Closing Time...

Today, we signed a few hundred papers that resulted in the ownership of our very first home. It was surreal, how God provided this house for us, how He orchestrated every single step. As soon as it was official, we drove to take a look at our home for the first time since it became OURS. An unexpected 65 degrees of warm sunlight welcomed us to our new place- home. Jared carried me over the threshold as we walked through our own front door for the first time. As I stood in the kitchen while Jared checked on... something... (I don't really know what he was checking on), I saw the light pour in the windows. I imagined our friends and family bustling around... I could see the homemade sauce simmering on the stove, I could hear the thunk of the keys as someone played the piano. Through the window, a bristly pine tree stands watch outside the family room, and squirrels dart around the top of the fence. I could only stand there and say THANK YOU. Thank you God, for taking such good care of us, for not only providing what we need, but also knowing what we really LIKE, too.

On our way out, we met our next door neighbor- a soldier. He played catch with his 7 year old daughter, Ivy. We smiled and said, "We're you're new neighbors!" Ivy leaped forward with such joy, as if she was tired of having this empty, quiet house next to hers. He welcomed us and told us how close the neighbors on our street are, about how they had banded together to watch his kids through the night when he suddenly had to take his wife to the ER... how they are there for each other and know each other by name. Could it be, we found a neighborhood that has Long Island attributes... in COLORADO???  Thank you Lord, for this home, for providing, for all that You do. Help us to be wise, and let me not ruin the kitchen cabinets for good. Amen.