Top Ten Things I'll Miss the Most: Part 4

#7 - Texican Food
You read correctly.  There is a difference.  What is that difference?  Cheese!  Authentic Mexican food is fabulous.  I love it and would eat it regularly, but Texican food takes all that Mexican goodness and covers it in cheese.  And in my professional opinion, there is nothing wrong with that.

This week has been one of the best ever.  David told me my biggest responsibility this week was to spend as much time as possible with my girls doing my favorite things.  Monday started off rocky when we woke up to weather in the 30's and a car with no heater.  I spent most of the day at the auto shop but was rescued around lunchtime by Mikele.  For our last lunch date before I leave town, we decided not to break tradition.  Like most days we meet for lunch, we went to El Fenix for enchiladas.  Tuesday was my date with Kelly (and Malosi).  After a little quick shopping, we debated lunch options and found ourselves at my all-time favorite, Chuy's.  Yes, I realize this means I've eaten large amounts of processed cheese in two days.  I'm ok with that.

Today's plans were changed a bit when Brynna got up not feeling well.  We scraped the previously-made plans and Janay, Taylor, BG and I went to Waffle House for breakfast.  (Nay Nay and Tay Tay got dressed.  BG and I chose to go in our pajamas.)  I think my body is trying to hibernate.  It's like something inside of me knows I am heading to a far-away place without enchiladas and things have kicked into overdrive.  I've eaten it for two days so a lesser person might say they need a change.  Not this girl.  The day isn't over.  I'm thinking my dinner date with Tania might have to include some more Texican!

Top Ten Things I'll Miss the Most: Part 3

#8 – 8818 Flint Falls Dr

You have to know our history to fully understand.  David and I got married in college.  As marriage should be, after the “I Do’s” our parents kindly closed the proverbial bank accounts.  David was a full-time athlete, and I worked at a department store.  We certainly weren’t rolling in the dough; we barely had dough to eat.  After our cozy ghetto apartment in Norman, OK, we moved to a cozier locale in South Bend, IN.  When I say “cozier” I mean we lived in a dorm room while David worked on his master’s.  We went from ghetto to down-right poor.  I ate more Spaghetti O’s those few months than one should consume in a lifetime.  After Notre Dame, we moved to Dallas.  We had a one-bedroom apartment with the ultimate upgrade – crown molding – and thought we hit the jackpot! After the apartment, we did what “you’re supposed to do.”  We bought a small house that wasn’t what either of us really wanted but was within our slightly increased budget.  We no longer had the crown molding, and while we worked hard and made it our own, there was a smell in the hall bathroom that never really went away.  After a couple of years, we felt God calling us to do something a bit crazy.  We sold the house, put the furniture we’d acquired into storage and moved into 900 sq. ft. in the middle of downtown Dallas.  Our high-rise apartment wasn’t glamorous, but it was an experience we’ll never forget.  And it marked a turn in The Story of David & Regina.  It wasn’t what we were supposed to do; it was simply an act of obedience.  God asked us to be in the midst of the people He called us to reach, so we went.  After almost 2 years, we found out Brynna Bear was on the way, and thus, we needed some more space.  Buying a house this time was much different.  We had a little more knowledge and a lot more experience under our belts, so armed with our list of “wants,” we started the search.

Be it a house, spouse, job or new pair of shoes, we are all guilty of something.  You know you do it just like I do.  You have your list of “wants” – what you hope God will bless you with – and then you have in the back of your mind what you assume you’ll probably get.  Right?  Oh how wrong we are.  God doesn’t work like that.  He says very clearly, “Obey.  Do it My way and I will bless you beyond what you can imagine.”  Look it up.  It’s there over and over.  When David and I chose to obey in that small way – selling our house and moving downtown – we unleashed a blessing we didn’t fully comprehend before then.  That list of “wants” we had while driving around house-searching was what we could imagine.  God did more.

When we first saw what would become our house, I was not overly excited.  There was a huge room dividing the kitchen/dining area from the other side of the house with bedrooms.  It felt fractured.  There was an oddly shaped small den with a wet bar in the corner that didn’t seem to “go.”  The big room had wood-paneled walls and there were popcorn ceilings throughout.  It was like the 70’s had a bad day and this house was the result.  But David and I both saw potential.  We scraped the popcorn off the ceilings and painted that wood paneling.  After living there awhile, Tania (aka – Designer Extraordinaire) helped me rearrange some rooms so the odd den became a brilliant dining room.  The room that was so big we often didn’t use it, became the ultimate football-watching, domino-playing, kid-friendly place to lounge.  And did I mention the pool?  A pool was on the list of “wants.”  God’s answer above our imagination was a brand-new pool and deck with built-in shade umbrellas and a water feature.  We saved up and added outdoor furniture this past summer.  We have had pool parties, birthday pool parties and spontaneous people-just-come-over-because-there’s-a-pool parties.

We’ve lived a dozen places, but this is where we really became a family.  It’s where Brynna learned to crawl and walk.  It’s where she and her cousins swam with their floaties.  It’s where we had Real conversations with couples.  It’s where I loved on girls, and David bonded with guys.  It’s where we learned the art of hospitality – that when you are willing to give God full reign of your home, He will use it to bless you and so many others.  Yesterday as we looked at the bare rooms and the floors ready to host someone else’s furniture, I was sad.  Yes, it’s just a house.  But this house has been so much more. 

Ahh…but here’s the thing about obedience to God.  If you do it right, it’s addictive.  You learn that even in the pain or fear of doing something new, there’s peace that you are right where He wants you.  You remember that all of this is His.  You learn a new level of faith as you give up what you held dear and trust that He has something ahead that’s so much more than you can imagine.  God has once again asked us to be in the midst of a group of people to reach.  So as sad as it is for a moment, I will miss this house that was more blessing than I could have imagined because I refuse to miss a single thing God has in store for us.

Top Ten Things I'll Miss the Most: Part 2

#9 - Snow Days (the kind where it snows so you don't have to go to work for days)

I am working in the office while movers pack my things into boxes all around me.  With doors opening and closing, the men packing, lifting and carrying, I turned the heater off earlier.  They were hot and I figured I could bear the chill for a few hours.  So it's almost 60 degrees outside, and I'm wearing a sweatshirt.

Weather was one of the things we were excited about first when this move was initially proposed.  David has lived in Texas most of this life, and I grew up in tropical Tulsa, OK.  The thought of living in a place with all four seasons sounded like a great new adventure.  As reality sinks in, though, the adventure is sounding less exciting and more...well...COLD.  As I am sitting in 60-degree Dallas in my sweatshirt, it's freezing in DC.  Literally.  The windchill has been in the teens the past week.

In Texas (and Oklahoma), we are not afraid to take advantage of those snow days built into a school year.  If it's rainy on a cold day, we'll cancel the next day of school just in anticipation of ice.  If it snows on a Friday afternoon, clear your schedule.  We may cancel school for Monday.  And if school is closed, you can bet work is, too.  We don't reserve the fun for children.  Banks, churches and half of downtown will head home to hibernate.  There are some who believe this makes us whimps.  There are East Coast transplants among us who would have us believe we are lesser individuals for staying inside.  I don't see it that way at all.  I see it as the one time a year that others join me in my quest to avoid cold and wet situations at all costs.

I'm moving to a place where it gets colder and wetter than here.  I'm moving to a place where winter lasts longer than a few weeks.  I'm moving to a place where no one will join me in my quest.  While I may learn to go outside in my rain boots rather than just wearing them inside on wet days, don't expect me to do it often.  And don't expect me to like it.

Top Ten Things I'll Miss the Most: Part 1

So many things will change when we move.  As the day gets closer when the moving truck arrives, the reality is hitting hard.  I'm sad and nervous and excited and terrified.  There are so many things - big and small - that will be different in our new home.  They aren't all bad, but they won't be the same.  And I would be naive to think that's not going to hurt for a little while.  As part of my "grieving process," I'm going to send a little shout out to the things I will miss.  I'm not David Letterman, I don't wear white socks with dark pants and shoes, and there is no band standing ready to burst into song when I say something funny.  (But how awesome would that be?!?!)  Either way, here we go...

The Top Ten Things I'll Miss the Most

#10 - Little Acorns Child Development Center
I realized very early on that for this stay-at-home thing to work, Brynna and I were going to need some time apart.  We love each other, but we both have extremely strong personalities and often, those wills spend the day crashing into each other.  So when BG was 6 months old, I began to look at our options.  In the education vs. nurturing debate, I was less concerned that Brynna be able to do long division and more concerned that she be loved.  The search got a little overwhelming, but we eventually found the perfect fit.  In Little Acorns, I found people that would snuggle and cuddle my baby so I could have a few hours to run errands and have adult conversations.  And as she's grown from baby to toddler, they've done so much more than cuddle her.  The staff at Little Acorns knows Brynna at her core.  They know not to freak out when she won't eat - it's just her being stubborn.  They know not to force her to nap - she'll give in eventually when she thinks no one's watching.  Ms. JuJu watched her learn to walk; Ms. Terri helped her learn to use the potty; Ms. Kelly makes her use her words when she'd rather throw a fit.  These women know my Brynna and they truly love her.  And as a mom, that gives me a joy unspeakable.

I know we'll find a great new school for Brynna in Virginia.  I know Fairfax county has the best school system in the country.  But for a moment, I'm just sad that in January, when it's time to get back in the routine of school, BG won't be at Little Acorns.  Her teacher won't be Ms. Kelly.  Her classroom won't be in the same hallway it's always been up to now.

Why October 3, 1863 Matters to You

I have a somewhat embarrassing confession.  I knew it wasn't by accident that millions of people eat turkey the same day, but I didn't know that we celebrate Thanksgiving as a result of a declaration made by President Abraham Lincoln.  The declaration is several paragraphs long, but the part most quoted is... 


I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving...


I've talked to my sister often the past few days.  After their recent move to Malaysia, she's sojourning in a foreign land.  It's more difficult to celebrate Thanksgiving in our customary ways.  Green bean casserole and chocolate pie are difficult to recreate in a culture where curry is much easier to find than pudding or cream of mushroom soup.  But in the heart of American tradition, Vikki, Zoe and AJ had a long-distance turkey day (minus turkey - also not easy to find).  We missed them dearly, and I will much prefer next year when we can sit at the same table and laugh over a game of dominoes.  There is still something heart-warming, though, in the knowledge that we spent today in the same way - being grateful that we have each other, that no matter the distance our family is bound in love.


But although the above is what most people quote, that's not where President Lincoln ended his sentence.  The entire thought was that we observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.  It is impossible to be truly grateful and set aside a time to "thank" but not know Whom you are thanking.  President Lincoln wanted this day to be set aside to show gratitude and he was specific about who we were thanking - our beneficent Father.


The thing most interesting to me is that President Lincoln didn't write this decree during a pleasant time in American history.  It was a time of civil war, a time of great sacrifice and loss.  He began this decree with his own list of things to be thankful for - bountiful crops and sunny days, law-abiding citizens and peace from outside our borders during a time when it was lacking within.  He thanked God for advances in science and technology, for the expansion of territories and industries.  He didn't wait for things to be perfect to be grateful.  


I woke up yesterday with two main thoughts - 1) I had more to do than humanly possible because in the midst of all the moving stuff, I had not shopped a bit and family was arriving and 2) I felt like I might be sick.  The first didn't happen - David and his mom shopped for me.  The second did - I got very sick.  It was easy at one point to wish we could postpose Thanksgiving.  But things don't have to be perfect to be grateful...


I'm so thankful for...
*a husband who always makes my plate before his
*a little girl who needs to adjust to our return because she loves us so much it rocks her world when we're away
*a relationship with Taylor that makes me smile to think of the woman she's becoming
*my new table arriving in time for Thanksgiving
*a mother-in-law so amazing to take the reigns of this holiday so I could spend half the day in bed
*friends I call family
*the joy of pushing Brynna in a swing today and hearing her laugh
*the coat, scarf, gloves and Uggs that kept me warm during the aforementioned swinging
*Vonage, for letting me talk to Vikki everyday (or several times a day)
(because they each need a line all to themselves)
*Honey K, Pops, Yaya and Papa - who love Brynna just for being Brynna

*and so much more...

My Dad

As I look back at the last several blogs I’ve written, there is a consistent theme.  I have reached a stage in life where I am like a small child bragging that “my dad can beat up your dad.”  I’m like a proud little girl who looks up to her dad as the center of her world.  I watch Brynna look at David, and I see those eyes.  She bats those long lashes and smiles that adorable smile; and he gives her just about anything.  He does that because he loves her with a love he didn’t know possible until we had a child of our own.  And she looks at him with that adoration because in the span of her short life, she’s met no one who loves her more, provides better or cares for her deeper than her dad. 

Have you ever been so happy that you felt your heart had literally expanded an inch or two in your chest?  Have you ever experienced something and for the next several days, weeks or months it’s all you can talk about?  It’s not that people aren’t smart; you just feel like every time you describe the experience, you don’t do it justice.  You don’t see the same twinkle in their eye.  You don’t catch them running out to experience all you’ve described.  You assume that surely they didn’t understand how great the food, how awesome the vacation, how funny the movie…so you’ll tell them one more time just to drive the point home.

My niece doesn’t have cancer.  My goddaughter was born at 26 weeks and is at home, completely healthy.  My marriage is strong enough to withstand a move cross-country.  We sold our house 2 weeks before Thanksgiving.  We got not less but MORE than asking price.  We bought a house at 3am that was in process of being sold to other people.  We are closing 4 days after Christmas at the sellers’ request.  Who requests that?!

It’s not that I think you can’t read or aren’t smart.  It’s just that my heart has increased in size the last few months as I’ve come to a realization I’ve never known as purely and truly as I now know it – My Dad loves me more, provides better and cares for me deeper than I could ever ask or imagine.  When I look in your eyes and you’re missing the twinkle, when I see your sadness because you’ve tried it all and nothing seems to make you feel less alone, when I watch you work to attain a love that can’t compare to the Love I’m talking about…I want to tell you one more time just to drive the point home.

My niece doesn’t have cancer and you don’t have to hurt because My Dad is bigger than illness.  My goddaughter is fully formed because My Dad made her like he made you – perfectly and wonderfully.  My marriage is strong because My Dad can take all the broken things and make them beautiful.  Our house sold for more than we asked because you can’t out-give My Dad.  We bought that house at that time from those people in that way because My Dad has a plan and a purpose that is higher than anything you or I can understand.

I will keep saying it as long as He gives me breath because My Dad is that amazing.  My life looks different not because I go to church or claim a certain religion or “do” anything but because I am My Dad’s daughter.  My Dad loves you and He wants you to know it. 

Email me, send me a message on Facebook or call me.  Or just stop right now, at your desk, in your office, in the middle of your day and ask Him to change your life, too.

God. Is. BIG.

I promised a story.  Here you go...

In September, David was offered a job in McLean, VA.  We prayed and very quickly and clearly heard God say that this was where He wanted us to go.  Ernst & Young began the process of approving his relocation to their office just outside Washington DC.  From the beginning, our prayer was simple and unchanging.  We asked God to work in such big ways throughout this process that no one could be tempted to think we made it happen.  We wanted it to be undeniable that He alone paved this path we are walking.

In October, all the approvals were final and just before Halloween, we met with our realtor in Dallas to discuss selling our home.  Joan is very experienced and great at her job, so she went about setting our expectations.  In a real estate market not kind to sellers and at a time of year so near the holidays, the likelihood of a price reduction was high.  She showed us statistics one after another predicting that our house would be on the market up to a year, most likely around 6 months.  But my Father is BIG.  Within 6 days of the sign going in the yard, we had multiple offers for the house.  A bidding war of sorts ensued and we finally accepted an offer OVER our asking price.

That alone would be huge.  But God is BIG.  I hurried to Virginia to begin the home search while David does what he does – the numbers.  We prayed over every decision and this weekend, we returned to look at houses again.  Yesterday was Saturday.  We spent the day with Melissa, our other amazing real estate agent, and scoured Northern Virginia for the place God had chosen for us.  At the end of the long day of house hunting, we started looking at further details of one house in particular.  Around 5pm, Melissa offered to call the listing agent and “just see what the situation was.”  Little did we know, at that exact moment, the sellers of this home were in a back-and-forth negotiation with other buyers.  They had just sent the buyers their final offer – their bottom dollar.  Their listing agent was open and honest, and she and Melissa contacted an attorney.  They discovered that if we put in an offer, had the contract signed and ratified before the buyers responded, the sellers could withdraw their offer with no legal implications. So at that point, the race began.  Melissa wrote up a contract and sent it to us.  While we had the hotel manager print it, Melissa drove to our hotel and we reviewed and signed the offer in the Marriott lobby.  When we realized that one page wouldn’t print, the listing agent, Amal, suggested we come to her house so we could sign the pages.  At 8pm, we loaded into Melissa’s car and headed to the house of the listing agent.  We sat at her dining room table signing papers while people arrived at her home for a party she was hosting.  It was the most unlikely scenario but Amal and her husband may be the most hospitable people I’ve ever met.  They brought us drinks and hors d'oeuvres, and a half-hour later, we found ourselves in the middle of an authentic Moroccan celebration, never looking more like we were from Texas than at that moment.  We finally headed back to the hotel, and at 3am, we received word from Amal that the party had ended, the sellers had ratified the contract and the deal with the other buyers had been nullified. 

Not only did our house in Dallas sell when others thought it couldn’t, it sold for more than we asked.  Not only did we find a house in Virginia in the middle of the holiday season, it is above and beyond what we imagined.  Not only are we closing within the month, the sellers requested the exact date we had been planning to move. Not only did we buy a house in one weekend, we did so at 3am after seeing it once!

That’s our story and we’re sticking to it!  There’s no way we could begin to think we did this.  There is one explanation alone - God is BIG.