New Zip, Old Roots
Boom!
With just a few signatures (plus two trips out of state, a month of paperwork, and a few days with the kids in the car), we are a quarter million in the hole, just like that.
After at long last being debt free in recent months, there was a certain disappointment that came with pulling this particular trigger. Perhaps it was amplified by the unusually dreary weather in Florida this last week and the beautiful sunset as we drove back to our last two weeks in our Georgia house. I couldn’t help but feel a creeping sense of sadness, almost dread, at the thought of leaving what we’ve known and loved for the majority of our marriage. We brought a baby to Georgia, and now we’re leaving with two kids and a third on the way.
On the flip side, with this purchase comes a brand new house in a good neighborhood, proximity to my office, and the creative freedom that comes with being homeowners (within the confines of the HOA agreement). More importantly than that though, it will become our home.
My wife, who gets her creative talents from her mother, is particularly skilled at coming into a new space and generating plans I couldn’t possibly have conceived. To be honest, I grumbled a bit when my wife already had me remove the laundry room door to open up some more space...but that’s what she does. She takes a space, sees its potential, and goes to work.
I realize there’s a correlation of sorts to our Maker. He sees potential in all of us, and wants to draw out that holiness, creativity, talents, and beauty. We have to let him into our hardened hearts though - if we place our trust in Him, which is an ongoing yet worthy struggle, He doesn’t let us down. If anything, He surprises us.
There’s also an underlying benefit of this move. We actually set some roots down there a few years ago - the chance to return to a familiar place as part of an active duty move is pretty thrilling. Our parish, pastor, and many of our old friends and acquaintances are waiting for us. Despite mother nature wreaking havoc on the area a few years ago, we see signs of new life. Not to mention, the beaches are still full of pretty white sand and countless Saturday afternoons to come.
Although it’s bittersweet to shut down the current chapter, the next holds promise and potential. I can’t wait to see what the Good Lord has in store for us.
-MJVW