Well, we moved to Florida three weeks ago. If you followed our story, you know how everything was orchestrated by God, from the selling of our house to John getting the job at Stein Mart to our being accepted into the co-op down here right before we left.
God's hand in this whole process has been evident to us even after having moved. While I was back in PA for a week while John worked down here, he had an opportunity to attend our friends' church and go to Bible study with the husband, who is a friend from college. When John came back to PA for our last week to close on our house and pack up, he said that he hoped Brian's church would work for us because he really enjoyed it.
The week after we officially moved to Florida, we went to church with our friends and found out it was just like the church we left in PA, just much smaller. It worked for all of us. We are becoming members tomorrow. We have joined a small group and have already hung out with them three times. God has provided a church and an enormous amount of friends right away for the kids and John and me. I'm especially thankful that John has a large group of guys that he can be accountable to and have fun with.
Our co-op has a forum on their website. I was able to get on and ask for recommendations for a Christian dance school. I received a reply right away and was able to sign Paige up for dance classes that started last Thursday. She is taking tap and ballet technique. The teacher was so impressed by her natural talent and the instruction she has already received (from Bethany Pellow) that she is considering allowing her to be a part of the dance company which tours as a group to malls, nursing homes, etc. I'm not sure where all they go, but this special group that is separate from the regular classes does more than just a recital at the end of the year. Paige loves her dance instructors, although she says nobody can beat how sweet and nice Miss Bethany is. :-)
I also asked on the forum if anybody knew of any activities for a boy like Nate. He doesn't like sports at all, but he loves Legos (as most of you know) and making movies. One of the recommendations was for a place called Bricks4Kidz. They have day camps all summer long, and I was able to find an advanced movie making class using Legos. There has never been a more perfect class for him. He was also able to participate in a summer activity with a group of co-op kids where they learned about the science of building, and they made straw towers and pasta bridges. He even won a few of the competitions because of his design.
John, Jacob, Paige, and I are all taking Tae Kwon Do. I have decided to try new things and get over the uncomfortableness I feel when I look like I don't know what I'm doing. I am learning that I will never know about certain things if I don't just try them out. It's been a great feeling!
I even found out today about a First Lego League that the boys can participate in. I signed them up, but I don't know yet if there is room for them.
It has been truly amazing to watch God work through everything. Now that we're here, he continues to provide the things we need. I am so thankful that God has my back. He will never leave us nor forsake us. He knows the plans he has for us, and it is fun to see them unfold.
