Happy Days Are Here Again!

Amazing news! Well, amazing for Tom and me.

Earlier this afternoon we talked and realized something--over the past two years whenever we have discussed moving back West, we've butted heads and brought down a big, black cloud. And that is very unusual for us, having been married 26 years and usually getting along great.

Well, the amazing thing is that today it hit me: the thought of moving back West--back where we had lived all our lives until 1993---well, it was making me feel horrible! It felt so much like, "Been there, done that, don't want to do that again." I'd lived in California 29 years, Nevada for 5, and we'd vacationed in both those states as well as Oregon, Washington and Idaho.

And well, nothing personal to any of you fine folks who live out there, but today I realized--those states are not where I belong. Only when we moved to our current Eastern state did I finally feel like I'd come home. Well, as much as a Christian can feel at home in a place upon this Earth.

So what's the big, amazing thing? Tom and I discussed moving someday, instead, to the southern states here on this Eastern half of the U. S. and well, we both got excited about it! I can't get over this, but I would move just about any place else along this Eastern seaboard--or even on the fringes of the mid-west--just keep me in these old-fashioned states where there's still a strong sense of history. Where old buildings and houses are admired and respected (and are everywhere)-- not just torn down to make room for new construction.

Just keep me somewhere back here with that Mayberry sense of living and I'll be fine.

Woo hoo! The heaviness has lifted and we're both at peace again and anticipating good things ahead. Of course, our families out West will throw fits because we'd hinted we may be moving back there someday. But they'll get over it--in time. 

Or maybe they won't (certain family members have still not forgiven us for moving here 12 years ago).

We will console them with the promise that we'll try to visit them a more often by plane--not my favorite way to travel, but oh well--some sacrifices must be made in any new venture. And after all, we have learned that following God is the most important thing. To follow Him is to follow the road to peace with God--and that is what matters most.

That is what this feels like.... And I am grateful.

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P.S. Fish--After Tom and I came home from dinner at the park, I read your comment to my last post and was amazed to read that you'd written: "You both are in my prayers. I pray something comes along that can appease you both." Not only is that exactly what happened today, but at dinner, I'd even been telling Tom about what an inspiration you and Crystal have been to me. I even told him I'd move just about any place down south except New Orleans because the two of you had said, well, it's not quite shangri-la....smile... Anyway, I thought it was the most amazing coincidence! (God-incidence?). Thanks for your prayers!

And I do thank *everyone* for your prayers for us today. Really, I'm sure they helped us find this new direction and I will always be very, very thankful!


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