would you LOOK at that tree!!!!????

So, Doug and I had a WONDERFUL time in Maryland scoping out the land and the church...it was a whirlwind! We almost weren't even sure we would both be going because the girls all got the flu the day we were leaving but thanks to some awesome friends of ours who took our sick kids (the O'berski's ARE amazing!) we went! Doug and I both were sick like dogs on the plane so we traded baby Aspen back and forth....thankfully the entire back of the plane was empty besides us! All the realtors turned us down and no one was much help at all when we were up there and on the day we were to leave to come home we were pretty discouraged! We KNEW God was calling us to this church but where were we going to live??!! Surely God wasn't calling us there just to have us staying in a tiny apartment? Was He? Well, we were willing...I had really resolved myself to apartment living because I was just so excited for this job opportunity for Doug and I fell in love with the church upon sight...
God had this cute little cape cod house up His sleeve for us! The landlady called us in just the nick of time and we drove out to the country (but only about 15 minutes from Target so it's OK folks!! haha) to see this adorable house...when we pulled up and saw this enormous chestnut tree in the yard we about had heart attacks. Lily prayed very specifically for a house with stairs in it (she has a love of stairs...?) and she also wanted a big tree she could climb. The ladder was just another way of showing His incredible love for us all...it's just sitting there waiting for Lily to climb up! He is so good to us.
I really could go on and on about the weekend trip but truthfully I'm still digesting it all and I'm so extremely tired these days. Aspen is completely bucking the system with us...the other 3 girls were all "trained" to sleep through the night by 6 weeks of age and she is just not about to comply. Between that and all the packing and the planning and the organizing and the WORRYING (because although I cast all my cares upon Him, I still have this thing for worry....blah!) I am so exhausted! But I really did want to update this and let everyone know that God really does care about us. He is a personal God..not some "big man upstairs". For those of you that don't really understand having a PERSONAL relationship with Him, wow...ask me about it! Let me share with you about it because things like a tree in a yard of a house with 2 sets of stairs is just the beginning. He manifested Himself to Doug and I in so many ways these past 2 years in search of the job that would allow Doug to do what he has a passion for doing.
The journey isn't over. In fact, there are still PLENTY of obstacles to overcome with this new job and as with most new jobs, we are on a probation period so by the grace of God, this will be a great opportunity for Doug.
We plan to pull out of Naples on February 2...with many tears being shed. I can't bring myself to think about how painful it will be to not be "pajama distance" from my "Ant" Barb...and all the friends and family we are leaving behind...ahh!! But we know we are following God...with that, g'night folks...more to come!