Two years.

Yesterday marked the 2 year date of when we moved into the Parsonage. In one way I can't believe that we have been here for two years already and in another way it seems like it has been much longer. All in all, it has been an awesome two years. I can't really imagine my life any different. I was looking back through my old blog (live journal) and had fun reading and looking at the pics from when we first moved here. It was a very new chapter of our lives. We were moving into the house, Josh was starting in the roll as an elder of the Church and we were taking on the youth group! Owen was little. He didn't have any teeth and did lots and lots of drooling. Before we moved into the house we did quite a bit of re-painting, Butch had refinished the hardwood floors and everything looked so clean and new (as new as a very old house could possibly look!).

The house itself doesn't look much different then two years ago as far as furniture placement and things. Minus a crib that is now a bed and an extra bed in the extra room..mostly everything has stayed the same. It is clear though, that the house has been "weathered" over the last two years. The pictures from then showed a nice new paint job, pictures hung nice and straight on the walls...and brand new couches. Today, the paint on the walls has become scratched in places (or even drawn on!), the floors are scuffed and not nearly as shiny as they were then. One might think, by looking at the pictures on the wall, that a freight train drives by the house on a daily basis (which doesn't happen, although, you might consider my four kids a freight train!). The furniture...well, it has held up quite well, fortunately!

This house has seen a lot of commotion. Our family alone gives the house a run for its money, but then add in the weekly youth meetings, Sunday School in the living room and basement (most of the time) and all of the other gatherings that happen here on a regular basis. This is what the Parsonage should be like! (don't get me wrong, the parsonage dwellers before us saw just as much action...I'm not at all implying that this all started when WE moved in!!)

We love living here and feel blessed every single day that we GET to live here! We try hard to allow the Parsonage to live up to its potential:)

But ya know that "two year itch" phrase? I am in NO way itchy to leave anything, but it is not typical for us to do anything for more than 2 years without a major change. It doesn't necessarily mean a change of living arrangements, although..looking back, it does seem to be the pattern. Its just that there is usually something big that changes for us every 2 years or so..whether it be a move, a new responsibility, a new baby....something. It just feels weird to not have some major change happening in our lives right about now.

So what is it that I want to change? I have NO idea. We are not planning on baby #5, I know for sure that we don't want to leave Meredith, or the Church or the parsonage even. I can't even think of what I 'want' to change. I tried talking Josh into a dog.....but that is a pretty clear "No", in fact I've even heard the words "I'd rather have another baby than a dog!".

So for now, I pray for contentment. The thing is, overall, I feel very content. There is just something about that two year mark. Does this happen to anyone else, or is it just me?? What kind of changes do you make when you get the urge for some sort of change?

In the meantime, while I was reading in my old live journal blog I encouraged myself (can you do that?) to start writing in my blog more often. I had gotten to a point where I felt like if the pictures weren't good enough, or the story wasn't cool enough that I shouldn't bother posting...but looking through the old blog was fun. It was fun to see the silly randomness of my life and remember little tiny things that happened. I am going to try to be more diligent about posting...even if its just for myself to look back on 2 years later and laugh about how drooly Owen was or what Jessalyn looked like on her first day of 3rd grade. That was why I started this blog in the first place!!

So relaxed today.

This is a cool story. True story:)

Early this afternoon, I was standing in the kitchen while Luke, Owen and Elijah were busy playing. I had this overwhelming feeling of peace. I was standing there noticing how relaxed and chilled out I was feeling. I was literally standing there thinking about how happy I am and where my life is right now. I honestly had this feeling almost like I was on some sort of sedative or something. I thought about posting a status message about feeling so happy and chilled out...but couldn't really think of a way to put it without it sounding complete mushy. I stood there trying to figure out what it was about this day that was making me feel so calm...I thought it could be the weather, it could be E and J in school, it could be the smoothie I had for breakfast. I seriously stood there thinking of all of the possible reasons that I could be feeling so good. I even went from there thinking (in my typical negative side)...could this be the 'calm before the storm' and should I be preparing myself for something bad to happen any second? I didn't post anything but continued on with my afternoon at home with the boys...really just enjoying them.

Just a few minutes ago, I received a phone call from Dona Lynn who had some questions for me...but the first thing she said was "Did you see us outside your house today?". I said "No, who was outside my house?" She continued to tell me that on their weekly prayer walk, her and Papa and Mark had walked up to the Parsonage and stopped outside of the house to pray for us and our family and the ministry that happens here in this house. They stood outside my house and prayed for us for about 20 minutes.

In discussing the timing of their walk, and my drug like feeling :) ..it was clear that it was the same time. Actually, we didn't even really have to figure out the timing because even without doing that it was clear as to why I had an overwhelming feeling of peacefulness this afternoon!

Not that this type of thing is a surprise to me, because I am certain that these things are happening constantly and most of the time we don't even notice...but it sure is nice to have such clear reminders as to what prayer can do!

....so from now on, I think I should recommend a daily prayer walk around the Parsonage!!!