Welcome Home

Today is back to reality. Our week long vacation back home is complete and bags still need to be unpacked.

While vacation is still fresh on my mind and we still have 2 glorious days left with no school on the books I am looking forward. There is a peace that came over us while we were back home. While we really want to move back we have the hugest sense of peace and comfort with where we are. We really miss all of our friends, that are more like family, we have realized what we miss the most was the scenery. In the big scheme of things not really what to be longing for huh? We are still in contact with the friends so the not "seeing" part is the scenery. That's what we miss. Does that make any sense at all? It's all jumbled in my head on how to explain too. Sorry. We had the pleasure of spending an entire day up in our old life. It literally felt as if we hadn't left. Of course that is outside of the showers of "WOW, the kids are so much taller!" "Oh I've missed you!" "Oh are you back!?" etc. We miss those faces but the love and support we felt from them spans the miles that separate us. The plus side... We get to spend forever together in Heaven so what's a few short years away?

Yep. Years.

In the past couple months God has been overwhelmingly awesome and loud that we will not be moving back home anytime soon. He solidified that for us 2 days after we were back there.  He has lead us to a step that keeps us on these southern grounds a little while longer. We had to share this news back home and while it was warmly received and supported you could see the sadness. Once they heard all God has done in this decision we were showered with the same love and prayers we had when God was so loud about moving us here. God is working and we got to go home and sing of his praises that he hasn't stopped. Such an honor.

We learned in our short time home that distance won't change the friendships. That while we long for mountains and greenery God is faithful and it doesn't matter where we are as long as we are who he wants us to be. The peace and soul refreshing moments follow when we are in his will. Location doesn't matter. The friendships we have there... eternal.

Flying back into "home"... this new state and soon to be new city...  it felt just that... home. The next couple years (or more, God only knows) of our family's memories are held on these streets. It's the first time ever in our 12 years together that we know without a doubt this is it. No continued longing or searching for where does God want us. This is it. This is where he wants us. Now, we plant more roots. Roots that don't have to do with a lease or a constant what are we doing in a year question. There is a lot of freedom in that. We are not sure God will ever move us back home. Home to the place we forced to move to in the first place may never be where he wants us again, but I am so grateful for the growth he allowed while we were there. Despite us taking over and making that move happen (because we wanted it and we turned it into God saying yes when he screamed no) he grew us and provided in ways we didn't deserve. The feel of this moment so different and so refreshing because there is no making it appear God is in this step. He is all over this step.

Do I still long or miss back home? I think I always will. It's where I met God. Like really met him. It's where he revealed to me I am so much stronger than I ever thought possible. It's where me was discovered. It will forever hold a special soft spot in my heart. The scenery... icing on the cake.

I look forward though with a sigh of relief.  We are taking God's steps. This is home now and the timing of going back home and realizing we are where we are supposed to be is uncanny and really only God. It was at (I feel) a crucial time for us. It was reassuring and greatly appreciated... all the little things God used to show us that yes we are exactly where he wants us was mind blowing this last week.

So, our new journey continues to take its next steps. It continues to grow our faith to limits we never imagined but are so grateful for. The views outside our windows has changed, our friendships haven't, and our faith only stronger. Being in God's will and knowing without a shadow of a doubt that we are where we are supposed to be, truthfully the most free we have ever felt. God is so good. He is reassuring and as we look back at where we have been we look forward to where he is leading us too.

We are home.

We are following God's will for us no matter where we takes us and will sing about how healing that has been for us along the way.

Welcome Home.