Breaking the News

After many months of praying and finally making the decision to take the BGCO position and move to OKC this summer, it was time to tell our kids. I had been absolutely dreading this...for many nights I just sat in the girls bedroom while they slept and prayed that God would prepare their little hearts and minds to handle this news. I would think things like, "Okay, they have 2 more sleeps before finding out their whole world is going to be turned upside down." We waited until the Friday before we told the church on Sunday, because we didn't want them to have to keep quiet about it for long.

We sat down in the living room and told them we had something to talk about, and Brian started by reading the story of God telling Abraham to leave his home and go to a new land. I didn't know that was how he was going to begin our conversation, but I loved it and thought it was perfect. As he began to tell the girls (Jonah was oblivious) about the new job he was going to have, it took a few minutes for realization to sink in. I think Mackenzie asked "So you aren't going to be the youth pastor at our church anymore?" When she realized that we would be moving and going to a new school and a new church, she started taking big deep breaths like she was hyperventilating and then just burst out in sobs for a long time. I held her and we cried together. Madison cried a lot too, in a quieter way, and I just comforted them the only way I knew how. I wish I could remember everything I said, but I just remember feeling like God gave me the words to say and somehow, we made it through it. Mackenzie was more vocal about the things that made her sad...having to move away from Kinley, not seeing her Art teacher, not getting to do hand bells at church, not getting to do Civil War day at school next year, Daddy not being her youth pastor, having to move to a new house when we just got settled into this one, missing our big pantry...yes, even that! We did have a little laugh in the midst of our tears over that! I think the most heartbreaking part of this for me was when Madison said through her tears, "But I don't make friends very easy." Break. My. Heart. She is definitely more of an introvert than Mackenzie, and I do worry about this for her...but she is precious and sweet and everyone loves her, so I reassured her that she would make a lot of new friends. Somehow, I remember singing "Make new friends, but keep the old, One is silver and the other is gold." As a mother, you never want to subject your children to anything that will be painful or sad for them. But, I know that since this is God's plan for Brian and me, it is also His plan for Mackenzie, Madison and Jonah. We tried to talk through all of their concerns and reassure them that although it will be sad to move, everything will be okay. I made sure they knew we would still get to do things like SMAK and Kids Camp, and that we would always be close, close friends with Kinley and Katelyn, since that was their biggest concern about moving. Mrs. English said something to me earlier in the week that has really stuck with me...she said "I'm sure Mackenzie will be fine since her security is mostly in her family's unity. She is a precious girl and I love, love having her in my class." That is so true...we made sure that the girls understood that everything else may be changing, but our family will always be together no matter where we live. We tried to point out all of the positive things about this move...#1 being that we will be closer to G-Ma and we will get to "live" with her for a while this summer! We also told them all of the exciting things about spending summers at Falls Creek...I mean, what kid wouldn't love driving around in a golf cart, drinking ICEE's, and spending week after week at Falls Creek?!

After talking and crying for what seemed like a long time, I kind of gave Brian the nod to pull out the puppy card... At the beginning of this process, I told him if we were going to move the kids, part of the deal was that we would give in and get them a puppy. So, when the sadness was just too much, he said, "Guess what?! After we move, we are going to get you a puppy!" Well, the atmosphere in the room changed quickly...they were SO EXCITED! In fact, we have kind of laughed because now they aren't telling people we are moving, they are telling them we're getting a puppy. I think it's just their way of coping with the sadness, and let's face it...we all need something exciting to look forward to when going through tough things, right?

We figured we needed to do something fun after dropping such a bombshell on them, so we went to PetSmart, had dinner at Braum's, picked Kinley up and went to the circus, and then picked Katelyn up afterwards and had a sleepover at our house. That was healing for us all, I think, to just be together.

My heart is both heavier and lighter now that the kids know about this big life change. Heavier, because now they carry the burden and sadness too, and you never want that for your children. Lighter, because I don't have to dread telling them anymore, and now we can face reality together. Moving will be hard, but we are in this together! We are going to love and support and pray them through this, and trust that God has great things in store for us in OKC!