Moving Weekend #2

We continue to feel overwhelmingly blessed by friends and family during our transitions! Before I tell you about God's faithfulness and blessing I want you to know that not every day is filled with smiles from morning to night. Transition is hard at times. I mainly blog about the good, and recognize that it might seem we live in dream world. I have shed tears this week and I have had to call my mom for a calm down session, but... I want to share with you some ways that Our Great God has been faithful this week!
Yesterday we moved the furniture out of the town house and into a U-haul. We had the wonderful help of a dear couple from church. It was a long day, but we managed to get everything into the U-haul, truck, and car! The town house is empty and clean, but amazingly still looks cozy, homey, and peaceful empty! We walked from room to room saying good-bye to four years of memories. There were tears as we said bye to the nursery which never housed a baby! The tears were both of sorrow as I reflected on the battle, and joy as I thought about your our future family! I am a little thankful that airplanes will bring our babies home... not my labor! We sat in our empty living room for a final time of prayer. We prayed for our dear neighbors, (we got to say good-bye to most of them) for M the future home owner, and mostly we praised God for our great time in the home.
After a tearful good-bye Brandon and trailer headed north to the parsonage and I headed west to cheap groceries! Yes, after my local grocery store search I determined the items that are still twice the price here and stocked up! I then headed north...alone... in the dark. Actually I made it home with no problems, but wow there was a lot of traffic. I guess it was Friday night of a holiday weekend.
After my arrival home, we unpacked the car and the back of the truck and I ran upstairs to do what needed to be done after fluid intake and a long car ride... AND what I noticed while washing my hands was INCREDIBLE... the bathroom had been painted!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes friends, while we were packing, moving, and cleaning as amazing person in our church finished the top half of the kitchen, the laundry room, and the upstairs bathroom! I actually shed tears of joy! What a great way to end a long day.
This morning was the monthly men's breakfast at church. After eating the men came over to our house to unload the U-haul. There was such a great group of strong men here, that after 25 minutes EVERYTHING was unloaded! WOW!!!
Now the real fun begins (which is why I escaped to blog (: ) Today I hope to start actually putting a few things away. The living room, family room, and kitchen are not fully painted and the bedrooms have not been started, so it is a mix of putting things away and putting things "in holding" until they can really be put away!
Brandon is working hard this weekend. We had our first death in the church so there is much to do preparing for the funeral (I will post on this next week!) and for the Sunday service. Poor Brandon! It is a lot of work, but I believe he is gifted in it and the Lord blesses it! I try to be his cheerleader and help where ever I can. Mainly that means prayer, food, back rubs, and love!
Well, there is much to be done, and hiding in the guest bedroom won't check anything off of a list, so off I go!
I hope everyone has a wonderful Labor Day Weekend. Brandon will celebrate by "laboring" at the church (or home office) while I "labor" at home! We are so blessed by your prayers! Truly, I say over and over again, "God just answered a prayer that someone prayed on our behalf."

** One more thing that should bring a smile. I had a dream about your baby two nights ago. HE was around two in my dream and I was holding him in a basement family room (I have never seen the room) and he was saying mama and daddy when Brandon came down. He also was saying his name! It was SO real and he was so beautiful! Sad I had to wake up, but excited that means we are one day closer to Ethiopia!