finding an equilibrium

slowly adjusting to the tastes of America

Last night was one full week since our plane touched down in Pittsburgh. The week was a fast-moving, stressful blur, but it was a super-productive one. The house is (mostly) in order. The kids are (mostly) sleeping. We now have internet, phone, utilities, bank accounts, drivers' licenses, temporary health insurance and - as of tomorrow morning, a car.  In other words, we're in a much more relaxed place today than we were seven days ago. Actually, I'm amazed that it only took seven days to get to this place. We owe a huge thank you to Rich's parents for all the work they did getting our house ready for us before we even arrived. They gave us an enormous head start and saved us days and days of cleaning and hauling furniture. We also owe much thanks to my mother, who flew to meet us at LAX and offered our girls a timely distraction, enabling Rich and I to catch up on sleep, catch two peaceful flights and gather luggage.

helping to get everything in order

Thanks to all for the prayers and email/FB words of encouragement as we went through the craziest and most intense days of transition. Rich and I feel really great now about how things are unfolding. We're having a lot of fun together shaping our life here and the Lord is showing us that His Providence is overseeing all. For example, this week I contacted a real estate agent (who I selected randomly based on her cool website and the fact that she looked "nice" from her photo). As we chatted on the phone, it turned out that she has been supporting an American missionary in New Zealand over the past few years! There have been so many of these unlikely coincidences that we have a real peace that the Lord is at work as we patch together the life we are going to lead now that we are home. We continue to put the pieces together (in a much more peaceful fashion now than a few days ago) and will give updates as the biggest pieces fall into place!

learned how to climb a tree this week

not 100% unpacked and organized, but getting closer every day