A year ago this week, I came home from spring break having just accepted a new job offer to work as a teacher in a very unique type of ministry on a 100 acre hidden paradise, 1000 miles from home. It was a no-brainer that God called us, while also a hard decision emotionally.
And now here I am, a year later, having lived here in Columbus eight full months, here in my house for six full months. What a year it's been. When I first moved here, I'd hoped that I could go back and visit over spring break, but David's accident kinda changed all my best-laid mental and financial plans. He didn't get to come to Indiana for his spring break either because he needed to take an extra class in his attempts to catch up and make up for the time he lost at school due to his accident and long recovery period. Juan hates the country life, so I already knew it would be a battle to get him to come this way, but he at least has an interest in seeing our house when it's done. Here's to hoping we'll see him this summer.
So as this spring break approached with no plans other than family visiting last weekend from Warsaw, I really didn't know how to anticipate the break. In my community group last week, we ended in small groups, and the two ladies with me asked how they could be praying for me. I asked that I would use my time wisely over my first break as an empty nester because I didn't want to just let the break slip away. I'd say that God answered that prayer for me by giving me opportunities to form deeper connections with the people around me, including those two ladies! My niece and I continue to form a really neat bond that started with a couple visits here and now is growing by sweet text messages she and I sent back and forth on her birthday this week. A new friend from church (who also moved here about a year ago) invited us over for dinner to the farmhouse they are living in and renovating that was built in 1900 (38 years BEFORE my house). Oh, did it feel good to see someone else living so similarly--and to know that it didn't stop her from opening her home. I then opened my own home the next morning to have coffee (actually chai) with someone I work with that I have not had a chance to get to know more personally. God really, really blessed that time we spent together and gave us a much deeper respect for one another. I also successfully made banana bread and muffins in my toaster oven! I can't begin to tell you how happy that made me.
That night I was able to babysit some of my favorite little people, our houseparents' (from New Song) three young boys so they could go out on a much-needed date while they had a week of evenings free without the New Song boys. Mike joined me after the littles went to bed, and we got to have coffee together while we waited for them to get home. Then Friday Mike and I were able to enjoy a lunch date at a little Mexican restaurant, and in the evening, we met up with another friend from church and her husband to try some Irish-inspired drinks for St. Patrick's Day at a really cool coffee shop I hadn't been to yet. While there, we ran into two more friends from church, one from our Community Group and one I'd grown close to in the ladies' Bible study. I also went to storage and brought home pretty much my whole kitchen. I still don't have cabinet doors, but I got tired of not having my own stuff, so my open cabinet shelves are full now. :) And all my blue heart dishes are home with me.
One of Mike's aunts passed away early in the week, so we went up to Warsaw yesterday with his brother and sister-in-law to join the rest of the family for her funeral. The last time they had all gathered together like that was for Mike's dad's funeral just 15 months ago, the funeral I didn't make it to. Another one of his dad's siblings also passed away recently, but his Memorial service is still another month away. I'm thankful that we are close enough for Mike to be able to be with his family through a hard year of losses.
I can't believe we're down to 9 weeks of school left. I'm 3/4 of the way through the year with Jaylen, the student I had online the first semester, but for the other boys that started with me in January, we're only half way through! Definitely the most unique year ever. But I sure do love the life-on-life model that we have at New Song with these boys because of the relationships we can build with them. And I most certainly love teaching them daily about salvation and about life in the Spirit.
As soon as school lets out, New Song will stay busy every other week all summer long with a foster parent retreat and then four camps. And hopefully we'll see some girls' houseparents move in so we can add some girls to the mix next year. Praying for God to bring just the right couple to complete our amazing team.
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