Our New Home

We finally made it to Rochester!! We left at 9am Wednesday morning from Charlotte and arrived here Thursday evening at 5pm. The kids did so great in the car and we made some fun memories along the way. PLUS getting to drive through the snow-covered mountains of West Virginia was absolutely beautiful! The Lord provided us with good weather and safety the whole way. We saw so many accidents, people changing tires on the side of the road and even one car who hit a deer! So, we praised God that we had no problems driving both our cars across 4 states!!

Once we got to our new apartment, it was a bit of a shock. It was the only place available that Ryan could find and even though I had seen pictures, it was a little scarier in person. Walking around, I could see the hinges on the doors were all rusted. The tile grout in the bathroom was a dark grey from grime and dirt and the towels and sheets were scratchy. Panic started to come over me - I thought, "How can we possibly live here? Is this even safe for my kids?" I wanted to break down and cry, thinking this was home for the next 2 months.

But then the Lord brought some things to mind. This small, dingy apartment would be like a mansion for some people. We were blessed with a big beautiful house in North Carolina...but this small space is better than some families have their whole lives. Is there a roof over our heads? Is there hot water and heat? Do we all have beds to sleep in? Is there a working toilet? YES. It really brought things into perspective for me and I was able to praise God and realize how blessed we have been!

The best part was getting to share these same thoughts with my daughter when she had her emotional breakdown and asked if we could go home. I'm so thankful that she has Jesus in her heart and the Spirit has already worked to change her fear into joy. So, we have decided not just to "endure" this place, but to make the best of it and to CHOOSE to be happy here. The most important things have come with us on this journey - we have our memories, we have each other...and God is with us wherever we go! :)