A month has now passed...

There was something significant about last week -- a month has now passed since we've been here. It was emotionally a very hard week for me, I think party due to the fact that when August 30th came, it brought with it the reality of the 'permanancy' of this move. We're not on 'vacation' and we're not 'going back home' anytime soon. I KNEW that, but there was something about passing the month mark that brough the realization of that to a deeper level. I cried more than I have since we moved. I grieved the "loss" of Iowa and my dear family and friends.

And, yet on the other side of it -- passing the month mark has helped my heart begin to 'accept' this reality. To begin to move forward and embrace this as 'normal'. I still miss everyone and I'm sure I will for a long time yet to come -- but, I don't know -- a shift is happening in my heart that is hard to explain. My little heart is learning to trust my Father on a new level. This has been the cry of my heart for a long time -- God take me deeper into your heart. I don't want to stay the same! I know this move is so much bigger than just a job. I know that God has plans for our family beyond Steve's job. I don't know what all they are, but my heart is learning to trust that our steps are truly ordered by the Lord. I trust His leadership over our lives!

One thing I've been thankful for is that we live where we do. I love our neighborhood and our neighbors are great. We've been welcomed and made to feel 'accepted'. I'm truly thankful for that. We've had other friends move to the KC area and they've not felt the same -- no neighbors have welcomed them, they don't feel safe to let their kids play in the front yard, etc. But, I don't feel that way at all. It's really a great area we live in. It's caused me to pause and be thankful for God's direction and with all the housing fiasco we went through and be thankful that He directed us into the right area and right house! It's also caused me to grow in my respect and appreciation for my husband. I definitely had my likes and preferences in the house-hunting; however, I also knew that I was extremely emotional in the process, so I told him that I'd give my input, but that ultimately I was going to trust his leadership in our family and that I'd 'submit' to wherever he felt we were to move. I was trusting him to hear from God, when my emotions were all over the place. I am so thankful for a husband that will spend time with God and hear His direction for our family. I have thanked him over and over for where we live. Left up to me, I'm sure I would have made a rash, emotional decision, but he was 'steady Steve' and trusted God to lead us. I'm so grateful for that!!!!