We are officially in the countdown to our move. We leave La Crosse in 3 weeks and I can't believe how quickly it is coming. For the past few months, everytime someone would ask me when we were moving, I just said "Oh, not until late June." Well, now it's almost June and it's starting to hit me that we have a lot to do in the next few weeks (throw in 2 weddings and it's quite overwhelming). There are a lot of logistics that have to take place--like packing up everything, making sure we have enough boxes, making sure we have enough help to load and unload our stuff, making sure the truck is big enough, etc. And this move will be unusual, although not unlike some of our other moves, because we'll be leaving La Crosse June 12st but not moving to Ohio until the end of July. We are looking forward to having the 5 weeks off, but not looking forward to being "in transition" and without income for 5 weeks. So, we are moving everything to my parents house (basement and garage) for 5 weeks and then packing it all up again and moving to Ohio. Crazy? Yes. But we see it as a blessing to be able to spend some time with family and friends before heading off for the year and being farther away from everyone we know.
Yesterday was the first time it really hit me that we will be leaving La Crosse. Up until this point, I've just been planning the logistics of the move and not even thinking about moving--leaving friends and everything familar to go to a new city and start all over again. You'd think that after all the moves we've gone through that we would be pretty good at this. And I think we are all pretty excited about the new life we'll have in Columbus. But leaving my friends here in La Crosse is going to be very difficult. I was sitting at Bible Study yesterday and thanking all the women who were in the class I co-taught this semester and one of the women looked at me and said, with much emotion, "We are really going to miss you and I will never forget you." Tears welled up in my eyes and I was totally unprepared for my reaction. Then another friend of mine just burst into tears. I was so touched by their thoughts and began really thinking about the fact that I will be leaving all my friends here in La Crosse. They have been the ones who have supported me on a daily basis as we struggled through residency and adjusting to the crazy life that comes with it. They are women who can relate to me without having to say a word and know what life with little ones is like. Many of you know that Matt and I haven't really felt like La Crosse was 'home' and have planned on leaving once residency was done. We've always looked forward to being finished and moving on to the next thing, but now that the time has come, I realize how difficult it's going to be. God has truly blessed my life through some amazing women and I am sad to be leaving them.
The thought of going to a new home and new city is very exciting to me. The thought of not having my friends there with me is not.
But through all my reflecting, I have come to realize one thing---God is faithful. Without going on for too long, I remember when we moved to La Crosse and how difficult things were at first. Matt and I had both prayed about residency and really felt that God was leading us to La Crosse and that this was where He wanted us to be. When we got here, I felt lonely as a stay-at-home mom to a 5 month old and not knowing how I would meet people. I missed my friends in Des Moines terribly and wanted so badly to be with them and their kids. But God provided a great living situation for us in resident housing where I began to meet many other resident wives who stayed at home with their kids. They were always outside playing or getting together when their husbands weren't home for dinner and I was quickly accepted. They gave me advice on being a resident wife, being a mother of a young child, and helped me navigate life in a new city (where to get your hair cut, where to work out, where to shop, etc). They understood my frustrations when Matt seemed to be on-call all the time and were there for support. They could relate to driving old cars, having piles of school debt, and going out for dinner only on Tuesday nights when burgers were 59 cents at Burger King.
After living here for about 6 months, two staff wives at the hospital began a Bible Study/support group for medical spouses. What a huge blessing this was to me! I was meeting with women who were in the same situation I was in or who had been in the same situation in the past (and had lived to tell about it:) while studying God's Word and growing in my faith. Over the past two and a half years, our group ahs joined a national organization called Side by Side (affiliated with CMDA-Christian Medical and Dental Assoc) and has grown from being in a home with a handful or people to meeting in a church with over 50 women and over 70 kids! This past year I was blessed to be able to teach/facilitate one of the classes. It gave me an opportunity to use the gifts God has given me and I learned so much about myself and the women in my class.
My friends in La Crosse are such a part of my daily life and I know it is going to be very difficult for me to leave them. I have laughed with them, cried with them, prayed with them, rejoiced with them, and lived through happy as well as difficult times with them. They are friends that will hold a special place in my heart and whom I hope to stay in touch with no matter where we all end up.
All this to say, that I know God is faithful. When I moved here I thought I'd never find friends like I had in Des Moines. And although they aren't the same, they are different friends who have met different need in my life during the last three years. And I know that God will do the same when we move to Ohio and then again in a year when Matt finishes his training. So as I busy myself over the next several weeks with packing, changing our address on everything, updating contact info, etc, I hope I can also take some much needed to time to spend with my friends who I'll be leaving.
Yesterday was the first time it really hit me that we will be leaving La Crosse. Up until this point, I've just been planning the logistics of the move and not even thinking about moving--leaving friends and everything familar to go to a new city and start all over again. You'd think that after all the moves we've gone through that we would be pretty good at this. And I think we are all pretty excited about the new life we'll have in Columbus. But leaving my friends here in La Crosse is going to be very difficult. I was sitting at Bible Study yesterday and thanking all the women who were in the class I co-taught this semester and one of the women looked at me and said, with much emotion, "We are really going to miss you and I will never forget you." Tears welled up in my eyes and I was totally unprepared for my reaction. Then another friend of mine just burst into tears. I was so touched by their thoughts and began really thinking about the fact that I will be leaving all my friends here in La Crosse. They have been the ones who have supported me on a daily basis as we struggled through residency and adjusting to the crazy life that comes with it. They are women who can relate to me without having to say a word and know what life with little ones is like. Many of you know that Matt and I haven't really felt like La Crosse was 'home' and have planned on leaving once residency was done. We've always looked forward to being finished and moving on to the next thing, but now that the time has come, I realize how difficult it's going to be. God has truly blessed my life through some amazing women and I am sad to be leaving them.
The thought of going to a new home and new city is very exciting to me. The thought of not having my friends there with me is not.
But through all my reflecting, I have come to realize one thing---God is faithful. Without going on for too long, I remember when we moved to La Crosse and how difficult things were at first. Matt and I had both prayed about residency and really felt that God was leading us to La Crosse and that this was where He wanted us to be. When we got here, I felt lonely as a stay-at-home mom to a 5 month old and not knowing how I would meet people. I missed my friends in Des Moines terribly and wanted so badly to be with them and their kids. But God provided a great living situation for us in resident housing where I began to meet many other resident wives who stayed at home with their kids. They were always outside playing or getting together when their husbands weren't home for dinner and I was quickly accepted. They gave me advice on being a resident wife, being a mother of a young child, and helped me navigate life in a new city (where to get your hair cut, where to work out, where to shop, etc). They understood my frustrations when Matt seemed to be on-call all the time and were there for support. They could relate to driving old cars, having piles of school debt, and going out for dinner only on Tuesday nights when burgers were 59 cents at Burger King.
After living here for about 6 months, two staff wives at the hospital began a Bible Study/support group for medical spouses. What a huge blessing this was to me! I was meeting with women who were in the same situation I was in or who had been in the same situation in the past (and had lived to tell about it:) while studying God's Word and growing in my faith. Over the past two and a half years, our group ahs joined a national organization called Side by Side (affiliated with CMDA-Christian Medical and Dental Assoc) and has grown from being in a home with a handful or people to meeting in a church with over 50 women and over 70 kids! This past year I was blessed to be able to teach/facilitate one of the classes. It gave me an opportunity to use the gifts God has given me and I learned so much about myself and the women in my class.
My friends in La Crosse are such a part of my daily life and I know it is going to be very difficult for me to leave them. I have laughed with them, cried with them, prayed with them, rejoiced with them, and lived through happy as well as difficult times with them. They are friends that will hold a special place in my heart and whom I hope to stay in touch with no matter where we all end up.
All this to say, that I know God is faithful. When I moved here I thought I'd never find friends like I had in Des Moines. And although they aren't the same, they are different friends who have met different need in my life during the last three years. And I know that God will do the same when we move to Ohio and then again in a year when Matt finishes his training. So as I busy myself over the next several weeks with packing, changing our address on everything, updating contact info, etc, I hope I can also take some much needed to time to spend with my friends who I'll be leaving.
Nicole, Me, Kara, Jess, Deb
(Medical Education Christmas Party 2005)
Kara, Me, Nicole(Medical Education Graduation 2006)
Jesse, Christina, Janet (with Kara's baby Nora), Me(Medical Education Graduation 2006)
Me, Maria, Jess, Nicole, Stephanie, Christina(Medical Education Christmas Party 2006)
Nicole and her daughter Lauren meeting Sadie in the hospital
Nicole, Stephanie, Me, Sadie, and Jess(Sadie's baby shower)
Adri holding Lili, Me holding Sadie, and Nora holding Jac
(Sadie's baby shower--all babies born within a few weeks of each other)
Patty holding Jac, Sadie, and Devan
Jennifer (Gibson), Beth (Devan), Nora (Jac), Dee (Maddie), Me (Sadie), Andrea (Amelia)Side by Side Bible Study Winter 2007
Me, Jess, Nicole, Steph
(Girls Weekend in Chicago)
Weekend in Chicago--in cab!
Steph, Me, Sarah, Jess, Nicole
(Medical Education Christmas Party 2007)
Rod and Matt (4th of July)
Resident Housing Fun--Summer 2007
Jackson, Wyatt, Hayden, Audra, Hallie(4th of July Fireworks in backyard)
Sarah, Drew, Wyatt, Me, Sadie(Apple Orchard Trip Fall 2007)
Hayden, Caleb, Lauren, Jackson, Wyatt(Christmas 2007--handing out fruit baskets with Ward and Patty Brown)
There are a few things I noticed as I looked through all these pictures and decided which ones to put on here:
1. There are several of you who I don't have any pictures of....something I need to do before we leave!!
2. I have a lot of pictures of Wyatt and Sadie and all the other kids!
3. Thank goodness for the Christmas and Graduation parties, otherwise we wouldn't have many pictures of all of us together!!
4. We have truly been blessed!
2 comments:
I love you so much and can totally relate to everything you said. Your post made me miss LaCrosse and everyone there. I literally have an ache in my chest right now. We will all have to do a girls weekend reunion soon.
I know it is a crazy busy time. Good luck with everything. I know you will love Columbus.
What a nice tribute! It is going to be a hard time but exciting too! I can relate - mixed emotions. Enjoy your last few weeks there (can't wait to see you in about 5-6 weeks!)
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