changes, changes, changes

We've had lots of changes around here lately.  Some are big.  Some are small.  Some relate to materialistic, worldly things.  Some relate to big life changes.  Some have come with joy and been very welcomed, while others have taken a little more getting used to.

Change is something I've never been good with.  I fight it.  Wrestle it to the ground.  And if possible, I avoid it at all cost.  However, do you ever notice that as you get older and wiser, you realize that things you used to despise and not be so great at become easier and less a part of you?

My fear and dread for change is one of those.  I feel like a big girl saying that I honestly am learning how to accept change.  I don't fear it so much anymore.  I think it's just because change is unavoidable.  It happens.  You have to deal with it and face it head on.  And it becomes less scary.

I catch myself sometimes, creeping back into that old familiar relationship with change.  But then, I often catch myself just dealing with it.  Realizing it's part of how things go.  And honestly, when we loosen up the grip, God can present some amazing changes that can completely turn your world upside down in such a joyful way.

So like I said some of our changes have been very materialistic...

Such as saying goodbye to my 2-door Honda Accord of six years.

Justin wanted to take a pic of me in my car saying goodbye.

 Like I mentioned before, I cried.  Call me a goofball.  That's okay.  It's not that I'm so obsessed with my car, I just get emotionally attached to things.  This car was my car all through college.  It took trips to visit my best friend at school 5 hours away, took a trip to Alabama last year so that I could meet up with our church on a mission trip, drove me around as I planned for my wedding, and has taken me safely back and forth in my 30 minute commute to my classroom for 3 years now.  And this one got me the most since as of right now we only have a fur-baby...it's the car our sweet Boone came home in.  So now we're hunting like crazy for my mommy car.  (And a truck for Justin at the same time.  Whew.) I've already decided that car shopping is overrated.

 We finally got the guts to cancel cable.  Love that our bill has now been shaved by over $50 (um yes, and we had no bells and whistles...crazy!), but it's taking some adjusting for sure.  We are learning how to get very creative when trying to adjust the antenna for the digital channels.  Sometimes Justin has to remind me that throwing the antenna across the room will probably only make matters worse. ha! And I'm finding great places like Hulu to catch up on shows I miss without cable.  But in all honestly, we're really just learning how to be more productive with our time.  So grown-up of us!

This sweet pup is now a "big boy" and doesn't stay in his crate all day while we're at work.  He was crate-trained when we first brought him home and went straight to his crate the first night we had him.  So he loves his crate, but it's just not practical anymore.  Especially with the size of crate we have to have for him.  His crate is in the office...which we think will be turned into the nursery.  It's too big to have anywhere else on the main floor of the house and we don't want to have to go down to the basement each time we leave to put him up.  So we've transitioned this crate-trained sweetie into a free-roaming dog.  He loves it and I'm pretty sure he does the above all.day.long.

And then of course our big life-changing change that we have welcomed with such joy is the news that our home will be filled with all things girl from here on out.  Of course as a guy, Justin is getting used to this news.  I think he's already scared to death she'll get her heart broken and that she'll be fragile from day one.  He'll make the best daddy of a little girl (he'll make a great daddy no matter what)...but he's so sweet and gentle.  So even if she's fragile, she'll have a daddy that will handle her heart with such care and concern.  I already love hearing him say her sweet name.

So those are just a few of the the changes going on around here.  And depending on the change...like it or not...I'm welcoming it.  As I'm sure I'll welcome many others as our newlywed lives transition into new mommy and daddy lives.

There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens.

Ecclesiastes 3:1