A Decision to Move On

We spent so much time planning our home here on our hill.  As I walk through the spaces I take such pleasure in how they work together to serve our needs.  I love the colors, the order of things, the arrangement of the rooms.  But for awhile now a growing awareness of the burden of it has been developing in my mind.  Layne and I talked about it recently.  We have decided that it is too expensive to stay here.  Wow.  I didn't think this would happen, but we are now thinking of moving somewhere else; somewhere much less expensive.  It seems like the right thing to do, to live more providently.  And so we are going to put our house on the market in April.  It may take a long time to sell, so we've decided to move on it now, before we feel a desperate need for it.  We'll see what happens.

The first day after this decision I felt very blue.  During my daily scripture reading, I ran across a verse that popped out at me.  I believe it was a message to me.  It reads:

"...we have been driven out of the land of our inheritance; but we have been led to a better land..."
(2 Nephi 10:20)

This passage struck me with force and seemed to say to me that I mustn't fear this coming change; that all will work for our good.

As the days pass since the decision, I feel less and less sad.  I'm not saying that leaving here will be easy.  No.  But I will adjust.  I see in my mind another home; a cozy place surrounded by plenty of dirt for Layne and a yard that will grow things; wonderful things like flowers and vegetables.  Perhaps we can find a spot where the critters don't eat just about everything we plant and where the water that runs from the hose nourishes instead of kills plants.  There are definitely challenges here.  I guess I'll concentrate on those and not on the lovely house and the beautiful views, or the feelings of peace and safety that fill our valley.  Or the stars that shine so brightly at night from here.  Or the perfect location.  No, I'll ponder what I don't like a little more.

This family of deer greet us each morning.

Here is Ben and Jessica's youngest, Jonathan.

I've spent some time this past week helping daughter-in-law Jessica move into their new place in Palo Alto.  I enjoy figuring out organizational systems.  So while I help her and Ben move in, I'll ponder our own moving out.