The next chapter!

We made it. We're here.

Minnesota!!!! Home.

But as so very many of you already know, getting here has come with a lot of headaches. Heartaches. Joyous outbreaks of excitement. Times of doubt and questioning. Moments of frustration and moments of jubilation. Tears of sheer exhaustion. Tears of exuberant joy! And it's not over.

But without a doubt, the knowledge that God has called us here remains abundantly clear. Affirmations as He deems best. A calming peace as we continue to ride these ever-rocking waves.

Mason came with us to Reno to pick up the Penske

Surreal...

Let's do this!

Love my Nat!

And this amazing gal too :) 

Oh yes...we put these kiddos to work! haha!

The crew--couldn't have done it without these guys!

Looking back on the journey it took to get us where we are, it's a bit nutty. Ok. A whole lotta crazy! Seriously. This recent chapter in our faith story is the most dramatic, most intense, most lovingly painful yet humbling and surreal storyline to date. I can't even begin to share the hundreds of details (and there are probably literally hundreds of details) woven together for this to make even an ounce of sense---ask our family members and many of our friends as they've heard them---in order for you to understand the depths of our prayers and tears and rejoicings so you'll just have to do your best to read between many of the lines.

One final pic before the tearful exit

We're all smiles!

And now we're just road-worn!!

Ridin' high!

From I-80 to I-35!

We made it!!!

To think that the "SOLD" sign has been sitting at the end of our Mica Court driveway (house in NV) for over 2 months is a bit ridiculous. But that's how God is writing this particular portion of our story. It doesn't make sense to us. At all. Or to so many who are involved. But to Him, it makes perfect sense. We said goodbye to buyer #1 in June, only to come full circle to them yet again just recently. Buyer #2 was all set to purchase our NV home, which included us signing our seller documents hours before we drove away bright and early that August morning.

A tearful entry...glad to be 'home'

Just a little excited!

Backing up the truck! Andy did AWESOME driving that beastly thing!!

Carson and Warren cleaning! We had to clean before we could unpack!

Nicole and her girls--amazing helpers!! So thankful :)

Unloading day!

And it's empty once again!

But then, just a few days later, the very night before we were to report to our new teacher training at Legacy, the call came around 9pm that our buyer's loan fell through. It was like a punch in the gut. The Minnesota rain that fell outside was patterned perfectly to the raining going on in our hearts and minds and literal downpour on our cheeks. Cries of "why" were formed on our lips as we tried desperately to come to grips as to what was happening. This house buying process was about to start all over. And we weren't there. We had no idea what was next. We just knew we had to be "all in" at Legacy in less than 10 hours and we hadn't a clue how we would stay focused. Or what God was up to with this latest tailspin of events. All we could do was pray thru the night and put one foot in front of the other, doing our best to hang on tight to our Father's hand and one another's hand as we proceeded to walk forward.

the boys off to explore our new neighborhood!

Olmypic inspired! Medals made out of duct tape of course ;)

I could try to reason with you all day long about the possibilities as to why things have happened the way they have--why an offer that seemed quite promising fell through at the very last minute, why we have to be renters while at the same time having renters, why the bombardment of signing and faxing a variety of homeowners/insurance/rental/etc. papers alongside trying to adjust to a new school have added so much stress that a "mental breakdown" has been seriously in the running for consideration as to the purpose of So. Many. Tears! Overwhelmed beyond maximum capacity. I could propose that God has been protecting us from this, that, and the other thing but that's something I don't dare try to assume. We simply have to keep trusting. Keep deepening our dependence on Him. Continue to be obedient and in full surrender to His Will...not ours. Remembering that what we may perceive as a setback, is actually an answer to our prayers as we pray for His will to be done!! Praise Jesus....

Legacy Open House night!!! Here we go....

school pictures!

Mason is all set for 1st grade!

Carson is ready for 4th grade!!

And Austin's geared up for 6th grade! (and yes, that is his 'chair'!)

So FUN having Grandma there....

...along with uncle Kevin & aunt Julie!!!

Amidst that overwhelmed mindset and feeling stretched beyond our limits, the praises that coincide are lifted right back up to Him for His amazing provisions. The earnest, heartfelt prayers for us from co-workers whom we had just met an hour earlier on that Thursday morning, moved us to tears. That's family! The depth to which the LCA staff cares (and continues to care!) carried us through some tough teacher workshop days as we tried to grasp all the newness of the school, let alone take care of necessary "business" on the real estate end of things. A meal, that phone call, watching our boys, those texts, the 'on the spot' prayers, and sooo much more from family & friends are undeserved blessings that prove His taking care of us knows no limit.

And so here we are--despite the tearful 'trials' in transition, in the same breath, we are lovin' this new chapter as we began the school year at Legacy! It was a chaotically stressful yet gloriously beautiful "first day" as the five of us embarked on this new beginning together...literally walking through those school doors as a family unit. What a true joy and humbling honor to be a part of the Legacy community and even greater, to be a part of the Kingdom work that God is doing at LCA!!

First day of school 2016-17!!!

We love Legacy!!

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." Colossians 3:23-24