ON A JOURNEY TO WHOLENESS: Looking back to see the blessings Now

Today, while driving the boys to a play date with their cutie pie friends, i made a quick left turn down Ridge Rd. in Fort Mitchell, KY. As i drove down the little street, i had flashbacks of the many times i would drive into that street almost 6 years ago. As i pulled up to the old apartment, i explained to James where we were - Mommy and Daddy's first "house." I could picture us as a young married couple scared and unsure of what we were doing. Unsure of how we were going to make it. Unsure if we would be able to pay our bills. Unsure if we would have hot water that day. Unsure if we would ever move to a better place. The only thing that we were sure of was the love that we had for one another. Despite the annoyances that the place came with, they were overshadowed by our love. That place was filled with laughter, tears, love, budget friendly yet tasty meals, a surprise Christmas tree, and jeopardy. haha! It held so much more than that. It held our first year together as man and wife. It held the dreams that we had for "some day." We learned so much about each other and about ourselves in that apartment.
Even though that...awful place was...awful, i could not help but smile and tear up as i sat in the car. I can see NOW how much that little place helped us. We are able to value not only where we are now but we value one another so much more as well.
It was neat to be able to show our boys our first house. I wish i would have taken a picture of it...but i did not want to be creepy.
Once we got back on the road to Park Hills, we drove on another familiar road. I took James to our 2nd apartment in Park Hills. That place also held a lot of memories for us. Ryan being gone with the military. Screaming "YES" the first time we took a hot shower there. haha! Taking in the fact that we had air conditioning. Telling Ryan i was pregnant. Bringing home our first baby, James. Becoming accustomed to being a family of three and parents. James was 3 months old when we had moved. (crazy time to move!) It was a nice place, but not for kids to grow up - busy road and no safe yard to play. One of my favorite things was walking to Reality Tuesdays coffee shop right across the street to grab a treat. Or walk to devout park to see the City skyline. That is a reason why we moved, we are not city people.
In that place we were still unsure - about how we would be as parents. Unsure about bills. Unsure about finding a bigger place for us to grow. Unsure but still growing in love.
After our play date today, we headed home. I pulled into our neighborhood and saw our house on the little hill at the end of the road. As i stopped the car in the driveway, i was taken aback to all that we have been through and realized how far we have come. All the things that we were so unsure about were taken cared of. The 6 years we have been married....are full of the "sureness" (if you will) of God's love. He outweighs all uncertainty.
I am so thankful for our home and the memories, laughter, love that are being made right now within these walls. I am unsure, once again, where we will be in the years to come. But i am sure of the love that is filled within this house, will carry on to where ever we may go.

September 2007 - Unsure...but walking together