When I wrote the blogpost on this topic last Fall, I imagined this one being very different. I thought I’d be updating about our move, unpacking and settling in… months ago. Over this season, God has been showing us that just because He leads you in a certain direction, the timing might not be quite perfect. God’s direction and course doesn’t change, but His timing might be different than you expected, and He is still sovereign and faithful above all else! It’s been exactly one year since He first laid this on our hearts and all the pieces are now coming together. So, here’s the update of what’s been happening….
Last year, our house was on the market, with a ratified contract, closing / moving date, etc. We were looking at houses near my family and moving forward. We then had the unexpected blow that the buyer was breaking the contract and backing out to pursue another house. Needless to say, we were a little shocked! So back on the market we went, and waited, and waited. Time went along with very few calls, only two showings, and several more houses in our neighborhood that also went on the market.
To back up just a little, a few months before deciding to move, I photographed a session for an amazing family. Towards the end of the session we were all chatting and the dad asked me what John does, just kinda making small talk. He replied that his company would be hiring soon for John’s position so we connected them. John later had a phone interview, but at that point we thought we were moving, so we weren’t sure if that possibility would work out even though it sounded like an awesome opportunity.
While we were waiting for house showings, we had to make a few random repairs, and another friend’s husband volunteered to help John. The guys had never met but as they were talking and working, they realized they had worked on the same projects with previous companies AND he was the one who did John’s phone interview earlier that week! It was a total God thing for them to work on the house together, and for more paths to line up with the possibility of this new company.
After several weeks of waiting, local schools started again so we knew the market would be slowing down even more. We went off the market to stay here through the Fall and through the arrival of baby Isaiah. John also made the decision to pursue the position with this other company and he got the job! He’s now been there for about 9 months and LOVES what he’s doing there! We joke that he never has a bad day. He’s working with a great group of guys, doing what he loves, and (the amazing icing on the cake) is that the job is less than 10 mins from our house!! With his previous company, he was commuting almost two hours EVERY DAY! So this has been a huge blessing these past several months!
At the beginning of April we went back on the market. And oh my goodness, let me tell you… Having a house on the market with three kids 3, 2 and 4 months is not easy! When we first went live, I escaped to my parents’ house for a week with the kids, just so the house would have a chance of staying clean! It was a stressful several weeks with quickly getting the kids out of the house for showings but we’re thankful the process didn’t take too long this time! We now have a ratified contract on both our townhouse and a new home! We’ll be moving at the end of May (in 12 days!!), to Waynesboro, VA!!
It’s a beautiful home where the kids will have a yard, and we’ll be 2.5 miles from my parents! We even saw God’s hand in the home search as this home really meets our needs. We’ll even have a large guest bedroom for all of John’s family when they come back to the States on furlough (he comes from a very missions family – dad is in Thailand, sis in Papua New Guinea & other sis is preparing to also move to Thailand!) We really wanted them to have a “home” when they come to visit!
It will be a definite adjustment not seeing friends as often, missing our incredible church family, moving the business, John will be working from home, and adjusting to a more small town / country life after living in Northern VA for almost 9 years! But we’re excited for the changes ahead. I’ll take on a few sessions this Summer but mainly focus on getting settled and making business changes to prepare for sessions in the Fall; serving the Waynesboro, Augusta County, Crozet and Charlottesville areas!
I know this was a long winded update of the past year, but I just had to share all the random blessings in the process, showing God’s faithfulness in the details! I love being able to look back and see glimpses of God orchestrating all the pieces into place.
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