Thoughts on 2005 and 2006

As I sit here smelling the ham cooking that we will take to the L's house tonight, I've been thinking back over our year. We didn't move last year, and I feel so much more connected here now. But moving did occupy many of our discussions around here. We discussed moving locally, which I was not in favor of. We almost signed a contract on a new house back in May, but I am glad we didn't do that, with the downturn in the housing market. We talked a lot about whether or not we would move after Bob retires in another year and a half. Although there are many good things about the NOVA area, I really do not want to stay in such a crowded, high-traffic area for the long term. It just stresses me. But that brings up the question of where we might go? Huntsville, AL is still a big possibility, since there are a lot of space jobs moving down there, and Bob is pushing for a warmer climate. When we took the quiz over at findyourspot.com, Colorado Springs showed up in first place. That is certainly always on our list, since we loved living there, and loved being back there this summer. Ohio is on the list too, since family ties pull there strongly! But obviously the Lord has not given us clear direction yet, and we're still praying for that.

In the mean time, we have a big house and an ARM mortgage. Should we sell now and rent for the remainder of our time here? Do we just trust that the Lord showed us this house, and he will sell it when we're ready to move? Hard questions. We want to use our house to minister, and to that end, we might have another family live in our basement next year. They are old friends, and he is going to a one-year school at Bethesda starting in May. It would provide companionship for me, and a mentoring opportunity as she starts homeschooling, much as the L's did for me when they lived with us so long ago. We're all praying about that.

I do feel confident that being here in D.C. is where the Lord wants us right now. We have grown closer to Bob's family this past year. They even visited our house, which hasn't happened before. We don't know how much time his parents have left, so we are glad for the time we have now. We've been able to be a support for Bob's sister as she goes through a messy divorce and custody trial. I know that wouldn't have happened if we had moved farther away.

We're also not sure what Bob should be doing after retirement. This past year he got his real estate license--should he do that full-time when he retires, or get a job somewhere else and do it on the side for more time? Is real estate really what he wants to do after retirement in the first place? We talked a lot about these things this past year too, and we don't yet have any clear direction on them either!

Looking towards 2006, we are so excited about having another baby in March. It was not incredibly easy to get pregnant this time, so we are even more thankful for this blessing. When I feel her (?) move inside me, I just think about what a miracle it is that another little person is living there!

Well, I need to start basting the ham with my glaze, so I will stop the reflecting for now. I think that next year is shaping up to be one that teaches us more about faith and trust, as we let go of our strong desire to have everything all laid out in front of us in a neat little package. Instead, we have to put our hand into the Lord's and let him lead us, trusting that he knows what is best for us, even when we don't see the path clearly.