Cautiously optimistic...

It's been a rough week for Brad. There are just a lot of things going on, and after a long time of mustering-up, he's sick of mustering. I had lunch with him on Tuesday and haven't seen him so down and overwhelmed in a very long time, if ever. It has just been rough. To his credit, his frustration was directed not at me. It takes a pretty great man to be mad and sad and overwhelmed and still remain tender and kind. Thank you for that, Sweets. We talked about how we can't continue on like this, that if we do, we're headed for some serious despair. We agreed to try a small group at church in the next week or two. Even if it's not what we want long-term, we need to be around other people, if only to be reminded that the world does not revolve around us and our issues.

On Wednesday Brad talked to dear friend Rich for a while, and things turned around. Thank you, Rich and Jen, for your friendship and support. You can't know how much you bless us both. Brad got some good counsel and is feeling much better. What a difference friends make! This morning he said to me, "I can't help but notice the timing between this job opportunity in Columbus and our open house this weekend." And I've been feeling a quiet peace about things lately, too (that's out of the ordinary). I got to talk to Shanel on the phone last night, which was an incredible treat. Hearing a voice of a loved one is so powerful. Thank you, Shanel! You blessed me! We are both feeling slightly more connected to the world and also just a little more hopeful.

Please pray for our open house. It will indeed take a miracle as the market down here is beyond dismal and our asking price is about $35k above the average selling price around here. Pray for people to come and for them to like our house and want to buy it.

I keep going back to a quote I read a while back: "God wants you to get where God wants you to go more than you want to get where God wants you to go."

I'm taking much comfort in that and am... cautiously optimistic about this weekend. Saturday will be a day of cleaning and straightening, and then Sunday is the big open house.