How we ended up in KANSAS....

Well here we are... in Manhattan Kansas....

Its crazy, really, this story, the story of God's abundant blessings, and providing for us.  I get so excited to share this story because it is a very current testimony of who HE is, how good HE is and, how extravagant HIS love is.

This is a long story but I'm going to try and keep it short and to the point, mostly because I want you to read this and not start scrolling and go... "too long... no thank you!"  LOL

So bullet points -

*January 1st, like any good american I made new year resolutions... #1 on the list move to Manhattan KS in 2014

*rewind a bit and we find ourselves visiting family in the summer of 2013, scoping out a community where we could see ourselves settling down. we knew we were ready to be close to family and wanted to be smart and intentional with where we planted roots.  we were visiting Manhattan with Todd's parents and I got that feeling, like it was suppose to be our forever home (even though I am a KU fan.. ha ha... for now) , so we began to pray and ask God if that was in line with His plans for us, and if so would He make a way for us to go to Manhattan

- sub note... in no way shape or form did we not love Virginia, we absolutely loved it (still do) we love the people, the scenery, the stuff to do, being close to the beach, oh the beach, did I mention the beach. but for some reason we could not get our huge families on board to all relocate their lives out East :)  thus the prayer for a move from VA to KS

*ok ... now forward in the time line to March 2014, Eliana comes home from school and says she is ready to move close to family, and I felt a nudge to take some action.  I called the Manhattan KS chamber of commerce and asked them how many manufacturing plants there were in the area, they said 2! I was nervous there were only 2 (I expected more for the size of community) I googled one and sure enough an ad for a job in Todd's field popped up!

*Next I did what any logical type A wife would do... I called the company and asked to talk to the HR director.. lol.. we chatted and hit it off, he was excited about Todd, I was excited about the position. He then asks "does your husband know you're calling me or talking to me about this?"  the answer was no.. lol... but a few short hours later he came home and I dropped the bomb on him and I'm pretty sure he glazed over as I started telling him about new paint colors, and family holiday ideas... lol

*From this point on everything went pretty fast.  The whole process felt like doing a dance with the Lord. We would take a step, and pray, take a step, and pray... but they were fast steps, like a two step (fitting.. ha ha) Todd talked to the HR guy and he was shocked we even found the job posting since he had taken it down a few weeks before, they were a little discouraged with not finding the "right guy" for the job.  He did a phone interview, an on site interview in Manhattan, and then a corporate interview in Ohio. And a month later he accepted a new job for Manhattan KS!  We couldn't believe it.

*Being able to tell family and midwest friends that we were moving back was so sweet and special.  Especially since they had heard us talking for a year that we were ready to come home, and had been praying along side us for it to happen.  One of my favorites was telling my mom, I hadn't said anything to her because I knew if it didn't work out she would be devastated, but once it was almost official I went to lunch with her and gave her a card that had our little secret news in it.  The look on her face was incredible.. I really wish I would have taped it... it was a sweet moment forever etched in my memory!

*So April we accepted the position and then came selling the house. We were faced with the reality that we were probably going to lose money on the sell of our town home... big bummer!  But we felt strongly the Lord say "it is just money, it is not eternal, and I will bless you 10 times over what you lose" ... no one likes to lose money (especially a giant pile of it, but we are thankful for that lesson... be smart with money, but it is just money). Our house was listed for 2 weeks, no showings, no nothing, I was like "whats the deal?", so we prayed for a showing over lunch hour and no sooner did Todd leave for lunch did we get a call for a showing (in 30 minutes!)  I ran like a crazy woman and cleaned up the house, left, they looked at the house for 30 minutes, and I thought "ask and you shall receive!"  The next day our realtor called (and he was a little surprised) he said "I have a cash offer for you, and they can close whenever"  Just like that we were under contract and our house sold the very day we left VA!  Now tell me that's not showing off a little :)  But I will take it!

*Middle of June we packed up, left for KS and started the process to buy a home.  Now here we are, in a nice modest home that works great for our family, close to a Christian School that we are able to send our kiddos to, and close to Todd's work so he can still come home for lunch, and of course in a town so close to all our family!  Have some crummy "worldly" things happened in the process? YES, But God also provided a way for us to leave VA debt free, pay off my student loan, and any credit card debt we had. We have been able to start fresh here and it feels so wonderful!

That's our story (and yes the abbreviated version... lol... sorry still so long) and I feel like I need to share it with whomever I can, because to me this story screams GOD IS GOOD!!!!  We are so thankful for our loving supportive family that now we get to be a part of their everyday lives, for our friends here and in Virginia who love us up through all this, and our God who is extravagant with His LOVE!!!!

At night when Todd and I snuggle in and we are about to go to sleep, I say to him "here we are, in Manhattan KS, can you believe it?" :)

Prayers and Love - Dawn