Saying "so long" to the South

I cannot begin to explain the joy that has overwhelmed our family in the last 5 years. Born and raised in the mid-west, Gary and I became deep southerners. We learned to say things like "y'all," "fixin'" and to add "the" in front of every store name, as in "I'm fixin' to go to the Wal-Mart, y'all wanna come?".  We have seen the Tide roll and the War Eagle fly. We have lived well, laughed much, and loved wholeheartedly. We moved here with an 8-week old baby and each other. We knew nobody, and I moved without having ever stepped foot in Alabama before. But it was okay. I felt completely at peace with the decision to leave all of the comforts of "home" and move somewhere very unlike what I knew.

It was here, in the buckle of the Bible belt, that we fell in love with Jesus. He sought us, and we were overwhelmed by Him. Not only did we discover our Saviour, but we also discovered amazing friendships. We became witness to the love of Jesus through our friends, who became like family. In 5 short years, we developed life-long friendships that saw the births of new babies, adoptions, the transition from compact cars to mini-vans, life-changing decisions, marital woes, medical diagnosis, crisis of faith, job changes, and moves. We have welcomed new members into our "family," and we have said good-bye to others as the Lord scatters them according to His purpose.

Now, it is our turn to scatter. We have felt the Lord prompting us for some time now, but we knew the timing was never quite right. Now, with 4 cuties to lead at home, and me acting as a single mom most days, we knew the time was finally right. I am frequently asked when daddy will be home and for how long before he has to leave again. Helping daddy pack for a trip used to be a fun bonding experience for the boys, but with its increasing frequency it has become a dreaded chore for all. We cannot expect to lead our children the way God intends if we are not present for them. We understand that sometimes being away from our families is a part of life (special thanks to all of our troops who do this for our freedoms). But, for us, there was a choice. Our prayer was for God to guide us, and He did...to the Pacific Northwest!!! Next month, we will transport our whole family across the country, and Gary will start a job that will allow him to be home more.

Thank you to all my girls who showed me what it means to put others first. You have guided me in my relationship with Christ. You have been more than patient with me, and you have helped me keep my sanity ;) I will miss you all dearly, but I am really looking forward to leaving the comforts you have provided here for the opportunity to tell others of the saving grace of the Lord, and to show them the love of Christ.

~Lindsay