The Big Push South

It’s been some time.  An awful lot has happened since my last post.  Let me fill you in.  College is done.  What sounds on the face of it, like it should be a great cause for celebration, is filled with some very mixed feelings.  John finished up in mid-November, and on the 6th of December, a truck came and loaded up all our worldly possessions and drove off.   Destination: Melbourne.

So on the 7th of March, it will have been 3 months, and I still quite keenly feel the loss of our college and Sydney church communities.  Even though we’ve moved closer to our biological families, it really does feel like we’ve left family behind.  I’m definitely struggling with discontentment at the moment, and I think perhaps this will be a pattern for me, moving into different places/situations, until I feel more established in the community and figure out more fully, what my role is. 

The same thing happened when we moved to college.  Poor John bore the brunt of my feelings of resentment that he got to go off and have a fabulous time studying theology with his new friends, while I had to stay home and “do the housework, and look after the baby”.  By the time we had Davey in second year, I was more than glad that I didn’t have to go out and work or study, but got to stay home and raise our lovely babies.  Oh how fickle my feelings are!!

Now, this is definitely not to say that our time in Melbourne hasn’t been without blessings!  John has taken over as the lead pastor of City Unichurch (name currently in negotiations), and we’ve largely felt extremely well welcomed and been so excited to see the amazing ways that our new church family serve the Lord and each other, as well as having a few visitors too!  We’ve had heaps of family support, are enjoying the extra space of a 3 bedroom house with a big yard and a supply of apricots, figs, lemons, walnuts and gorgeous roses.  Hannah is loving Kindergarten and Kinderballet.  All of the kids are pretty excited about our new playgroup too (which meant a serious meltdown when we had to leave, because they loved it so much!).

We all miss our college and Sydney church family and poor little Davey still cries about it sometimes.  It’s a little bit hard to cheer him up sometimes, when I’m feeling pretty sad about it myself.  I think I have a really big cry overdue (I’m such a girl!).  But last week was quite a good week, going away to Apollo Bay and having a chance to regroup and enjoy each other before John’s RMIT FOCUS work started in earnest this week.

I’m praying that the God who has already given me more than I could ever hope or imagine will help me to remember this truth, and move past these feelings of discontentment.  I’m praying that I can soon understand my role in this new stage of life, and support my family well, as we continue to change and grow.   I’m praying for new friends in our local community and that God can use us powerfully to build his kingdom here in Melbourne.

Image by alexbuitlr on flickr.

The Final Countdown - 11 Days to Go

Well, it's been about 5 months since my last post... Oops...  Certainly not because I haven't had anything that I've wanted to share, but you know life.  It's busy.  And messy.  And such a blessing from God!

So, I've decided to snatch up these 10 minutes, while our nearly 4 year old is at preschool, and our 2 year old and 7 month old are sleeping, and before I take my nap too.

11 days.  That's all we have left now in Sydney.  We've been here for nearly 4 years, a Bible college degree and 2 babies, and now we have 11 days left.  I can't believe it.  There is just so much to process and so many mixed feelings about leaving, and soooooo much packing to do.

I'm so thankful for our time here.  For all that we've learnt and our personal growth through college and church and Christian community, for our wonderful and amazing church and college friends.  For the two beautiful children who were born while we were here, and for the one who has essential done all of her growing here.  For not having to move for 4 lovely, settled years.  For the, at times, rough ride that college has been and for all that has taught us about God's care and love, and about ourselves and our marriage.  For the deep and wonderful friends that God has brought my way - I will miss you dearly!

I'm also thankful for a new church family ready and waiting for us, who trust John to take over leading them!  For being so much closer to pretty much all of our extended family (sorry Mum and Dad, you really should consider moving south!!).  For a lovely house to move in to where not everything will take place in the lounge room.  For a backyard (although I will miss hanging out with the other mums under the clotheslines!).

So many mixed feelings.  As I said to John yesterday, it's not that I don't want to move to Melbourne - in fact, I'm quite excited about it!  I just don't want to leave here.

Image by Robert S. Donovan on Flickr