30 January 2023

 Back in August, Mr. Brown went out to Utah for a family funeral, and he came back with the firm impression from God that we needed to move, and we needed to move right now, as soon as possible.  After some confirmatory prayers and consideration, we started packing and getting ready to sell the house and move to Idaho, which we've been considering for a couple years.  But after moving forward vigorously, we got stuck and couldn't seem to make any further decisions or progress.  We were puzzled and confused, but then I was invited to apply for a promotion at work that would involve moving to Maryland.

I knew almost as soon as I heard about it that this is what God has been preparing me for, for years, going back to when we lived in Iowa.  Leaving Michigan and leaving Florida were key parts of the preparation.  It was a moment when you get a bit of understanding of what His plan for you is, and it was a beautiful gift to have that understanding.  

I interviewed for, was offered and accepted the job.  It started at the end of January, and after some discussion, Rosebud and Bobo and I moved out to Maryland mid-January and are staying with a friend.  Mr. Brown and Nut Brown and Rose Pink are staying in Texas until the school year ends for Nut Brown and the house there is sold. Although the adventure of living apart for four months is not one that we are excited about, we are going to make the most of it!

Bobo, Rosebud and I had a good trip out.  We took it in easy stages, and it was only the fourth and final day that we were all cranky from being stuck together so much.  We listened to an audiobook, ate snacks and made lists of the things that we saw in each state.  We stayed overnight in Oklahoma with Spencer's mother and had dinner with his sister's family.  The next night we slept over at his brother's house in St. Louis and went to the Arch in the morning.  The third day was Illinois/Indiana/Ohio with a hotel at the end of the day, and the last day got us to Maryland.  The drive on the last day was through mountains and tunnels, so exciting!

Bobo and Rosebud are enrolled in school and seem to be doing pretty well.  The friends we are staying with have five kids, including a 9yo boy and a 7yo girl, so there are lots of people to play with in the house.  I requested the school put Rosebud in the same class with the other girl, and they did, so she had a familiar face on her first day in her new class.

Here we go on our new adventure of being a family in halves!