#58 - He Passed!

ALL PRAISE, GLORY AND HONOR TO GOD....
Kevin passed his board exam (which he took in July). Kevin has been preparing for this exam since 2003... we left Vermont in 2007 so he could do a fellowship at Mayo Clinic. Unfortunately our time was cut short in Minnesota and Kevin wasn't sure if he would qualify for the exam anymore. He did and he studied for a year. In July he took the exam and passed both sections! He now has the highest level of certification possible in his field.

#57 - New Beginnings

Some days I don't even know where to begin....but since I've started this list of intentional thanks, I find myself thinking "Oh...this can be what I'm thankful for today!"

I have so much to be thankful for and most days nothing in particular stands out. But today I am thankful for new beginnings...specifically for our family here in Oregon.

God has used this most recent move to draw us closer to Him. We spent a good portion of the drive out (3,000) miles listening to podcast sermons and have had some excellent discussions that have resulted from those sermons. God is taking us to a deeper level of commitment and understanding....we both feel like He's fueling us for leadership.

When we got to Marquette we were in need of healing. And now we were ready for growth. I'm so glad that we listened.

Funny how this post turned out...not at all the direction I had planned. But that's the way God works sometimes (most times!)

#56 - Dahlias

We went to the farmer's market today and I just couldn't decide which bunch of flowers I wanted. I was talking to the woman selling them and asked which were her favorite. She pointed out a few and said that her favorites are always the last to sell. After she pointed them out, I thought to myself that I wouldn't necessarily choose them either. So then I asked Syd and Kay to come over and pick out the flowers for me...they both chose the red ones which happened to be the woman's favorites! She was so thrilled that they picked them that she gave me the orange ones, too...for free!! She said she's always wanted someone to buy the two bunches and make mix them in a bouquet.

#55 - Camping

I'm so thankful I joined my family on the camping trip to the coast. I did NOT want to go...my attitude was that we've had enough adventure for the month of September. Yet I did NOT want to be left behind and miss out. And so, rather reluctantly, I packed my bag and went. Even the first hour we were there I had to pray pretty hard to change my attitude. I kept thinking of everything I could get done if I had just stayed at home. But God did help me change my attitude and we had a great time as a family. I even slept relatively well. I'm so thankful I went.

#54 - Views of Mt. Hood

How cool is it that this is the view when I pull out of my street?!?!

Lord, You are so good to me and I am thankful for visual reminders of your majesty and wonder!

#53 - Meeting People

Today I met another Suzuki teacher for lunch. She is actually new to Portland, too, and did the same graduate program I did in NC. So we had a good time trading stories from ECU.

It was delightful to begin making connections with people in this area (outside this house).

#52 - Overwhelmed

I am overwhelmed by the size of the city we now live in...

I am overwhelmed by the prospect of homeschooling...


I am overwhelmed by the fact that outside my family, I know 2 people in this area...


I am overwhelmed at what God is doing in our lives...

The last one is the significant one. I am so thankful for what God is doing. Deciding to move to Oregon was a BIG step of faith for us. Neither of us really wanted to...but we also couldn't think of a good reason not to. I was not against the move, but also not enthusiastic about it (at first). I remember feeling sorry for myself one night about having to move again. But then I felt God asking me..."What are you afraid of? Don't you believe that I might have something even better for you?"

And so far He's shown me in the little and big things that He really does have something better for us. One of those is that He has brought us into a deeper relationship with Him and a deeper understanding of what it means to follow Christ.

That alone is worth the move. I am so excited to be in this overwhelming stage of transition. Because HE is right there with us.

#51 - Portland At Last

After 11 long, but fun, days on the road, we have finally arrived in Portland. I am so thankful that we are here. We get the keys to our rental house tomorrow morning and hopefully the moving truck will arrive by noon so we can begin to get settled.