Anyway, you might have noticed a few changes to this blog. The title, for one. When I started writing a few years ago it was for a very specific purpose: I wanted to reach out to and encourage the girls in our youth group throughout the week when I was not with them. I wanted this to be a place on the world wide web that was safe for them to turn to and find truth and honesty. Hence, the Hill for Girls.
Over the last couple of years I haven't written much - the pace of life and the ages of my kids seemed to distract me from making this a priority. But now I find myself with lots to say, and I am realizing that the purpose and primary audience for this blog is changing... I am no longer writing with teenage girls in mind.
I am writing with my husband in mind.
I am writing with family members all over the world in mind.
I am writing with the knowledge that these blog posts will be the primary connection point between me and many of the people I love.
Mostly, I am writing to chronicle the start of what I believe will be an epic journey. We are walking into the unknown, confident that this is where God is calling us to go... But completely unaware of all that it will entail. Seriously, I have no idea what my life will actually look like in 6 months. That's why this is now called "Our Life Now." Because that's all I know. Life right now.
I don't know what life will look like in a month, or two months, or a year. But I can tell you our story for now... And when things change - as they will all too often - this is where you can find the tidbits of information to stay somewhat in the loop.
So here's our current scoop for those of you who like the details. I love details. They seem to be few, far between, and ever changing. But the ones I have, I cling to.
Matt's last day at our church is July 31st. Strangely enough, that's also the exact day we have to be out of our condo. Over the next 2 weeks we'll be loading most of our precious belongings into a storage unit near here. We'll head to Illinois for a short break and some time together.
By mid August Matt will be headed to Rhode Island and the kids and I will be on our way to Colorado. The kids are enrolled at Tavelli Elementary School in Fort Collins. They already know who their teachers will be and have seen pictures online. So sweet - they are excited.
Matt has schooling for 3 months. Our first separation. If we cross your mind, pray for us.
He graduates from Chaplain training on November 15th. After that we are headed to 29 Palms, California. Now before you get all excited thinking that we'll be living some sort of glamorous ocean-front life for 3 years, Google 29 Palms. Its 3 hours from the ocean in the middle of the Mojave Desert. Its probably 124 degrees there today. Or something like that.
29 Palms is a Marine Air Ground Combat Training Center. For those of you who are confused because Matt was commissioned in the Navy, the Marines do not have their own chaplains, so Navy chaplains are assigned to Marine bases as well.
The most exciting news, in my opinion, is that this first assignment is non-deployable. That's right. If we can survive the 3-4 month separation this fall we can count on at least a few years before another long separation is required.
Oh hallelujah.
So there it is. Beyond that, I am learning to be patient and flexible. Working on what it looks like truly believe that God has it in His hands. Its funny how easy it is to believe that when your life is predictable and stable. When you are thrust into the unknown it suddenly becomes a much more difficult exercise of faith...
For now, I am packing, cleaning, trying to have some fun with the kids, and spending precious time with the beautiful friends God has blessed me with here. I will do my best to live in the moment; cherishing the time we have.
I am so grateful for this life we are living now.
Grateful for you, too...
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