live from Seminary Avenue

We made it safely to Wheaton on Monday and were met right away by three wonderful surprises:

• my parents, who spontaneously decided we'd need their help this week and suprised us by showing up less than an hour before we did!  We're super thankful to have them here to help us settle in.
• classmates to help us unload the truck (Charlie is wrapping up his dissertation under Dr. Block, and Austin is starting with me in the fall.  He and his wife, Heather, were here looking for housing and gave up their afternoon to help!).  Dr. Block stopped by, too, to officially welcome us to Wheaton and invite us all to dinner at his house that evening.
• a darling house that we're delighted to call home for the next 3 years

The landlords spared no expense in renovating the house for our family.  Their mother lived here for 65 years.  They put in new flooring and paint througout the main floor, thoroughly cleaned the upstairs, and cleared out the unfinished basement so that we could use it for storage.  They added air conditioning on both floors, a dehumidifier in the basement, and a number of supplies that they knew we'd need right away (like a shower curtain and toilet paper).  They even left us kitchen curtains and a privacy curtain on the front door.  There were gifts for the kids and a card for us.  I just love the way the Lord works.  We spent all day Friday and Saturday moving out of our house in Charlotte and attempting to leave it as clean as possible.  We decided to leave our shower curtain (which was like new), privacy curtains by the front door, kitchen curtains, and toilet paper for the new owners.  We left a few girly things that we thought the family might like for their daughters and a card for the new owners.  And now we have tangible proof that you simply can't outgive God!

Last night we took a break from unpacking to see Lake Michigan.  Chicago. Is. Huge.  So is Eliana.  As you can see, she's now taller than the Sears Tower!

It felt surreal to leave Charlotte and the rich web of relationships we had there.  Our hearts are slowly catching up to our new surroundings, and soon this, too, will be home.

I had wondered whether I'd need to change my blog and use something other than "seminarymom."  After all, I'm not in seminary anymore.  Wheaton is a Graduate School.  But God is a God of details, and He provided a house for us on Seminary Avenue so that I could keep my blog as is.  I'm still a seminary mom ... my hands are still full ... and so is my heart.  I'm delighted to have you join me on this next stage of our journey!  Our zip code has changed, but goal is the same: to know God and His Word and to bring Him glory wherever He takes us.