Ready or not...

...life is changing!

I have always heard about empty nest and all the growing pangs that go along with little chicks leaving the nest and I thought it would be a cinch when the time came but I have to tell you, it's a booger!!

We saw Cody leave 3 years ago at 19 and that was difficult. I honestly got through it by just not thinking about it and I was pretty successful. Then two years later when Josh left at 18 it was much harder. I think it was because he was the last boy in the house. When he left we had to do away with the boy's room cause there were no more boys in the house and that was a reality check for sure. We redid the larger boy's room and moved Hannah in there leaving a completely empty bedroom. It wasn't long till we realized that this family house was a bit too large for our little family of 3. 

Also for the first time in our ministry here we are going to be living in a different city. We have lived and worked in this city for 13 years, since we arrived in Croatia. As much as I love this city and the friends we've made I'm ready for a change. We no longer work in the first church plant and we're exclusively working in the new church in a neighboring city. The new city is at least 3 times larger than than our city here which means lots of shopping opportunities. 

I am really not the sort of girl that resists change. I actually welcome change and need it every couple years it seems to keep from getting bored. Being a missionary has worked out well. Between furloughs and work we have managed to move 5 times in 13 years. I know that seems crazy but it's just the way it has worked out. I know God knew in advance what our life would hold on the mission field 'cause as a child my family moved more than 30 times by high school. I didn't understand it or like it then but I can see how it's prepared me for life here. 

Anyhow, ready or not it's time to move again. This move is different because we are seriously downsizing. The house we are renting is basically a house with the top floor made into an apartment and the bottom is a garage and some storage rooms. It's different than anything we've lived in before. For one thing, it's one story, which is amazing. Can I please stop here and interject: I hate stairs! Every house we have lived in has been at least two stories and a few three. I'm so excited about living on one floor. I'm keeping in mind that the grass is always greener on the other side and maybe a one story isn't gonna be as cool as I think but I'm up for giving it a try. Oh wait, no stairs?....there goes my only means of exercise! So by the first week of January we should be completely moved into our new house and new life. 

Life is changing whether I'm ready or not. We're now a family or 3 for now anyhow. It won't be long and our 16 year old daughter will be old enough to fly the coop and head off to the US to Bible college. So then, I'm sure I'll be back making a post about life as a twosome. 

Life is changing for us...ready or not.