The Last Four Years...

I remember when it started. I remember it was just over four years ago, and I was sitting on the big rock across the street from what was our home in Marysville. I remember looking at what was potentially going to be our new house. I remember thinking that finally, we had found the place that we were going to live. Finally, we had found our home.

We left Renton, Washington when I was about eight years old. I had lived there almost my entire life, except for one year that we lived in New York. I didn't want to leave, but I don't remember hating the idea so much because I thought that we would come back. We left for Georgia, but after six months there, my dad was transferred to California. So we moved there. After a while in an apartment in Ranchos Palos Verdes, we moved to our new house in Valencia. And we all loved it there. After we found our church, Placerita Baptist, I remember thinking that I hadn't felt so at home since we had left Washington, which by that time had been more than year ago. However, my dad still talked about going back to Washington some day so we could grow up knowing our grandparents well, and so he wouldn't have such a long commute. Besides those things, both my parents grew up in Washington and we already had so many good friends there. So a move would serve three fold.

Needless to say, after two and a half years living in California, when I found out that we were moving again, I was upset. I'm pretty sure I cried. I don't remember the day that we came back to Washington, but I remember the days following. We were constantly looking for a house, a church, and probably tons of other stuff too. Finally, we found our home, and as I was saying a minute ago, I was sure we would never move again. I was sure that was home. Shortly after we found our home, or maybe it was not so shortly, I don't remember, we found our church, Coram Deo Fellowship. I cannot even begin to tell you how many incredible people I met at that church. Coram Deo was probably the greatest church family that I have ever been in, and I've probably met more incredible people there than at just about any other church (and believe me, I've been to my fair share of churches.) God just used that church to bless me and my family so much!

I was so sad six months ago when I had to leave Washington for Japan, however, I looked forward to what I thought would be six months later, when we would move back to Washington. But I don't think any other sadness of moving even compares to the sadness that I felt about three months ago when I found out that we are not moving back to Washington, but to South Carolina instead. I guess it's because I just don't want to leave all the wonderful things that God has taught me these past four years behind. Maybe it's because I don't want to forget any of the memories, or lose friendships with people who I met in Washington. But looking back, I see how incredibly blessed these past four years have been. And even if I do have to leave everything in Washington behind, I wouldn't trade this time for anything. I've spent some incredible time with my best friend, Haley, who has been the greatest and even puts up with all my excessive moving :), I have spent some great time with my grandparents, met other amazing people, been challenged in different ways, and most importantly, I have grown closer to my amazing God then I think I would have anywhere else. He truly did have the perfect timing and the perfect plan.

Also, a special shout out to everyone at Coram Deo Fellowship and to the Frye family and everyone at Lynnwood Apologetics group, as those things have been two great blessings during this time. I think God has taught me more these four years than just about any other time of my life.

It's funny to me now that I thought when I was sitting on that rock, that I had finally found my home. Because no matter how 'comfortable' the world is, it will NEVER be my home. I have a home waiting, but it's in Heaven. One of my favorite verses is Hebrews 11:13-16, "All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country-- a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them."

And so now, as I sit in my bedroom in Japan and look out the window into the city, I realize that I'm only about a month away from closing this chapter of my life, too, and only about two and a half months away from moving to South Carolina. And as I think about all this, I can't help but be excited to see what God has planned for these next four years.

Why Not Gold?

Today I was reading Gracie, Titus, and Matthew a Bible story about Joseph and his brothers-- how he was sold into slavery for pieces of silver, forced to leave his home, punished for something he didn't do, yet in the end God used all of this for something good: so that Joseph could forgive his brothers and give them food. At the end, we started talking about how another King was similar. He had to leave His Father and home, He was sold for pieces of silver, people wished Him dead, He was punished for something He didn't do-- yet in the end, God used it for good: so that He could forgive the sins of anyone who asked Him to. I explained that this King was Jesus. Then I asked Grace and Titus, "Do you remember that Jesus was sold for pieces of silver?" They shook their heads as I explained, "One of Jesus' disciples, Judas, decided to sell Jesus to some very bad people so that they would give him silver."

Titus then piped up, "Why not gold?"

Um... I think we're kind of missing the point here...

Nagoya Zoo Collage

Grace, the cutest sister, from 2005-2010

The Last few days, while looking at pictures, something struck me. I have the world's cutest sister!!! Okay, it's struck me before ;). But I decided I needed to blog about it.

So... here's what I'm doing. I'm posting 8-13 of my favorite pictures of Miss Grace Hannah for each year since we've had her, excluding 2005 because I only have two pictures of her on this computer (And yes, I went a little overboard in 2008 because we went on vacation. So expect a few more there!). So, back to 2005, I'll post those two because they're awfully cute!!! So anyway, if you're reading this, please comment on your favorite for each year and your favorite overall! I'll tell you, it was hard narrowing it down to just a few per year, we've taken so many pictures of that little girl! Oh, one more thing. If you have a lot of pictures saved of your younger siblings, I'd encourage you to do something similar to this! It's so fun looking at all these sweet photos and I think I'll do this for Titus soon. :)

2005 (10 months-15 months)

#1

#2

2006 (1-2 yrs.)

#1


#2



#3

#4

#5

#6

#7

#8

2007 (2-3 yrs.)

#1

#2

#3

#4



#5

#6

#7

#8

2008 (3-4 yrs.)

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

#7

#8

#9

#10

#11

#12

#13

#14

#15

#16

2009 (4-5 yrs.)

#1









#2







#3




#4







#5






#6

#7

#8

#9

#10


2010 (5 yrs.)

#1

#2





#3
#4






#5





#6






#7#8

#9
#10


God bless!

Rachel