I frequently have nightmares (I always have) and usually, they set a tone for the morning, leaving me feeling unsettled. But today, even after a nightmare, I woke up to baby boy kicking like crazy, and thankfulness in my heart. We're still surrounded with boxes and un-homed items, partially unpacked rooms and to-do lists a mile long. But here is what I'm learning, when I look past my immediate surroundings:Where I see clutter and disorganization, He shows me His blessings...

Well, hello! This week is a flurry of signing the lease to our new (two-bedroom) apartment, getting our keys, cleaning, and shuffling boxes from my in-law's home and the storage unit with Nicholas every evening. It's been exhausting, but oh-so-exciting to see our new space begin to come together. We are still staying with my in-laws (thank you!) as that allows for a gradual move-in process, and we won't be able to move larger items of furniture, like our bed, until Saturday when we have use of a moving truck. I just keep telling myself that if we open the boxes one-by-one, eventually everything will be unpacked...

This past weekend, Nicholas and I took a whirlwind trip to my hometown in Minnesota to see family and have my third and final baby shower. Friday, I drove to pick up Nicholas from his workplace downtown Chicago, and then we hopped on the road (albeit through some Chicago traffic), heading north. I had packed us sandwiches and fruit and snacks, as we were eager to make good time and minimize stops. We drove the route, through Illinois, then Wisconsin, and finally Minnesota that I had driven countless times as a Purdue student, a route we hadn't driven in years(!) since we moved to Texas...

It feels like spring in our new home in Northwest Indiana. It is the beginning of a lot of things for us. I anticipate that it will take some time to get settled in our new home, physically, but also mentally and emotionally. Thank you for everyone who has been checking in on us and our family during this time, as well as for so many prayers! A huge to-do item was to decide where we wanted to live when we arrived...

On Friday, we got home (to our new home) from a trip to the Asheville area of North Carolina. We planned this trip back in January or February, before we had even a thought of a new job for Nicholas, and a cross-country move, and other big life changes. And yet, the timing of the trip couldn't have been better. It was a respite away, in a stunning setting, with lots of family time and views of gorgeous scenery...