Change is on the horizon for our family. A desire in Phil’s heart for long years + a dream born in both our hearts a little over a year ago … and here we are making a big life change. We’re moving!!
I’m finally used to saying the words out loud. I whispered them at first because it felt so strange (and scary!) to say it. This from the girl who, nearly before we had begun dating, asked to make sure that my future husband wasn’t a die-hard, stay-in-Pennsylvania-forever-kind of guy because I was used to moving frequently and thought it a disadvantage if one wasn’t at least open to the possibility of moving and change! But I fell hard-in-love with the man, his state, his people, and the home we built. For quite a few years I didn’t want to hear one word about moving away from it all. The tables were turned just a bit.
We have been blessed with flexible work schedules for Phil, freedom to travel, to spend time with our growing family, to own a couple of acres here in the country and yet, the deep desire in Phil’s heart to work along side his children in a farm environment has only intensified in recent years, especially when a true outdoorsman like our youngest son was born two years ago. He is all boy, full steam ahead all day long, and (I think) would live outdoors if we’d let him. Nothing makes him + Dietrich (and the girls too) happier than spending hours outside with their daddy.
For the past year+ we have made a couple of offers on Pennsylvania farms and have spent many hours searching and driving and looking at farms in this state. At the same time, Northern Arkansas continued to come up in conversation and Phil started looking at poultry farms in that part of the country. Again, several trips, farms that didn’t work out, continued prayer for God to show us what to do with our dreams + desires for the sake of our family dreams, family values and family culture….
And then in late October our realtor from Arkansas called to let us know about an unlisted property that might be a fit for us. Another trip out there, and (it sounds so much easier when writing it!) we decided to take the leap! We have been on a cycle of nervous, excited, scared, eager, happy, and on the verge of tears these past few months for sure!! But in the midst of it we have known God’s peace~and specific instances of holding our hands open to Him to give or take away this particular location and farm, and we have seen Him so obviously give it back to us and direct us forward. With that knowledge of His personal care and direction for us in this matter, we are even more excited and confident for the next steps.
Leaving the dream home we built, just walking distance down a quiet lane from the children’s Mommie Nissley (grandmother), Phil’s brothers, and other relatives, saying good-bye to living locally to some of the dearest friends we know, our amazing church family of 10 years, our homeschool community…all in Beautiful Pennsylvania. Yes! These are the things that can make a soul lie in bed awake at night!
Without Jesus and a clear vision of legacy for our family and what that could look like for us in the next ten years… I don’t know that we would have the courage to actually make the move! But with Jesus and the dream~and each other!!~ it feels like an adventure.
(And *lots* of hard work to move….I’m already slugging more pink drink at the thought.)
That is a good article!