A Historic Day

It is a historic day in my life.

Tom came home from the doctor's office around noon. He'd gone in because his hips were hurting more than usual. I was outside shoveling snow when he drove into the carport, so he gave me something to carry into the house and said he'd be right in. Then inside, two minutes later, I heard a knocking at the door. 

Odd, I thought.

Just outside of the door there lay Tom upon his back. He'd slipped on perhaps the tiniest bit of ice beneath our carport. That area is covered, I'd spread lots and lots of rock salt around--and still he slipped. He has fallen much too often lately (remember, he has that bum leg from polio).

Well, as I helped him stand up, I simultaneously let go of any dreams of remaining here in this lovely old town much longer. Neither Tom nor I can handle this well--this risking his bones every time he steps out the door each winter.

We've loved our eleven years here, our house and all the vintage homes around us. How wonderful living near two of the Great Lakes and tons of farmland and historic places. And Autumn! Mind-boggling with color.

But we can't take the snow anymore. Well, if I lived alone, I could. But I don't, so I can't.

We need to move to a place where it never, (or nearly never) snows. A place not too far from California where our relatives live. Oregon perhaps? Though a place where the sun shines more than the fog rolls. A place where old houses are respected and can still be found for less than $100,000 (they are everywhere here where we now live, so yes, they do still exist). A small, old-fashioned community.

If you know of such a place, tell us. The search has begun.

And we are trusting God and Grace to see us through this with joy. Somehow.

This will be a test, a huge one, but I've been preparing for tests. I believe in every day 'doing my homework' so that when the tests come--as they always do--I'll be ready. Well, I guess we'll see just how faithful I've been with the homework. How prepared I really am.


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