Moving On Up

Big changes are happening in the Royal house!

As most of you know, my job was eliminated at the beginning of August.  After 2 days of wallowing and feeling like a huge loser I went to Oklahoma to stay with Granny.  My plan was to help care for her for 2 weeks and allow myself to grieve while I started putting out feelers for a job in the non-profit world.  

In case you've been under a rock and haven't seen any of the billions of posts I've made about her, Gran is 102.  When her assisted living place had their 3rd case of Covid, Brian's cousin Connie took Gran to live with her. Gran was there for a month, but really wanted to stay in her own home.  The family hired a home health care person that ended up falling through.  We found out about that wrinkle the day after I lost my job. The timing "coincidentally" worked out for me to come.

Gran has lived on the family farm most of her life.  She was born here.  Grandpa John built her little stone house by hand.  She loves this place.  She doesn't even like going to her daughter or grandson's house (both on the same land)--she wants everyone at her house.  She knows when every tree was planted and what species each is.  And she knows if you move any little thing in any of her overcrowded rooms (don't ask me how I know that).

Well, 2 weeks turned into 3.  The plan was for her to go back to the assisted living place on Aug 26th. Less than a week before that, Brian called me and said, "I want to throw an idea at you, but don't say No until you pray about it."  His next question was, "What would you think about us moving to the farm so Granny could stay in her house?"

Seriously? I did not need to pray about it, because I had been trying to figure out a way for her to be able to stay, too.  It made my heart skip a beat.  Would this REALLY be doable?

We talked details for the next couple of days, I made a pro/con list and even started looking in the OKC area for non-profit jobs.  We then ran the idea past the rest of the family.   The last step was Granny.  While we thought she would like the idea, we were worried she might decide she didn't want to share her house and would rather go back to assisted living.  

Well...Gran said, "YES!" and we started making solid plans.  Brian is currently remodeling the "little house" in Granny's backyard.  Caroline (and maybe Hope) will move in there while Brian and I stay down the hall from Granny in the main house.  As spry as she is for 102, she can't be on her own.  

Brian's business can really be done anywhere.  He will still drive to Texas for meetings every couple of weeks and as of yesterday, Granny's house has internet! My job will be to care for Granny.

If you know us, you've probably heard us talking about building a house up here.  I thought we would wait a few years until the girls moved out before we started the process.  Plus, I had a really good job and it would be stupid to quit that, right?

God took that one out of our hands-HA! When I first lost my job, I kept saying "God is not surprised and He wants good for me."  In the beginning, I was repeating it so I would believe it--I knew it was true, I just didn't know if it was true for ME.  Gradually, I realized my thoughts and beliefs changed.  I truly believed what I had been saying aloud.  He was NOT surprised and He DID want good for me.  

I have basically already moved.  I went home a few weeks ago and got all my clothes and packed my books.  I will head back again in October to finish packing the rest of the stuff, get Caroline moved up here and help Brian with the house.  He will probably not come up until November after he finishes some install jobs he already has on the calendar.  

There are so many other things that have been going on behind the scenes to get us to this point, but this post has already been a long one.  I'll hopefully be blogging more consistently--being at the farm has given me words again for writing--something I just have not had the desire to do in the last several years.  What I will say is that the farm has been a place of peace for me these past 6 weeks and God has reminded me of all He put in me.

There's a quote by Mother Teresa I've seen a thousand times that has spoken to me in this season: : "If you want to change the world, go home and love your family."

You've probably deduced that I'm a bit of an activist.  I'm passionate about causes--esp. childhood hunger--and love a good non-profit with a compelling mission.  I am at my best when I am serving others.  

But, I haven't always been great about serving my family.  

This new chapter is going to allow that in a way that I could never have orchestrated or even dreamed of on my own. 

And that makes me smile.