Memories Rediscovered/Portland Bound

I sat down on a filled box that was sitting my dining room. I looked to my side and realized that my entire house was packed in boxes. I mean everything is done! I packed a few things before we left for our interview trip to Portland, OR a week ago. But, after returning home from accepting the position as Worship and Art Pastors at Life Church, we have been nonstop packing! The whole experience overwhelmed me at that moment and I felt God's arm wrap around me like a warm blanket. The last 2 1/2 years played over in my mind as I looked around my little 2 bedroom, 2 bath apartment.

When we first moved into that nice apartment we were employed with Schweitzer United Methodist Church. Within 2 months of moving in, we had to start looking for another job because of being laid off. I remember Bryan and I spending much time sitting on the couch in prayer. During that time of searching, I was working at Cox as a phlebotomist and had a horrible miscarriage which landed me in bed a lot. The quiet neighborhood and warmth of the people in our complex was great to come home to. Within that year of getting a job as children's pastors in Bolivar, we went through so much. I found out I was pregnant with Hope the day before Mother's Day of that year, 2007. I can see Grace's 2nd bubble birthday party! She got a little tricycle and would ride it up and down the sidewalk. She spent much time on the patio pushing herself back and forth on that tricycle, which she is now almost too big for.

Much of the rest of that year was spent laying on my couch on bed rest being pregnant with my miracle baby, Hope. I remember the day in November that we set up the baby crib in Grace's room. I remember the white lacy bassinet that would sit beside my bed for weeks before Hope would finally sleep in it. But, when she finally did sleep in it, how awesome it was. I can picture her laying on a blanket in the middle of the living room with Grace laying beside her in amazement. Hope would learn to roll over, crawl, eat solid foods, and eventually walk all in that home that we had made for ourselves.

Many tears of stress, discontentment, and loneliness where cried in that apartment. My days of being very much alone are very real but I try not to think too much about those days. Bryan driving 40 minutes each way to work on a daily basis took its toll on us and on him especially. I do remember setting up our Christmas tree this last year and making a party out of it. The awe in the girls faces were priceless.

Yes, as I sit in an almost empty apartment that has been our HOME for the last 2 1/2 years, I am brought to places of my memory that aren't all happy but all are mine. My memories that God has blessed me with. Then I look forward to the new adventure ahead of us and it makes me sit up a little straighter and smile a little more wider. All the dark days and all the sleepless nights in prayer are finally paying off. God has given us the desires of our heart, which has been my constant prayer for well over a year now.

We are Portland bound and we couldn't feel better about it. Home truly is where your heart is and our hearts are beginning to grow very fond of a place that we know is God's PERFECT plan! I love living in the perfect will of God. So as we close the door to only look back on in our memories, I open the door to a time of growth, renewal, and friendship in a place that I know won't take me long to call, "HOME".