a 2 week blur

I can't quit yawning and couldn't figure out why. I did get nearly 8 hrs of sleep last night. Then I glanced at my calendar and remembered the last 2 weeks. 2 weeks ago we decided to move back up to our old house. S. was getting ready to teach at a retreat so I decided to do most the packing when he was gone. Unfortunately, the morning he left Everett woke up with a double ear infection. I spent half the day in urgent care with him, the other half rocking him. The next day he fell at my mom's house and got skid marks on his face to prove it. Add to his world boxes, a busy mom, a dad gone, his toys packed, and you get a little man who needs a lot of attention and affirmation. Needless to say, I didn't get much done over the weekend. When S. returned he had a job interview in Lynden at a radio station. The next day he drove to Portland and back for a job interview at Luis Palau's organization. As I was knee high in boxes and packing paper, S. called and said, "Palau wants to fly us to San Diego to check out their festival and meet Luis himself. That's where we would move first if we take this job. How does Sunday work for us?"

The following day we moved while on the phone with Palau booking tickets and lining up care for the kids.

We had 3 days to get ready for San Diego, unpack our house, cancel & start utilities, and stock up on groceries.
Megan helped organize the kid's rooms, helped my mom take care of them while we were gone, and made us remember why we've missed living by her so much!
The kids are beyond elated to be in our old-new house. Starting immediately after breakfast Everett begs to go outside by bringing me his shoes and pressing his mouth up against the sliding glass door, staring at the park longingly.

Darla was slightly miffed the first morning, asking, "Why is this house so small now?" I thought the same thing! I didn't remember how tiny 1300 square feet felt for 5 bodies. All day she kept remembering all her favorite things; the neighbor dog Crystal, having the top bunk, riding her bike on our basketball court.

I didn't know how I would feel moving back- would I feel like it's a step back or would I feel like I was coming home? I knew as soon as we pulled in that God had planned this respite for me. I felt a load lift from my shoulders and found myself breathing easier.
Sunday we boarded a plane for San Diego. Only 3 weeks earlier we had flown to Georgia to check out a boarding school for a potential job. On our way to San Diego we sat at our favorite table at Sea Tac airport's food court. "Have we really been here enough this month to have a favorite table?" Apparently Sea Tac has become our regular date night spot. Our interview was fantastic and we had the privilege of hearing Luis Palau speak at a leadership/pastor conference. We caught the passion and vision of the organization and are now trying to decide if this is the season to do this job.

While in San Diego, with boxes still strewn about our house, we had the first showing of our house in over a month. Every moment of every day the Lord reminds us to stand with open hands.

Here's us on our flight home in the middle of the night. We're delirious (but together) so it captures this season of life quite accurately.

The day after we got home we got a call from Georgia. The boarding school we sent a resume to is now hiring and would like to fly S. out for an official interview. Then the radio station called. We gave them an official application and the rest of our information. Palau was having a conference call yesterday getting ready to talk specifics with us.

We stand with hands open, 3 job possibilities but no firm offers, a sermon to preach tomorrow at MVCTK, and a house we can't seem to sell but is perfect in this moment. I told S., "Even if we only live here for 2 weeks it is worth it to me. I need to be here."
In the meantime we've been doing some wrestling, playing, unpacking, and praying. (Please note the gorgeous new carpet- the BEST surprise of the year to come home to...thank you Dad & Mom who know and love me beyond what I deserve.)
Even as we look ahead to decisions, more changes, and possibly (gasp!) more moving boxes, we are learning to be fully present in each moment; resting in the Lord and blocking out much of the world to grow together as a family.