Sorry for the posting delay.  After many months of inspections and papers, fees and transactions, assessing and phonically, we bought our house today!  And the best part is that we haven’t had to pack a single box because we’ve been living here for the past 21 months.

Sweet.

Truth be told, it’s not the house we initially would have picked to purchase upon our arrival to a foreign land, but God knew well and positioned us perfectly in the home He made available just for us in January 2015.

Looking back, it was amazing.  We’d had little time to find a place when Christian was offered his position in the Bronx, so we’d hopped online, trying to search out as many wonderful options as possible.

It came down to only two.  We quickly realized how hot the rental market was in our targeted demographic and that we should simply high-tail it out to NJ as soon as we could make an appointment with the realtors.

We snagged one definite and one maybe, so we threw the kids in the car and headed to River Edge.  Christian had eyed the first property, I the second.

We never saw the inside of “my” property, the one with the “maybe” realtor.  When we got the call that he wouldn’t make it, I was disappointed.  I liked this property much more because it had a swing set for the kids, a big yard, bigger rooms, newer kitchen, etc.  Everything about it seemed better.

On the Internet.

We did a drive-by while we waited for the other realtor and never looked back.  Feeling choice-less and vulnerable, we finally headed to our appointment.

The realtor was lovely.  Genuine, down-to-earth, and now a neighbor one street over.  The house was quaint, the neighborhood pleasant.  Christian sensed almost immediately that this was THE house, but it took me a little longer to warm up to the idea.

The fit is now undeniable.  Like a glove.

At first, it didn’t seem to make sense.  We’d traded one-third of an acre for a postage stamp, a two-story colonial for a modest brick cottage, and an organic garden complete with homemade compost for mere property borders of evergreen triangles and squares.

But today, looking back, I’m thankful.  God used this wonderful little house to help heal us.  When we rushed into our house after closing this afternoon, I experienced that same rush-around-the-house-and-kiss-everything feeling George Bailey had in It’s a Wonderful Life, appreciating anew the precious five feet of kitchen counter space and Abby’s walk-through hallway bedroom, the tiny living room and the cheap wall-mounted “hotel” lights on both sides of the master bed that swing in-and-out overhead.

Every detail has served us perfectly, smushing us all together, forcing us to constantly interact and love each other in new ways, further cementing our hearts together.  Away from the visual triggers, away from the constant reminders, away from the past we didn’t deny but couldn’t seem to escape.

Moving was a blessing.  We miss family and friends, but our hearts needed to heal.  Perhaps one day God will send us back to the Lehigh Valley, but for now, we plan to continue blooming where He’s planted us, enjoying our “new” home – and each other.

Many blessings upon each of your homes both today – and beyond.

Image source: Cliparts.co</a>