A New Chapter

Moving is never easy. Whether you move across town, to a new city, a new state, or across the world, there so are many things on a list to be done. We are working on a list for us. Our little family will be moving this summer to Hattiesburg, MS. This news is a long time coming, as we have known for a little bit now. Due to contract requirements, we were unable to say until the time was right. 

So now our checklist begins. We have a realtor, so now we being decluttering the house. Why are there so many things!! Next is to get applications for school. Then look at houses in Hattiesburg. Pack and unpack are the simplest of items for moving. I have to make a list for all the contacts to disconnect here and find out where to connect there. Changing banks is always fun. New address labels and forwarding mail. New drivers license. And the list continues...

Hattiesburg, for those who don’t know, is located in southern Mississippi. Not quite on the coast, but only about 1.5 drive north from the beaches at Gulfport. This will put us about 4 hours from our family who all live in the Lafayette, LA, area. We are currently about 13 hour drive from family, which takes the kids and I two days and a hotel stop if I am driving by myself.  Hattiesburg is 2 hours from New Orleans and 3.5 hours from Birmingham, where my favorite cousin (and Hunter’s godmother) lives. There are so many adventures to come!

This new move will also bring new things to worry about. In Kansas, we worry about tornados. In the south, they worry about hurricanes. In Mississippi, they have both. Growing up in south Louisiana, and having my childhood home flooded and taken away by Hurricane Rita, I know all too well about them and their magnificent capacities. But God’s magnificence is greater. And I know he has put us on this journey for a reason. 

I am glad to be closer to home and family. But my heart hurts for having to leave. This will be the 5th time since college that I have left a city for another 3+ hours away. It never gets easier.  I have such a love for Manhattan and my church’s Thom’s Moms group. This group has helped me grow so much in my faith. I am nearly 180° different than what I was when we got here. And I am so thankful for God choosing Manhattan and each of my friends for this part of our life. So now I will take what I have been blessed with and bring it to a new city and share it with new people. I am an optimistic person by nature, and I am holding on to all the good that has come for our family and all the good that is to come. I know all things have been given by God, and I praise him daily for each blessing. I ask for prayers as we get through our lists, that God continues to open the doors for this journey, and there are no obstacles in the way.