We're Moving!

I feel like my little blog here has been suffering from some neglect.  For good reason...things have been CRAZY with the Hinton family!  We've been arranging summer schedules, vacations, therapies and....oh, we bought a house!

I can't even begin to describe what a HUGE answer to prayer this was.  Like huge, the way it all worked out.  

About this time last year, I began doing some research on schools.  In Indiana, Elena receives early intervention (ie therapy) through a state program called First Steps.  When she turns three, they send Elena to a developmental preschool through her local public school for preschool and all therapies.  I knew that her third birthday would creep up on us if we weren't careful and we would find ourselves in a panic.  We weren't completely comfortable with the setup of the current school district we live in, not to mention we were quickly realizing our house wasn't going meet Elena's needs for very much longer.  So, after lots of phone calls, research and discussions with Chad, we decided it was time to move to the 'burbs.  We settled on Zionsville, an adorable little town just Northwest of Indy.  It made sense for lots of reasons and we loved the small town feel it has.  

We looked and looked and looked some more, for about five months.  All the while, I was fretting about finding a house to suit our family AND all of Elena's needs AND stay in our budget AND timing the selling of our house AND where we'd go if we couldn't find a house AND where would we continue Elena's therapies AND where would we put all her stuff.  Navigating this process with a child who needs a lot of daily proved to be very stressful.  I spent a lot of time trying to pray away all my stress and trust that God would find us the perfect house to meet ALL of our needs.  

And boy, did He deliver.  One day while stalking the real estate website for new listings, I saw a nicely structured house with a 1970's interior in one of our favorite neighborhoods.  I didn't think too much about it but decided to send it to our realtor (who promptly thought I had really lost it and become totally desperate) to just check out.  We pulled up on a rainy day to a house overgrown with 5-foot tall weeds, but nestled on a great lot in an idyllic cul-de-sac.  I immediately loved it.  Within the first 2 minutes in the house, I knew it was ours.  

After about twenty minutes, we got in the car and Chad asked me what I thought and I burst into tears and said, "that's our house!".  The house was an obvious fixer-upper, having been vacated by an elderly couple two years before.  But it was a sprawling ranch with endless potential.  A RANCH!  On a CUL-DE-SAC!  In our favorite NEIGHBORHOOD!  A blank canvas to MAKE OUR OWN!  I mean, it was perfect.  Long story short, after a few intense hours of submitting an offer, it was ours! 

It is such a huge answer to my prayers.  Every one of the details I was stressed about took care of themselves.  It was such a reminder to me that stress and worry can be so unnecessary.  It isn't possible for me to be in control  and plan everything.  What is necessary, is trusting that God will work out all the detail, the ones that are out of my control.  And He did.  

As we begin to enter into the "stressful" time of remodeling an entire home, I haven't felt an ounce of stress because I know everything will work out.  It has thus far and I'm certain this is where we are supposed to be.  

And if you know anyone who is looking for an adorable Cape Cod this fall...... :)