Home is where the heart is...

I was talking with a good friend today and I made the comment that I feel as if with everything going on- I don't know who I've talked to recently, and who I haven't.  It's hard to figure out in this world of instant communication- who I've texted, facebook messaged, facebook chat'ed, emailed, talked on the phone with, and in person... and who I just haven't had an opportunity to talk to.

So... in an effort to try and spread the word better, I'll spam my accounts... blogger, facebook, Instagram... and try and spread the word through this.

We are moving!  We thought we would be staying in Edmond Oklahoma until the kids had finished school.  We thought we were at a job that we didn't want to leave, and would last until retirement for Rich.  Sometimes what we thought, doesn't pan out to what happens in our lives.   As we were affected by the current economy and downturn in the oil and gas industry, we began searching for the next job for Rich.  We looked at companies here in Oklahoma.  Our first choice was to stay here, and not have it affect the kids.  Our first choice didn't pan out, and we began looking at other opportunities.  Rich was given the opportunity to work for a company he had worked for previously, and with some interviews and discussion- an offer was extended and accepted. 

We will be moving to The Woodlands, TX.  At first we believed the moving process would take a while.  That our house would not sell quickly, and we would need to keep the family apart while Rich began his job down in TX, and the kids and I continued with school and other obligations here in Oklahoma.  Sometimes in the midst of turmoil when we think prayers are not being answered, we receive absolute answers that cannot be ignored.  Within weeks we had an offer on our house, and had found a house to buy in TX.  Life has continued at warp speed since, as we prepare to leave Oklahoma, and move to TX.  We will be leaving the week after Christmas so we can start the kids at their new schools for the new semester. 

Oklahoma has become a home for us, and we will miss Oklahoma.  We will miss the friends, and people we have grown to love here.  We leave a piece of our hearts here in Oklahoma. 

We also look forward to the future.  We know that there is a reason we are landing where we will be.  We know we will make new friends, and we will learn to love our new home and new surroundings.

There is a blog that I used to read a lot, and one of the phrases she uses with her family is "We Can do Hard Things"  Moving is hard.   I hope through this experience I can instill this phrase in my kids.  My "mother's heart" pleads for those friends we are leaving- who are friends with my kids- to keep in touch with my kids.  Joke with them, give them a "hard time" about their new experiences, and most of all let them know they are loved and they can do this.  For those friends we are about to meet, my prayer is that they accept my kids, quirks and all... that they look to see the people they are- behind the shy exterior that will be shown as they face new schools, new friends, and a new ward at church. 

While all of the above has been happening at seemingly warp speed at times- we have also been mourning that our little dog Jojo has been lost.  He disappeared from a friends house who was watching him while we were out of town and has been missing for over a week.  We are still hopeful he will turn up, but there is a shadow over all our moving preparations with the unknown- of if we will find him or not.  As we face the changes in our lives, please keep us in thoughts and prayers that we will be able to manage the roller coaster that we are riding.