Blessings in Unexpected Places

Lately, I can't help but smile when I think about all that we've been through this year. I smile at the thought of how much I believe God wanted us to move here and be in this school district despite hell's attempt to throw every kink into the plan. I smile when I think of our next door neighbor, Sophie (not her real name, of course), who is 86 and confined to a wheelchair. You see, when we left our old neighborhood we left the "development" of kids and sidewalks. We thought that was a major sacrifice. But God, being so good and knowing the whole picture, had something better in store for us! Our neighbor, Sophie, is so sweet...she is like an institution in our little town, everyone knows her! My girls have really taken to her and #3 asks to go over to "Miss Sophie's" house because "it smells good" and she keeps all sorts of snowmen out on her coffee table for when the kids drop by. Their favorite is a goose with dress up clothes! She is the neighborhood seamstress and nothing leaves her house without being ironed! She did a great job on some drapes that we needed hemmed.

My point being, this new home we have has opened up doors that we never would have had opened to us in our old house. I have this feeling like we BELONG here. In addition to Sophie, I just met Edie a few doors down, another older gal who seems so unsure of herself and in my first conversation with her the other evening she started to cry when she was telling me about how much she misses her mother. I really think she just needed someone to listen to her and give her a hug. One day soon, I know God will open the doors to be able to freely pray for her because she will know we are safe and that we care about her.

We also, after a lonely summer, have found where all the kids are! Not many #1's age, but #3 has her pick of her kindergarten friends, with her new best friend living a block away! How cool is that? She was the one who mourned our move from the old house the most because she left behind her best buddy (it was a good thing, trust me.....he could be very manipulative). This new friendship and the others she is developing in school seem much healthier with more give and take.

As for #1 and #2, they are really doing well in school and we are building relationships with the parents, students and the teachers. #1 found out she made the yearbook staff and we rejoiced with her! #2 seems to be doing better with soccer after the major meltdown. Perhaps, the coaches started to realize there may have been a grain of truth to what I was saying, despite the delivery of it! Even when I went into school to have lunch with #2 the other day I was delighted with her group of friends that treat each other well and seem to have a lot of fun together. And, they liked me! I could barely keep track of all the overlapping conversations they were having with me simultaneously! It was fun and did I mention?....it felt like we BELONGED.

All in all, I am pleased. It is sort of like the dust is settling and I can start to see what life is going to be like for us. It is not perfect, but for the most part it is filled with joy and peace. It is also fun to watch the gifts God likes to send down our way when we aren't expecting them!