Many of you have been asking about my new house. I'm loving it. The women are fabulous. I'm starting to form some friendships within the house. I live with beautifully affirming, encouraging, and supportive women. They are so real and genuine about their struggles and because of that they are so accepting of all those around them. As I mentioned recently, life is so messy and I'm working through a lot of stuff. And with these women that's ok. I've been told several times in the past few days how glad they are that I'm here. They just make me feel so welcomed and loved. And I am so excited as they are beginning to open up with me and share their stories. What an honor to be trusted with these deep and difficult life stories!
I'm also rejoicing in the fact that I now have a home church. I am making lots of wonderful friends there. I am diving in and getting involved so that I have this church family. There are so many opportunities to be involved and to fellowship together. I've been to a connecting dinner, a football game between two local high schools that several of the youth in the church play for, a youth group event, and this Sunday I'm going to be in the Kindergarten and 1st grade Sunday school class. I'm just checking it all out and loving everything I see. I've found a mentor and several friends there already. The people are wonderfully accepting and welcoming. I have already been welcomed into an awesome family with four kids, three of whom are adopted- one has hair just like Grace so I went over and braided it for her last Sunday in exchange for lunch. :) They are lovely and are really providing a place for me to belong. I love the value on kids in the church. In fact, it reminds me a lot of Rez, the church I went to the last few months I was in Wheaton. And I love that.
I'm also starting to make friends! Yay! Haha! It's been a slow process. I've had Wheaton friends here which has been a huge blessing, but I'm finally starting to make friends at school and at church and that is exciting. I feel like I have more than my 5 Wheaton people now (Not that they haven't been incredible and amazing. Cause they have. It's just exciting to have a larger community around me now.)! :) All in all I'm pretty excited about life these days. I mean I'm still struggling with a lot of the stuff I wrote about a couple posts ago and I will be for awhile. I've got a ton to work through. I think this year still holds a lot of deep challenge and growth for me. But in the midst of this brokenness I am finding joy because I have found a community with which to surround myself so that I am no longer lonely in this journey. And that makes all the difference.
