When I was confronted with the news I had to leave Ohio, I was so resistant. I cried how could I leave my family and friends. How could I leave the only real home I ever knew and create a new one?
It's amazing how resilient we are as humans. I thought I could never find a new home that would far exceed the only home I ever knew. But I sit here today exactly like I was back then - sobbing and broken up inside missing and aching my family and home I loved so well.
My life has truly transformed. God blessed me so much by granting me a new family. In them, I found joys, comforts, support. Home isn't where you are...it's truly who you share it with. Though I did fall madly in love with The Woodlands and the lifestyle we lived, I found myself loving it more because of who I shared it with.
I forced myself to go out and make a new life for my girls. I didn't want to be a mopey mom who cried inside all day. It wasn't easy at first...but I persevered. And I have to say in giving the situation to God, it all turned a corner pretty quick. On May 28 I left Ohio knowing not a soul. By the end of July, I had made friends. We weren't as close then as we now are, but it sparked that change in me. And by Thanksgiving some of us shared our first holiday alone together. And by April, we were surrounded my a wonderful group to celebrate the girls first and second birthdays respectively. If you really think about it...that's truly amazing. In less than a year we were solidly grounded with our new family.
In my early days in Texas, I would sing myself the song Smile to lighten my spirits.
"Smile though your heart is aching. Smile even though its breaking. When there are clouds in the sky you'll get by. If you smile through your fears and sorrows. Smile and maybe tomorrow you'll see the sun come shining through"
I need to repeat this today and most every day for a while until my heart no longer aches for my family afar. It was a special time in my life and I will never forget it.
