STOP the clock...or the countdown begins...your choice...

I have only made vague references to us moving soon throughout the blog.  Nothing substantial, mostly because the kids have been so active of late - and quite frankly it is easier on the eyes to look at kid pics, instead of wordy posts.  But now the countdown has begun to our big move, and the clock is ticking as we enter the final two weeks of the Cadet's high school career, so I thought I would finally take a moment to random thought the whole moving process and the like!  Yeah - just what you were looking for, right?  Nah...it is all good.

Earlier this spring, when my father was ill and facing major changes in his life, we as an extended family (us and my father) made the decision that the Ozlanders would move back to that place which we call home.  Yes, as Dorothy would say (with Toto in her basket), there is no place like home, there is no place like home.  

As such, at the end of the school year, the Merry Four will be heading over in a permanent move back to the home of Mrs. Oz's youth to provide love and support to her Dad.  It is good timing from the standpoint that the Cadet will be graduated and heading off to college in the fall, the King is only in first grade with plenty of time to plant new roots, and Grandpa "Oz" certainly could use the company and the help to bring the homestead back into "glory" so to speak.

Yes there will be challenges.  Captain Oz is actively searching out employment in the new area.  The economy is not at all "good" in that area - especially in his chosen engineering field, which makes it a special challenge.  An 83 year old Grandpa and a six year old are going to have to come to some agreement about the differences in speed of life (watch out King...Grandpa is really good at settling little guys down...by extracting brains through noses!!).  Combining two complete households of stuff is always a "Party" - mostly of the garage sale variety!  Add new schedules, new schools, new responsibilities.  Yes indeed there are challenges.

But that is okay.

There are tremendous upsides as well.  Captain Oz will again become Mr. Oz, and he has truly missed the challenges of engineering.  Blending the wisdom of age and the exuberance of youth will be good for both  the 83 year old and the 6 year old.  They both have a lot that they can learn from each other (and the King will become an expert at that brain surgery that his grandpa is so good at). Garage sales get rid of millstones around everyones neck (and when they don't, the Salvation Army does with it's donation truck).  Schedules add structure.  The new school for the King is just around the corner - and it is one that his Mama is familiar with! As far as the Cadet is concerned - a new school was on the horizon for him already - so that falls into the not.a.big.concern. category.   See...upsides.

And that is awesome.

But as we head into the two week countdown, along with a graduation on the horizon (and a grad party, final Senior duties and the like), I am truly wondering how I will get it all accomplished with the aplomb that I demand of myself.  Then I remember - this isn't in my hands.  Somebody far Greater, and far far Bigger is in control.  He knows the challenges, He knows the upsides, and He gets to be the traffic cop in it all.  Then I breathe - and remember to simply trust Him - because some days that is all you need to get through.