It's almost been 6 weeks since our arrival in VA and we have had our fair share of challenges and blessings...
In the last 6 weeks, we have:
- Made 4 trips to the doctor
- Began a journey with couponing and shopping grocery store ads
- Visited 3 churches
- Visited our local Children's Museum
- Joined our community Fitness/Aquatic Center (they let all 9 of us join as a family). The kids have a place to swim for the summer and we are all getting into shape.
- Gotten lost on foot in our own community - we used Jeff's GPS on his phone to get home. It was all of us plus 2 big dogs!
- Bought our first car with cash - a 2000 VW Passat (reducing Jeff's weekly feul bill by $60)
- Taken advantage of the social opportunities at the DMV
- Skyped with the Alarids, O'Dells, Faith Boggus, Kayla Coats and Face-timed the Satterwhites
- Had our first visitors - Nanny and Papa, Jeff's parents
- Visited the State Capitol and sat in the same room as our founding fathers
- Taken our family to Inflation Nation (An indoor play center with inflatables)- we need to open one in Harrison!
The kids are adjusting well. They miss their friends but they have been so resilient and accepting of our new home town. Hope does yoga on Wednesday nights. Tanner, Tristan, and Hope do a kid's conditioning class while Hannah and I hit the treadmills and machines at the gym on Wednesdays. All of the kids have made at least one friend either at church, the gym, or a co-op that we visited.
Antoinette landed a job almost immediately at the Woodlake Child Development Center just down the road. She was hired on the spot and works with babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. She is attended her first "Young Adult" night with a church we are visiting as I type this.
Crissy found a job at Michael and Son plumbing, electrical, and HVAC company. They hired her as a receptionist but is doing all office managing duties and phone sales. She is currently part-time and is starting school on April 4th. She attends an Experiencing God bible study on Tuesday night and is quickly getting addicted to being tortured at the spin classes (stationary bikes). Ryan just celebrated his 4th birthday with us. His is becoming more articulate and gaining weight!!
As for Jeff and I, we are spending many nights up late talking about what God is showing us daily as we journey through this difficult time. We are seeing God's faithfulness and provision being poured out on us!! Every person in our home has grow in the short amount of time we've been here. God (through Joyce Meyer) told me last night to keep my mind on the Promised Land and not to keep trying to run back to Egypt. I need to stop complaining about wanting my old life back in Harrison and instead press in on God's promises for my future. The only way out of the wilderness is to walk through it - easier said than done. Can you believe it took the Israelites 40 years to make an 11 day journey and only 2 of the original group actually made it - Joshua and Caleb? I need to offer up and release my fear, doubt, and sadness and give it to God as a seed so that it will be sowed to reap a harvest. I prayed many years to be used in a great capacity by God.... He has answered my prayers!!
