Oh Where, Oh Where Did I Go?

Here I am!  So much has happened since I last posted.  It was a rough summer and I just couldn't find the inspiration to blog.  My husband's job in Arkansas ended on July 1 and we began the journey into unemployment.  We had no idea how long the journey would be and we prayed that God would provide.

Provide He did!  We felt so loved and cared for by our church family during this humbling experience.  We also had great "family time" that we never would have had otherwise.  There were days that we got discouraged, but we always knew that God's plan would eventually be revealed.  Let's just say, when He decided to reveal, He did so quickly!

Phil had an interview in South Dakota on July 30 and an interview in Missouri on August 2.  On August 3 he was offered the South Dakota job and the next day he was notified that he was not chosen for the opening in MO.  We really felt like this was God's open door and we stepped right through.  This is when things really started to get crazy!  The very next day we hopped in the van for a 15 hour road trip to South Dakota.

House hunting began.  Really it started out as a search for a rental, but again, God provided the unexpected.

We made an offer on this house and, after a "counter," we had an accepted offer.  This is much more house than we ever dreamed we would get, but our payments will be about the same as we would pay for a small rental house. There is much more to the story, but I will save that for another blog post.

Of course, our short time-line posed a bit of a problem.  It was now August 9 and we needed to be living in South Dakota by August 19 so Phil could start his job and the kids could start school.  Yikes!  With that in mind, we headed back to Arkansas.  The entire house was packed in boxes, arrangements were made with the moving company (Thank you, Lord, for paid moving expenses - the first time ever!), good-byes were said, our two vans were loaded with "essentials" and we were heading north again by the 16th!

Sorry....I forgot to warn you that this would be a long post!

On the second day of the trip, and with only about 100 miles to go, Phil's van drove its final mile.  After giving us over 180,000 miles, it just couldn't give any more.  After a few phone calls I was connected with a distant family relative (by marriage, sort of...) who just happens to have two jobs:  1.  He owns a towing business and 2.  He works for a salvage yard.....in the town where we were stranded!  Yes, God does certainly work in mysterious ways.  In the rain we re-packed; taking the "essential essentials" out of the dead van.  We left it behind to be towed to the salvage yard and went back the next weekend to get the rest of our belongings.

It was a long two days, but we arrived with one day to spare before the kids started school!  We don't have our house yet, but the university is allowing us to stay here:

A brand new apartment complex for students.  So, it is not ideal, but it is a place to live while we wait for a closing date on our house.  Hopefully that will be in the next week or two.

Okay, I will try to wrap it up here.  Phil is enjoying his job and keeping very busy with the start of the semester.  The boys like their new schools and are both playing football.  Sweet Girl has done remarkably well transitioning to a new school and has already stolen the hearts of her teachers.  I am playing chauffeur (especially since we only have one vehicle) and getting things figured out with insurance, utilities, new doctors, etc.

So, that was a really long post to let you know that I am now "blooming" in South Dakota!  I can't promise regular posts any time soon, but I will do my best to keep you updated. 

{Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment.  I Timothy 6:17}