Well we made it! We split our cross-country trek into several days and stopped to see several dear friends on the way. Taking time to enjoy the drive and scenery and just enjoy each other's company was more like a vacation than anything...it certainly didn't feel like moving! Times like these I think I fall in love all over again with my Joe...what a guy!
We arrived to our new little home on Tuesday and the moving van came with our things on Wednesday. We had a pretty peaceful day Thursday, but the storm was brewing....the weathermen were already calling it the blizzard of 2010 before the snow even fell! I rushed out to Walmart the night before to grab a few things, but apparently my 30,000 new best friends in the area had the same idea. The six lines that were open snaked down the aisles to the back of the store and things like bread and milk were long gone by this time. I waited in line for close to forty minutes and about three people away from the check-out the very flustered cashier comes out of her booth and announces to the line that she needs a break- i thought i was about to witness either a murder or a mutiny right then and there!
Well, Friday night the snow started. It fell, and it fell, and it fell some more and it did not stop til about noon on Saturday. We woke up Saturday to the most snow I had ever seen-- over eighteen inches and in some places it had banked up well over three feet! About noon, we decided that we should go shovel (living in a borough, if you do not shovel the sidewalk in front of your house within several hours, you get fined!). Much to our suprise, everyone else had the same idea, so it was like a block party and we got to meet all of our new neighbors! Many of them are young, newly married couples without children- we were SO excited! Everytime I would meet a new couple, i would rush into the house and write down their names, anything that they had told us, where they were from and what number they lived in... this may seem a little extreme, but people, we NEED friends asap! ( on a sidenote, I think I just proved once and for all that I am my mother's daughter!)
We ended up talking the longest to one couple directly across the street named Mike and Orpha and they invited us to church... so today we went to church and lunch with new friends after being here less than a week! God is so faithful to hear our prayers- we have prayed so long for a quick transition into a new place! M&O said that they have lived here since October and had never seen that many neighbors out, so it was a perfect time to move and to meet neighbors!
So those are the praises; we made it here safely, we survived the "blizzard of 2010," we are making new friends and getting to know our neighbors, and we are now world-class-snow-shovelers! All of our stuff got here, most made it without being broken or scratched too bad, we have a WONDERFUL new little home in an exciting new place, and did i mention i have a walk-in closet...i think i can hear the angels singing!Hallelujah!
Joe starts work tomorrow- we are praying that he will adjust quickly to his new roles and that God would place his hand on Joe and give him such favor during this process that we will not even believe it! He has a lot to learn and big challenges ahead, but that is what makes the boy thrive, so I know he will do just fine!
We are still actively seeking out friends and looking for churches- this one today was great, but with over 400 in the immediate area, i think we will keep visiting, but definitely keep this one on the list-- great praise, great message, and they seemed to really love Jesus. Don't you just love that: we moved hundreds of miles away but instantly felt at home when we found people who loved the same Jesus and sang the same songs and cherished the same book of love stories he left for us...i love that feeling!
So here's to Pennsylvania and a new adventure- may it be a wonderful journey filled with many happy memories...and may we not see that much snow again for a LONG, LONG time!! Pictures soon to come...give me a break, if you saw the boxes piled to the ceiling, you would understand why i haven't gotten around to posting pics yet! Sheesh!
Thanks for the prayers ...keep em coming!
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Snowmaggedon.
ReplyDeletePictures with boxes are fine. ;)
Our family has made the car trip from Texas to Georgia and back many times. We've always enjoyed that time on the road together. Connie packed all manner of games for the girls when they were little and had little surprises for them to open as we stopped along the way. The only electronic device they had was a cassette player (each girl had her own) to listen to Adventures in Odyssey. Other than that it was toys, imagination and playing together. I take none of the credit for any of this but it sure made for good times and good memories. (Yes, there were a few unpleasant moments but they don't stand out.)
ReplyDeleteI laughed so hard at you running inside to write down the names and information of your new neighbors. I did the same thing when we moved into our on-campus apartment. Although you had a much easier time of things, I'm sure, since #1 most of your neighbors probably spoke English and not Mandarin Chinese, and #2 they didn't have names like Effin, (Say that one outloud with the emphasis on the first syllable, and yes, that's really her name. I tried to put the emphasis on the second one and she corrected me.) But we've overcome the language obstacles and are frequently the recipients of some of the yummiest Chinese dumplings I've ever eaten. So happy that y'all are making new friends!
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