Setting This Circus Down

Ya'll have no idea how excited I am to share that we are moving home, back to Dallas!!!!  Frisco actually. 

It's amazing how God works in our hearts to make us content, even when our circumstances might not be what we had envisioned.    

4 years ago, with a 2 week old baby, we left Dallas and headed to small town South Dakota.  Circumstances had changed.  I wanted to stop teaching and be home with our new baby.  And in order for us to make that happen, we needed to make some big changes.  Thankfully, Dave found a great job there.  Thankfully we had lots and lots of family there, welcoming us, and making us feel at home.  Our short 18 months there were priceless.  Dave and I both treasure the time we got to spend with his Grandpa Wendell, getting to know him better, before he joined the Lord in heaven.  Tears still come to my eyes when I think about the time we had with him in those last months.  Lunches at the downtown cafe, pushing his wheelchair down the streets of Canistota, going to small town football games and little league games.  Priceless. 
 
And we were happy.  COLD, but happy.

But our hearts were still in Dallas, where we met.  Where I grew up.  Where David had spent more of his years than any where else.  (He's done lots of moving). 

Then came an opportunity to move to Oklahoma.  Oklahoma is not nearly as cold.  And we loved that we would be closer to Texas.  Just a short 4 hour drive. 

We have loved the time that we have been here.  Almost 3 years.  It was pretty intimidating, starting fresh with absolutely no family and no friends.  But we found a church that welcomed us with open arms.  We got involved with a small group that became a family to us.  We have grown closer to God, both individually and as a family.  We found a precious little house in the country, where we have spent most evenings outside, watching our babies play.  Dave got to come home for lunch almost every single day.  The kids were part of a mother's day out program with teachers that love them dearly, and have helped to shape their little lives.  I made 3 very dear, special Claremore friends that will forever be in my heart. 

We have been happy here.

But our hearts were still in Dallas. 

Every weekend we spent there, we found ourselves not wanting to leave.  And every time we left, Brooks was sad, crying, telling us that he wanted to stay in Texas.   

Meanwhile, it has been weighing heavily on David that Brooks will be starting school soon.  He sees how attached Brooks gets to people.  How (like his momma), he is slower to change.  We knew that Oklahoma was not a forever thing.  We knew that another move would be coming.  And we knew that we wanted our next move to be somewhere that Brooks could start AND FINISH school. 

Brooks is 4 years old.  He has lived in 5 houses. 

It's time to set this circus down.  To give our babies some stability. 

So we started searching.  There were lots of interviews, lots of opportunities, in many different places.  But our hearts were in Texas.  And God knew that. 

We love the memories we have in Texas.  We love big city Texas.  We love country back-roads Texas.  We love the education system in Texas.  We love the pride that Texans have, the way they take care of their communities. We love how friendly everyone is (except when they are driving).  We love the neighborhood swimming pools.  And the golf courses.  And of course, we love our many family and friends.

One night, overwhelmed, completely at a loss, and missing home, we gave it to God.  Together we prayed that he would open the doors he wanted open, and close the ones that he wanted closed.  We both slept great that night, and woke up with a new attitude. 

And that very day, Dave got a call from Jesuit, an all boys, private college prep school in Dallas.  They set up a phone interview.  A week later, on Dave's 40th birthday, we were in Dallas, interviewing.  They made him an offer, a great offer, to be in charge of their Major Gifts and fundraising.  

So last weekend, we went and found a house, an adorable house.  It's in a great neighborhood with kids all over.  It's got two neighborhood swimming pools, tennis courts, and playgrounds.  It even has a neighborhood golf course.  The school Brooks will attend is a Blue-Ribbon school, one of the best in America.  And guess who happens to live a half a mile away from us, in our neighborhood?  Yep, my parents!  (If you have ever watched Everybody Loves Raymond, you know this could be good or bad, folks.)

We are so stinking excited!!!  

Looking back over the past 4 years, I am so thankful.  I am so thankful that God took us from Dallas while we were still newlyweds, new parents.  We needed to figure out who we were together, and as a family.  We needed distance.  We needed change.  We needed to learn to rely on God, and on each other.  And God has provided all those things. 

And now, we are headed home.  Praise God!