Grace upon grace...

So little one,  

Life will be changing in big ways for us in the coming days.

We will be leaving the only home you've known your entire, little life and moving to a new home in a new city.

And it will be grand. It will be bigger and better. 

You will have a large room with a beautiful view. There will be a pool and a sweet little park just around the corner. There will be a big kitchen where lots of cookies will be made and laughter will be shared. A lovely balcony where we can grow pretty flowers in sturdy boxes.

And there will be lots of family just a few minutes away and you will grow and make so many new friends and have so many adventures.

And you will have a new little sister there and the two of you will be playmates and best friends as the years go on.

It's an exciting adventure, little one. 

And I'll whisper a secret to you, because I know you understand:  I'm excited...and terrified.

Change is hard, little darling. So very very hard. 

Daddy will be very busy in the coming years and we will have to be brave and strong while he's gone. You and me? We're going to be doing a lot of hard things together and we will have to put on our big girl pants and make things work, okay? 

We will need so much grace, little one. All of us.

Grace to understand that our "normal" may look a little different than other families.

Grace to remember that there is nothing, except the calling that Christ has placed on him, that would keep Daddy away from his precious girls for so many hours and days.

Grace to see that this new baby will require a lot of time and attention, and that she will not divide our love for you, but that we have just made room in our hearts for more love.

Grace for the days when Mommy will be exhausted and emotional and stressed. I'm sorry in advance, my sweet girl. Bear with me...it will get better!

Grace for the times when we will need to make hard decisions and face challenges alone--but we will remember together that we are never truly alone. "He's got you and me, Ellie, in His hands..." I think we'll be singing that constantly...

Grace for the days when the house will be a mess, and dinner will be mac and cheese again, and bath time may get skipped, and bed time might be late. We will get through them, love. One day at a time.

Grace upon grace, my girl. That's our theme for the next few years. And we'll remind each other of that, yes? 

We must remember, Ellie-girl, that we're a team. We're more than a team, actually.

You, Me, Daddy, and Baby--we're a family.

Family stands strong together in the good and the hard times.

We support each other and encourage each other in everything. We give grace and we receive grace. We love hard and long no matter what.

And through it all, we will remember all the great things God has done for us.

He has provided for us every step of the way.  And we will remember that though the next few years may be hard--He is so good to us. We could have been spending these seven years far across the country, but God in His never ending grace, brought us so close to both sides of our families. We will have so much support from our loved ones in our very own town! 

Remember how God lead the Israelites day by day--every step of the way into the Promised Land--a place that they had never been before? We know that the God of Angel Armies will lead us into our new life too.

So, sweet girl--our little family? We will walk together, hands holding tightly to each other and step into the Great Unknown with His praise on our lips--for in His grace, He has lead us here.

In Your unfailing love You will lead the people you have redeemed.

 In Your strength You will guide them to Your holy dwelling.

Exodus 15:13