Journal: We are home

Out my window: Dark and cold. Snow is falling on the gigantic pine trees in my yard.

Clothing myself in: Jeans, The Hawk In Paris t-shirt, pink hoodie.

Around the house: Kitchen cleaned, mostly organized, main floor bathroom scrupulously cleaned, master bathroom cleaned and organized, seasonal decorations and keepsake tubs put in storage. Clothes put away in dressers and closets.  A fair amount of boxes still left in the basement.  I am a fairly efficient unpacker, but trying to decide where to put things is tricky. What works in one house doesn't necessarily work in another and there isn't necessarily an equivalent space for things in each home. It is fine though- I have time to figure it all out.

The kiddos: Adjusting. They have played with toys that have been packed away with enthusiasm, explored our property a bit, read books.  It certainly isn't easy, but they are very good kids, and they have taken it all in stride. Adelle and George sharing a room has been going well so far- bedtime was my main worry, but he goes to sleep while she reads with Issy and then she goes in. Painless, so far. We are unpacking this week and then back to school next week.

In the kitchen: Easy meals planned this week while the unpacking is in full force- chili, biscuits and gravy, roast. Isabelle and I made peanut butter granola today. Made the house smell heavenly!

Crafting: Not yet. I can at least see the large wicker basket that holds all my yarn though, so that is a start!

Bringing me joy: I had the opportunity to see a lot of friends and family when we were in Wichita, which is always so lovely.  Stories, laughing, baby snuggling, long talks. Pulling up to the new house, Joe on the porch to greet us, fire in the wood stove will be a memory I forever cherish. Sunshine through big windows. Cleaning and putting our things away and making this house our home.

Thinking about: It is hard to believe that we are here. It is this beautiful blend of free will and our choosing to set this in motion and God's guidance. At the end of this post in June of 2013, I mentioned us talking at dinner that night about homeschooling and moving back to the mountains.  And last April, things started happening in our lives that allowed that to happen. The last 10 months- from our decision to try to move back to the mountains, to being here, have at times felt like an eternity, but in hindsight seem so short.

But truly, things have happened in God's good timing. From this house not being available when we were under the first contract in Wisconsin, to eventually settling on the house in Idaho and then losing the contract in Wisconsin and eventually losing the contract on the house in Idaho and having nothing at all. But, because things all work when they need to, we got an offer on the Wisconsin house and this house was available and with a motivated seller. It truly was an answer to our prayers. After we went house- hunting in August and had three very different choices, our prayer was for roadblocks if we were not pursuing the right thing. I had no idea at the time that the first no on this home wasn't so much a no, as a "not yet".

So here we are, ready to begin this chapter in our adventure.  I am so grateful for the previous chapters- we couldn't be who we are as individuals and as a family without them.  I know that there will be hard days ahead, missing our friends and community and things yet unknown.  But I know that we are where we need to be right now. What more can you ask for?