We're plugging along...

Hello faithful readers! Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers as our family has ventured out into this new transition. We have felt sustained, for sure! Things are slowly feeling better. I think as you drive the same roads over and over, it becomes the new normal. We have since started looking at houses (which is always fun), and have found a few possibilities. I can hardly believe that out of the 8 houses I've seen thus far, 2 have some serious potential...amazing, considering in CO, we looked at 81 houses before we landed on ours. I'd take the odds of 2 vs. 8 any day. :)

Shawn generally likes what he is doing-again, it is a big adjustment going from a fast-paced city hospital with lots of action/trama, to a more community feel. However, he has really enjoyed his staff of volunteer chaplains and thinks there is a lot of great potential for care in the hospital's new Cancer Center.

Owen and I continue to look for a rhythm for our days together. I really wish there was a gym with childcare included here, but I can't seem to find any that are overly convenient. We need to start going to story time at the library this week, in hopes of not only giving O an outlet, but maybe we'll sit next to some other nice mommy's! :) I am also on the hunt for a Kindermusik group...I think Owen would just LOVE that. Lately, he has been doing these finger plays with me in the car--so cute! I could seriously eat him alive! It is also really funny the way he connects real life events to things in the stories we read him. For instance, last week, we had a painter here at our house doing some outside work on a ladder. Owen points up and says, "OH NO! Ladder, Old Man, well, boom boom, Tikki. OH NO!" What he was doing was re-telling me the story of Tikki Tikki Tembo...(one of my favorite childhood books and Owen's, too) where Tikki Tikki Tembo falls into the well, and his brother has to run to the Old Man with the ladder to fish him out. So funny. He is a smart little guy. I can't believe how much he absorbs.

Anyhow, it is feeling brighter here...maybe "the sun will come out tomorrow!" :) Actually, this week, weather wise, has been really beautiful. Thank. God.

We're in Goshen!

Well, we did it! I can hardly believe it has all happened so fast:

middle of February: Heard of job in Goshen/interviewed/offered position/accepted position
start of March: Put house on market
start of April: Sold house/packed up/said goodbyes/moved to Goshen/Shawn starts today, 4.14

So, we got into town this past Thursday, and it has been a mixture of emotions! We are thankful for safe travels, reconnecting with my family who lives in town, but recognizing that we are experiencing a lot of culture shock! We went from lots of cars, big buildings, tons of shopping/museums/events, and even lots of sunny days...........to...............corn fields, buggies, getting across town in less than 5 minutes, and cloudy/cold days. Needless to say, the transition has been much more difficult than I thought. I know it always takes time to make new friends, and feel acclimated, so I suppose I should be more gracious to myself. I refuse to believe that we made a wrong decision to move, even though it feels like this often. It felt so right when we were in Denver...so why the questions now? Most of the time, I am somewhere between stuffing down tears, and feeling a panic attack! Transitions are hard!

I have been so thankful for my brother and his family. It's been so fun to have our kids play together, and Owen just LOVES them (and all their tractors)! That is definitly the bright spot in midst of all the confusion! I continue to pray for peace of mind, and a group of friends to connect with. Thanks for keeping us in your prayers during this time.