Can't turn back now...

Dear Friends! How I have missed you! It's been 15 days since I've written a thing and I have thought of you no less than 15 times (at least). I must say that my lack of updates has not been lack of news (whether mundane or sublime) but because I have developed this fear of writing and not a soul reading this or even worse not caring one iota what I've written. So with that true confession laid out on the table I realize I must get back to this thing or how the heck will I get any better at it and update you sweet souls on what the latest and greatest is with the Childers' clan heading East to the UK (thank you so much for those have been asking!) Here's your update....

We have tickets! Yep, that's right. This crew (Me, Liam, Natalie and my mother, Janice) are all England-bound in just 6 short days. That date is Friday, September 11th to be specific. Now we are not going to go and get all "superstitious" and think crazy things. But rather, we are trusting and praying that our flight will be uneventful, that the children will sleep the entire leg from Newark, NJ to London (Heathrow) and that we will land on September 12th fully rested and ready to set our footprints in the proverbial sand of our new home, Amesbury, England. OH, how glorious that day will be! Hopefully, Clark will be there with bells on. Or at least a nice hot cup of Starbucks. :)

On a second note. Which leads me to the "Title" of this post. Natalie Annabelle has most recently, 3 weeks and 1 day to be exact (but whose counting) begun a new world all to her own - that of potty training. This Mommy only has one word to say at this point, "UGGGH!" But you know what, you just can't stop what's been started. At this point, she knows exactly what the following mean: "2 M&M's for peeing, 5 M&M's for pooping (can I say that, oops, I just did), Smiley stickers for #1 and Princess stickers for #2, the urge to go means tell Mommy or Grandma and run to the potty, and finally and most importantly she knows what her new cute Gymboree undies look and feel like and most importantly where mommy tries to hide them (I mean, really, pull-ups are so much easier). I, somehow, have forgotten all the fun doing this with Liam was. But in the car earlier today, I had an epiphony. Here's how the story goes...

Back in Virginia Beach, earlier this spring/summer, I had the priviledge of hosting 15 ladies at my home for a bible study. Nothing, and I mean nothing, could have prepared me for what God would do to my soul during those eleven weeks. Though strangers to a few, acquaintences and good friends to many before we began, I treasure these ladies more than words can say. They will always be near and dear to my heart. There was just something amazingly unique and special about that group that tendered my soul as we studied Beth Moore's "A Heart Like His: The Study of David". During those eleven weeks, the LORD undid my heart and created in me a huge hole for His very own One. This was all very well and Good. But now herein lies the problem. Literally, just a few short days after the close of that study, we began the tireless task of packing, cleaning, selling stuff, saying many farewells, moving, visiting family and friends in multiple states and all this busyness did what busyness often tends to do and that is crowd out God. For the eleven weeks of that study, I lived and breathed 1 and 2 Samuel. I mean, I spent morning, afternoon and evening with King David and if you hadn't told me otherwise, I would have considered him my best friend. I would even wake up finding myself having conversations about him and things I'd learned through his life example. So I say this, not to say that I'm crazy (or at least I hope I'm not) but to just be real with you that these past 7 weeks have been tough and I miss all that quiet, focused time in the Word. I know in England I may have more quiet time that I can bare but for now I am craving it like nothing else. It's in those quiet times, when I wake up before the sun rises, before those little footsteps come dancing in that God speaks so tenderly to my soul and just makes things, well, better. I have seen what Goodness God brings and just like with Natalie's potty training, there is now "No turning back".

"Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him." --Psalm 34:8

I love you all dearly and will keep you updated as we land next week in our new home! Please keep us in your prayers. Be blessed, Cindy