Well, I can't say life is peachy since my last post about how hard this move has been for me, but I can say that things are looking a little brighter, or feeling, at least a little, more normal. Thankfully, we were able to make a small trip home for the weekend and were able to spend a few days with most of the people we love and miss so much. It was nice and I have to admit I laughed a little at the kid's collective "Yeah!! We're back in Kansas!!"at the state line and whispered "Amen" to myself. We celebrated my mother-in-law's upcoming big birthday - we'll just say it ends with a "0" - and was able to worship the Lord with friends, hearing a terrifically powerful message about all that God can do for us and that fact that He does care enough to actually do it. Overall, it was a good weekend. Saying good-bye is still hard and I admit that I get a little down in the dumps as each time approaches and I shed at least one tear every time, but it is starting to feel more normal. The kids and I are beginning to feel comfortable in the new house and developing a little bit of familiarity with Norman, Ok. I've found a few VBS opportunities for the kids this summer and that will help them get out and meet some other kids. I'm hoping to get us signed up at the YMCA soon and to get the girls into gymnastics and dance...hopefully the boys will land on an activity soon.
My prayer has been that God would give me an open heart to this experience and I believe He's doing that...I just need to allow myself to be more accepting of His gentle nudges in the right direction.
So, here's my plan...get a plan! I'm developing a schedule for all the things I want to do and a schedule for the kids and activities. I'm doing a little work as a consultant for CASA of Sedgwick County on some projects and hope to explore other possibilities along this avenue. I want to make time to blog more seriously, about child welfare and provide support to foster/adoptive parents, professionals, CASA volunteers, etc. I want to make time to read and maybe some time to scrap-book. I am also going to create a schedule for chores and household responsiblities, so they don't build-up and become overwhelming. I really am loving the menu-planning each week and believe it is making my experience in the kitchen nicer, since I generally do not enjoy cooking. Planning a menu is also helping me stay more on budget with the shopping (when the kids and husband aren't with me, lol). I'm also looking forward to getting involved with our new church, too, and cannot wait to meet some women during the upcoming Fall Bible Study sessions. Please pray that goes well.
Finally, I'm spending more time in conversations with God. The 3 AM time slot wont work for me on a regular basis, but it really helped to just sit in quiet with Him, so I'm going to rely on that more often. It helps me to feel collected and connected!
Things are definitely looking up...
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Time to Get Real
Tomorrow will be 1 month since my last post and boy, oh boy, has a lot happened in that time. The kids finished up another year of school and have all successfully passed! Next year, we'll have all four of our children in full-fledged school in the 5th grade, 3rd grade, 2nd grade and Kindergarten. All four kids had a checkup and received their shots. The movers came and packed all of our worldly possessions and delivered them safely to our new home in Oklahoma. We've just about got everything unpacked...the scrapbook stuff and office stuff is always the biggest hassle and I'm dreading it. Justin is settling into his new position as Manager and seems to be getting along pretty well. We've met the new neighbors and discovered a few parks and the library in our new hometown. I'm learning my way around and may just be able to put down the GoogleMaps app on my phone soon. Life is developing a new normal for us, which is good, I suppose.
When I started this blog, I wanted it to be a place where I could be sincere about challenges of being a Christ-follower, a woman, a mother, a friend, a professional, and so on. I've tried to share some of my struggles along the way and I've used the blog as a place to remind myself (and hopefully a few others) of the faithfulness of God. I've shared lessons learned and I've hopefully glorified God in the process.
So, here's a post where it gets real...real sincere. Life isn't all sassiness, fun, and laughs right now. Moving to a new town is proving to be a lot harder than I'd imagined. I have never been so far out of my comfort zone and it's kinda freakin' me out! I've now taken my kids to two parks, the library, a $1 movie, and have yet to be my "social" self. I've not introduced myself to anyone. I've hardly spoken to anyone. It seems I'm a nervous nelly right now, and I don't know why. The most adult contact I've had is with the cashier at Dollar Tree or Homeland! God has put some amazing neighbors in my path, and for that I'm grateful...I've met an incredibly strong mother, Becky C., who is helping her husband in ministry while raising three amazing kids and going to school, Mrs. Joanne who is a 3rd grade teacher in a neighboring district and invited us to church, sitting with us on our first visit and showing us around a bit, and Jason who is just hilarious! I'm sure these people will all become dear friends as time goes on.
It's weird though, for me to not know anyone outside of my neighbors. It's so weird to not go to the store and see someone you know. It's odd to see your friends on facebook getting together for something great and knowing you can't join, because you're 3 hours away. It's hard to sit at the park and watch your kids play in the sprinklers with no one to talk to. It's difficult to sit at the library and not know a single soul in the place.
Looking back now, I'm wondering "Lord, how often have I not noticed another woman all alone in these situations? How often have I failed to say 'hello' and to introduce myself? How often have I failed to show Your friendly nature by failing to be friendly, myself?" It's been rather humbling.
My prayer tonight is three-fold...
One, I'm praying God will bring me out of this funk I'm in and give me the courage to be myself, social, strong and confident, to allow me to step outside of myself and take a risk to meet people.
Two, I'm praying God will bring some wonderful women into my life, to help make this transition a little easier, to show me and the kids around and to help us feel connected. It's difficult to hear Justin talk about all the people at work, knowing that he is building connections, and to feel like I have none, yet. (Don't get me wrong, I am absolutely THRILLED that Justin's is doing well and getting along so well! That is so important for him, in his new posiiton, and I am so grateful that he has people around him at work. I'm just being a little selfish and saying "I want that, too, God.")
And, three, I'm praying that God will keep the connections I left behind strong and steadfast. I'm praying that those people who are most important in my life will always know how important they are and I'm praying that the distance between us now will not always feel so big.
Sincerely praying. Sincerely trusting. Sincerely relying on my faith. Sincerely trying to be patient. No sassy here, right now, just sincerity. Just honesty. This is real life. This is true. It ain't pretty, I know...but it is what it is. Please join me in praying these three things. And know, that if you're one of those connections I left in Kansas, I love you and miss you...sincerely.
When I started this blog, I wanted it to be a place where I could be sincere about challenges of being a Christ-follower, a woman, a mother, a friend, a professional, and so on. I've tried to share some of my struggles along the way and I've used the blog as a place to remind myself (and hopefully a few others) of the faithfulness of God. I've shared lessons learned and I've hopefully glorified God in the process.
So, here's a post where it gets real...real sincere. Life isn't all sassiness, fun, and laughs right now. Moving to a new town is proving to be a lot harder than I'd imagined. I have never been so far out of my comfort zone and it's kinda freakin' me out! I've now taken my kids to two parks, the library, a $1 movie, and have yet to be my "social" self. I've not introduced myself to anyone. I've hardly spoken to anyone. It seems I'm a nervous nelly right now, and I don't know why. The most adult contact I've had is with the cashier at Dollar Tree or Homeland! God has put some amazing neighbors in my path, and for that I'm grateful...I've met an incredibly strong mother, Becky C., who is helping her husband in ministry while raising three amazing kids and going to school, Mrs. Joanne who is a 3rd grade teacher in a neighboring district and invited us to church, sitting with us on our first visit and showing us around a bit, and Jason who is just hilarious! I'm sure these people will all become dear friends as time goes on.
It's weird though, for me to not know anyone outside of my neighbors. It's so weird to not go to the store and see someone you know. It's odd to see your friends on facebook getting together for something great and knowing you can't join, because you're 3 hours away. It's hard to sit at the park and watch your kids play in the sprinklers with no one to talk to. It's difficult to sit at the library and not know a single soul in the place.
Looking back now, I'm wondering "Lord, how often have I not noticed another woman all alone in these situations? How often have I failed to say 'hello' and to introduce myself? How often have I failed to show Your friendly nature by failing to be friendly, myself?" It's been rather humbling.
My prayer tonight is three-fold...
One, I'm praying God will bring me out of this funk I'm in and give me the courage to be myself, social, strong and confident, to allow me to step outside of myself and take a risk to meet people.
Two, I'm praying God will bring some wonderful women into my life, to help make this transition a little easier, to show me and the kids around and to help us feel connected. It's difficult to hear Justin talk about all the people at work, knowing that he is building connections, and to feel like I have none, yet. (Don't get me wrong, I am absolutely THRILLED that Justin's is doing well and getting along so well! That is so important for him, in his new posiiton, and I am so grateful that he has people around him at work. I'm just being a little selfish and saying "I want that, too, God.")
And, three, I'm praying that God will keep the connections I left behind strong and steadfast. I'm praying that those people who are most important in my life will always know how important they are and I'm praying that the distance between us now will not always feel so big.
Sincerely praying. Sincerely trusting. Sincerely relying on my faith. Sincerely trying to be patient. No sassy here, right now, just sincerity. Just honesty. This is real life. This is true. It ain't pretty, I know...but it is what it is. Please join me in praying these three things. And know, that if you're one of those connections I left in Kansas, I love you and miss you...sincerely.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Adventure Ahead
The last time I wrote, it felt like I was suspended in mid-air, wondering which direction the wind would blow me. Now, I know. South. Down I-35 straight to the Oklahoma City area. All signs are pointing to new adventures, new opportunities, new relationships, new blessings and I'm sure a few new obstacles, at the same time.
As a hard-working FedEx man for almost 12 years, my husband, Justin, has proven that his work-ethic and willingness to go above and beyond is immeasurable. He gives 110% every day and excels at his job...there's a reason why FedEx says they can get your package "Anywhere in the world, on time" and its because of men like Justin. Although he's often questioned the value of his work and felt down on himself because he doesn't have a college degree, he is amazing at what he does and puts a lot of effort into his job. In my humble and unbiased opinion (yeah, right!), Justin is the definition of a great courier!
Two and a half years ago, he began to work toward a new goal...a chance to grow and to enhance his career with FedEx. He began the Aspire program and was in-training to be an Operations Manager. In 2008, he applied for several positions and was granted two interviews. He did his best, but just wasn't ready. Discouraged for a bit, he focused less on the training and tried to see if God was really leading him in that direction. Then, about a year ago, he believed God was telling him to "Go For It!" Justin put a ton of energy and time into learning all that he possibly could. He worked a gazillion extra hours and invested a lot of himself into the process. He allowed himself to be a sponge, absorbing as much as possible.
In April, he took a chance and applied for a third position, with the same hiring manager he'd interviewed for in 2008. He put an amazing portfolio together, stuffed it in the envelope, and shipped it off to Oklahoma City and set back to wait. A couple of weeks later, a second position came open in Oklahoma City, and although he was still unsure what would come of the first packet, he decided to apply for the second position. Again, he set back to wait. Several days went by and Justin waited. If you know Justin, you probably know that this is the hardest part...he's not very patient. Several days went by and he received word he'd been selected to interview for BOTH positions.
Could this really be happening? It's got to be a good sign that they want him back to interview with the same guy a third time, right? He became nervous and excited, all in one fell swoop!
Two weeks later, interview day...preparing for the positive, we packed up the family and headed south. We prayed with him and hoped he'd do well, still unsure what that would really mean for our family. He heads off, dressed for success, feeling confident and anxious.
More waiting. Three more days until he'd know the decision. Monday morning, he receives an email from the hiring manager! Is this good news? Is this a personal "Sorry, but we've selected someone else." moment? What could this mean?
Good News! He was offered the job and agreed to accept the position. All of Justin's hard work was paying off!!! It was May 9 and he was asked to report to Oklahoma City in just a few short weeks!!! WHOA!!! WHAT!?!?!?!
Only a few weeks to prepare a family of 6 to move our entire lives to a new state! Holy Schmoly! So, I gave notice at work and talked to my boss and friend. I cried with my best friend and we began to make plans to stay connected. I texted all of our closes friends and heard my mother tear up at the thought of us moving away. I began to look online for a home for our family and to schedule another trip to the area to see if we could find a place to live...the planning had commenced.
Thankfully, the adventure is going smoothly, so far. We have found a home; not necessarily what we really wanted and definitely will require some down-sizing and de-cluttering, but it's gonna be great. We know where the kids will go to school and I know that I do not have to take another social work licensing exam in order to practice in Oklahoma. We're even growing somewhat, slightly, only a little bit accustomed to the lack of tornado shelters and basements in that part of Tornado Alley!
Now, we're scheduling movers, arranging utilities, and transferring our mail. We're praying God will show us a great church and hoping we'll meet amazing people in our new community. We're looking at this like a new adventure and trusting God. It's a big deal and we'll so miss the lives, the history, and the connections we've had to Wichita our entire lives. It's definitely hard to say good-bye, but its also pretty exciting to get a fresh start. I'm praying our family grows closer to each other and to God as we embark on this journey. Please join me in this prayer.
As a hard-working FedEx man for almost 12 years, my husband, Justin, has proven that his work-ethic and willingness to go above and beyond is immeasurable. He gives 110% every day and excels at his job...there's a reason why FedEx says they can get your package "Anywhere in the world, on time" and its because of men like Justin. Although he's often questioned the value of his work and felt down on himself because he doesn't have a college degree, he is amazing at what he does and puts a lot of effort into his job. In my humble and unbiased opinion (yeah, right!), Justin is the definition of a great courier!
In April, he took a chance and applied for a third position, with the same hiring manager he'd interviewed for in 2008. He put an amazing portfolio together, stuffed it in the envelope, and shipped it off to Oklahoma City and set back to wait. A couple of weeks later, a second position came open in Oklahoma City, and although he was still unsure what would come of the first packet, he decided to apply for the second position. Again, he set back to wait. Several days went by and Justin waited. If you know Justin, you probably know that this is the hardest part...he's not very patient. Several days went by and he received word he'd been selected to interview for BOTH positions.
Could this really be happening? It's got to be a good sign that they want him back to interview with the same guy a third time, right? He became nervous and excited, all in one fell swoop!
Two weeks later, interview day...preparing for the positive, we packed up the family and headed south. We prayed with him and hoped he'd do well, still unsure what that would really mean for our family. He heads off, dressed for success, feeling confident and anxious.
More waiting. Three more days until he'd know the decision. Monday morning, he receives an email from the hiring manager! Is this good news? Is this a personal "Sorry, but we've selected someone else." moment? What could this mean?
Thankfully, the adventure is going smoothly, so far. We have found a home; not necessarily what we really wanted and definitely will require some down-sizing and de-cluttering, but it's gonna be great. We know where the kids will go to school and I know that I do not have to take another social work licensing exam in order to practice in Oklahoma. We're even growing somewhat, slightly, only a little bit accustomed to the lack of tornado shelters and basements in that part of Tornado Alley!
Now, we're scheduling movers, arranging utilities, and transferring our mail. We're praying God will show us a great church and hoping we'll meet amazing people in our new community. We're looking at this like a new adventure and trusting God. It's a big deal and we'll so miss the lives, the history, and the connections we've had to Wichita our entire lives. It's definitely hard to say good-bye, but its also pretty exciting to get a fresh start. I'm praying our family grows closer to each other and to God as we embark on this journey. Please join me in this prayer.
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