Winds of Change...Again.

There are few things I have prayed for with more diligence than my request to "get back home to Texas" when I was living in California. Specifically, to get home to Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW). I remember with vivid clarity the despair I felt that first year there and how my depression nearly smothered me like a heavy, wet blanket. I know God had many things He wanted me to work on, but I was already so perfect, I couldn't imagine what might need tweaking. (Insert stifled snickers here.) Over the four years that we were there, I gradually came to understand some of the lessons God was trying to teach me, while simultaneously wondering why He couldn't have taught me those very same lessons from the comfort of the Lone Star State. Who knows? At any rate, I prayed. James prayed. Our children prayed. Our family and friends prayed. We all wanted our family to go "home" to DFW.

In early March of 2009, that prayer was answered by way of a move to Sugar Land, Texas, outside of Houston. Okay. It wasn't Fort Worth, but I could deal. In fact, I was thrilled! Over the past couple years, James and I have come to love Sugar Land (or Candyland as I affectionately refer to it) and I began to picture raising our three children here. New dreams have replaced the old. The prayers to get back to DFW ceased. We were home.

Or so we thought.

God has a sense of humor. Don't let anyone tell you differently. Out of the blue, over the past few days, God has opened a door in James' career that would land us smack dab in the middle of Fort Worth. To our own surprise, we have become so attached to Sugar Land, that we actually had to "discuss" the idea before we unanimously agreed: DFW is, was, and always will be - home.

Therefore, it is with great excitement and anticipation that our family begins another brand new journey as we take the next step in our lives and relocate (again) to DFW. We have decided to settle in a very small, country town that I grew up in, called Aledo. It sits just 15 minutes west of Fort Worth and should be a fairly simple commute for James. I am delighted that my children will get to experience the country lifestyle that I was privy to, and I pray they form memories as fond as mine. I also pray that they don't plot to kill me when they realize that they will now have to become experts in identifying and avoiding rattlers, cotton mouths, copperheads, tarantulas, black widow spiders, and scorpions; all of which bountifully exist in Aledo.

As with all our company relos, this will happen quite quickly. James will be reporting to Fort Worth in just a matter of weeks. The kids and I will stay here so I can facilitate the sale of our home with as little interruption to the children's schooling as possible.

We covet your prayers as we make this transition and look forward to reconnecting with all of our DFW friends that we have missed so much!! To those in Candyland that we leave behind, thank you for the part you have played in our lives in the brief time that we have had the privilege of knowing you. I look forward to continuing friendships and visits! Friends we have already parted with can attest that I love company!! My door is always open!!