There are seasons in life that teach us valuable lessons.  Often, these lessons are the ones we’ve fought hardest for, and they’re the ones that shape us the most.

“Okay, now, let’s all stay together.”  Jeff said it as he buckled Travis into the seat on the back of his bike.  “Does everyone have their helmet strapped on tightly?”  It was a question we’d asked a hundred times over that summer.  We’d discovered our family loved bike riding.  Funny story, Jeff found our ten speed bikes on the side of the road, a neighbor was giving them away for free, and we snatched the opportunity.   I can still picture our little family of five, four on bikes and one in tow, riding over the bridge and onto the trail that would wind through Cedar Rapids and eventually end up at an old train station.   The kids LOVED this activity, and so did we.    

Summers in Iowa were glorious.

We were discovering that Cedar Rapids was a beautiful city; so clean with plenty of things to do.  Our first winter there felt dark and lonely, but by the next summer, the summer of 2000, we began to find our way.  There was a pool not too far from our house, it was brand new and featured several slides and, since it was zero entry, even the babies could easily play.  There were parks, I learned to take a small cooler with snacks and drinks and wet wipes for sweaty, sticky hands.   We also became friends with our neighbors, they were wonderful people.   

Life was starting to take shape.

Jeff was busy leading worship, directing the choir and steering the youth group.  We had people that volunteered to help with the teens and, although the group never grew to the size we’d seen in Alabama, we had some really wonderful teens that turned into amazing adults.  (We still keep up with them on social media, it’s like watching your kids grow, you’re so proud of them and pray they keep growing and learning.) 

The choir was filled with talented people who were willing to try new things.  There is one member in particular that won our hearts, he’s gone to be with Jesus now, but he was one we’ll never forget.  He and his wife took us under their wings, their names were Bill and Barb.   They loved our kids and Christian became a BIG Green Bay Packers fan by watching games with Bill.  (Of course, he’s since become a Vikings fan because of his Dad, but we never let him forget his Packer days.  Ha!) Barb would invite us over for dinner and cook all of our favorite things.  We would sit and have long conversations about life and ministry; they always encouraged us and believed in us even when we struggled to believe in ourselves.  What an amazing gift to have a couple, ahead of us in years, who reached out and loved us in ways we needed desperately.  You know, that same thing happened in Alabama, an older couple “adopted” us and loved us and believed in us and our ministry.  We have been so fortunate to be mentored by two couples that made a huge impact in our lives.    

The second Christmas we were there, Barb pulled me aside after church.  “I want to take you shopping and buy the kids Christmas outfits.”  I remember standing there kind of stunned, so she repeated herself.  True to her word, the next week we loaded up the green van and went to the mall where she proceeded to buy each of my kids an outfit.  If any of you Cedar Rapids folks are reading this, the outfits our kids wore on any Christmas Sunday (for four of the five years we were there) were bought by Bill and Barb.  And, as a bonus, one year she insisted on buying me a pair of earrings for the fourth of July which I still have to this day; they are priceless to me.  I enjoyed those shopping outings so much, the time spent with her was always delightful.  She was quick to laugh and loved literally everyone she came in contact with. You know, I have no idea about their financial situation, but I do know they used what they had to deeply bless a family in an unconventional way.  It was, and still is, the sweetest thing when I think about it; it also challenges me to think outside the box when helping others.   Those Christmas shopping trips will forever be one of my favorite memories. 

Jeff did a good amount of traveling while in Cedar Rapids.  There were youth trips, camps and football games and other activities to attend.  If something happened near home, we would take the whole family, otherwise, Jeff would go alone (with other volunteers, just not me).   During one track meet we attended, we were  sitting on the bottom row, only a flimsy railing stood between us and a four foot drop to the track below.  I was talking, and so was Jeff, when this young red headed track athlete hopped the short railing that surrounded the football field, and sprinted across the track just in time to catch Travis who had slipped between the rails and was falling to the paved track below.  Time moved in slow motion for a few moments as I realized what was happening and couldn’t get up quickly enough to catch him.  Thank goodness for the quick thinking, and action, of that young man!  We were very careful where we sat after that experience!

I already told you about the split level house we bought on Birchwood Dr.  We loved that house.  When we lived there I spent a lot of time in the yard.  We had a flower garden that separated us from the neighbors, it ran the length of the retainer wall.  We grew tulips, which apparently are a favorite snack for the deer that lived nearby.  We also grew all sorts of annuals and a few perennials.  We had a deer family that would show up in our back yard each year, but I think my favorite thing was the fireflies.  We had a deck off the back of the house and in the fall, right before it started to get real cold, you could go out on most nights and chase the fireflies.  They were so beautiful and the kids loved them.   Our house rested on a hill, so mowing was perilous; but the yard, with all of its foliage, became a beautiful refuge, and I spent many hours working and praying there.  It took some time, and a lot of flower planting, but, one day, I realized, quite by accident, that I’d fallen in love with Iowa and all of its people. 

Not the winters though, I never could fall for the winters; they were brutal!

I learned that some of the greatest lessons and blessings can come from places you’d never expect.

Iowa surprised me, I wasn’t expecting to fall for it.

The kids continued to grow, and the five years we lived there rolled by, each year bringing new adventures and life lessons.  Abbie was set to start fifth grade, Christian third grade and Travis kindergarten when Jeff went to work one day expecting another day in the office. It was mid-morning when the Pastor, whom we loved, walked in and told Jeff news he’d never planned to say.  He was leaving. 

And, just like Alabama, we were suddenly unemployed.