The POST... the one I've dreaded most

Well, for a short while I've been meaning to write on this topic, but I've had to let the anxiety, fear and overwhelming thoughts dissipate, and allow the peace, that passes all understanding, rest on me. And lets be honest... once you blog about it... it makes it seem so much more real... which is what it is, reality! So here we go.

We're moving. Our family of soon-to-be-five will be going to Law School... well, at least the daddy will....

I could leave it at that; but instead, I'll give you the run-down and emotional roller-coaster I've been riding for the past four weeks {which is really great... I'm sure you're just thrilled to read-on}!

So, back in the early fall, when the leaves were changing, life was simple, content, and sweet. We had been enjoying our simple life of living at the ranch {www.newliferanch.com}, playing at the sandpit, loving that our best friends lived just next door, Justin was loving where things were going with his job, we really felt as though we had hit a good stride and season in life as a family.

At the beginning of October Justin took the Law School Admittance Test {LSAT}, quite random, right? Well, Justin has always had a knack for lawyerly{not really a word} type stuff, he likes advising {not necessarily on legal things} but enjoys helping and sharing with others the process behind things. And has always dreamed of going to Law School. But really, already being 33 and almost father of three, felt as though the ship may have sailed, but why not, at least take the test, and see what happens. So after having an okay performance {85th percentile} his first time around, he decided on a whim, I'll just take it again in December, I think I can do a little better. And he did. Now, there are those moments in life, when you know as a wife you married a smart person, but then there are those times, that you're so overwhelmed by how well they do at something, you question yourself, and think, "I'm pretty sure I'm just as smart as they are... well, maybe not that smart, but I think we're intellectual equals" moment. Well, I had one of those... after he scored a 168 {95th percentile}, and I'll just brag for a moment on my husband... 42,000 people across the country took the LSAT that day, it is graded on a bell-curve, he beat 40,000 of those. Yes, very impressive, I know... {ladies he's taken!}

Anyway, to make a long story short, he was given a full-ride to one of the top ten public law schools in the country... so we're becoming Hoosier fans!

A few weekends ago, he and I headed to Bloomington, Indiana to check things out. It was overwhelming and peaceful all at the same time. We {I} have cried many tears about leaving my little sister {who lives close by} the ranch, our community, our church, all our sweet friends, but we know the Lord has said, YES, so we are walking ahead in faith.

Justin at the front of campus

I find myself resting on the truth that, "the Lord is my helper; I will not fear."  As a mom and soon to be law-school-wife {or law school widow... as many bloggers put it}, I recognize that there are many stressful things yet to come. There is the fact that we are moving somewhere where we know no one {well, we've met some people}, family is a mere 8 hrs by car or plane flight to Cali, all the comforts of knowing our neighbors, the schools, the grocery stores, moms-day-out programs, pediatricians, etc... you get the idea, all are being stripped away. And to top it off, my husband will be busy for at least 12 hours a day, 18-weeks at a time, to do well {which is very, very important}! But that leaves a lot of alone time for me with three little ones, so I say, "the Lord is my helper; I will not fear" .

Kirkwood Street, their coffee bar, night life area

So, for those of you who have made it thus far {which is probably only family... ;-} after the arrival of our newest one {May 1}, we'll head to Mexico for my brothers wedding, come back and move a few days later. Summer start for Justin begins on July 5th, so we hope to be settled towards the end of June with housing, the new babe, and all the other details in-between.

So in the end, I know that as a family, we make major life decisions around having children {when Peanut was born, we moved 12 days later to the Ranch}, and just as the Lord affirmed our decision to come here, He has gone before us, provided in abundance, and all we can do is walk ahead! And that is exactly what we're going to do.

Snow between the toes!

So between visiting each coast, we had a major snow storm that literally closed down the Ranch and Siloam for a good few days. So we embraced the weather and took the kids sledding {thank you to our neighbors for "lending" us their sled ;-} . They loved it! We went to a small service road here on Ranch property where you could get some speed, but the walk was easy for Peanut to do, and it was maybe 100 yrds at most... just the  perfect amount of uphill walking for a preggo mommy and two little ones!

You can see from the smiles that this was more fun than expected!

Peanut eventually resorted to being the "pusher" and the would
run down chasing Big Guy and Daddy..
this was great exercise for a 3yr old... and she napped this day...
{a surprising result for a child who hasn't napped since being 18-months}.

I made it down a few times myself! 

Little legs walking up the hill! 

And then we had to get creative, because going the normal way wasn't exciting enough!
{and no... for all you wondering,
we didn't actually let them go down sitting on top of one another;-}

Cold toes, fingers and noses, it was a fun, fun, day!