New Beginnings

Well, I'm doing it...giving into peer pressure...setting myself up for potential failure...starting a blog. Why anyone would want to read this is beyond me but I do think it is a great way to record memories for my kiddos and to share life's happenings with friends and family.

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Starting this blog is not the only reason for entitling this post "New Beginnings." You see, we have decided, as a family, well, I guess as a couple and Liv and Bos have sweetly followed along, to spend the summer in Texas. Why would we go to one of the hottest places in the U.S. during the hottest time of the year? Well, because I am married to a man who is so intelligent and who succeeds at whatever he puts his mind to. That's why! :) Donny is in the midst of getting his PhD in Geology at UK. He applied to and was accepted for a 3 month internship at Pioneer Natural Resources here in Irving, TX. We prayed and felt that this was a great opportunity for him career-wise and an adventure for our family for the summer...so here I sit...in a two-bedroom apartment in the Las Colinas section of Irving, Texas.

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Donny left a 5 weeks ago to come here and start this new job. The kids and I tearfully said good-bye to him as he pulled the little U-haul trailer out of the driveway and drove the 15 hours here. Then, the three of us finished up the school year, me teaching 3rd grade, Liv finishing 1st grade, and Boston enjoying time at Mrs. Gina's. On Friday, June 11, with the help of Mel and Jennifer, we finished loading the car (there wasn't much to do thanks to my sweet brother) and started driving...to Texas...for the summer...away from friends, Southland Christian Church, our home, and everything familiar. When we got to our first stop sign I told the kids we needed to stop and pray for our trip. I got choked up and teary as I prayed. Boston asked if I was about to cry. When I said yes, he said, "It must be hard for them to let us go." His words fit the exact feelings that we all had that morning...

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7 hours later, with two AMAZING kids in tow, we pulled into our hotel in Memphis where, that night, DONNY WOULD FLY IN TO MEET US! We were all excited and had a hard time falling asleep as we waited for him to arrive via hotel shuttle. When he texted that he was there, even the kids knew, they were wide awake and ready to give their daddy huge hugs.

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I will spare you the details from the next day's drive but although we continued to drive away from home the feeling of being together, a family of four in the same car again, was priceless. I think God knew we (should I say I) needed that time apart so that when we were together again I would remember that it is better to be in a new place and together than at home and apart.