Moving Prep = Wealth Realized

I've been in this place before -- piles of boxes, bare walls, a kitchen utensil I know I have but must've already gotten packed away. This is life for the next few weeks! As we prepare to move this time around, I'm struck once again by the realization of how wealthy we are. Oh we complain about what we don't have. We complain about Matt having to work 2 jobs to make ends meet. But when 80+% of what we own is packed up in boxes and we're managing to get by just fine without all the 'stuff', I realize 1) wow, we do have a lot of 'stuff'. And not necessarily just stuff cluttering up our home, but handy, helpful, fun stuff. Stuff that God has blessed us with, stuff that makes our lives a little easier or more enjoyable. And then 2) I realize that there are people in this world that don't have what we do, people that truly are poor. I remember the day we moved out of our Nebraska apt. I remember looking around at the bare walls, the rooms without furniture, our packed bags in the corner, no place to lay my baby but the floor when it was time for her nap since the crib was already packed. It was sobering to think of people with nothing more than 4 walls around them... and yet to acknowledge that we can be content in any situation, in plenty or in want. What if I did only have the 4 walls around me? Our family is together, we're healthy, we've never been without food or clothing, and we have the security of knowing that whatever happens in this life, Jesus has paid my admission ticket to be with Him forever in the next. Do we need any more than that? And yet our heavenly Father loves to give good gifts to His children. It's a good reminder, even if I do hate the moving process.


Madison's room -- 3 1/2 of the 4 walls look like this & the stacks keep growing higher. I'm thankful Matt is able to get so many empty paper boxes from work. They're free and they're uniform size which makes life a lot easier.

Avery at 6 months, preparing to move from Fairport to Waterloo --

A blast from the past -- Madison at 6 months preparing to move from NE to NY -

An unrelated photo -- The girls are starting to play so well together (when Madison doesn't come charging in like a bull in a china shop and knock Avery over in the process of showing her affection). It's so funny to see Avery sitting up all the time -- makes it look like two 'kids' playing... Where'd the baby go?!