He has given us!

Seeing His hand at work, preparing the way before us

when we are completely unaware--

it is evidence of His goodness.

He cares about the details of our lives and His plans for our lives 

are so much bigger and better than we could ever think of 

on our own.

I am so incredibly grateful for these years.

Bonnie, Leigh, Lisa and Jeanette--

I have grand visions of writing handwritten notes to each of you

but I'm aware of how terrible I am at that kind of thing.

I didn't want to let this opportunity slip away,

so I'm going to do it here.

I love you all. 

You mean the world to me.

Thank you for your listening ears, your advice,

your encouragement, your prayers, your love of me and my family.

I treasure your friendship.

I always will.

I am so thankful to have you in my life.

…….

With the tears streaming down my face as I write this,

you'd think we were moving to another continent.

We're just moving ten minutes down the road.

Still, it will be different.

But this I know--

God is continuing to write the story of our lives.

 He has proven that His plans far exceed

any that I could create for myself.

And this next chapter will be taking place 

in a scene from our past.

I can't wait to share with you the back story

of where we're going.

It's another example of God's faithfulness--

full circle restoration.

See you next week.