How are we?

The natural question to ask us these days is "So how do you like Madison?" or "So how are you doing?" My answer to that right now is, "I just don't know." I don't feel like I have any legitimate reason to complain, but I still feel very vulnerable and cry all too easily. So instead of saying how we're doing, here is what life is like right now:

Nick's Job: He started last Tuesday (his birthday) and things are going very well. The majority of his department has been out of town at conferences and client hospitals, so he's had some time to be introduced to the company and its' procedures before being inundated with training and work. Nick likes his boss, and is excited for the hands on training that starts next week.

Heidi's Job: I'm lonely (for friendship) and exhausted, but some days that reality isn't as close to the surface as others. It's an absolute miracle that I get to have mornings and evenings with Nick now, and I'm very grateful that he doesn't have to travel for a few more weeks. Noah is still his happy self, but he's going through so many changes (including new milestones, separation anxiety, and the move) that he has started refusing to nap. I've let him cry, paid close attention to his cues to be sure he is tired, given him more food, allowed him more time to calm down before nap time, sung to him, walked him, rocked him and even if he starts to fall asleep in my arms the second I lay him down he screams and screams, begging at the edge of his crib to be picked up. Today, I let him sleep in my arms, and it was precious. Howver, I can't just let him do that every nap time. I wish I knew how to help him.

Church hunt: The Lord is amazing. Our pastor in Roanoke connected us with a guy he went to seminary with who is now pastoring a very small PCA church here in Madison. The church has welcomed us so genuinely, and Nick even discovered that one of the members is a fellow physicist from West Virginia Wesleyan whom he shared several classes with. We have joined a small group of others our age, and are enormously excited about the study (Tim Keller on Romans) and the fellowship. Tomorrow night we are going to an outdoor concert with the other couples from that group on the UW Campus. God's provision of this community makes it possible for me to hope that friendships are not too far away.

We are not committing to membership there at this point, but we also don't feel the need to spend a lot of time looking elsewhere immediately. The only real issue is that there are no other babies and only a couple young toddlers. I'm in the process of looking at programs and play groups available through the city and other churches. There are only about 100!

The House: It's getting there. The main floor (of 3) was done pretty quickly, and over the last couple days the upstairs has started to come together. Since Noah isn't napping my primary time to do that kind of work has been lost, but Nick helps when he gets home and I do what I can in the meantime. I'll post pictures once there are pictures worth posting. More than anything right now, I think Nick and I are just in love with our dishwasher!!! haha....

After church last Sunday, I was reminded again that we are strangers in this world; our "home" is the Kingdom of God which is bigger than any city or country. What I don't know is what that really means for how I live my life everyday, and I don't want to try and rationalize my way into an answer that just makes me feel good. Thoughts anyone?

Thanks for reading! I'm going to bed. :-)