Cha-Cha-Cha-Cha-Changes...

Spring is here. We are so grateful. Change is among us in the weather and in our daily lives. Our home here in Fishers went on the market on April 8th. We had about 10 showings in about a 56 hour time period. On Friday morning we received an offer, and by Friday afternoon, we had accepted the offer. Since then, our home has been inspected and we are working on the short list of things that the buyer has asked to be done. Coincidentally, we just found out today that the buyer of our home went to the same college that Chad did, AND he was in the same fraternity, only he graduated a few years after Chad. It really is a very, very small world, but, I also believe that God has had a hand in the timing of all of this. The buyer is working with us on the closing date and the date he takes possession. The closing is May 29th and he will take possession on June 5th. We are very, very pleased and are starting to get excited, but also nervous at the way things are now moving so quickly. Ultimately, I know that God is in control of all of this and all we can do is get the house ready and be ready to close on time. And....our new home is still being renovated, but we have the promise of the builder that he will be done on time. And so here we go...the final push. I have felt very nostalgic lately. I've thought a lot about what it was like when we bought this house; where we were at in our lives. And my, how things have changed. I look around, and so much is different in my life: but in a very good way. I'm a happier person now than I was nearly 7 years ago. And, I attribute that to my relationship with God, His presence in my life, and my ability to let go of control. This week, we made the final decisions on our new home. All the light fixtures have been selected. Flooring choices have been made, and tonight, we will choose the color for the kitchen cabinets (think SAGE...oh yeah, that is the direction we are going..) I am really excited to see it all come in to place. To see the decisions that we have made and the plans that we began last summer all come to fruition. To watch as God's plan unfolds for us has been quite amazing. Another decision that we discerned for was what our schooling option for the boys would be for the coming school year. Right now, I homeschool our children. This year, while caring for my mother, I realized that I am NOT superwoman. I never really thought I was, but people have called me that. "You homeschool, you have three boys, and your care for your mother? Wow, you must be a SAINT!" I humbly tell people that I am not capable of such things on my own and all is done through the Grace of God. I'm not blowing smoke when I say that- I really do believe it. So, in February when things got really rough around here, and I began to question whether or not I should continue this homeschooling gig next year, I really worried about what people would think. The thought that the devil put in to my head was, "You are giving up on homeschooling? Well, you are definitely not a saint!" So, I tossed the idea of giving it up aside, because, I didn't want to let people down. But then, many frustrating days came after that. I would get frustrated with my boys because I had so much to do with my mom and with the house, and I thought that I was a complete fraud. I was putting up this front that I had it all together, when truthfully, I would cry most nights because I began to really, really dislike homeschooling. And I looked at my boys like schooling them was a really big chore, instead of finding joy in the time I was spending with them like I used to. It finally, finally occurred to me that this was no longer working. I had changed. They had changed. The situation had changed. And so, we started really exploring other options. Because of our location at the new house, and because of finances, Catholic school is not an option. And so, we visited the school that my husband went to when he was growing up, and I instantly felt a sense of calm and peace. THIS is where our kids should be. In fact...the same gym teacher that my husband had is still there. So, there is something calming about that. That my boys will learn inside the same walls that their father did, and that my boys will live and grow up in the same house that their grandfather and great uncle did; the house that their great grandfather had built. You know what they say: the more things change, the more they stay the same. For me, right now, truer words were never spoken.