Praise Him for His sovereignty.

Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, Sovereign Lord, have spoken, and with your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever.  2 Samuel 7:29

I can't believe it's finally almost here!  My trip to Charlotte is day after tomorrow!!! I leave very early on Friday morning.  I'll have to be up at 3 am to get ready and drive to the airport in time to park far away (cheaper parking) and then ride the shuttle.  Have you ever been so excited about something that when you thought about it, it made you feel like you could cry?  That's how excited I am.  I haven't been back to Charlotte since we moved here 2 years ago.  It seems weird to think we have lived here for that long since I still sometimes feel like I belong in Charlotte.  Don't get me wrong...I really like it here, and more importantly, I KNOW this is where God wants us to be.

Things I love about St. Louis (Arnold):

• The cold winters/snow.  Those of you that know me well will find this hard to believe, but it really is true!
• The variety of family friendly things to do (ie. great parks, museums, etc.).
• My church!  First Baptist Arnold is probably the most important part of my life here.  I am so grateful for their leadership and mission-mindedness (is that a word?).  I also love being a part of the choir and my Sunday School class.  The children's department is also top-notch, and they offer so much for my kids.
• Everything is so close!  I could literally get to anywhere I need to be in less than 10 minutes (most places less than 5 minutes) except for the mall and my pediatrician's office which is a little bit further, but totally worth the drive.
• The generous, caring, unselfish people that I have met.  I appreciate so much the friendships that I have made here.
• Brian's job.  He is so much happier in his job here and his boss is MUCH better.  We have also gotten to see a lot more of him these last 2 years...of course, that part has changed since he started law school, but we're adjusting!
• My house/neighborhood.

Things I miss about Charlotte:

• My sister and her family...thus the main purpose of my trip to Charlotte!
• My friends.  I did not take for granted the blessing of the beautiful, close-knit relationships that Brian and I shared with our friends in Charlotte, and I don't know if I'll ever get over having to leave that.  These people have been through everything with us...job issues, infertility, the loss of our 3 precious babies that await us in heaven, the joy of welcoming 3 of our 4 children into the world, sick/hospitalized children, my own health problems/surgeries, some memorable vacations, and so much more.
• My church and choir (but as mentioned previously, FBCA has more than made up for this).
• My pediatrician.  I have a really good pediatrician here but no one can compare to our doctor in Charlotte.
• My babysitter.  Megann loved my children like they were her own family...she still does, even Owen, whom she's never actually met!  I wish I were rich so I could fly her here!
• My job at Grace Academy.  This job was absolutely a gift from God.  I was able to teach part-time while my children stayed in the teacher's childcare room for FREE.  It was only 8-12 hours a week (depending on the year).  We were done by noon and did not work on Fridays.  Most of all, I worked with and for Christian people that were more like family to me than co-workers.
• The geography, and I mean this in more ways than one:  I loved being 3 hours or less away from the beach and the mountains.  I also loved being a day's drive from my family in Florida and my husband's in Pennsylvania.  It was still far away from them, but nothing compared to now.

My prediction is that after my trip I will feel two ways:  1. sad that I have to say "good-bye" again, some of the most painful words I know, and 2. happy to be coming home to my family and my new life here in Arnold, Missouri.  I know God has a purpose for me here.  After two years, I'm still not quite sure what that is, but I am grateful for that purpose nonetheless!  I know that He is sovereign, and though His ways are not my own, and sometimes I may not understand them, they are best!