Change.

I'm sitting here making out a list of things that need to be done in the next 23 days. Cleaning, sorting, packing, getting rid of, storing, etc. and I'm getting a little sad. As everyone's does, our lives are changing. But like most people, we don't even see the change until something big comes up. Like, you know you're getting older but you don't realize it until your birthday smacks you in the face, or your hair has a ton more gray than it used to when you look in the mirror, or you can't see nearly as well as you used to.

Then, when you've finally come to grips with the gray hair, your first child starts college and your youngest is rounding the proverbial bend in school and you know your days of teaching are numbered. Talk about reality check, right?

But for us, another change is coming up.

We're moving. We've lived in our house for seventeen years and now we're packing everything up and moving closer to college, work, and church. And we're watching our children prepare themselves for the adult world. As I'm sitting here throwing stuff away (because hey, let's face it, this is the perfect time to purge, right?!) I realize just how different our lives are about to become.

We'll be living in a city for the first time in 18 years. We will have neighbors we can see. We will have to worry about our cats getting out into someone else's yard. Our kids will have to watch their driving speeds in residential areas. And like most people, I don't do change well. I could sit here and dwell on the fact that our daughter is the age when hubster and I were getting married or that our son isn't going to need me forever and will very soon be getting a real job in the real world, or that I'm further away from my family and our best friends.

Or I can focus on the good things ahead. College, work, and church are closer. Family and friends will now have a place to spend the night when they come visit (yay for bonus rooms! Just sayin), we won't be spending a fortune on gas anymore, and we will have the opportunity to make new friends and make a new home for our family that will, let's face it, be growing with marriages and grandchildren. Ugh! Am I even supposed to be thinking about grandkids at my age?!

Look, this whole growing up thing isn't for the weak. It's for the strong, faith-filled, prayer warriors that know that all these things really pale in comparison to what's really important. Eternity. See, for me, I know where I'm headed. I know that when I pass from this life, I will be spending eternity with Jesus. And thank the good Lord, my husband will be there, my parents will be there, both my kids will be there, and many friends will be there and we will have an eternity together. And that's something great to look forward to!

Now, I'm going to get up, clean up, and start packing because I've got a lot to do. Thanks for stopping by and letting me share with you for a few minutes. Here's a few pictures of our new house before you go...