The first few days

I'm taking plenty of breaks from packing to wander the streets of Celebration. It is so very strange to be here, finally. I look at the people I pass and wonder if they are visitors or residents. I wonder how long they imagined themselves here before they took the plunge. I wonder who lives in the big houses. Then, I see a lizard cross the path in front of me. I see a wisp of white out of the corner of my eye. I am distracted as I wonder if it is an ibis or egret. I am further distracted by signs warning me from feeding or harassing alligators.
Then, I stop wondering. Time to catch runaway children or do the mommy dance to soothe the baby in the backpack. Time to steal a few more minutes of peace before bedtime and boxes.

We're here

The truck is unloaded. The boxes are scattered. And we are here. Moving is never easy and that is true now. But, we are giving it 200 percent and I am hopeful that we will work it out. To what end, I do not know. Won't we all be surprised.

Fully engaged

I do not want to rest on the safe and known in life. I want to continue moving forward. I want to risk the plans I have for my life in the faith that God's plan will be even better. I do not want to talk about trusting God. I want to do it. I want to be fully engaged with God. No benchwarming.

Birthday joys

I love birthdays. My birthday. Family birthdays. Strangers birthdays. I love waking up and feeling like the day is a grand, beautiful holiday. Last year, we moved into our current home on my birthday. We ate mac and dairy free cheese with peas for dinner. We ate it looking out at the park, exhausted and at peace. I can't remember the year before; I think that means I really am getting older. This year was special too. I enjoyed my last farmers market in Bloomington. My husband and I had a golf lesson (he is better than I am) and we all had a wonderful lunch. I think I napped, but I don't remember that either. I know I packed, but that got lost in the many wonderful things that happened that day. I went for a bike ride before I made dinner. It really was a grand day.

Today was my daughter's birthday. It was also my husband's. I hope my daughter always feels as delighted by her birthday as I do. After all, her birthday marks the day I got one of my best presents ever. I hope my husband feels loved and treasured even in the midst of the chaos we call our life.

I love this part of Sept. The stretch between my birthday and theirs is sweet. The anticipation and joy strings the days together. Every call or card is the knowledge that we are loved. Our safety net of friends and family is far wider than even we could reasonably travel in a year. We are blessed and grateful.

Birthdays are good. Very, very good. After all, it's not every day that you can get a free crown, balloon, popsicle and extra tokens at Chuck E Cheese.

Acts of Faith

After all the hours wasted in the stay or go debate, it comes down to one thing. Sometimes, you have to go forward when you don't have all the answers. You have to go even when you are comfy and warm right where you are. Sometimes. Like now.

So, next Thursday, we will finish last minute packing and get the truck loaded. The kids and I will begin the trip down to FL. Russell will follow the next day. No doubt, he will go at a much faster pace without two small children. I hope to be in Orlando relatively soon after his Sat arrival. But, we'll see.

I'm beginning to have the excitement and peace we had that first evening in Celebration. I am so looking forward to not driving everywhere. I want to put many, many miles on my bike as we sing and pedal down the sidewalk, happy to be alive. Yup, I'm weird. Luckily, my children are young enough to think this is a fine and wonderful thing to do.

Each day I have received encouragement and confirmation that God will bring us through this time. I have reminded myself many times to trust in a God that has a big picture. It is not easy. Yet, I get these confirmation moments, these God-moments, when I breathe deeply and know that I am not in this alone.
Thanks be to God.

If

If all goes well, we will have a lease to sign next week for a condo in Celebration. What a rollercoaster! We have finally reached a relatively fun part of the process.

After seeing a few properties in Celebration and getting an idea of floorplans and prices, we decided what we would like to pay for said units. I made a list and told the property agent that I had very competitive private offers, which I did. She came back with counter offers that we felt were more agreeable.

Our first choice is currently furnished. This is not so good for us though. The owner is going to see what she can do about that. Again, if all goes well, we will have a lease to sign next week. If not, we have back up plans.

I never imagined I would be bargaining for rental housing. I always thought it was like grocery store pricing and you paid what was listed. I keep wondering if any part of me will feel bad about dickering, but I don't think so. Instead, I will enjoy the tile floors and the luxury of not stressing about spaghetti sauce, cherries and carpets. Instead, I'll spend the money on music classes and the gym. Woohoo!

Updates

We are moving ahead with our plans to relocate. We still do not have an exact destination. We still flirt with staying here. We are probably the flakiest folks around. We've contacted a couple of realtors regarding available properties in Celebration. Our house is emptying out. Soon we'll need to do another box run.

Stay tuned.