My husband already wrote a blog about us being here for a year, but I have a few things that I would like to say too.
There is an old Caedmon's Call song entitled "Lead of Love" and my favorite line from that songs says, "I had to walk the rocks to see the mountain view, but looking back I see the lead of love." As I have been thinking back on the past year that lyric really sums up how I feel.
July 20th (yesterday) marked the one year anniversary of Cade and I moving to Henryville, IN. It has been a good year, but there have been a few rocks that we had to climb to get us to the point where we are now...
When Cade and I first decided to move it really wasn't a hard decision to make. I was on board, ready to start a new adventure. I knew I would miss Mississippi, my family, and my friends, but I also understood that this is what God was calling Cade and I to do. I must admit that one of the things that made the move easier for me was the fact that I would get a teaching job that would give me descent hours and pay, really good holidays (and summers off), and snow days (FYI driving in the snow.....NOT FUN). Well I did not and do not have that teaching job. Instead of that job I work two part time jobs. They are good about giving me time off so I can travel home and see my family, but when I don't work I dont get paid and I dont get SNOW DAYS. I am still looking for a teaching job, but in this economy it has been a constant struggle for me. But God is still in control and the way he has provided for Cade and I has been truly amazing. His provision is a constant reminder that we are where we are supposed to be, doing what He wants us to do.
In November, my grandfather died. That was really hard for me because I didn't get to see him before he ded. I knew he was really sick, but Cade and I couldnt go home. We moved in July and between school and work we just couldn't get home. So our first trip back home was in November for my grandfather's funeral. I hate that I didn't get a chance to see him before he died. But I know that he is in heaven with Christ and because he is with Jesus, he wouldn't want to be back on this earth and I will see him again.
One of the smaller rocks we climbed was winter weather. I love cold weather and I love snow but there comes a point when enough is enough!!!! It wouldn't have been so bad if I didn't have to drive in it almost everyday - that was not fun at all. But God was my guide and I am thankful that He got me everywhere I needed to go safely. And now we are ready for cold weather again, because we are HOT (98 degrees with a heat index of 110 degrees)!
In April, Cade's grandmother (Memaw) died. I am so happy that he was able to see her at Thanksgiving and Christmas. And take it from someone who knows....holidays without loved ones are really hard. But we survived that too!!!
I know these were a lot of difficult things that we went through, but we have had some amazing times as well and we have done things we never thought we would do likedressing up as a wise man or a rapping cow (Clara!) in a Christmas program, singing a solo in church, leading a women's ministry, driving around the interstates of Lousiville. We have made amazing friends who have become our second family. This past year is one that I will always cherish. It is a year that I will look back on and say was good. It was a good year because we were led by love....the lead of Christ. I am so excited to start our second year in Henryville. Yeah there will be hard times, but the same one that led us last year will lead us still!!!!!
