We're moving. . . . just kidding

As promised, I will do my best to detail the week FOLLOWING the week described here. Unfortunately, it's been yet another week since and the details are now a bit fuzzy (I need sleep) so please forgive the lack of intricate details. 

So. . . . after posting about "the week", we began packing.  The kitchen is always my favorite thing to pack because its usually in order and I have complete control over it, so that's where I started.  Anyone who knows me knows that I own a RIDICULOUS amount of kitchen gadgets, utensils, call them whatever you want. . . I have too much!  But you see - I use them about once every 2 years, so I have to keep them, right?!?!?!  Well, you'd be proud of me.  For every box I packed, I gave away a box (unpackaged for moving, so really it was like 2 boxes).  My friend, Melissa, inherited a TON of my junk and her husband thanks me (muhahaha!).  I packed everything except my pots & pans, our plastic dishes, two stones, and the spices and food.  We DID plan to eat for the next two weeks. 

Then I took on C's room.  THANK GOD I went through his room while he was at church camp.  It made packing his room SOOOOO much easier.  Matt took over C's clothes, and packed everything except 4-5 days worth of clothes that we would use until after the move. 

I packed the craft closet (which only took 5 boxes, including the two large totes that I have in there - this is AFTER I went through it all in July and gave about 1/2 of it away). 

Then, the kids & I spent the entire day going through movies, video games, cd's making matches (how does this happen, btw?!?!), cleaning behind furniture that hadn't been moved since we moved in (I swear).  We stirred up so much dust, none of us could breath. . . BUT we did have a concert set to an old mixed disc that I found.  Note: If you've never had a random concert with your kids - you've never lived life.  It must be set to songs you haven't heard in a decade (so YOU are absolutely ecstatic) and you have to be deliriously exhausted from a long, hard day of packing (so the kids KNOW you've lost your mind and think it's the funniest thing EVER)!!!

Fortunately, I returned to work for the rest of the week and that pretty much kept me from packing much more.  At the time, it frustrated me. . . today I'm so very thankful that I didn't get more accomplished. Because. . . .

On Friday (Aug 23), Matt received an offer from his current employer that really caused us to question our move.  We were at a loss; for about 5 minutes, we just sat staring at each other, neither one of us wanting to make a move for fear it would be the wrong one.  Another note: when God tells you to trust Him (and He HAS told all of us that - in His Word), if you TRULY trust Him it is absolutely amazing the things He can do for and through you.  We had known for months that a change was coming.  I had so overwhelmingly felt the love of God as He enveloped me a few weeks ago with "Trust Me", and we were trusting Him.  That said, we didn't know if this counter-offer was a distraction to take our eyes off of the path He had laid out of us or if all of this had to happen in order to get the counter-offer.  Guys - we were seriously stuck.  I found it hard to even move and Matt couldn't even form words.  It was one of the scariest, yet most amazing experience I've ever had.  Here we were presented with the opportunity to NOT leave our friends, church, co-workers,  MY JOB. . . . . . and we were terrified.  Our pastor, here, reminded us (the weekend we received the Fayetteville offer) that God is big enough to turn us around and that we shouldn't be scared to make the wrong move, we should TRUST HIM. . . and that is what we did.  We prayed and continued to leave this whole situation in His hands.  Matt called Fayetteville.  He didn't call to "get a better offer"; he called just to hear something along the lines of "I can't promise you that, but we really want you and we're looking forward to you starting next week".  Instead, he got a rushed response (phone was dying, understandable) followed by a TEXT a few minutes later saying "let's just move on, it was nice meeting you".  Talk about closing doors. . . . . it was slammed shut - and we couldn't have been happier.  We never wanted to leave.  Sure - I was excited about the larger home we had just put a deposit on (and yes, He is faithful - and we got that $$ back!!) and I can't lie that I was THRILLED about the kids' new school and, honestly. . . a new start, minus the drama of our new start in Tulsa.  But allow me to take a little more of your time and share with you the things God has shown me since that day:

1) I'd been praying for more room in our home.  I feel like we're about to suffocate and while I know it's temporary until we buy, I had really grown impatient and overwhelmed. 
Well, God showed me that with this happening, we are no longer looking at Tulsa as a stepping stone - we want to stay forever.  Will Matt stay where he's employed forever?  Maybe not, but you can get a jump seat from Tulsa as easily as anywhere else. 
And that space I was needing. . . . getting rid of 1/2 of my craft junk means getting rid of a large piece of furniture that was holding so much of it.  And ridding myself of the extra set of dishes that I was hanging on to for who knows the reason. . . . and the 6 boxes worth of kitchen stuff. . . . the items I still have are much more organized and I was able to rearrange some things in the kitchen - and ya'll  -I LOVE my kitchen!  With the armoire (craft junk) gone, we're rearranging the living room/dining area and so far. . . I LOVE IT!!!!  With C's insanity made sense of, we were able to move the love seat into his room and he LOVES it.  (Note: P's room is still a disaster. . . work. in. progress, but we're getting there and rearranging and getting her more space to breathe as well).

2) I believe that every single bit of this was purposed for our good.  Am I exhausted from the past 3 weeks?  You better believe it!  My whole body aches.  Was I emotionally spent from the roller coaster ride?  Oh boy was I. . . for 3 days, I felt like I was on the verge of bawling my eyes out, but couldn't shed one single tear.  However, I know that we had to trust and be willing to move into His Will in order for His Will to happen - if that makes sense.  In short, this was not as much about us moving to Fayetteville as it was about obedience.  As much as it pains me, I'm so glad we serve a God who is more concerned about our character than our comfort.

3) I love how He has given multiple reminders of why I shouldn't be too sad about the kids' new school not being their new school.  From entering Monday morning to re-enroll the kids - to which they all responded with excitement that the kids weren't leaving after all and just about fell over themselves to get them back into class ASAP and with as little interruption as possible.  To parent's night Thursday night when I peeked my head into P's kindergarten teacher (last year) room and she was so excited to see me, called me by name, gave me the biggest hug, and proceeded to catch me up on the new animals in her room and newest pictures of her precious grand baby (born during last school year). 

4) I love how Matt & I walked through this together.  The talks we had in the midst of it, allowing me the opportunity to encourage and build him up.  It's not that I don't try, it's just that sometimes it's hard to fit in things like, "you have so much integrity; that is why people fall over themselves to get to know you - even before they know you".  And I love how this whole process wasn't led by either one of us, but by US and God.  We did this together; we grew together and my admiration of him. . . while I think it can't possible grow. . . grew even more. 

5) I love how my mom and sister got to be a part of the process - anticipating daily what the next bit of news was.  I won't go into detail because it's not necessary, but I will say that I love that this happened.  :)

I LOVE that we walked this path - as exhausting as this month has been, I am so very thankful for it.  And I'm VERY thankful to be staying here - making permanent plans, house shopping (not immediately), etc. 

I could go on for days, but reality is. . . I have unpacking and reorganizing to do - and you're probably tired of reading.  So, for now. . . . bye!! :) :) :)