Trust in Your Husband

As most of you know we just made a huge change. You may also know that I do horrible with change. I do even worse with not knowing exactly what's going on an how it's going to be. I must have a plan and a list (or 4). I like it when everything is nice and neat an mapped out with backup plans and such.

With this move it was anything like that! In fact it was the polar opposite of that! It was everything I didn't want and then some. Let me explain a little.

My husband worked for a big equipment rental company. That company recently merged (or as most of the employees of the original company like to refer to it as a hostile take over) with a bigger equipment company. As expected, changes were made and some of them were not very good.

Randy prayed about it quite a bit over a few months while he was letting things play out. Things got worse and in the end they decided to demote him from field service mechanic to a shop mechanic. That was sort of the breaking straw.

He came to me and said he was going to put his two weeks in and that it was finally time to move back home! I was floored. NO!!!! How will we live? How will we pay our bills? What about insurance? We do have 4 kids ya know!!!! NO, NO, NO!!!!!!

He reminded me that we had been yearning to go home for a long time and that this was our chance. He was right. We had been up and down for a long time. One day wanting to go back and the next feeling content. He also told me that he had been praying pretty hard and that God told him that it was time and that it would all work out!

BUT WHAT ABOUT A JOB??!! How are you gonna walk away from making twenty something dollars an hour?? Who does that!!??

****Insert a panicking Amber!****

So I did the only thing I knew to do. I prayed hard. Really hard. I didn't like the answer I got! After praying for a couple weeks I kept getting the same answer. "Trust in your husband to do whats right for your family!"

REALLY??!!!?? Seriously God?!

Every bible verse I read, every time I would pray, even a sermon at church said exactly that. Trust in your husband!!

Ok so you want me to let go..... COMPLETELY.... And follow my husband and trust that he is doing what he feels is right and what God is leading him to do?!

That was NOT an easy thing to do!! At all!! It's totally not me! Totally not how I would do it. But what choice did I have?

Randy put some phone calls in and lined up some work. We were expecting a huge pay cut because the Arizona economy I not booming like the Texas economy is. Fortunately he had 3 different jobs he could choose from. One was almost too good to be true but we had decided to go with it. I had some anxiety but like I said, what can you do.

On the last day of employment another job offer came in. He was set up for an interview just a few days after we arrived home but neither of us were very confident about it.

Well we got here and the job we were banking on fell through. Talk about stressing out! But Randy stayed calm and confident. He went to his interview and said that it went good but didn't seem overly excited. He was just calm and cool about it. He had to remind me quite a few times that this was the right choice and that it was all going to be ok.

Meanwhile he still had to work so he took one of the jobs that wasn't ideal and didn't pay much but at least it was something.

I worried and stressed all weekend over what was going to happen. How were we going to make ends meet and pay our bills? Ugh!! I questioned God and prayed hard but it was the same thing as before. Trust in your husband. Yes Lord! I get it!!

Well I am happy to report that my husband actually knew what he was talking about! Yesterday I received a text message from him saying that he received a job offer from the company he had the interview. They offered him an amount that neither of us were expecting and benefits!!!! He is making only a little less then he was when he left his job in Texas AND, ironically, he is doing what he would have been doing there. He will have the chance to get some awesome training and move up!

It's all God! He laid it on my husbands heart that it was time for change. He led Randy in the direction that he needed to go and He has provided for us in a way that neither of us could have even imagined.

I am not sure why I struggle so much with letting go of control. I need to work on trusting others to take care of things and letting go of my OCD tendencies. This is something that God is working on with me.

I am not sure what our future holds or what God has in store for us but I am excited about it. I am also very proud of my husband and thankful that he was strong enough to follow Gods voice and lead his family in the right direction. He has had to make some difficult decisions and he has had to deal with all of our anxiety, second guessing and emotions through all of this. I know its harder on him then he lets show. I am thankful that he held on to his faith and I hope to learn to become strong like that someday.

Thank you all for your prayers for us. We are totally feeling them. And thanks for following me on this crazy journey that is our life. Until next time.....

Making The Move

A week ago tonight we were getting everything finished up and loaded, saying our final goodbyes, and getting ready to hit the long road back to our hometown.

We took the scenic route back (the 40). I have added some photos of our journey.

It was a LOOOONG trip but we made it safely!

How do I feel?? Well that's a tough one. As I have said before, it's bittersweet. I have missed home for so long but I had become comfortable in Texas. My heart rejoices at the fact that we are home but I have realized in the last few days that I left a big chunk of it back in Texas.

It's funny. For the first year and a half of being there all I could think of is how I wanted to be back in Arizona. The kids felt the same way too. Then we made friends and had some family move close and even found a great church. Then the bottom drops out and things change. Never in a million years would I have thought the roles would be reversed and the yearning I had would be for Texas. It's not as strong as it was for Arizona and I am pretty sure it has a lot to do with the people I left but it's there and it's tugging at my heart!

It doesn't help that the kids seem to be all mixed up. They are doing well at hiding most of it (which scares me a little) but it comes out in their behavior. They are extra emotional and it rubs off on me. Heck, we are probably feeding off each other. :-( I am praying that once school starts and we get out on our own and reestablish our old routine things will get better.

I am asking for prayers though. Please pray the God will give us strength and direction. We know that He has chosen this path for us and that He has great plans for our futures. We trust in that and in Him. Sometimes the paths we have to travel to get to where He wants us to be are bumpy and foggy but we will keep going. Your prayers will help and are greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance. We love you all!



 As promised....... Pics! :)

Goodbye Texas, Hello New Mexico

Such a good baby while we traveled.

After many, many, many hours of driving/riding

MOUNTAINS!!!!

The end is near and that makes us happy!!!  

 

 

New everything

Newness surrounds us these days.

New state (well sort of) 

New Job (for Randy)

New schools (The kids)

New routines

So why not a new blog. Of course we can't keep the "Texas Tiptons" because we are not there anymore. (Just for the record that was really hard to write. Total reality check. I have been having those a lot lately but that is a whole other post.)

Anyways, back to my point. Welcome to Moments We Live For. All my previous posts are still here for your reading pleasure! LOL It just has a new name and an awesome new look. (Thanks to my awesome friend Lyndsay!!) We will be adding more in time but I figured I would give y'all the new link so you would know for any future posts.

Thanks for following us as we enter this new chapter of our lives. I am excited to share bits and pieces of our journey with you. Until then.......

Goodbye y'all :'(

It's one o'clock in the morning and I am laying here in the dark listening to the quiet. My mind is racing over the past few months and I find myself asking the age old question: How the heck did we get here??!!??

The last two nights have been absolutely heartbreaking for us. They have been filled with goodbyes and hugs and tears and promises to stay close and in touch. It has been almost too much to bare.

Our bags are packed, the U-haul is loaded, and in 2 short hours we will be on our way. Yes, the time has come for our family to say goodbye to Texas and return to the place that has been tugging at our hearts for the last 2 years. We are going home to Arizona.

Two years ago when we made the decision to leave there we had at least a dozen reasons why we had to get out. Most of them very valid, some of them a little over the top, and a couple that were just excuses. None the less we felt very strongly that Texas is where God wanted our little family of 5. We packed all we could into a truck and stepped out in faith to very unfamiliar territory. I thought we were crazy but God had plans for us.

He changed our lives by bringing us here. This place changed everything about us. It brought us closer together. It healed past hurts. It taught us how to be better parents. It showed us that if we stick together and always lean on each other and God we will make it through anything. These are very important lessons that we needed to learn and I honestly feel like we would have never been able to learn them had we stayed where we were.

So why the change? If Texas is so great then why leave? I think Colten answered that question the best when I asked him a couple weeks ago if he had the choice to stay here in Texas or go home to Arizona what would he choose? His answer: "I like Texas mom. I am comfortable here but my heart is in Arizona!"

That is EXACTLY the reason! Our hearts are, have always been, in Arizona. Texas is amazing. Beautiful and green with amazing schools and good people (just stupid drivers!) and while we adjusted and became comfortable being here it has never been home.

When Randy came to me and asked me what I thought about moving back I freaked out! Was he crazy??!! Why on earth would we do that? Yeah things had been going crappy with his job. Changes were happening and most of them were not good but was it really a good reason to move? We prayed. Very similar to the way we did when making the decision to come here we asked God to show us the way. Give us direction. More changes happened more prayers went up and some doors opened. Fast forward a few weeks and here we are.

I believe with everything in my that God brought us here to make us strong. To provide us with the tools we need to thrive back home. He healed us and made us whole again. Now he wants us to take it back and shine for Him! That very thing is what is getting me through this. My mind is screaming NOOO! Don't go! But my heart, although its heavy with the sadness of
saying goodbye, is saying This is right.

I have met some amazing people here. One person in particular, who came to me when I was at a very low time in my life. I was fighting really hard with the sadness and loneliness of being away from everything and everyone I had ever known. God brought her to me to give me a little sunshine. She has become one of my best friends and I am very confident that she will be a part of my life for a very very long time. (I love you Kim!)

God also brought some other very important people here to Texas for me. My Aunt and my other best friend Lyndsay. These three women have been responsible for keeping me sane. For showing me love, joy, and happiness. (And for driving me a little crazy too lol) I don't know what I am going to do with out them and their kids and that's the heart breaking part. I think I took for granted the time I had with them. :'(

As we were saying our goodbyes and the tears were flowing I asked God why? Why God? Why does it hurt so bad but at the same time feel like its the right thing to do?

My answer came in the form of a bible verse. One that has become a staple for our family. One that, just 5 weeks ago, (before the decision had been made to move) my daughter kept bringing to my attention. One that has slapped me in the face so many times in the last few weeks that it isn't funny.


Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.


It's not His intention to harm us or make us hurt but to make it BETTER! To give us HOPE AND A FUTURE! That is all the reason I need!!!


Some of the other positive things about going home are the Mexican food, my mountain, family, clearance shopping (Love you mom!), long talks over great coffee (be ready Brandie) and camping on the rim!!!

So for now we will say goodbye Texas. It was fun while it lasted! We will visit often! :-) Thank you for giving us some great friends and of course Waylon! We shall take these friendships, lessons learned and this little Texas cowboy of ours and head off into the sunset......

Well technically it's still dark out but eventually we will be heading into the sunrise..... I think.....Right?? ;-)

So....

Blink. Blink. Blink.

That's what this annoying little curser keeps doing.

Blink. Blink. Blink.

So much is going on. So many thoughts are going through my head. So many emotions are filling my heart.

And the words to get it all out fail to make it to this screen. ***Sigh***

Stay tuned friends. Change is hitting the Tipton household hard right now and when the time is right I will share the details with y'all. For now I ask you to keep us in your prayers.

I should add a disclaimer. Not all change is bad (unless you are me and have a horrible time adjusting to any type of change, good or bad.) and while I ask for your prayers I don't intend to worry you. All is well. Promise. :-)



"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV)