However, now that big changes are once again on the horizon I figured it was time to share how we are doing.
Drew started summer classes this week and will continue with those right up until we move to Richmond, IN and he will start his teaching job on August 5th. Please pray for him since he will literally have no transition time between graduate school and his teaching job.
I am headed out on Saturday with Ivy to fly to Idaho. I must admit I am so incredibly excited for the upcoming weeks. My heart is just waiting to be surrounded by family and friends on the west coast for the next month. I can't wait to be with my parents and have Ivy spend time with her grandparents who live so far away. I can't wait to celebrate the wedding of a dear friend/"sister" and I can't wait to have Ivy meet all of her "aunts" in IF. I feel like I have been just living in anticipation for this time when I can relax. I am also excited for Drew to get some quality sleep as he finishes his last few weeks of class and prepares for the school year.
To be honest the past few months have been incredibly difficult. I know many people who have had babies while a spouse is in graduate school or both parents for that matter. And, while our situation may not seem like the most difficult one out there; it was our reality. For a long time I really didn't want to tell people how we were truly doing because I knew that in so many ways we were lucky. However, I realized that it was our reality and it was difficult and we were not ok. Motherhood did not come easily for me and Ivy was/is not exactly the easiest baby around. We spent many an evening/night while Drew was doing student teaching with a baby who was screaming for hours on end, in a one bedroom apartment none the less We often felt helpless in trying to care for this little life. I never imagined how difficult it would be to live far away from family during this time of our lives. I cried basically the whole day after we took my mom to the airport. (hormones probably didn't help) However, I will say that God has provided an amazing community for us here. I want to say thank you so much to our church, small group, neighbors, Drew's cohort, etc. without all of you bringing us meals watching Ivy and Sitka I really don't think all four of us would have made it out alive from student teaching.
These next few weeks will once again be filled with ups and downs. We are hoping to buy a house and are so excited about this next stage, however I am also scared about those first few weeks/months when we wont yet know the community of people in Richmond like we do here. I am scared about being home alone with Ivy and Sitka while Drew inevitably works the long hours of a first year teacher. We are both not looking forward to once again having to find a church to call home. However, we are resting in the fact that God made it very clear that Richmond is where we are supposed to be and this is the job Drew was supposed to have. We are now just praying about what this move will mean for me and my job search and our family life as a whole.
So once again thank you so much to those of you who have helped us in the past several weeks!!!! This move is truly bittersweet. I felt quite strongly that our time was not over here, but it seems God has other plans. So, please be praying that we quickly get plugged in and God begins to show me what my new role will be in this town.
Oh and just for fun here is a little picture comparison for how much our little miss has grown these past five months :) Though it hasn't been easy this cutie is worth it, despite all the sleepless nights and added stress.
 |
| Just a few weeks old |
 |
| Same chair and 4 months old |
 |
| Just a couple days old |
 |
| So big! |
