I think a lot of what this move has taught me, again, is the lesson of trusting. Trusting in a Source that is far beyond me, that understands the big picture, that sees the greater good. Like I've said before, this move has been fairly difficult. However, I continue to refuse to think that we made an unwise decision. It just takes time. I can only see part of the puzzle now. I trust that in time clarity of vision will come and the larger picture will become apparent. God has been incredibly faithful (far beyond what I could have ever imagined) and I trust that as I stay committed to the path, despite the journey along the way, (this is turning into my life motto), that I'll see the greater good and reason we have been led here. But in the meantime, I'm trying to trust. It has definitely turned into a spiritual discipline.
However, as I look at what I do have to be grateful (b/c seriously, this post is starting to sound pretty whiny), we all have good health, we have each other, we have a great place to stay now in the meantime, Owen absolutely LOVES his cousins, we enjoy daily walks on the Mill Race watching the ducks and listening to the birds, and the weather has been beautiful.
Being grateful and thankful for the small blessings I see each day...perhaps that's the first step towards trusting. Hmmm...
Friday, May 30, 2008
Friday, May 16, 2008
Officially in transition!
Hello! Ok, it's been awhile, I apologize...I know how frustrating it is when you want an update and keep seeing the same heading, "We're plugging along!" I would love to post some recent pictures of our family, move, etc...but alas, it seems the cord for our camera is somewhere in a mountain of boxes! So, in brief, here is the update:
1. I drove Owen to Ohio last Thursday to hang out with cousins while his 'rents packed.
2. Shawn and I flew to Denver Friday through Tuesday to pack up the rest of our stuff and
make sure the movers took everything.
3. Today, Owen and I made sure that the truck arrived in Goshen and opened up a storage unit
for them to store all our earthly belongings. (As my mom made mention: hopefully it doesn't
leak when there is rain, mold doesn't grow in your freezer, and mice get into your couch.
Thanks, Mom for the encouragement. :)
It's weird, it was obviously hard moving here the first time, but I suppose I knew that we still
had a house which felt like a center. Now, with it all gone, I feel as though I have no place to really plant down, like I'm flying through space, wondering which direction I'm heading. Hopefully, our housing situation will come together w/i these next few weeks and we'll have a better sense for schedule and direction.
I think Owen's feeling a bit of the stress, too. After spending 6 days apart, he has been not wanting to go to bed (aka be alone), whereas before it was a dream putting him down. I suppose he also wonders if he loses sight of us...will we return?! Poor guy.
1. I drove Owen to Ohio last Thursday to hang out with cousins while his 'rents packed.
2. Shawn and I flew to Denver Friday through Tuesday to pack up the rest of our stuff and
make sure the movers took everything.
3. Today, Owen and I made sure that the truck arrived in Goshen and opened up a storage unit
for them to store all our earthly belongings. (As my mom made mention: hopefully it doesn't
leak when there is rain, mold doesn't grow in your freezer, and mice get into your couch.
Thanks, Mom for the encouragement. :)
It's weird, it was obviously hard moving here the first time, but I suppose I knew that we still
had a house which felt like a center. Now, with it all gone, I feel as though I have no place to really plant down, like I'm flying through space, wondering which direction I'm heading. Hopefully, our housing situation will come together w/i these next few weeks and we'll have a better sense for schedule and direction.
I think Owen's feeling a bit of the stress, too. After spending 6 days apart, he has been not wanting to go to bed (aka be alone), whereas before it was a dream putting him down. I suppose he also wonders if he loses sight of us...will we return?! Poor guy.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
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.
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.
Monday, April 14, 2008
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.
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.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Welcome!
`
Today, our wonderfully fun and fabulous brother and sister-in-law brought their little one up to PA today so we could meet our newest nephew and cousin. We had a delightful time together and the boys got a chance to stare, poke, and point out body parts. Ok, that was mostly O's doing (esp. the poking part).
It was amazing to finally meet this little one 
we have waited so long to cuddle! Thanks for coming and visiting!
Today, our wonderfully fun and fabulous brother and sister-in-law brought their little one up to PA today so we could meet our newest nephew and cousin. We had a delightful time together and the boys got a chance to stare, poke, and point out body parts. Ok, that was mostly O's doing (esp. the poking part).
It was amazing to finally meet this little one 
we have waited so long to cuddle! Thanks for coming and visiting!
Friday, February 29, 2008
A new playdate
Go figure. Last week Owen and I went swimming at the APEX Center, a great local recreation center with an amazing indoor waterpark. I LOVE IT there! (And Owen does, too!) Anyhow, we met the nicest young mom there with her beautiful 12 month old daughter, Mariella. She was one of those people you just "connect with" after seconds of meeting. Anyhow, she invited Owen and I to a new playgroup that she was starting. We went today and had a great time together! Just us moms are getting together on Monday night for a Sex & The City Marathon party. It will be great fun! Go figure...I finally connect with some really great people 4 weeks before moving away. The universe can be pretty cruel. :)
We are moving
I know, I know. We just got here. I know, I know, we are taking away prospects of good skiing vacations for many of you. Sorry. However, if you would like to check out the Amish in the Heartland of America, they are only a stone's throw away from Goshen!
Like many of you have heard by now, Shawn and I will be packing up our Rocky Mountain bags and heading to the land of Goshen. Shawn was just offered the position of Director of Spiritual Care at Goshen General Hospital. Despite the fact that we were both pretty settled and enjoying life here (and could see ourselves here for about 10 years), we realized that positions like this don't open up every year...and since we wanted to eventually end up in Goshen, decided that this looked like as good a time as any.
But, it is hard to move. I don't like transitions. They are getting harder and harder. Pray for sanity. Pray for a buyer to buy our house in the HORRIBLE market. It goes up tomorrow.
Like many of you have heard by now, Shawn and I will be packing up our Rocky Mountain bags and heading to the land of Goshen. Shawn was just offered the position of Director of Spiritual Care at Goshen General Hospital. Despite the fact that we were both pretty settled and enjoying life here (and could see ourselves here for about 10 years), we realized that positions like this don't open up every year...and since we wanted to eventually end up in Goshen, decided that this looked like as good a time as any.
But, it is hard to move. I don't like transitions. They are getting harder and harder. Pray for sanity. Pray for a buyer to buy our house in the HORRIBLE market. It goes up tomorrow.
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