Sometimes Moving is the Answer

 Last Spring, we had had enough.  The kids couldn't manage the bullying at their schools anymore.  And the school was doing nothing about it.  Who lets kids open the emergency door on a bus while the bus is moving with no consequences?  Who lets kids throw items while a bus is moving?  Who lets a kid threaten another student in front of a staff member with no consequences?  I'm all for meeting a child where they are at.  I parent from a perspective of "treat the cause."  But sometimes, consequences are necessary.  You can't respect the rules?  You lose privileges.  And taking the bus to school in middle school when there's a safe bike bath to walk along, is a privilege.  Getting to attend gym class can become a privilege.  But apparently not where we were.  So we packed up the house and had an adventure of a summer for 3 weeks before landing in our new place.  I will get back to that as well.

But now, we're planted, unlikely to move until my middle child finishes high school in 2028.  And so far, this move seems to be improving life.  Both kids are looking forward to attending school.  The oldest is a freshman and involved in speech team (despite a deathly fear of public speaking,) helping in a special needs classroom, involved in the high school youth group, and doing gymnastics.  She is starting to make friends, although she's yet to see any outside the school day.  We are only about 6 weeks into school.  My middle no longer begs to stay home regularly.  This makes life so much better!  He even has nearly all A's!  He has a couple buddies next door, plays online with a couple friends from school, and is enjoying his soccer, trampoline, and parkour.  What a difference having a school environment where the kids feel welcomed instead of ostracized!

My youngest is thriving as well.  We're dealing with a slight speech delay, but she is coming along.  I am enjoying taking her to library class as well as gymnastics and spending lots of time at the park.  As she gets older and begins to speak some preferences, I am looking forward to beginning our homeschool journey together.  I am hoping to begin meeting some other moms in the area that I can connect with, both to provide her some playdates and to have a bit more adult interaction.  

The storms are not over, we still have some significant dark clouds hanging over us.  But I'm trying to focus on the light that God is sending through the darkness.  I am trusting that in all of this, He has a plan.  I don't know what that plan is and many days I wonder why am I at this place in life.  But I also have confidence that the healing and restoration that God promised to me in July of 2019 is coming.  I pray that it's coming soon, because I am starting to get a bit tired.  Until then, I hang on and trust that all the trials and the pain have a purpose.  And focus on the prairie just down the road.