Long Time a-Comin'

First of all let me apologize for the long absence from blogspot. I realize that it’s a huge no-no to start blogging then just fall off the face of the earth with little or no warning. However since I’m starting to become full of holiday spirit and benevolence, I’ll post something to catch everyone up on things. Plus…getting Rachel to pick this project up has proven way more complicated than I had planned.

Most of you know now that we’re back in Texas (at least those of you that love to stalk each other using Facebook…this includes me too). Yes…another move and no I’m not addicted to moving; despite what the following timeline might try to prove otherwise:

1997 Shawnee, OK
1998 Moore, OK
2000 Seabrook, TX
2001 League City, TX (wow we actually stayed put for 4 yrs)
2005 Beaumont, TX
2006 Yorkville, IL
2008 Spring, TX

As you can see we’re on our 2nd tour of the Houston Metro. This time we’ve chose to be north of the action in Spring. Look us up if you find yourself close.

OK back to how we got back here. From recent postings you can see that we were enjoying our time in the Great White North even with its strange food and weather. The people are absolute joy. This was quite a surprise to us. Everyone knows that only Southerners are nice, right ? No one is a hospitable, warm and charming as people from the South (especially TEXAS). Not true. Mid-westerners, I mean real ones, not people from Chicago but people from the farm, are truly lovely folks. They are genuine and want nothing more than to enjoy their families, friends and Italian beef (I’ll get to that later…I promise). Why leave ? Well, it’s always the same thing…work. Despite our full intention of semi-settling in Yorkville for several years, job and God had other plans.

I’ll save you the gory details of the job junk. Needless to say things don’t always go like you want; large corporations don’t ask your opinion (gasp!) and despite your best intentions to land that dream job…it doesn’t happen. And with Houston being the “center of the energy world” most all jobs lead that direction. We figured this was inevitable just not so soon.

It was with very heavy hearts that we left Yorkville and moved back to Texas. But in all things there are silver linings, right ? My parents were also being transferred back to Texas after a brief stint in Delaware. We all decided to live within 15 minutes of each other so that our kids could grow up with grandparents in their lives. It was a luxury I had as a kid. Rachel didn’t grow up near her so this was a very attractive option. It definitely took the sting out of leaving our friends. Lots of tears were shed let me tell you. But you know…I was so glad that we settled in so nicely and so quickly. It was a tough move up wondering how life was going to be way up there with no one we knew. God has truly had His hand on us the whole time. All of us left a piece of our hearts in Illinois.

I’m not going to tell you that I don’t miss the weather. I miss the snow this time of year; it goes so perfectly with the season. Now I HATE it in Feb and March. But it’s not Feb and March now so I miss the snow. I do love the weather in Houston right now though. I get to phone my friends in Illinois and brag about the 73 degree afternoons. Call me fickle. I would like for it to snow at night and be 73 during the day. When you find that climate let me know.

The kiddos still ask when we’re going back to Illinois. We know that will eventually stop but it burns a little; especially when Paige asks. She’ll remember quite a bit about living there. We just continue to tell them that we don’t live there anymore. Texas is our home now.

Now that you’re sufficiently bummed out and no doubt misty-eyed from my dramatic writing…thanks for stopping by to read the latest. I plan on filling in the gaps in reverse, like one of those backwards Seinfeld episodes. It goes with the theme of our lives…things are NEVER in the order YOU expect them. Just remember that the ONE that keeps the order of the whole world has you in His hands.


The grass grows here too. We’re looking for how to care and feed it better this time.

4greens