Joe and Nica's World: Moving day/ Our new home

Sometimes life is ironic. I'm so grateful to know that we serve the Lord who makes His will obvious, even through irony!

Our first two years in Cambodia were coming to a close. Our two year contract with our landlord about to expire. The natural question we had for each other: Should we extend the contract? When we left for our trip to North America, we told him we would confirm when we got back from our trip. He was hoping we would extend the contract. When we came back and told him that we planned to stay, he surprised us by telling us he had changed his mind and wanted to sell. He was not open to negotiations: his mother had told him he needed to get married, and he needed the extra money.

So, we started to house hunt.

We found a house identical to ours, on the same street, with very reasonable and friendly landlords, and even $20 less per month rent! So we were packed up and moved out by the last day of our contract.

The same day that we had completed moving, our previous landlord told us that he had changed his mind! He no longer wanted to sell and he wanted us to move back into the old house! haha, that's what I mean by ironic. God deliberately moved us out of our old house to place us into another environment. The same street, yes, but one block up. Different neighbors, which honestly, was a blessing. Although it was a lot of work which turned out to be unnecessary, we are SO grateful for our new home! We are really REALLY loving where we are!

Thanks to those of you who prayed with and for us through this process! We are exactly where we are supposed to be and are loving it!!

Here is Wes & Bria, playing in our new house, while we had a friend help us by reviewing the contract (written in Khmer) before we signed it. An empty house is always SO much fun to play in!

We basically had to empty one house and move it up the street (100 steps!) to set it up again in exactly the same way. Sounds simple, but really it was still a LOT of work.

Here is Joe emptying bookshelves, and me emptying out my kitchen. Such a mess.

We hired a truck and movers to help us to move the big stuff.

This is the truck backed inside our new house.

On the official moving day, Wes & Bria played at our friend Khmerin's house. When they left their room, it was all set up in the old house. When they came into the new house, their room was all set up again in exactly the same way! Except for Wes being frustrated with pictures not on the walls or curtains hung up, they didn't even realize they were in a different house!

Moving day for our kids = non-stress. PTL!

One of my very very favorite things about our new house is the tin awning that covers our little driveway. It is perfect for sitting outside, eating popsicles, and watching the pouring rain! As soon as the rain starts to fall, the kids and I run outside with books and/or popsicles and just enjoy.