It’s been quite a while since I sat down at this computer and wrote a blog post. Even longer since I wrote a really good post so don’t expect much. What? You never do? Well that’s a good thing.

Life has changed dramatically since summer vacation ended a few short months ago.

Both of the older boys have moved away to college which was extremely rough at first. Although now I am able to look at either of their empty bedrooms without breaking down in tears, I still can’t say I like it. Because I don’t and I don’t plan on liking it any time soon.

Niko has transferred up to Dallas Baptist University which is about 4 hours away. It’s a great school with caring professors where he is building wonderful friendships. Friendships that are formed from the common ground of a solid foundation, faith in Christ. I’m happy for him.

Kyle almost went the same direction, which would have given his parents much peace, but instead someone, who shall remain nameless except in my prayers, talked him into attending Blinn College and transferring to A&M next year. Whether Kyle will continue on with this plan or end up somewhere else [DBU, DBU] next year [DBU, DBU] is not yet clear. What is clear to him is that his parents are wiser than he thought and not everyone has his best interest at heart. I just want to see him love his school like Niko does whichever one he decides on.

Chloe is still being homeschooled which was not the original plan for high school. Not our original plan anyway. God knew all along that this is what we’d be doing. She’s working her way through a tough 9th grade curriculum and making this mama proud.

Texas in October is heavenly. Enough said about that.

Julian is in the process of changing jobs. So his hours and our routine will change too.

And finally the last change we are experiencing in our lives is, after two years we find ourselves being lead of God to attend a different church. This new church in the area is everything I always said I didn’t like. It’s an half hour from the house which has always seemed too far. It’s going to be a mega-church, of this I am sure. As a church plant we have no permanent meeting place and worse yet we all know the dreaded building campaign will be in our future. It sounds pretty awful, huh? And yet I am thrilled to be a part of it. So it must be God.

OneChapel is a church plant from New Life Church in Colorado. Pastor Ross said Sunday that there are thousands of people up in Colorado who love all of us. They love us already because they love him. There was something incredibly comforting in knowing this. I can’t wait until we’re planting churches and loving new communities of fellowships too.

God is good and so is change.

I’m not sure if I ever told you this but if so you’re just going to have to hear it again.

My kids are THE best.

God was so good to Julian and me when He chose these three to be ours.

For the last two months we’ve been staying with friends while we attempted to make the state of Texas our new home. Our kids are intimately acquainted with all that a cross-country move entails. They know that it takes a while before you feel like where you now live is home. They know the feeling of shifting allegiances from your old school, sports teams, and burger joint to the new. This moving thing, they’ve done it before. A few times, in fact. And I have to say, they’ve done it well.

This move though was the first time they had to wait months before they even began to settle in. We had no idea exactly where we would end up. Our search for a house took us as far as even a few hours from where we are staying. Hours would have meant a different life than the one they were already beginning to get used to here. They didn’t complain though. Instead we heard from them, “Just go where God leads you.”

They’ve accomplished something else they’ve never done before. For the last two months they’ve managed to live, nearly complaint-free, in a 12 x 14 foot room. All.Three.Of.Them! Think about that for a minute or twelve. Niko is eighteen, Kyle is 16, and Chloe is 12 and they have been nothing but patient and hopeful as they lived together in that one small room. They actually get along better today than they did when this adventure began oh so many weeks ago.

The moral of this story is the same one I’ve told countless times before. Pulling the rug out from underneath our children is an invaluable tool for the parent who will dare to use it.

I’ve seen this happen each time we’ve moved.

They grown, people. They grow up a bit and they grow closer too.

And that my friends is just one of things we as parents are supposed to be helping them do.