Coming Changes

The past few months have been very pleasant around our house. After my body gained the upper hand in the battle against the breast infection, my energy returned. Then we took the computer back up to Exodus for the summer busy season and that caused me to restructure my day. It's not that I spent so much time reading blogs and browsing the Internet, but those pursuits definitely took some time. Not having that as an option and having more energy has resulted in more reading and housework getting done.

Having more energy has been a huge blessing. God has given me the ability to wake up with Eli in the morning and both get dressed and have breakfast ready before he leaves (for the most part!). I've been able to keep the kitchen clean, stay ahead of the laundry, and keep the toys picked up. I've been making my way through Shaping of a Christian Family, by Elisabeth Elliot, and The Yearling, by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings and I also had time - and imagination - to crochet an adorable bonnet for our new baby. I know it must be God giving me this strength because I know what a slug I am on my own!

Joshua has been changing from toddler baby to toddler boy. The very way he runs around the house is different. I love the way he asks for things - desperately signing please as though he's worried the opportunity will pass by too quickly. He'll come up to us and take our hand to lead us to the object of his desires. He has also become much more vocal. Half the time we have no idea what he's saying, but he's definitely telling us something! His vocabulary is increasing from "hot" and "cheese" to include such words as "Mama," "Daddy," "shoes," "banana," and many more. Plus he has begun imitating more and more. If you ask him to say something, he'll often try to copy the sounds. Eighteen months is a fun age - but I guess I could say that about every age!

But the big news from our family is that we're going to be moving in the next month! We had been planning on buying a house sometime next year, but Eli's dad called us about a week ago with the news that his rental house will be available in September. We really like the idea of renting from our parents, not dealing with the mortgage and fees involved in buying a house, and being flexible to leave whenever we're ready. The rent will still be less than buying would be and it allows us to leave our money invested in Exodus. It's kind of sudden, but when we find something that will work for us, we don't usually like to wait on it!

The house is an older house; it's the one that Eli's parents first bought and Eli lived in it from when he was about two until twelve. I have only lived in new houses since I can remember and I'm looking forward to a new kind of adventure. But no matter what, it will be nice to be in a house without drinking, swearing neighbors who's cigarette smoke drifts right into our windows. We'll be just in time to get settled before we welcome the new baby into our lives.

The next couple of months hold the promise of lots of busyness: packing, cleaning, moving, settling, and getting ready for the baby - all during Eli's busiest time of year at the store! My prayer is that God will keep on giving me that extra energy.

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