Today I am sharing an update on the life of Great Grandma Hope. First to give you some background. I have been in my church for 25 years. I have lived where I am for 16 years in my Little Duplex on the Prairie. I have 8 grandchildren and 5.7 great-grandchildren. I have 5 great-granddaughters and in mid-June we will have my 1^st great-grandson.

            Our families all grow up and the grandkids all begin their adult lives. This pretty much began to happen around the same time my husband Jim passed away 5 years ago. They range from 21 – 29, everything in its normal timeline.

Since that time, I have been doing a lot of thinking about whether I will stay here or not. After several years I decided to move up north about 150 miles. (That decision was a good litmus test on whether it was a God idea or a Hope idea. Hope would NEVER move further NORTH where it’s COLDER for LONGER! So, rest assured the peace in my heart about moving is from Him 😊

In that area within a 10-to-45-minute drive I have 3 grandchildren, 1 sister and Bestie of 25 years. But my reason is my soon to be 6 great grands will all be there. My granddaughter Kaci and my great granddaughter Wren will be joining me in the move.  This is Autumn’s daughter and granddaughter. They will remain with me for a year or so. Her desire is to move back to where Autumn’s family lived when Kaci was in school. This is also within the 45-minute drive.

I love the idea of being up there BUT not so much the process you have to go through BEFORE the move itself.

Adjustments LISTED BELOW 😊

• Leaving my church of 25 yrs
• Leaving my Little Duplex on the Prairie
• Leaving the home Jim and I shared for his last 11 years.  I will never be able to look around my new home and remember something Jim or Autumn did or said here or there. THANK GOD FOR THE BLESSING OF MEMORIES!!
• My daily life will no longer take passed either spot engraved with their names.
• Leaving my landlords that have not only are great but have become good friends.
• Moving to another duplex ..NOT next door to my landlord.
• I have to start paying for water and sewer. I haven’t done that for 40yrs.
• Rent is cheaper BUT have to pay for lawncare and snow removal.
• I am sorting through A LOT!! Of nostalgia. I purged a lot when Jim passed away but mostly his stuff not ours.
• NO MORE basement…BUT A FIRST FLOOR LAUNDRY…with AFIB that was becoming more taxing.
• With first floor laundry the square footage had to come from somewhere, it came from my bedroom. I now have a BED room😊 I gave Kaci and Wren the Big room.
• I have to change addresses for many people, ministries and companies.
• I have to establish myself with new utilities etc.
• I HAVE TO FIND NEW DOCTORS!!!!
• I have to find another church. My last 2 moves were to get closer to the churches I already attended. This one was for 25 yrs, the last was 12yrs. I will be between Abbottsford and Marshfield.
• I am taking off my official Pastor hat.
• I haven’t lived with anyone for 5 ½ yrs. Was kind of enjoying that. HOWEVER, it will be nice to have some morning cuddle time with Miss Wren.  
• The living space is smaller, but I do have a sliding glass door and small patio. Nice sized yard. I will be able to once again enjoy both sunrise and sunset from there. Here I face directly north so I get neither, without walking around the house.
• YEAH!!! My great grands think grandma Hope is cool!  They say it’s better to be where you’re celebrated and not tolerated.
• FACE IT…most of our connections are with one form of technology or another and all of that will travel.
• Leaving friends that I have seen 3 or 4 times a week for many years

My moving crew is down by 4 since the last move 16 years ago. My youngest grandson is in Mississippi, I have a granddaughter in Tampa, FL and Jim and Autumn are in heaven. My kids said Mom what do you want for your birthday (March 14) I said I would like to go to bed knowing my basement is as close to empty as possible. My daughter, my son and his wife and granddaughter went at it. I stayed upstairs and hung out with Miss Wren. There are advantages to have taken 74 trips around the sun😊

I am excited to start this new chapter. I am also very excited that my Blog, my Grief Share ministry and my income all travel.

ONE OF A NUMBER OF POEMS I FOUND in my writings .. as I continued to purge… I have no idea when I wrote it.

When life seems like a maze of empty suspense

For those very long days where nothing makes sense

When all your prayers have seemed just a waste

And you feel totally unnecessary for this time and this place.

You have begged and you’ve prayed

And then prayed some more

It seemed they barely reached the ceiling

Then fell to the floor

Your tear ducts are empty,

Your heart seems so dry

The pain is so deep

You can’t even cry

When you not only can’t cry

But you almost can’t feel

I know this may sound like vain comfort,

BUT TRUST ME!! God is still real!

Blessings! Thanks for Reading!