Things to unpack...

So you are probably wondering...what is taking her so long to unpack?:o)

Well, I have been thinking back through this past year and the events that took place. Starting back in April when we moved out of our home in East Wenatchee and Josh stopped real estate and started seminary.

We moved in with Greg & Candy for 4 months and then moved to Portland. Living with Carey & Tarah, Josh was in school full-time, I was coaching volleyball and Josh was commuting to GCC every weekend.

Now we have returned to Greg & Candy's while our homes are rented and Josh continues his commute weekly to Portland for school. I am back to work at the hospital and we are worshipping as a family once again at GCC.

Whew!

Tiring?...maybe a little. Enjoyable?...every minute of it.


The opportunity for growth during this time has been limitless...so here are a just a few things I have learned during our time in Oregon…

-For me, home is where your kids and husband are…it’s not a certain city or a specific house.

-Family is a wonderful blessing. Treasure them while you have them. Especially if you have them near.

-Don’t let your worldview get small. (Don’t get so wrapped up in your own challenges that you miss an opportunity to help someone in theirs. I am sure there is someone out there who has it worse than you.)

-Portland isn’t really as rainy as I remember…

-I really, really wish that Wenatchee had a Trader Joe’s.

-The Lord truly sustains and upholds us when we completely trust in Him. He does not fail…ever.

-Change is a wonderful catalyst to increase our faith…

-God created order for a very good reason and I do a lot better when I have somewhat of a “routine”…

-“Routine” does not necessarily mean “the same thing every day”…
(It means that some elements are staples in your life and no matter where you are…they are a part of your day. Don’t wait until you are fully settled to have routine…make it a priority wherever you are.
Time in the Word, prayer, being with family…these things shouldn’t be affected by your “schedule” and shouldn’t go on hold while you “adjust". There will always be something new and your life will always be changing.)

-I don’t need half of the “stuff” I have accumulated in my lifetime…

-Paper plates work just as good as china…and even better, they are unbreakable and disposable.

-My hair behaves a lot better with Portland’s hard water and the moist climate…oh, well.

-Being a part of God’s church, His community, is an amazing blessing.
(It was a joy to experience fellowship with another body of believers there in Portland. And it made me miss the people of our church here…)

-Small living spaces are way easier to clean…

-Small towns are really fun to live in…I like it that the bank teller knows my name, the post office woman is friends with my in-laws and my husband waves to an average of 3 people a day while we’re driving around town.

-There can be great joy in reconnecting with old friends…it’s well worth the effort.

-I love being married to my husband…he is a wonderful visionary and gifted leader who brings me along with him on his fabulous adventures.

-Communal living is a blast…sharing meal prep, dinners together every night and memories that will last a lifetime...these are only some of the benefits.

-Big cities are fun to live in…no one knows your name, there are really cool coffee shops on every corner and you can learn 3 new languages while you stand in line at Fred Meyer.

-The Lord has called my husband and I to be here in the Wenatchee Valley…serving these people and living in this community...

...and we call this “home”.