A year ago this weekend...

Here is the very first post I put on my blog. I'm blown away by life since that point....

Thursday, August 24, 2006

My first thoughts - thoughts before the interview
I have never been one to blog, but as I sit here tonight, decided that I would try. The worst thing that can happen is that I forget my blog site and never return. So, I'll give it a try!

I feel quite swamped tonight. We have been preparing to leave for Indiana for a job interview for Phil. Our kids are going somewhere else, so we are packing for 2 different trips. It seems strange, but there is just so much to think of and so much to do. Currently the dryer is running through the last load of clothes to dry. Phil is sleeping, and I am wide awake with a zillion thoughts running through my head. I have chosen to put most of them on hold as the next few days hold way to much to be pausing on the "what if's" of the future. I continue second by second to issue the prayer, "God, please make each step of the way very clearly a "Yes" or a "No." I don't want to sit in a questioning state.

This whole trip has been a long awaited trip. We thought we were going out in May, but have been delayed until now. Will we like it? Will it be a good fit? Will we find a house? Will the school be the right choice? Will the interview go well? On and on the questions could go. I won't bore you now, but will post more when we know something.

For now, thanks for praying. We will have a lot to handle once we know what we are doing. We haven't told the girls anything except that daddy finally got the call for the meeting he has been waiting for and that mommy and daddy need to make a trip out to Indiana.

God knows the minutest desires of our hearts...I've watched him answering them already. HE cares even about the silliest details that we barely dare to utter. I'm so thankful for that.


NOW...here we are a year later and I'm just really amazed at how things have changed. NO...don't get me wrong...I'm not saying it was easy! This past year has been some of the toughest days our family has faced. We uprooted to a whole new place (although we went to college there living in what some call the "black hole" has been tough.) We've had to adjust to being in a state 10 hours from all that was familiar, start at a new job, re-start my PC business, Lilly started a new school, we had to find a church, move our vast amount of belongings (to which I owe several of my loyal readers a huge thanks) in a moving truck and a trailer since we ran out of room in the moving truck, and so many more things have happened. I won't take the time now to begin to detail them all out, but I wanted to take a few minutes to reminisce.

One of the things that we struggled with was waiting from May until August to do our interview. We had many concerns on whether we should actually go because of the entire summer spent waiting. We have learned many things about why this may have been and realized that although many of our concerns were still valid, God would not work things out so amazingly if we weren't supposed to be there.

Lilly cried for 6 weeks straight EVERY day about wanting to move back here to NY (we're here for the weekend) so she could go to her old school and be with her best friend Anna. That, thankfully, has calmed down to an occasional "I really miss Anna and living in Corning." I hope that she and Anna will always be friends, but I'm glad that she becoming settled.

I have faced depression head on this past year. As we speak, I still deal with it, but have felt such a huge burden lifted in the past month or two. I've learned that it is not wrong to take the medication one needs in order to be able to face what life hands you. It is wrong to judge a person for taking the medicine. I used to think that it was only really needed by people who faced issues like being bipolar. I NEVER thought I'd be taking it. I've found way more people actually are medicated than not (at least those I spend time with...that sounds bad! I'm finding that you just never know who is or is not taking medication for depression.
I've felt the difference medication can make. I am not discounting the fact of God's grace and healing in my life. I'm just saying I'm glad God has allowed man the genius to create medications that can help us. I don't intend to be on the medication forever, but as my doctor said, "Give it time!" A friend of mine asked if I had done any research on depression, and since I had not, she shared some of her knowledge with me. I learned that it is believed that once you have had a bout of depression, you are at least twice as likely to deal with it again in the future. The amazing thing is that I believe that does not have to be the case! I believe in God's healing!

I've (re) learned that it is possible to still be close friends and continue friendships even from the distance of 10 hours! Several things that come to mind with this are:
-My friend Dolly who continually hears the promptings of God to send me cards, gifts for the kids, and just lets us know she's thinking of us (it ALWAYS arrived exactly when I NEED to hear it!) Thanks, Dolly.
- My friend Melinda who lives in an animal filled world and is "wooed" to sleep each night (lately) by her cow. Melinda and I were just starting to become friends when we moved. We have become quite close over the past 10 months. We've emailed, called, and even made it a point to get together when I am home. Her friendship is so valued.
-My friend Laura who lives in a zoo...oh wait...it's that her life is a zoo! She has 4 kids 6 and under and a husband who just started a business, along with so many other commitments. We rarely talk, but always know that the other is there (in the midst of crazy life on each end). We think of and pray for each other regularly. Her heart of love for me has shown through so many times. Whenever we do connect, we pick up on the same page we left off (although as moms, it's hard to ever finish a thought completely!)
- There are so many others, but ...

New friends aren't made instantly, but it's amazing what a simple gesture on a cold morning can mean. Ronda (and Tracey) showed up on that cold October morning when hardly anyone else did, and helped unload boxes off our moving truck. Since that point, our friendship has only grown.

Or...meeting a fellow New YOARKer who instantly connects me with others who were fairly new and invites me to "tea" at her house. She is truly the ONLY person who completely understands Katy's "Long Island-ese" and doesn't need an interpreter! Maryann, although she has since moved to "Noble-tucky" always understands our frustrations and grunts. She never judges, just completely follows our thoughts and hearts on the issues.

Maryann introduced me to Cheryl. Then, to Jackie, and Abby. We all share several things in common - God, we live in Marion (ok, except for Maryann who moved away on us), we all are connected to IWU by spouses (and now even several of these ladies are teaching/working there), and the fact that we all moved to Marion within the last year. We have such a great time together. In fact, I'm working on planning a monthly get together for us so we can still spend time together.

I've learned that God still does miracles! He provided a realtor who truly understood our needs and desires and brought us to the right house where a godly woman owned the house and that woman blessed us 100 times over ...time and time again. We are so thrilled with our house. It is perfect for us. Thank you, Julia and Vivian.

I've learned that one does not make friends just by seeing people across the room. It takes stepping out and actually reaching out to others...which never used to be a problem until we moved here and I got sick of being the one who stepped out and talked to others. I wanted to be the one that was talked to. People who are now a part of my life because of doing this have enriched my life.

- The Marcisz family has truly become a huge blessing in our family - each in their own way. Kathy is a friend I enjoy talking to and asking for advice as a fellow Christian mom and a home school mom. Caitlyn started out watching the girls this summer when Sarah our "regular" sitter went home for summer break. The task has migrated to Melanie and Abby at times too. Melanie is also my office assistant. She's learned how to handle my PC invitations, enter expenses into my Pampered Partner database, and so much more! Nathan keeps my girls in the world of realizing that although "boys are gross" (a phrase their daddy taught them that he hopes sticks for many years to come) some of them aren't so bad! Joe has even been a help with pool questions! They were all a huge help when I went to Chicago...they took great care of the girls! Jenna is such a great friend for the girls. You've seen here on other posts, and heard about how much the 3 girls love to play together. Her sweet attitude (spiced with spunk now and then) is a real treat. Whenever the girls see each other, it's as if they were long lost friends that hadn't seen each other in years rather than hours!

I've learned that one can survive without family around to take care of my kids. One of the harder things to get used to is not having my parents nearby to help with the kids or to just hang out with. The girls have such a special relationship with my parents. I was often able to drop the kids off and go shopping ALONE or have help when Phil and I both had to work. Now, we only see them about every 3 months, and time is so precious when we do get together. I've learned we don't go out as much, the kids go with us, or I hire a babysitter. We definitely don't get to enjoy a date night out without kids too often.

There is so much I could write about. It’s amazing looking back on the past year. I am sitting here at the lake watching the sun shine on the wavy, windy lake and contemplating all that has changed. Thanks to those of you who have been a part of my life this past year!