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Robb is 31 today! He was barely 23 the first time I met him. It’s hard to believe our lives have been intertwined for this long. It really seems like just a blink. And yet in that blink, so many things have happened. We’ve been on such an incredible journey, and the dull moments have been scarce. We are getting ready to embark on our next big adventure in the next few months as we head of to Kentucky to start a life there. When people ask how I feel about the move and about our lives changing, I have to tell them I knew exactly what I was doing when I said “I do.” I knew the man Robb was, and I knew he would go where the Lord called him regardless of what comfort and what normality we would have to forego. I love this about him.

 As if the move wouldn’t be hard enough, something strange happened last week. Robb got this email from a pastor in Buckeye, Arizona. If you are not good with Arizona cities, let me tell you (as someone who LOVES Arizona) it’s about 30 minutes from both of our parents. Its 30 minutes from all of our siblings. Its 30 minutes from all of Natalie’s great-grandparents. In fact, it’s 30 minutes from almost all blood relatives.

This email was a request. A request for Robb’s resume. A request for Robb to pray about going there to minister at a church that is very similar to our church here. 

I’ve gone through seasons of my life where I prayed fervently and frequently that God would take us to Arizona.

Thankfully, this isn’t one of those seasons. While my heart was tugged at the idea of finally getting to live close to our families, after we spent time praying about this decision we still both feel the Lord leading us to Kentucky. So we are not staying where we have a job, a home, a church family, and our friends. And we are not going to a job, another home, and a place that would put us near family. Instead, we are moving somewhere without a job (yet), without a home (yet), and where we don’t know anyone (yet), and a place where we don’t have a church (yet). 

This all further confirms why I love my husband. How many people would do that? How many could do that? I knew from my first acquaintance with Robb that he would forsake all to follow Christ, and that his greatest passion was learning about God and making this knowledge known to others.

So today I’m spending more time than usual thanking God for Robb. I’m also spending more time praying about our future and Robb’s leading of our family. Getting to walk beside Robb as he leads us is one of the greatest blessings in my life. Even if that journey never leads us back home.

 

 Robb and Natalie enjoying a birthday dinner.

 

We almost had Natalie potty trained before we left town last week. She was only using one diaper a day (usually during nap time), and I hadn't changed a stinky diaper in over 10 days. Unfortunately, the training went down the toilet...so to speak.  Robb traveled to Lousiville, KY for the Together for the Gospel conference, dropping Natalie and I off with some good friends of ours in Kansas City. Robb had a wonderful time and blogged about it on his blog - galatians4.com (gospel blog). My friend Cheryl and I stayed up late many nights discussing the Bible, our struggles, and thoughts on life. It was wonderful. The only drawback to the trip is Natalie suffered from a severe case of jealousy. When Natalie is uncomfortable, she becomes increasingly aggressive and angry. I could tell she was frustrated, but since her verbal skills are not as advanced as her thought patterns, this frustration would quickly turn into wrath and violence towards me. This jealousy led to a complete reverse with potty-training. She would fall into a pool of tears whenever I even mentioned the word toilet. No amount of bribing could get her to go sit on the toilet. So we are back to 3 or 4 diapers a day. Although she is going number 2 in the toilet again, she usually has to be talked into trying. I'm struggling with the decision of dropping it altogether for a few months, or deciding to keep on trying.

Today we were discussing the toilet with Natalie. I was telling her she was a little girl now and not a baby. I told her little girls wear panties and go potty on the toilet. She began shaking her head no, and looked so earnest at me as she pointed to herself and said, "No mama, baby." I responded, "you're a baby?" "Yes" she said emphatically, pointing again to herself, "Nat Nat, baby." (Nat Nat is how she says her name). I gently corrected her and told her she was not a baby. I explained Adalynn was a baby (friend from church), and she had baby dolls, but Natalie was my little girl.  It's so funny to hear her try to say sentences. I think when her verbal skills come, we'll see the violence and anger go down a level, but perhaps that just wishful thinking. In truth, only a regenerated heart can save her from the sin that entangles her. We pray to that end each night (and depending on the day - several more times during the day!).

Praise - Natalie sat through church this morning without making a peep. We've been laboring at this for months, and today was the first time since birth (I think) that I was able to hear the whole sermon and take notes! She sat perfectly still in a chair next to mine eating Kix and Cheerios and listening to her dad preach. Getting Natalie to sit still for any amount of time is an accomplishment in itself, but for a whole hour during church is completely by the grace of God!