He will begin as the operations director sometime in the next couple of months. I am so proud and excited for him! Josh is a smart, hard working man that I am thankful to have as my partner in this life. I'm grateful that his value is recognized in his company as well!
We knew the Chicago area wouldn't be our forever home, but we certainly are beginning the relocation process a lot sooner than we thought we would. With that said, we are all excited about this next adventure. Molly was on board from the start--excited at the idea of a new house and living in Colorado. Which is such a gift! She continues to show her bravery and strength, making so many transitions in our lives significantly easier by her positive attitude.
We keep being told how incredible living in Colorado will be--the scenery, the weather, the lifestyle--we're excited to see for ourselves! We have family and friends in the Colorado area already, which helps with the idea of moving 1,000 miles away. Molly is currently an only grandchild on both sides, so to have cousins around will be a welcome change, for all of us!
We will house hunting and visiting the area soon, which I'm sure will give us a little better picture of what this next chapter will bring. It's hard to imagine just looking at pictures and drawing on memories from visiting family! We are looking forward to exploring the area together--looking at houses and seeing communities as a family. More will come for sure on what this next part of our story will look like I'm sure!
But as with almost every big event or transition in life, there is sadness mixed in with the excitement too. We've only been in the Chicago area a short time, but we all have really enjoyed our time here. In a little less than 18 months, Chicago and it's charm have won us over. The city skyline always gets me as it takes shape in front of you as you drive toward the city.
Many of you know how excited I get about food, and this city has a lot to offer! The pizza, and hot dogs; ice cream and popcorn! We've enjoyed all the treats.
And the people, like every community, have been the best part. From the beginning when the guy behind us picked up our bill at Dunkin Donuts after I forgot my wallet at home, we've been so blessed by the friendliness and kindness shown to us. We've really made some meaningful connections in our community--with classmates, neighbors, co-workers, gym buddies, ladies in my church group, and so many others.
Its hard to say goodbye so soon, as we just were getting comfortable again. Even though we have experience missing people yet finding joy, we'd rather not keep having to do it! We will miss so many! But, as Molly reminds me, we won't lose them as friends, we'll just add more from Colorado into our lives.
And I was only a few months into my full-time gig at the school being a Lunchroom/Recess Supervisor! I was just getting the hang of it, learning names of the kids, and feeling like I was making a difference. It's hard to walk away, feeling like I had more to give. But I know that God had me right where He wanted me for just the time He wanted me there. Saying goodbye to the students and my co-workers was harder than I expected, and I already miss their sweet faces and comradery! But I put my radio on the charger, and left with the notes and gifts I received on my last day knowing that someday, I'll get to see what happened to each of these students. And how I may have been even the tiniest part of their journey.
We've not only learned a new city and grown closer to new friends since October of 2018--we've learned a lot about ourselves and grown even closer to each other too. Moving is a big deal within a family. I found it to cause you to rely on each other more, and to trust each other in new situations. It leads you to develop a deeper connection with each other as you experience new things together. It also reveals things about each other, or brings to the surface things that may have been too easily put aside in a more familiar and comfortable setting.
Good and difficult, our first move in 10 years have served to make us stronger together--ready for the next move! Us Beckers are at our best when we're facing a challenge together, and I'm feeling that strength as we prepare for what lies ahead.
What will happen to Warrior Wagons in Chicago? That was one of my first concerns when Josh came home with news of this opportunity. We have just gotten things going, and are really seeing the community come together to support the program at Lurie. I don't want to see it fade away! But, God was way ahead of us, as usual.
Two of our closest friends in the community have volunteered to keep Warrior Wagons going as Coordinators. And now with procedures and systems in place that keep things running smoothly without our physical presence at two other branches, we know it can be done here. As we share news of our move, many more have followed suit, expressing interest in being on our team here in the Chicago area. What a relief, and blessing to see God taking this from our hands, and setting it into others that care as much about our organization and our Warriors as we do!
There are a lot of emotions wrapped up in Warrior Wagons. It's more than just a non-profit for us, but a living memorial to our son. It's our tribute to Drew, and we are so, so thankful to see his legacy be brought into and grow in new communities. Passing on all the supplies into new hands, seeing all the Warrior Wagons lined up, I welled up with gratitude, with satisfaction, with awe at the beautiful way our prayers are being answered by God that Drew's life won't be forgotten. That more and more people will feel the impact of his short life.
So while I was initially kind of startled by the idea of moving again so soon, I really do see all of this coming together, and know that this is God's next chapter for our family. It's a familiar feeling of excitement and hope, but also reluctance and sadness about the good byes. I can feel myself being asked to trust and rely on Him each step of the way, which is familiar but never easy.
But I know He'll work all things out for our good. That He'll finish the works He's began in us, and will never abandon us on a road we chose to walk with Him down. I've learned that God doesn't keep you where you're comfortable. If you are truly willing to be used, He'll take you right where you'll be most useful--and it's a heck of a ride if you're up for it!
And you know? We've made the most of our time here. We haven't taken for granted the opportunities available to us. We made sure we visited family we were closer to. We utilized the two major airports to visit friends and family. We hosted families and holidays while we have the space. We've gone out and DONE more things than we used to. We've seen more things, had more experiences, and were intentional with our time while here in the Chicago area.
We took the train into the city, rode in a water taxi through the river, visited both Zoos, enjoyed a beach day on the lake during the summer, saw the City at Christmas time, took Warrior Wagons to new heights, ice skated on the Ribbon and played in the Maggie Daily Park downtown among so many other things...
Making the most of each day, being thankful for the opportunities you have, and seeking joy in everyday life are things that 2016 and our journey with Drew taught us. And what this attitude, this way of approaching life has given us, once again, is no regrets. Sure there's more things we'd like to do, places we'd like to visit if we had more time, but we're satisfied with all we've accomplished and done in the last 18 months. And just like at the end of our time with Drew, it makes saying "see you later" Chicago, and moving forward to Colorado, a whole lot easier...
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