Steady my heart

Change. **shudder**  Some people don't even like the loose change they have in their pocket or that collects on their bathroom counters.  Maybe that's just at my house.

In the New Year's letter that our family sent out this last holiday season (I couldn't get it together for a Christmas letter), I mentioned that our word for last year was "change."  That I'm pretty hesitant to change things, but if we didn't embrace it last year, it was going to knock us down on the way through.

Much of this change is natural: growing older, kids getting taller (Seth is almost the same height as his dad!), the cotton now forming huge heads of white fluff where dark green leaves and blossoms used to be.  Even though it may be natural, this gal still has a hard time with change.

Such as...
My baby is eight as of July 30th.  And going into 3rd grade!

The baseball trade deadline for the MLB...always bothers me.

We went on a glorious family vacation and had loads of fun in Southern California, which left the man of the house tired  spent  exhausted. 
Here's my fave travel pic of my kids...who, to my amazement,were not left exhausted:

Before our trip, we said goodbye to some precious, precious friends.  TWO families, one who moved across the state, the other who moved across the country. The kids at my house, as well as their momma, are still a little in disbelief and pretty sad about it.

And now, another job adventure.  One great thing about being a nurse, as I'm just finding this to be reality in the last few years, is that it is a very diverse job.  Starting next week I will be a school nurse at a local middle school.  Yes, 6th, 7th, and 8th graders...hundreds of them.  My principal at the school knew me as a 6th grade student.  My aunt teaches at the school, and I know a few more of the teachers there as well.  Excited, nervous....more change!

Gotta embrace it, that's what I keep saying to myself.  Seems like every month we are adapting to a "new normal" with Chad's health.  Even if the "new normal" isn't what we want, even if these changes are occurring, there is unfortunately little we can do to stop them or slow it down. 

God's got His hand in all of this!  From the seemingly insignificant (MLB trade deadline) to the things that are of utmost importance, He's got us.  He has us firmly in His grip.  Change will come, but He won't let go.  After all, the change in my heart that happened so many years ago is what's getting me through this!

"I'm not gonna worry
I know that You've got me
Right inside the palm of Your hand
Each and every moment
What's good and what gets broken
Happens just the way You plan"
~Steady My Heart~~Kari Jobe