8.15.2008

Our Journey to Idaho- The Conclusion

As we were driving to the closing on our house in Minnesota, we received a phone call from our realtor.  The people who were buying our house had a family emergency and couldn't come to the closing. 

I felt like I had been hit in the stomach and I started to panic. My mind was racing with all the worst possible scenarios of this situation.  

When we reached the title company office, one of our realtors was there to meet us and help us come up with a plan for closing.  By this time I was a bit emotional (okay really emotional but hey it had been a very long and draining week emotionally I was due for a meltdown) but I was able to pull it together enough to help construct a plan.  

Lance and I signed all the papers on our house in Minnesota and turned over the keys, garage door openers, and all other pertinent house information.  The people buying our house would be in at 8 am Monday morning to sign the papers.  As soon as the papers were signed, the mortgage company would wire the money to Idaho. I was not one hundred percent comfortable with the decision but we really didn't have any other options. I needed to trust that everything would turn out in the end.

As we left the title company office and started our drive to Idaho, we called both our realtor in Idaho and our mortgage company to give them a heads up on what had happened with our closing.  They were both in agreement that we had made the right decision and we would come up with plan b if needed.

At this point I could feel myself starting to obsess and worry about the outcome (the planner in me), even though there was nothing I could about it.  I knew I had a choice, obsess and worry and drive my husband and brother (who was helping us with the drive to ID) crazy all weekend or turn it all over to God.  I choose to trust and be patient and know that God was in control. From that moment on, I was totally at peace with our situation.  I turned my focus on surviving enjoying our 1500 mile drive to Idaho with a dog, a cat, and two small children. 

On Monday morning at 8:15 am Minnesota time (7:15 am Idaho time), I called the title company to see if the closing had taken place.  My desire to know the outcome outweighed any patience I had remaining.  The closing was in progress and they informed me they would call me when the wire transfer occurred.  Thank you Lord for an hour time change!  We were able to close on our house that morning and the movers arrived within an hour of our closing to start moving in our boxes.  Sweet relief!

Even though there was a bit of stress at the end of our journey, I know this move was in God's plan for our family.  There weren't just doors opened for our move there were gaping holes opened. Every part of our move had God's touch on it, from our house selling in four days, to finding a house that wasn't on our original list of houses, to the moving company being able to move us in and out in perfect timing, to the selling of Lance's two business in Minnesota, to living next to neighbors who embraced us and made us feel like family from the start. It isn't easy living away from family,  and I still find myself saying things like "this isn't like back home" or "I sure miss this or this". Someday (maybe) Idaho will feel more like home (Jenni gave me hope in this post) than Minnesota.  But for now I know this is exactly where God wants our family.

14 comments:

nicole said...

i totally understand how idaho isn't exactly like minnesota. we still have a hard time every once in a while. we just really miss family. that's what makes having friends that understand even more precious. when we met val and pat it was a touch of home and they still our.
we've been here 7 years and can't believe how fast it's gone by.

Short Stop said...

WOW, Kristen. What a story!

I loved seeing how God changed your heart from anxious to trust and patience. He is so faithful.

Our story is similar to yours. I will write about it at some point...just not quite ready yet. But, when I read stories like yours, I realize that God has taken many others down our same path, and it's SO encouraging to see God's faithfulness through it!

I'm SO glad you shared this story.

Heather said...

Wow Kristen what a story! I loved reading about it...what faith and trust it took as a wife and mother to follow your husband's lead. And God was so faithful for you guys-I'm truly inspired! :) Thanks for sharing your story and for your life.

Jenni S. said...

Wow - there were definitely some steps of faith there beyond moving across the Midwest. Just hold on to that peace of being where He wants you - some days it was what got me through the LONG winters. :)

What a wonderful story, Kristen. Thank you for sharing it!

Denise said...

relief.
great story, it's wonderful how God takes care of the details and goes before and behind.

Shawna said...

Thank you for sharing your story! I am so thankful that God brought you here. You are a blessing to me. We serve an amazing God!

Pat Berg said...

I can't believe it has been 3 full years since I came home from our weekend camping trip and met "the new neighbors"! You were a blessing to us in so many ways! You are our "family" away from "home" as well!

Alana said...

I love to hear how God works out the details for the paths he chooses for us. It can be hard to trust, but I know for us it has always worked out better than we could have imagined when we do!

joy said...

what a story, kristen! thanks for sharing your incredible journey. isn't it great that God is in the details?

Lynn said...

Wow....I just read the WHOLE story. I guess I cheated a bit with your suspenseful endings by reading it all at once. What a wonderful story. I love that you were open to God's will to move your family away from all things familiar.

Rachel Slagle said...

what an amazing journey! thanks for sharing :) it is so awesome how God takes care of even the smallest details in our lives.

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful story. I'm glad you moved to Idaho and have enjoyed getting to know you. I hope you guys stay for a long time. I can see our kiddos being great friends.

Cathi Hamen said...

thats an amazing story i love how you shared it!! You are such a wonderful wife!! I am totally someone who likes to be in my comfort zone, near things and people i love and love me. My husband and i moved to colorado after our honeymoon 10 years ago and we (i should say "I") lasted 3 months... i had never lived further than 15 miles from my family and i did not like it.... it wasn't my in-laws but it wasn't my comfort zone either... fortunately for me the job my husband took was not all it was cracked up to be so he graciously said lets go "home" and we haven't looked back since!! we have grown in so many ways and know california is the place for our family.... i hope idaho becomes your home! boise is a special city... Go Broncos!!

thank you for your story!

Brianna Heldt said...

Kristen thank you so much for sharing this story! We just moved to Denver (from California) in April and I find myself so homesick for certain things. And yet, God has brought us here. I really do like it here, it's just different. (And a little strange being landlocked!)

Anyway, this was amazingly encouraging to me today. So thank you!!!