One Week

In one week, the movers will come and load our belongings into a truck, we will take care of last minute details, and we will leave Michigan.

In the past week we have made sevaral trips to Muskegon and said good bye to many people we care about. We have been busily working to find a new place to live and firm up as many details as possible.

Not to mention all of the changes and new experiences with our growing baby. I hope that in all of the chaos of moving that I have been able to fully enjoy and savor the wonderful moments of this pregnancy.

Our lives are changing. Quickly and drastically, and as far as I can tell, wonderfully.

There are often moments and events that impact your life dramatically, yet very rarely are you aware of the significance of that particular moment as it happens.

When you decide to call someone you barely know in hopes of getting to know them better, and maybe make a good friend- who later you end up falling in love with.
Or when you decide to make a quick stop at a store to make one last purchase before leaving town for an exciting trip- and an unlicensed driver causes a horrible front end accident that prevents you from taking that trip.
Or when you take a course at the local college while you are a senior in high school simply because you can- and that one class begins a series of events that will forever change the way you view the world.
Or when you don't give your uncle a hug good bye because you are busy and assume you will see him tomorrow- but the next time you see him is at his funeral a few days later.

When this happens, you miss the beauty or magnitude of that exact moment. It is only until later when you are fully able to understand the consequences of your choices. The simple fragility of life.

But this decision, this choice, this opportunity, this moment, I am very aware that our lives will never be the same. We will grow and change in ways completely unexpected.

And at times the wonderful grace and unending possibility that we have been offered is too much to comprehend. I am so profoundly grateful that our lives continue to offer hope and very aware that a story of redemption is unfolding, a story that is the longing of our hearts.

In one week we will take the next step in this beautiful story.

Moving

Today we received a phone call that will change our lives. Tony was offered a job at a company in Buffalo. The pay and benefits are great, the people that Tony met were friendly, and we are very excited about this opportunity.

They want Tony to start in 3-4 weeks. So, by March 9 we need to be moved to Buffalo. Crazy!

I am so excited, and at the same time very nervous and overwhelmed. We have soo many details to work out. We need to find a place to live. We need to find someone to take over our lease. We need to get passports. We need to make arrangements to have our stuff moved. The list goes on.

And more than all of that, I am extremely proud of Tony. He has grown and developed his skills so much over the last few years. And he has now been offered a wonderful job that will continue to improve his skills and offer him an environment to thrive in.

25 Weeks

Today marks the 25 week milestone. Only 15 weeks left. I can not believe how quickly everything is going.

Also, this morning Tony was able to feel Levi kick for the first time. It was great. I have been feeling him move a lot lately, but anytime Tony tries to feel it Levi stops moving. Already a defiant little guy. :)

I have been feeling great and working 40+ hours at my new job. On my days off I am exhausted and tend to sleep most of the day.

We have our crib and changing table set up, collecting clothes and other items for Levi. We have registered at Target and a shower is in the plans that my mom is throwing. We have our deposit in for a Lamaze class that I am very excited about.

With the possible move to Buffalo, I have been trying not to think about all of the many details and plans that would need to be worked out to make everything go smoothly. We would need to find a new hospital, midwife/dr, Lamaze class, pediatrician... not to mention all of the details of moving to a different state.

I keep reminding myself that it will be much easier to move while I am pregnant than it would be with a young infant.

In 15 weeks our life will have changed forever. In many ways. Trying to enjoy this moment, day by day, and not think about what is next. That is really hard for me.