Moving Day

Chaos! Sheer Chaos. That is the best way to describe moving. "Honey have you seen the pliers?" "No check in the 3rd box down in the den." Oh the joys of moving, Praise God that He has planned all this and all we have to do is the work. Otherwise Chaos + my planning = God getting a good giggle. Take a look...

This is what we took in the U-haul, after the movers left. (one word - downsizing)

Our family at 4:30 am on the day we drove out. Okay, check out Danielle on the left and take note. I'm a morning person.

Danielle and I drove the truck, Chris drove the U-Haul towing Danielle's '71 VW...for the whole drive this was our view.

Molly in the back is not liking this car trip. She says PLEEEAAASEE let me out of this vehicle.

Koda driving the U-haul...kidding. Chris went inside so Koda decided to dream.

Okay, here ya go. 20 hours later, yes you read that correctly, 20 hours later and several stops that were a 6 ring circus we made it. Okay remember the note I told you to take earlier, check out Danielle now. Who's the night owl in the family? Not me!

God's peace.

God's Story

I am writing this a few months after the fact, but the story still blows my socks off and each time I share it I still get "chill bumps" as the folks here in the south say.

It was a Friday morning in January. My beloved husband had been reading a book written by Scott Hahn in an effort to try and develop a deeper understanding of his (my husband's) faith. I had been reading a book called Women of Grace since I've been trying to read and learn more about living the life of a Christian wife, what God created me for. As I was waiting for my shower to warm up I was reading a chapter in my book and I heard, what I believe, the Holy Spirit tell me "Dee you and Chris are moving to Steubenville Ohio so Chris can study Theology." In all my not-so-humility I yelled out "What about Virginia" - we had been planning on moving to Virginia for a year and that is where all the big $$ was for him working. Then my first thought was "Oh God, how did Mary answer you in such humility and what have I done?" So I prayed, Lord if this is you, YOU have to tell my husband. Everything I have offered in the past has been shot down. And if this is not you, please make it go away and protect me.

Two hours later my husband called. Here is the conversation:

Chris: "Are you sitting down?"

Me: "I can"

"What do you think about moving to Ohio?"

Silence, then tears.

"What's wrong Dee?"

"Honey, the Holy Spirit told me a couple of hours ago we were moving to Steubenville Ohio so you could study Theology."

Silence.

Silence.

Chris: "Really?"

Me: "yep"

Silence.

Chris: "I'm on the university's web site looking at their Theology page."

Silence.

Me: " I gotta go"

Chris: "Me too. Love you."

Me: " Love you too."

We prayed for the first time together that night, on our knees. And each night after for 2 weeks before we told a soul. A friend knew something was up because we both withdrew from socializing at church. After I explained the generics, she said she would pray for us too. We both sought spiritual advice and it was recommended that we pray for God to block this or make the bottom fall out of it if it is not from Him, otherwise keep going. If we don't follow God's will, who knows what will happen. So that's what we did.

Well, 4 weeks after that Friday we were in Ohio looking at houses and Chris and my step-daughter Danielle toured the campus for new students. We were there for 5 days, drove up and back. Never found a house and I grumbled all the way home. Yep, 15 hours worth, poor hubby.
I thought if God wanted us there then there would be a house for us.

Little did I know. Duh Dee, in God's time not Dee's time. We eventually found a house and it's on the street we hoped to live on. More on the house later.

I used to call this Our Story. I changed it to God's story, because this is about God and His plan. No, we don't know anything else other than we are going to Steubenville for now. I have a deep feeling we will be living there for quite some time. Chris thinks we are going to go back to New Mexico in 4 years. I'm not convinced of that yet. God has a reason for my husband to be in this specific place and I don't know what it is, won't even pretend to, but I do know more than a handfull of people have said "you are going to be a teacher at that college!"

Praise God, Danielle is going to the same school. First time in the school's history a Dad and daughter are attending at the same time. Me, I've been praying for what I'm to do. I feel lost and left out. Through my prayers I keep getting directed to Proverbs 31 and verses that indicate a woman's place is to take care of her husband. So, I figure I am going to be setting up a home for the next several months, then after Christmas I will ask again. {wink}

God's peace~

Our move is set!

Praise God! We survived my husband's retirement ceremony (from active duty Marine Corps) on the 24th of May, a graduation on the 26th of May and now we are on to the move. We are moving to Steubenville OH the end of the month. Excitement, anxiousness and a bit of stress are in the air here in the Peterson home.

We are excited because this has been a God thing since before we even knew Steubenville was an option in our places to go list. Excited to see, what does God have in store for us? What is this town like? Then the anxiousness kicks in...what in the world are we doing? We don't know anyone there (family is in N.M.). What work is going to need to be done on the house to get it up to where we would like it to be? Where do I go grocery shopping? You know, I think change is good for me. I get in a routine and sometimes a rut and don't know it. God throws something out there for me and I freak out until I see that it's ok and He has me by the hand and will not let go. The gentleness and love I feel when I let my feelings calm down and see God has a plan and I just need to be obedient, it's awesome.

We just closed on our home up there. This is our first purchase. Quite stressfull I might add, when you don't have a realtor that is, umm, very knowledgable. But, this is the house God had for us. We prayed, ALOT, before we found this one and even afterwards asking for signs if this is it. Praying for roadblocks if it's not. None of that happened. Besides a few hitches with the sellers and the bank forgetting to do our paperwork (oh that's a whole nother story..no rave!) all went well. I haven't seen it but my husband went up to see it and go through it with our home inspector. He loves it and thinks I will too. I'm excited.

I think I'm more excited because he told me he was going to carry me across the threshold. .

I will post a picture later, but pray for us in this transition. My husband will be attending college full time, and my step daughter wants to go to the same school so we are working on that too. Two family members in the same school.

Ohh, better go get dinner started...I sure can carry on when I'm excited!

God's peace.

Prayers help!

Today we are trying to finalize some inspections for buying a home in Ohio. The Lord has guided us to this destination and we believe He will show us the way, but only if we pray and are open to God's will. Sometimes deciphering my will vs God's will is hard work, and sometimes I don't want to ask for God's will, I want my will to happen. In humility and obedience I know that's not right and I quickly jump back to a prayerful stance and ask for God to have mercy on me and my humaness.

I hope the Lord will work things out today for the house we are trying to buy. But most of all, I pray for the willingness to accept whatever is God's will for us today.

God's peace,
Dee

Our journey

Our journey is still underway. We are moving to Steubenville Ohio the first part of June (God Willing) and slowly all the To-Do's are getting done. Our next goal is a part time job for my husband, this will keep him from completely leaving the stuff he's involved in, and some extra denero. I have decided to go back to working part time as well. Since I have no kids at home (after June) and my beloved is going to be in school and working part time...conversations with the dogs are just not cuttin' it! So after the move I am taking a couple classes then starting a part time business doing Bookkeeping. I need a creative name for it and I struggle with this. Any suggestions?

So,we finally got all the VA paperwork done and the college stuff done. Next...a home. Not just a home...our first home...long distance...Oh please Lord, show us the home You want us to have....soon.

I know, in God's time not Dee's time. With moving in less than two months, I would like to think we would have a home already lined up. We really like one, but our papers are not in order yet to buy. I pray that the home is still available when we do get things in order.

God has taken care of us and has everything under control. I just wish it was easier to let go of trying to make things happen. It's hard when you are excited (and nervous). I tend to ramble as well. Hmm speaking of rambling...I best sign off.

God's peace.