Moving

Moving is hard.  I was reminded of the 'special' stress involved with moving recently.  We have some good friends who are moving in a few weeks.  There have been some stressful days filled with a sick pet, carpet cleaners, new garage door installation, packing and storing items, stagers, and the like.  All of this while maintaining a job, hunting for a new house, and keeping kids entertained while on summer break.  Oh, and then there is the mental and emotional stress of good bye parties and last get- togethers.  Despite the stressful circumstances, they are doing well.  They are trying to maintain a sense of humor and are relying heavily on God.

As my friend goes through this process, I can't help but think about my moving experiences.  My kids and I had many adventures getting the house ready for a showing and then trying to find something to do for a couple of hours with our eighty pound dog.  Sometimes we would go to a park, but there were many times when we would get in our van and drive around.  It was during one of those times that I had to pull off the road because my kids had me laughing so hard about our situation.  That is when I began saying, "this is what my life has become....driving around with a dog who hates cars, hoping that someone will buy the house we don't want to leave."  We couldn't help but laugh.  We still laugh about it. 

It has been almost two years since our last move.  I still can remember the stress, the tears, the heart ache, the grief.  But mostly, I remember God's goodness and faithfulness.  I have seen how our moves have stretched each of us and how God has used that to mold us into the people He wants us to become.  So as my friend prepares to leave, I am sad that we won't see each other as often, but I am also excited to see what God has planned for her and her family.  Let the adventure begin!