As of today we've been in our new house 2 months. After initially feeling like long-term housesitting, it has begun to feel like home. Ebony settled in as soon as his beds and people were all here (although he's still learning where "his territory" ends in the front yard). After a few weeks, the birds found our feeders. The cardinals, chickadees, and woodpecker prefer the front. The finches and sparrows battle for spots in the back. No hummingbirds have come yet.
The Lord gave friends, family, and professionals to help with the move. Prayers were answered with "exceedingly abundantly beyond" grace for my body to cope with the move and for safety for those who helped. That has not translated into lasting healing for the currently active pain areas, but we were unspeakably grateful for the timely reprieve. We welcome your continued prayers for my health and mobility. This hasn't been a good pain week, but we give thanks for three other recent check-ups going well, especially for no recurrence of skin cancer so far.
 |
| Activity level moving week... Since the bursitis hit in February, I've been struggling to hit 5,000 steps per day. The Lord gave abundant grace. |
All the boxes have been unpacked, except for 2 boxes of pictures we still need to hang. We are slowly working away at the immediate projects the house requires. Ebony still needs to go in the pool at least once so he knows how to get out. We're not sure when I'll be able to get myself in and out, but after we install a ramp from the patio down to the deck next week, I'll at least be able to get to the pool level more easily. The naming process for the new place is a work in progress.
Last week I drove to "our" pond in the old neighborhood. It felt different. I was a visitor and didn't seem to belong there the way I used to. Amore says this is good and means I'm settling into the new place. It was unsettling, but he's right. One must let go of the old to lay hold of the new.
What has really begun to turn this house into a home, though, has been the presence of family. We have hosted my parents for Mother's Day, all the local family for Memorial Day and Father's Day, and my youngest nephews for some babysitting and lots of pool time with their mama, Terza. In the parlance of Amore's family, all this makes my happy pooch out. Mezzo will be back in Texas soon, and then all my family and one of Amore's sisters (who helped greatly with moving the kitchen) will have seen the new place.
For distant family and any of the rest of you who would like to see some "memorial stones" from our first two months here, here you go. Thank you for your prayers. The Lord has been gracious to us, and we praise His name.
 |
| Naptime cancelled because of 100% chance of excessive cuteness |
 |
| Sassy sister cracking wise |
 |
| Ebony welcoming a nephew into the pack |
 |
| Lots of mosquitoes, but also lots of dragonflies |
 |
| Downy woodpecker |
 |
| Juvenile cardinal |
 |
| Never any shortage of squirrels |
 |
| Keeping an eye on the swimmers but sticking close to me |
