Moved!

We moved! This might be a surprise for some of you who I haven't talked to in a while, so I'll share the story. It's kind of a cool story of how God led us to our new home.

A little background, Emeline is 4.5 and will register for kindergarten in January. She currently goes to a Spanish immersion preschool in SJ, and we live in SC. We have a passion for language and culture and have been hoping that she could continue in a Spanish immersion elementary program. There are lots of those around the Bay Area, but not in our school district. There are a couple of charter schools we could apply for, but also being out of the district for those, we would be third round pick in the lottery selection process. From what I hear there usually aren't spots left by that point. So the question was, do we move to a district that has a program, and hope we win the lottery, or do we stay in our little house we've put so much work in and try for the charter schools?

Through lots prayer and talks with Wes, we felt like moving would get us our best shot. So we prayed for an opportunity. We'd been looking at renting vs buying for a while. MV seemed ideal, but most expensive, so we were also looking north in RC. SJ was an option too, but we preferred to be closer to church if possible. Anyway, we talked to our realtor and though it is a great time to sell, it is not a great time to buy. We tried working through different scenarios, but God didn't seem to be opening any doors. So we focused on finding a rental, so we could move out, then finish the last things on our house to rent it. Everything we've seen has been so expensive and often not updated or well kept. It's been a very discouraging search. The rental market is so competitive you have to apply ASAP to get anything, so we even applied to a few places and got them, but didn't feel comfortable going thru with it. 

That brings us back to how we found this place. It was the day Wes left on a work trip to China. I was having lots of anxiety prepping to say goodbye to Wes. Before he left he prayed for me that I would know how much God loves me.

Later that day, I saw another rental listing, cheaper, bigger, and in the neighborhood we wanted. The dining area was painted a green color I loved, and I got excited. Green! Oh! That would be a pretty place to live. All of a sudden felt giddy like getting a present. Then, in the car driving to preschool, heard a worship song about Gods love for me. I actually believed it and soaked it in in the moment. I felt like the green kitchen was like hope. I have been feeling all this guilt about not accepting Gods gifts (different rental opportunities that have been offered to us, but that we've said no to), like its rude and I'm ungrateful.

But then I had the image of God more like a personal shopper. God saying, "Oh, you don't like this one? Ok, how about this? Green looks good on you. Tell me what you think. Let me go in the back and see what else I can find." That image made me feel special. As if God was taking me shopping for a present. I felt spoiled....in a good way, like getting pampered or something. I felt a big shift in my feelings and thoughts. I was just overwhelmed with God's love. No doubt I'll be anxious and stressed again, but I was so grateful for that shift and change of perspective.

My birthday was the next day. I expected to be sad because Wes was gone, and stressed about needing to get a foot X-ray. But I felt so much of God's love. I got cupcakes and flowers from friends and an awesome mothers ring from Wes.

I went to check out the "green" place the next day. I left the girls with a friend during a play date for the open house.  It really was great, open, bright, spacious. Not a huge yard, but will fit our stuff and give the girls play space. It's a block from a great big park, and walking distance to a few friends.

I went ahead and applied, and we got it! The leasing agent said we were the top choice of 6 applicants. When the leasing agent came by, I chatted with him a bunch and he knows the owners from a church that's across the street from apple. The owner is in children's ministries there. Sounds like a nice family to rent from. I told him how I really felt like a God led us there, and it is such a great place.

We still feel that it's a bummer to rent again, rather than be able to buy and settle in, but we feel like we've really knocked on the door of buying, and it did not open, at least not easily. And we've been offered so many rentals, that feels like an open door. Then having that image of "shopping" with God and experiencing His love and generosity, gives me such peace about it.

I did of course feel super stressed about the logistics of moving, but not about the place. This not only seems to make sense in terms of our financial options and goals, but I really feel God's presence in the process. I am honestly so amazed at how God has answered my prayer to give us the opportunity to move to a school district with a Spanish immersion program, to provide us a home that will fit our family, and how He really gave me this image and sense of His love in such a new way.

That brings us to now. We moved! 

This time around, we hired movers. They packed and moved everything. I don't think I could do it with three littles otherwise...and keep my sanity. Here are the boxes!

And here's the truck loading everything up. Wes stayed behind to manage, and I took the kids to soccer and Aunt Diane's for the day. I'm glad I didn't have to watch. It was hard to say goodbye to our sweet little house and nice neighborhood.

And here we are starting our adventure in MV! Not much to look at from the street, our unit is in the back.

We are taking a leap! Lots left to do, but were doing it. Now we need more prayers for settling in, getting the house ready to rent, finding renters, and then of course that Emeline can win the lottery and actually get to go to the Spanish immersion program :).