The journey into the new

This blog has been nearly impossible to start.  So much has gone on since the last time I've blogged, or really even the last time I talked to many of you.  I have struggled about whether or not to catch you all up on what has happened over the last six months or so, or just start from the here and now; I think I'm going to be doing a little bit of both. 

This season in our life has been characterized so much by newness.  New baby, new role for our first baby, new year, new country, new home, new daily challenges and struggles...there is a whole lot of "new".  I am actually a person who relishes things that are new; I love getting to have experiences and opportunities that I've never had before, I love getting to start fresh.  However, I also hate goodbyes, and I hate leaving a good thing.  As much as it was so part of God's plan for me to end up married to Nathan and living in Nebraska for a while, it was so hard to leave the wonderful network of family and friends that I had back in California, so hard to leave a job that I loved at Wilshire Ave.  As the years went by living in Nebraska, it was so hard to say goodbye to the friends that were leaving on their own journey into new.  It was hard to say goodbye to the friends that we were leaving behind as we started our next adventure.  And finally, it was hard to say goodbye yet again to our family in California, family that we had rediscovered in a new role; grandparents, aunts, and uncles.

So, we said goodbye to what was normal, and wonderful, and comfortable, and said hello to getting lost frequently, being confused, being "those Americans", being far away from many that we love.  However, we also said hello to a new adventure that we get to go on together.  Together, as a complete (unless God chooses to intervene) family of four.  Together, as husband and wife and son and daughter.  I am pretty confident that whatever time we spend here in Germany will be constantly peppered with new.  And this blog will be about us figuring it all out.

Welcome to the chronicles of the Heald journey;the journey into the new.