Finally Moving.

We are finally moving. I expected it to feel a little surreal at this point, since we've been in limbo for so long, but being in the new house this morning felt normal, and good.

The house is in NW Portland and is a short 10-15 minute joyride for my husband to work. Seriously, a joyride compared to the brutality of taking Highway 26 pretty much any hour of the day. He will not miss that.

We still don't have a definite plan for how and when to move all the beds and big furniture over, and the owners are having AC installed for us, so we're waiting to see when that will be done before we leave our cool 73 degrees over here. We have several weeks before we need to be out, so we're taking our time, packing with that in mind, and trying to navigate the children's emotions more intentionally.

I knew having an actual house to live in would help everyone feel more at peace, but I underestimated how much the uncertainty had been tainting our days. All of a sudden, I have the willpower, maybe even the desire, to be kind and loving to my husband. Our oldest child can suddenly speak politely to me when I ask him to do something. However, our middle child is still bit confused about when we will be living where and what we will be bringing with us - guess we will be working on our communication skills this year! Jovi is still Jovi, so nap times are rough and you never know what will set her off. But wow, what a difference it has made in everyone's mood to have the house situation more settled.

There are still areas of our lives immersed in uncertainty. We are still trying to figure out our homeschool plan with a local CC, I really want to keep going to my CrossFit gym but don't know if I can commit to the extra hour in my schedule to accommodate commuting there and back three days a week, and again, we don't know exactly when we will be sleeping in the new place. Cole is signed up for soccer (which we still don't have a practice schedule for) and we are communicating with a local league to get Asher signed up for football. I'll be looking into swimming lessons and other activities for the kids this year, attempting to be out of the house a little more and trying to give all the kids opportunities to try new things. I know September may be just as busy as August, but at least we have keys to a real house to live in. Whew!

I really want to write more about how uncertainty taints our days, steals our joy, and how we can fight against it, but I am just too tired today. My body is toast and my brain is mush. This short post is my form of taking action this week, to say that "I blogged", and at least share with all of you a few of the little details you have asked me about.

This summer has been an incredibly stretching time for all of us, but I can see how God has used it to teach me so many things. I feel able to handle more (though I don't plan on asking for that particular blessing), I have a little more courage, a little more tenacity, and a lot more understanding of myself. It baffles me to see God using all these crazy circumstances to show His tender, powerful love, and maybe that seems odd for you to hear, but I see it more clearly now than ever.

I'm seeing how there is opportunity to feel comfort in His presence, feel His vast greatness, and experience His infinite love every day, every place I go. I'm seeing how His Spirit permeates all places, and it is my stubborn, distracted heart that keeps me from receiving the gifts of His presence. For instance, driving along the freeway one day I was tempted to despair, to think only of all the problems I had, and the tasks I needed to accomplish, but a quiet request from my son for worship music initiated a time of beautiful closeness with God that I had not expected. How often do I miss those moments? How often could I feel His presence instead of occupying my mind with the problems in my life?

If all of our house-hunting troubles were nothing more than a tool to draw me closer to Him, it will definitely have been worth it. I would never have asked for it, and I don't particularly want to do it again, but it has strengthened me in a way I am taking great joy in. I am more settled with how He has made me and how He is working in me. I don't know that I've ever been so content with who I am becoming, which just further confirms that through uncertainty and difficulty, God works to give us peace in His plans. What a beautiful, unexpected blessing it has been.

Thank you for all your prayers and asking me about how we are doing. I'm happy to report a deep peace that is about more than just finding a place to live, but one that is dwelling in my heart more securely every day. And I pray you can find that peace in Him too.