big changes

For the first 15 years of our married life we moved often and found with each move came opportunities for growth. Our years in the military taught us the value of change. So as many of our friends and family know we have been looking to move for quite some time. As we have looked at properties over the years we have come to understand just how blessed we are to have been led to our current home.

On the first Sunday in September, Emily and I drove a different way to church and passed a home with a "For Sale" sign.  We have some connections with the owner and knew enough about the house that we were interested.  When we walked into the home we knew it was the right fit for our family's needs and goals. With the help of our faithful Home Teacher, who happens to be a Realtor, we were able to purchase the home.

This is not the first time we have put an offer on a property, however, it is the first time we have not encountered any obstacles. When making these kinds of decisions we have learned to move forward with faith and trust that the Lord will prevent us from making a mistake.

The thought of leaving our beloved 2nd Ward has been very very difficult for our entire family. One sleepless night several weeks ago, I was led to a scriptural phrase in Moroni 10:31 that has strengthened my confidence in our decision to move. "Strengthen thy stakes and enlarge they borders." I look forward to additional opportunities to strengthen our stake as we enlarge our borders. I have no intention of giving up the 2nd ward, we're just expanding our ward boundary to include the 7th ward.

That being said, we hope that the 7th ward will embrace us. We need to feel apart and accepted in this new part of the vineyard. Sometimes local moves are the most difficult because everyone assumes that a family who already has deep roots in a community needs little nurturing. Our family is going to have to work extra hard to make sure we don't allow ourselves to get lost in the shuffle.

We will be selling our current home. We love our house and our neighbors so we're hoping and praying that a wonderful family will be guided to what we've found to be a sacred spot. We have some obligations and it's going to take some time to prepare both homes so we're really not sure when we will move.