Making Home Again

We recently made a big and extremely last-minute decision to move back to where our family lives in Ohio. We avoided this decision because of our love of our home in Central Ohio. Our very first house that brought so many good memories (admittedly bad as well), a great community of friends from all different walks of life, churches, etc. and our own sense of space.

We loved what the city of Westerville and surrounding cities offered us. The culture, the FARMER'S MARKETS!, the fresh and clean feeling you felt everywhere you looked. We.loved.Westerville. (Central Ohio). Nothing in Westerville was making us to want to run. But that didn't mean it wasn't what we were supposed to do.

Our Zekey is very ill and with his diagnosis, apart from meds to slow down the process or being healed, he will only get worse. There is no cure. While on vacation with my side of family, I realized that with all of their help, I still felt overwhelmed. I honestly thought, "How have I been doing this all alone?" 'Alone' as in 'mostly alone'. I have had so many people offer to help and come in to our lives and serve on some capacity. It's been a true blessing! We are so thankful!

In this season, though,I need to have family all up in my life. I need naps, sometimes (because Zeke doesn't sleep well) I need to have people around, just to be there for my sanity. I need to be able to pack up the kids and head to my parent's house on a whim. It's just getting too difficult.

With school starting up, we thought it was important to get them registered and make school as smooth sailing as possible. This meant moving VERY last minute and leaving my husband behind so he could finish up this month at work.  We packed up a week ago and drove to Toledo, not looking back.

When I pray for wisdom, the answer usually comes with peace in the right decision. Like an overwhelming, God can only give it, kind of peace. What it doesn't mean is that it will be easy or it's going to happen without a hitch. Not even close. This has been very consistent in how God speaks to me when I search for wisdom- my whole life. I realized this a little later in life than I'd like to admit. Could have avoided too many boys before my current Mr.;)

We trust God is going to provide a job for Andy. We trust our house will sell quickly. We trust our children will find new friends and we'll find a new church home. We trust because we have seen God take care of us many times in the midst of chaos. Zeke's illness is definitely the worst we have ever dealt with but the rest of our life hasn't exactly been easy. And that's okay. God's brought blessing throughout it all.

I wanted to finish with one of the most prominent blessings we currently posses. Our new 'home'. I have the most hospitable in-laws you could ever ask for. They have, for a long time, felt like family as my own do. They have embraced me and of course, our children as they so quickly came. And coming here whenever we visited, there was always a place to stay.

With Zeke's health depleting, the option has always been open- to stay with them. Giving up what's theirs and offering it to others. And they do this with everyone. Not just family. Giving is in their blood. In who God made them and I get to be on the other side of that during a time we need it most.

Bonus! What makes this all work, is that they have the space for us. A big, beautiful home that makes it not just work for us, but cozy and it feels like home.I get to hop, skip and jump right over that 'waiting to make a new place feel like home' season. We are home and it's in a different city and house than what was home just 7 days ago. What a blessing! We are all happy to be here.

So, what makes a place home?
"Home is where the heart is"
"Home is where family is"
"Home is where my kids are"

How about, "This home is temporary, be thankful and just keep following Me."

We will not be here forever, this season, this house, but we're here now. So, I'll look around at all the blessings, feel thankful and when it's time to move, I'll look up and ask, "Where next, God?", ready to follow His lead. 

P.S., Anyone looking for an adorable, 3 bedroom cape cod in an amazing neighborhood and Westerville schools? It'll be for sale soon!!