*There are pictures in this post. They are just all smooshed in at the end*
There is something pretty major happening in our lives right now. I haven't written about it here yet because I wasn't really sure how to address it. I wanted to give it the thought that it deserved and make sure that I was presenting it in the most honest way. Now I find myself with barely enough time to take a shower, much less process through a well thought out blog post. So here is a quick and candid explanation of our future:
Our family will be moving to the Middle East this fall. We will be joining some friends who already live over there with their three kids. Many of you know the details. Some of you may be hearing this for the first time. For time reasons, I'm not going to go into them here. If you want to know more about our plans and intentions, email me! It may be a quick response, or it may be an offer to put you on our email newsletter list to keep you up to date, but I will get back to you. I'd love to share with you the calling God has placed on our lives to follow Jesus across the ocean. anaka.smith(at)gmail(dot)com.
So, basically, we have been very busy in this house for quite some time. Now it is getting down to the end. Quinn is quitting his job at the end of July and we will be taking two full months to travel to visit friends and family and raise support and then leaving at the end of October, Lord willing. God provided some friends of ours to rent our house for an extended period of time, which has been a blessing. However, they have a baby that's due the day after their official move in date. So while we are trying to sell all of our earthly possessions (minus whatever we need that can fit into about 6 large suitcases), we are also trying to move as much of their stuff into the house as possible, just in case their baby is early. In addition to moving, literally, everything out to the garage and pricing it in preparation for our 6th and 7th garage sales the last two weeks of July, I am trying to just keep up with dishes and laundry and basic house stuff. Oh, and pack up anything we want to store long term at my sister's house.
On top of all that, my beautifully easy newborn baby girl as turned into an impossible to put to sleep infant. I am struggling with wanting to ask God why he decided to make it work out this way. And in my head I know that a)He doesn't owe me an answer and b)I better get used to it, because things are going to be "hard" until we go home to Jesus. But about every 5-7 days this past month, I've had a blood vessel popping cry as I listen to Selah cry and I am reminded about all the things that I need to be doing instead of doing everything I can to put a baby/keep a baby asleep, not the least of which is pay any sort of attention to her big brother, who has taken to saying no to everything and having sporadic whining fits.
Today was one of those days. Quinn and I are supposed to be going on a date for our anniversary (which was almost a month ago) tonight while two of our friends man the crazy kid factory that is our house. However, Selah has had just a bad napping day, which leads to over tiredness, which leads to difficult/late bedtime and I'm not sure I want to hand that over to my friends while I go have a margarita. The truth is that I really need that margarita. And I need that date with my husband. And these friends are such good friends that they would spend all night rocking a baby if they had to so that I could do those things. So I think we will go no matter what and just pray that it goes well for everyone involved.
Anyway, I sat here on the couch on the phone with Quinn bawling for about 10 minutes, poor guy. Selah was crying the hardest she probably every has in her crib since I had to put her down pre-asleep because I was about to loose it. So we were both crying (thankfully Abram was sleeping). I hung up with Quinn, who was going to get his friend so they could pray about us, and I prayed. I've prayed a lot recently. A LOT. Many different prayers. And God has answered some of them permanently, some temporarily. But I just prayed for peace.
And he gave it to me.
And at the exact moment that I stopped crying and calmed down, Selah stopped crying and fell asleep.
It seems that we both just needed to cry it out.
Oh, and at that exact moment Abram woke up laughing and I caught a glimpse of God's sense of humor.
At least she's cute :)
There is something pretty major happening in our lives right now. I haven't written about it here yet because I wasn't really sure how to address it. I wanted to give it the thought that it deserved and make sure that I was presenting it in the most honest way. Now I find myself with barely enough time to take a shower, much less process through a well thought out blog post. So here is a quick and candid explanation of our future:
Our family will be moving to the Middle East this fall. We will be joining some friends who already live over there with their three kids. Many of you know the details. Some of you may be hearing this for the first time. For time reasons, I'm not going to go into them here. If you want to know more about our plans and intentions, email me! It may be a quick response, or it may be an offer to put you on our email newsletter list to keep you up to date, but I will get back to you. I'd love to share with you the calling God has placed on our lives to follow Jesus across the ocean. anaka.smith(at)gmail(dot)com.
So, basically, we have been very busy in this house for quite some time. Now it is getting down to the end. Quinn is quitting his job at the end of July and we will be taking two full months to travel to visit friends and family and raise support and then leaving at the end of October, Lord willing. God provided some friends of ours to rent our house for an extended period of time, which has been a blessing. However, they have a baby that's due the day after their official move in date. So while we are trying to sell all of our earthly possessions (minus whatever we need that can fit into about 6 large suitcases), we are also trying to move as much of their stuff into the house as possible, just in case their baby is early. In addition to moving, literally, everything out to the garage and pricing it in preparation for our 6th and 7th garage sales the last two weeks of July, I am trying to just keep up with dishes and laundry and basic house stuff. Oh, and pack up anything we want to store long term at my sister's house.
On top of all that, my beautifully easy newborn baby girl as turned into an impossible to put to sleep infant. I am struggling with wanting to ask God why he decided to make it work out this way. And in my head I know that a)He doesn't owe me an answer and b)I better get used to it, because things are going to be "hard" until we go home to Jesus. But about every 5-7 days this past month, I've had a blood vessel popping cry as I listen to Selah cry and I am reminded about all the things that I need to be doing instead of doing everything I can to put a baby/keep a baby asleep, not the least of which is pay any sort of attention to her big brother, who has taken to saying no to everything and having sporadic whining fits.
Today was one of those days. Quinn and I are supposed to be going on a date for our anniversary (which was almost a month ago) tonight while two of our friends man the crazy kid factory that is our house. However, Selah has had just a bad napping day, which leads to over tiredness, which leads to difficult/late bedtime and I'm not sure I want to hand that over to my friends while I go have a margarita. The truth is that I really need that margarita. And I need that date with my husband. And these friends are such good friends that they would spend all night rocking a baby if they had to so that I could do those things. So I think we will go no matter what and just pray that it goes well for everyone involved.
Anyway, I sat here on the couch on the phone with Quinn bawling for about 10 minutes, poor guy. Selah was crying the hardest she probably every has in her crib since I had to put her down pre-asleep because I was about to loose it. So we were both crying (thankfully Abram was sleeping). I hung up with Quinn, who was going to get his friend so they could pray about us, and I prayed. I've prayed a lot recently. A LOT. Many different prayers. And God has answered some of them permanently, some temporarily. But I just prayed for peace.
And he gave it to me.
And at the exact moment that I stopped crying and calmed down, Selah stopped crying and fell asleep.
It seems that we both just needed to cry it out.
Oh, and at that exact moment Abram woke up laughing and I caught a glimpse of God's sense of humor.
Enough talking. Let's have some pictures.
Power washing the driveway with Daddy.
Daddy's driveway "art"
New favorite toy: cans of ravioli
Meeting Great Grandpa and Grandma Ward for the first time.
Uncle Eric and Fenway
Aunt Liest and Grammy
Reading.
Grandpa, Nana, and Selah
At least she's cute :)
Comments
Post a Comment