TulipGirl

I miss writing, journaling about our lives.

Just went through the “family journal” category of the blog, looking for a specific picture. Feel very sentimental now. A bit weepy. So many memories. Wish I’d posted more photos, wrote more funny things the kids have said through the years.

I was shocked to see the pics of J on his first day of school when we got back to the states. He was so little! Yet, I thought of him as so big. Now C is the age J was then. . . Where does the time go?

I’m a bit in shock that we’ve been in the states for over four years. Even more shocking to me is that I’ve lived in the same house the past four years. That has never, ever happened before. In my whole life. Yet, I’ve had itchy feet, ready to move. Gypsy feet. . . Ready for a move, a new adventure. We’re in the enviable position of the status quo being good. . . Hubby’s teaching college, I’m in grad school. We have a great, grace-filled church. Good friends and family nearby. And, it’s time to move.

We’ve been renting the same house for the past four years. Very kid-friendly neighborhood, near a park and woods, great neighbors. Now that the boys are older and I’m not tense about it, the pool is great. When the house went on the market in the fall, it sold in less than a week. That sure is a blessing, but it means eventually we really DO have to move. As soon as the paperwork goes through. . . Until then, we’re still here.

But over the past couple of years we’ve been exploring ways to return overseas. Being part of the church-planting team in Kyiv was amazing, and I know that God had us there for that season. But it did confirm to us that Hubby was not to go to seminary, and we were not called to directly being on a church-planting team. Instead, we want to be actively involved in outreach and the life of church plants as members and supporters — whether in the US or overseas. And, we do want to return overseas.

We’ve been looking into our options for the future. . . knocking on doors, leaning on fences, looking through cracks in the walls. While nothing is certain, we do have an opportunity which is becoming more solidified. While Hubby has been in the process of fulfilling prerequisites, until we’re moving I don’t want to go into too much detail. (You know how that is. . . some daydreams seem to fade away when named.) But, should it all come together we would be moving overseas again in the next year or so. We’re excited, the kids are excited.

And I’m ambivalent. I’m okay with having contrary thoughts, contrary feelings. Excitement and reluctance. Wanting the dream and wanting stability. Enjoying the moments here and ready to leave.

We moved a lot when I was growing up. The constant was our family unit. We had so much fun. . . Dad and Mom, my younger brother and sister and me. Every time we moved, we had a new adventure. We had fun together. Looking through the archives here reminds me that I still have that. The constancy of Hubby and the boys, and the fun and memories we’ve made along the way.

. . .

Btw, I know my comments have been wonky. You can always reach me by email at tulipgrrl AT gmail DOT com .