I gave in!

I bet y’all thought I would never return! It has been an amazing two weeks! As I shared in my last blog, my parents came to visit and they just headed west yesterday! We had an amazing time, but its back to a new reality for the Hoelscher family! As our new reality sets in, I can’t help but think about how many ‘new realities’ I have had over the years. It is also my new blog topic.

Transitions. I, like everyone else, have had so many in my life. They can be so quick that we may not even realize that they have taken place or they can take months/years and almost kill us! With every new chapter in life comes some sort of transition period. Graduating high school and learning how to live on your own. Getting married and learning how to live with some one else. Having a baby and learning how to care for another person while still maintaining a healthy marriage. Adding a second, third, forth child and learning how to manage all that comes along with them. Maybe moving to a new town and starting over. Starting a career. Maybe simply changing positions with in your current place of employment. Maybe you are going through a divorce or suffering the loss of some one close to you. The point is, that life is constantly changing and we have to change along with it.

I could touch on any chapter in my past, but I am going to speak about my current transition. Moving to the DC area, as temporary as it may be, has been one of the hardest transitions for me. Leaving Eden and all my family and friends to come here was one of the most difficult things. I knew it would only be for a short time, but I was so happy and content with my life there that I didn’t want to give that up! Once we arrived, I knew there were many reasons why we needed to stay, but I still fought it. I didn’t want to face the transition. I didn’t want to try and make friends because I would be leaving so what was the point. To stay meant that the kids would have to start at a new school. It would be big and scary. I would have to give up Karsin’s spot at pre-school and when we returned home that would shake things up for me. I had so many selfish reasons to NOT want to stay.  Once I finally accepted the fact that we were staying and making a temporary life here, I decided to start being more positive and things started changing!

I decided to look up the school that the boys would be going to. We drove by it one day and guess what….IT was ADORABLE! It is big, but it’s tucked away in a cute and quiet neighborhood. It wasn’t a cold metal building with bars on the windows and a security check at the front. It was a brick building with lots of colors in the hallways. It was just a normal school on a larger scale! The boys started Tuesday and they LOVE it! They were so brave it made me want to cry. They put themselves out there. They talked to other kids and made connections with them. They may not even realize what a big deal it was to start a new school, but I do and I am so proud of them!

I also realized this is my last year to enjoy my little girl before she has to start REAL school next fall. I need this time with her because I know I am going to miss this one day. Staying at home for 10 and a half years has been hard at times, but so worth it. My plans can be put on hold for a moment longer. I know I will be so glad I had this time with her!

Oh, and you know those friends that I didn’t want to make? Well, they found me anyway and I can’t tell you how glad I am. These two ladies make this place complete. We share our stories and as different as they are, they meet up here for the moment!

When we let go of what we want and the ideas we have for our lives long enough to enjoy the life that God has planned for us, GREAT thing happen!

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  Jeremiah 29:11