Only 1 week from now, we will wave goodbye to our NC home and embark on the 12-hour drive to Rochester, NY. It is happening so fast and there is still alot to be done. There is an almost fully packed bag or box in every room of our house right now and I keep adding to each one as I remember more things we will need up there! We were able to sell Nolan's crib, changing table and dresser on Craig's List, so he is currently sleeping on a mattress on the floor (we plan to buy him a twin bedroom set once we get settled in our new house). Each of the kids get their own Rubbermaid tote they can fill with the toys/animals they want to bring. But, with two smaller-size cars, we are quickly running out of room!
At the same time, in addition to packing, we are working hard to get our house ready to sell. Ryan has done a great job of organizing and cleaning out the garage. We had pressure-washers come out yesterday to clean the outside of the house and the gutters. Next comes the window-washing and deep cleaning of everything else indoors, plus a little touch-up painting. It's hard for it to truly feel like Christmas with all this moving busyness we have going on. But, we are doing our best to take little breaks and do some fun activities with the kids so they aren't robbed of their Christmas experience.
Despite all the craziness of our lives, we are excited for this new adventure. The kids are looking forward to our first family road trip and they think it is hilarious that Casey (our cat) will be in the car with us the whole way! They also will get to share a room in the corporate apartment where we will spend our first 60 days, so they can't wait for that. It will be a much smaller space for all of us to live in, but hopefully, it will bring us closer and we will make some fun memories!
Lauren has now "recovered" emotionally from saying goodbye to her friends and her old school. So, she is ready to make new friends and start at Webster Christian School in January. Ryan spent all last week working at his new job and is thrilled about the opportunity, the family-focused atmosphere and the great people he is working with. As for Nolan & I, we will be hanging out in the apartment alot, playing in the snow and going to the YMCA as much as possible! :)
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Thursday, December 2, 2010
New York or Bust!
Most of you already know that yesterday Ryan officially accepted the offer from SentrySafe in Rochester, NY. He is very excited as it seems like a great family-oriented company and will be step up for his career. They are equally excited to have him join the team and can't wait for him to get started.
From here, things now go into hyper-drive! We are flying up this Sunday-Wednesday to visit and pick a Christian school for Lauren. Then, Ryan will have his first week of work December 13-17th. Then we can enjoy the holidays as a family, but the day after Christmas, we have to take down all the decorations (including the tree) and get the house cleaned up and ready to sell...plus pack up our things to move to New York. We will begin the 12 hour drive on Wednesday, December 29th (both cars, the kids and our cat).
Once we arrive, they are providing 60 days temporary housing in a Residence Inn. If our house hasn't sold at the end of that time, they will pay for us to live up to 6 months in a rental property. And, of course, once our house in North Carolina sells, we can begin looking for a new home in New York.
The kids are taking all of the change very well so far. It really helps that Lauren is such an easy-going girl and that she has a strong walk with the Lord. She has expressed her fears and sadness, but she also trusts in her Savior...as do we! We are doing our best to view this move as a great adventure (even though none of it makes sense to us right now)!!
Thank you to everyone who has prayerfully supported us through this time of unemployment - we are grateful for each one of you! We will be sure to post new address and phone information as we get it and lots of pictures of our new city!
From here, things now go into hyper-drive! We are flying up this Sunday-Wednesday to visit and pick a Christian school for Lauren. Then, Ryan will have his first week of work December 13-17th. Then we can enjoy the holidays as a family, but the day after Christmas, we have to take down all the decorations (including the tree) and get the house cleaned up and ready to sell...plus pack up our things to move to New York. We will begin the 12 hour drive on Wednesday, December 29th (both cars, the kids and our cat).
Once we arrive, they are providing 60 days temporary housing in a Residence Inn. If our house hasn't sold at the end of that time, they will pay for us to live up to 6 months in a rental property. And, of course, once our house in North Carolina sells, we can begin looking for a new home in New York.
The kids are taking all of the change very well so far. It really helps that Lauren is such an easy-going girl and that she has a strong walk with the Lord. She has expressed her fears and sadness, but she also trusts in her Savior...as do we! We are doing our best to view this move as a great adventure (even though none of it makes sense to us right now)!!
Thank you to everyone who has prayerfully supported us through this time of unemployment - we are grateful for each one of you! We will be sure to post new address and phone information as we get it and lots of pictures of our new city!
Friday, November 19, 2010
Our Last Week
We are currently in New York as I write this! The company Ryan received an offer from in Rochester flew us up for the weekend to check out the area as a family. The kids did fabulous on both plane rides and everyone is napping now, except for me because I am sick and cannot sleep! After this weekend's little adventure, we will drive to the airport in Rochester and Ryan will board a flight headed to Oregon, while the kids and I fly home to Charlotte. He is being flown back out to Portland to have final interviews with Danner (and we are hoping/expecting that they will be making him an offer).
This coming Thanksgiving week is our last week of living in the unknown. We honestly can't say which job we will take because we have no clue! We continue to wait on the Lord's leading and will only go where He tells us to. We have been praying so much for this as a family and as a couple. But, I have encouraged Ryan to spend some time on his own, fasting and praying by himself. So, he is going to take a trip up to Crowder's Mountain next week to hike and pray and seek God's will.
Our hearts desire is to be with family again someday, but with the job in Oregon requiring 50% or more travel time for Ryan, we are not sure if this is the right opportunity to move back for. I have already gone through my grieving process, so to speak, and will be prepared if NY is the job he takes. Even though it will mean starting all over again in a new town where we don't know a single soul...we are confident that God will provide for us, as He always has.
We ask for your continued prayers for our family and we will let you know once a decision has been made!!
This coming Thanksgiving week is our last week of living in the unknown. We honestly can't say which job we will take because we have no clue! We continue to wait on the Lord's leading and will only go where He tells us to. We have been praying so much for this as a family and as a couple. But, I have encouraged Ryan to spend some time on his own, fasting and praying by himself. So, he is going to take a trip up to Crowder's Mountain next week to hike and pray and seek God's will.
Our hearts desire is to be with family again someday, but with the job in Oregon requiring 50% or more travel time for Ryan, we are not sure if this is the right opportunity to move back for. I have already gone through my grieving process, so to speak, and will be prepared if NY is the job he takes. Even though it will mean starting all over again in a new town where we don't know a single soul...we are confident that God will provide for us, as He always has.
We ask for your continued prayers for our family and we will let you know once a decision has been made!!
Friday, November 12, 2010
Surrender
My hands hold safely to my dreams,
Clutching tightly, not one has fallen.
So many years I've shaped each one,
Reflecting my heart, showing who I am.
Now You're asking me to show,
What I'm holding oh so tightly.
Can't open my hands, can't let go.
Does it matter, should I show You?
Can't You let me go?
Surrender, surrender,
You whisper gently.
You say I will be free,
I know, but can't You see?
My dreams are me.
Say You have a plan for me,
And that You want the best for my life.
Told me the world had yet to see,
What You can do with one that's committed to Your call.
I know, of course, what I should do,
That I can't hold these dreams forever.
If I give them now to You,
Will You take them away forever?
Or can I dream again?
Surrender, surrender,
You whisper gently.
You say I will be free,
I know, but can't You see?
My dreams are me.
Clutching tightly, not one has fallen.
So many years I've shaped each one,
Reflecting my heart, showing who I am.
Now You're asking me to show,
What I'm holding oh so tightly.
Can't open my hands, can't let go.
Does it matter, should I show You?
Can't You let me go?
Surrender, surrender,
You whisper gently.
You say I will be free,
I know, but can't You see?
My dreams are me.
Say You have a plan for me,
And that You want the best for my life.
Told me the world had yet to see,
What You can do with one that's committed to Your call.
I know, of course, what I should do,
That I can't hold these dreams forever.
If I give them now to You,
Will You take them away forever?
Or can I dream again?
Surrender, surrender,
You whisper gently.
You say I will be free,
I know, but can't You see?
My dreams are me.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
A Lesson from 1st Grade
Lauren told us that her class was doing the lesson for chapel this week at school. So, Nolan and I went to watch her...little did I know what was in store for me! First, they did a "play" about Noah's ark and acted it all out (Lauren was the dove). Then, the teacher talked about God's faithfulness - she said God was asking Noah to do something that didn't make sense to him or his family or anyone else around him...BUT he chose to obey anyway, even though he didn't understand. This was when the waterworks started for me. Then the kids sang a song and the lyrics were:
"First you do what God tells you to do,
Then you wait for Him to follow through,
'Cause you know God's word is always true,
He'll do what He says He will do."
So, here I am, standing in the back of the room at an elementary school chapel, crying my eyes out - I mean it, I could NOT stop!! Poor Nolan was looking at me and saying, "Mommy ok?" as I'm pulling tissue after tissue out of my purse. It was like that whole service was just for me...and Lauren had never even mentioned what their chapel was about! The Lord works in the most incredible ways and I was so thankful that he chose to use the mouths of 1st graders to remind me of His faithfulness today!! Even though we don't understand why we are going through this time of uncertainty and we don't know where we will end up, God is calling us to obey Him by doing what He tells us to do and going where He tells us to go. And the best part? At the end of this storm will be a rainbow (just like Noah)!
"First you do what God tells you to do,
Then you wait for Him to follow through,
'Cause you know God's word is always true,
He'll do what He says He will do."
So, here I am, standing in the back of the room at an elementary school chapel, crying my eyes out - I mean it, I could NOT stop!! Poor Nolan was looking at me and saying, "Mommy ok?" as I'm pulling tissue after tissue out of my purse. It was like that whole service was just for me...and Lauren had never even mentioned what their chapel was about! The Lord works in the most incredible ways and I was so thankful that he chose to use the mouths of 1st graders to remind me of His faithfulness today!! Even though we don't understand why we are going through this time of uncertainty and we don't know where we will end up, God is calling us to obey Him by doing what He tells us to do and going where He tells us to go. And the best part? At the end of this storm will be a rainbow (just like Noah)!
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