paradise

my view of my little paradise right now.

so... we survived it all. :) more than that- we are 60% settled into our new home. and choosing to not be stressed about the other 40% lurking in boxes and extra bedrooms.
i began my new job and am excited about adjusting to a new, less crazy busy schedule. i now work two late afternoon/nights a week and one full day. i go to school two morning/early afternoons a week and one night. Which leaves me with two almost full days to catch up on domestic stuff, do homework, tackle the 40%, blog... :), paint, spend time with my Father, exercise, meet up with friends... the possibilities are endless. and exciting. I haven't had this kind of space before. i want to keep it empty- to be filled with whatever needs/wants to be done at the time. i am realizing that i need that free choice time. like in kindergarten when they have the free choice time where they can sit on the reading rug with a book or color at their desk etc... i need that. and now i have it.
i feel like i have really turned a corner in my life. choosing to change jobs was the first thing in a long time that i have done because God wanted me to do it, and i knew it was what was best for me. in the past i have sometimes been ruled by what others needed from me- it as/is really an idol in my life, and has been for a long time. i think God has gifted me to be a nurturer/giver, but not at the expense of me being a whole and healthy person...being the wife, daughter, student, employee i need to be... and heading in the direction He has guided me to. i think i am finally on the road back to that. and away from a back to back schedule that has no room for family, friends, husband, or me in it. those are my thoughts right now.
i thought moving into this wonderful house would give us more space, help us build equity, give me a chance to interior design, jeff a chance to be mr. fix-it handy man...
and it has done all of those things. but more importantly its done something we didn't really anticipate.
its given us roots. sunday night we sat on our couch and looked at our home and literally let out a deep breath. for the first time in our marriage we have a place that is ours, and we love it. we now have roots in the community we have spent the past 3 years pouring into. i am sitting on the couch now and can look out and see the peony plants my Granny planting growing taller- in our yard. the dryer is tumbling a noisy load of jeans in our kitchen. libby the amazing puppy is snoozing on our couch in our living room with our gorgeous wood floor my husband and his wonderful helpers loving laid. wow.
life is really good. not because of possessions really- but because of all the presents, little and big, that our God has handed to us in the past few months- all wrapped up with shiny bows. jeff said the other day- it feels like He is just confirming to us that we are where He wants us, and are doing what He wants us to do. there is a lot of peace with that.