Dorothy, We Are In Kansas
Quick update, a new plant friend, and hitting a stride.
The lot is cast into the lap, but the decision is the LORD’s alone.
Proverbs 16:33, NRSVA
Update
We made it to the Midwest. The pace is slower, the scenic views are expansive, and the house — affectionately dubbed Jones Central in honor of the time zone — is delightfully cozy. The only thing missing is a fireplace.
I had an odd thought while unpacking another box last week: God, I just want to make sure You know I’m here; I moved to Kansas. I chuckled at myself, thinking like a kid worried Santa Claus won’t deliver her presents because she moved, or her new house doesn’t have a chimney. Later that evening we had a pop-up shower with a rainbow.
Can a woman forget her nursing-child, or show no compassion for the child of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.
Isaiah 49:15-16
The rainbow was such a sweet symbol that God remembers (Genesis 9:13-16).
Plant friend
During Sean’s time in Kansas before Ethan and I arrived, he met nearly all our neighbors. A lady I’ll call CJ has an impressive outdoor botanical collection. When Sean told her I had to re-home most of my plants when we left Virginia, that darling woman gave him one her spider plant babies to help me repopulate.
Just after sunrise on my fifth day here, I went out to the front porch to water the little plant and heard, “Emily?” Turning around to see where the voice came from, I saw CJ waving from her front porch. “If you want any more plants, I have plenty.” We exchanged pleasantries and agreed to meet up later when we weren’t in our PJs.
Yep. We will now be friends forever.
Since that day, she has gifted me with more plants, had our family over for dinner, invited me to go on a walk, and helped me plug into community. Sean told her, “I’ve been praying God would give Emily a friend here, so seeing you two together makes me really happy.” CJ smiled and said, “Well I’ve been praying for her for four years, so I win.” I’m feeling the love.
Walking around our neighborhood together, something clicked in my brain like the cogs of a clock. Three weeks before we were slated to leave Virginia, we learned we’d be delayed getting into a house. A week later we were assigned to a unit larger than we expected, yet the move-in date was much later than we had hoped for, meaning we’d be nomads for a month. It was the kind of news that sent me outside to our back porch to stew.
On top of leaving my job, saying goodbye to friends and family, and my daughter’s wedding the weekend prior — let alone several additional factors I won’t bore you with — adding more limbo to the mix felt unbelievable at the time.
But if we had been placed earlier, we would live in a different section of the base. I wouldn’t be on this street, in this house, so close to my new friend whose life story, I’m learning, greatly intertwines with my own. Suddenly, that day in early June loses its mystery and I feel grateful for the delay. The Lord knew.
Stride
With the new flat fully functional, a daily routine is taking shape, and we only have a few boxes left to unpack. Ethan and I started meeting Sean at the gym in the afternoons, which has been very cool. After a 6-year weight lifting hiatus, my muscles remember what to do! Ethan is a trooper and I am happy to report he is now able to walk up and down the stairs without pain. Hooray!
Extras
For your enjoyment, the music, reading, cooking, and special moment from the past couple of weeks…
The tunes
E and I listened to this playlist on our last leg into Kansas and I replayed it several time during the unpacking process. It has good soul vibes.
The book
Once the kitchen was up and running I moved on to the bookshelves and ran across this oldie-but-a-goodie. It’s my first time reading Bonhoeffer’s Letters and Papers from Prison in its entirety and it is rich.
The menu
I asked Sean which dish he liked better.
Sean: Both.
Me: Yeah, but if you had to choose just one to share in the newsletter…
Sean: Both.
So, you get 2.5 this week (including a side). ~ I made Cookie and Kate’s Fresh Huevos Rancheros one evening because we had some eggs to use up. I opted for canned refried beans since we had those in the pantry, and it was delicious. Y’all will learn that I’m nearly always in the mood for something lemony, so I whipped up my favorite Chicken Picatta recipe from Cuisine at Home and served it with mashed potatoes and this Sautéed Broccolini by Love and Lemons. You’re welcome.
The moment
Sean’s been a Chicago Cubs fan since he was old enough to talk. We found out several months ago that the team would be in Kansas City playing the Royals in late July, and we decided it would be a great thing to look forward to in our new town. It was the most perfect weather for a baseball game, and the Cubs won!
Be well, friends.
Loved the Bonhoeffer book! It’s a gem!