Halfway

One week down; one week to go.

I have so much to do and am slightly overwhelmed by all of it.

Then I look back over the past week, and realize it was only a week, even though a month's worth of stuff happened.

*I found a place to live.  There are some obstacles that we have to work through (getting current tenant out), but it will be worth the wait.  And one thing I can say I have learned over the past three years is that sometimes if we wait, it is better than we could have dreamed:

It has 4 bedrooms with plenty of space to fill up with guests, excellent price in rent, acres and acres of property the boys can hike, a pond they can go fishing, landlord says a few bedrooms need re-painted and he would love to let the kids pick their colors so they feel at home.

Seriously?  Is this reality?

Its like asking for a pair of shoes for Christmas and assuming your mom/dad will go to Payless and get a practical, but cheap and ugly pair of shoes only to be surprised on Christmas morning by a pair of shoes that are the most incredible shoes you could ever dream of having.  (Yea, pathetic analogy...but I love shoes and couldn't think of anything else. lol)

I was assuming that God would provide something practical.  Something where we could live that would 'work' but assumed it would be a difficult transition.  Assumed it would be something small and hard to settle in.  Instead?  This house is big, an old New England colonial (completely my type) AND it has a stone wall out front.

I really shouldn't be surprised...isn't that how God works?  But yet, I am reveling in the amazement of it all.

The glitch is that I potentially will need to find temporary housing for a few weeks, but I have options so I'm not going to stress about it until I find out for sure.

The landlord and I both say that it is obvious to both of us that God had a hand in this.  I needed a place; he needed a reliable tenant.  This evening I was over-thinking things and trying to come up with Plans A,B,C,D,E, and possibly a Plan F. (Just in case...you never know:-)

Then the thought of 'why don't you just ask God to make it go smoothly' crossed my mind.  I guess that needs to be my only plan.

Many of you have offered to help in anyway you can.  One thing is to join me in asking God to make this housing obstacle be wiped away.  Not really for me, but for the gentleman who owns the house and is working through the process.

*I may (or may not) have found someone to rent my house.  I'm in a lease and there are some gray areas about my responsibilities of the financial aspect of breaking the lease.  Someone knew of someone who knew of someone who needed a place to rent in the next few weeks.

They wanted: a 2 bedroom ranch in Rittman and needed it by April 19th.

I live in a 2 bedroom ranch, in Rittman, and am loading up April 18th.

Too good to be true?  Or another God-thing?

That's something else you can pray for.  That they like it, want it, and take over the lease.

*I have been in contact with the team at Travelers.  Getting everything scheduled and lined up.  I have a time of orientation, a lunch scheduled, and other interesting things.  I can't wait, but I'm sure it will be tiring to adjust to it all.

*I've been packing.  And packing.  And packing.  I don't work as much this week, so I'm hoping to get it all finished before I leave so I don't have to ask anyone to come in and do it for me.  I had a friend come help last week, and have some others coming this week.

The week was a whirlwind.  I worked 8 nights in a row (or was it 9?) and that alone makes me tired, plus all the added mental stress of moving.  Plus I had a kid with the flu and one with strep.

#whenitrainsitpours

I went to a friends house tonight.  She made us dinner and we were going to spend one last evening together.  I couldn't wait for this evening.  But in my exhaustion, I fell asleep for the entire evening on her couch.  This was after chugging a Mt. Dew.  I think I'm tired.

The kids are adjusting to the idea.  They are nervous, which is understandable.  I'm hoping that once the transition happens, it will be much easier than anticipated.

Thank you for all your kind words of love and encouragement.  It is amazing how many cheerleaders I have that have cheered me on through reading my rantings on this blog.