We are moved

Phew! The move is done and Sports Camp is finished and Tom and I are settling in and my brain feels like it's holding way too much stuff 'cause I just haven't had the energy/discipline to sit and write. It's amazing to me how thoughts accumulate. It's a good reminder just how much good therapy and release this blog spot gives me. So let's back up. . . . .

The week prior to July 11th was packing week. I still can't believe how much stuff we still have after several downsizings. It's also very freeing to realize how little of it is of much importance. The most fun has been when one of our children has expressed interest in something and we can give it to them. Then when we visit in their homes we get to enjoy THEM enjoying stuff we have enjoyed over the years. Saturday, July 11th was a warm, okay, HOT day. We rented a UHaul and hired 2 moving men to help us. Our children were also there to help and the move really went pretty smooth. The challenge was getting the boxes to the correct destinations--Kirstin's, storage or Kylisa's (for garage sale later).

The morning of the move I broke down in tears in the shower thinking that life as we had known it was now over and would never be the same and how would it all work. I believe God spoke to me and told me that every day we get up life is new and will never be the same. I had to agree and very quickly got over my panicky moment. Later that night Kirstin, Yura and I had dinner together. Kirstin and I had a good opportunity to talk and she expressed much the same panicky thoughts. It was good to talk it through and to agree that we would work hard to keep good lines of communication open. If something is bothering one of us and it has to do with the other we will share it. After those moments of anxious thoughts all seems to be going well. We are enjoying being close to our family. Tom especially looks forward to hanging out with Kemp in his new workshop. The first morning we woke up to the sounds of two year old Maximus' laughter--best sound in the world.

Last week was hard but good. It was hard for Tom to have me gone every night--didn't get home till 10:00 after camp each night. I'm not quite sure what I was thinking scheduling the move for the weekend before sports camp but now that it's done it's nice not to have to think about it any more. Camp went very well. I had great assistants. Two girls accepted Jesus as their Savior and Lord--a definite highlight that makes all the exhaustion worth it.

Tom has had very mixed days. He's expressed frustration can't talk, can't eat, can't drink" is what he wrote one day. At other times he is content. He is still beating me at cribbage. Together we are enjoying talking about and sharing
our footloose and carefree (kind of) new life.

The last few days I have been finishing unpacking and organizing AND catching up on rest. Tomorrow I will be back in the office hoping to work out a schedule that will work for all. Yesterday I was determined to begin walking with the hope of walking at least 5 out of 7 days. I finally headed to Greenlake about 6:30 pm and walked for about an hour but only covered about 2/3 of the 3 mile walk--that's my best guess and today best laid plans have taken a back seat to spending time with Kylisa and her boys. Enjoyed hanging out in her back yard with water and mud and lots of balls.

While walking yesterday I listened to a podcast. Ravi Zacharias is a wonderful speaker. He talked about looking through a person rather than at them; looking through a situation rather than at it. Interesting thought. When we look at a person we only see what the eyes can take in. When we look through them we see from God's perspective--His purpose and plan for their life. When we look at a situation we only see the problem or difficulty or pain. When we look through it we again see it from God's perspective--how He is working through it and how it will bring Him glory. That's not a very good summary and I don't know if it makes sense--I just know that yesterday the message was an encouragement.

So life is over as we have known it and will never be the same. And that's not a bad thing. What is the same is who we trust with our lives and that's all that really matters. He is faithful and trust worthy. We're in good hands.