Reassurance

The anxiety of planning for a move in 6 days and yet not really knowing for certain if the move is going to take place or not finally got to me. Our closing on the house should be Friday. We've got the moving van rented for Saturday and people lined up to help. We've got the utilities turned on in our name, we've paid for repairs to the house, we even have the keys. But we don't really know for sure that it's ours. We're still waiting for some very important approvals. We should know soon...but a girl's got to make plans for moving earlier than six days, people!! I've been practical (trying not to get my hopes up). I've been excited (this is our dream property!). I've been organized (pack a few boxes a day and do a big cleaning job each day before we move should keep us on track). I've been prayerful (please, God, be in charge here! Bless us with what is best, really!) But this morning when I realized that we are supposed to move this week and still don't know if it will really happen, I felt stressed. How did you all deal with this when you ever bought a house?! It's tricky business!

This morning as Matt and I drove the kids to Cameron to visit what we hope will be our new ward, I told him, "This not knowing is getting to me. I feel really anxious." He reassured me that we'll know very soon. I thought to myself, just keep on waiting for a little bit longer. This is the hard part before the great blessing springs forth. Just keep on waiting. Just keep on waiting.

Well, we got to the church and let me tell you, this ward is FRIENDLY! Someone in the parking lot noticed us and waved! During our first meeting, I noticed how many children there were. Lots of families and lots of kids. It will be easy to make friends. Hooray! As soon as the meeting was over, a member of the bishopric was shaking hands and getting all the details out of us. He was a big friendly old man with 11 kids, homeschooled. A couple sitting behind us also spoke with us and visited. She asked us if we had a 4-year-old (which of course, we do). She was the Primary teacher for the 4-year-olds and was soon hand-in-hand with Ella walking to their primary class together. Every Primary leader we spoke to was extra-happy and friendly. By the time I sat down in Gospel Doctrine I felt like I was a part of the ward! I was touched to the point of tears because I felt like I already belonged in this ward. Isn't that amazing? I continued to meet ward members and happily shared our hopes regarding the property we want to buy. "Ten acres? Oh, that's perfect!" "With trees? Oh, the kids will love it!" "Where is it located? Oh, that's near me!" It was all so fun. As I looked around the room in Relief Society, I thought to myself, I could be best friends with all of these ladies. When the teacher got up to give the lesson she talked about doing her chores before getting showered and ready for church. I thought, how cool that these are people who do real chores like tending farm animals and such. Two of the mothers (and there were lots of pregnant bellies and babies in arms) nursed during class. I just realized how we are so totally going to fit in and how I have so much to learn from these people and how much I want to be a part of this ward.

I felt like Heavenly Father was telling me to relax. This is where you will be. This is your ward family now. Everything will work out. What a blessing.