The Arrangement

Together at Christmas

Harvey left yesterday to return to the Hill. The rest of us are staying behind ... for now. 

After months of waiting and praying, Harvey was offered a position on the staff of the newly elected congressman for Oklahoma's Fifth District, one of Harvey's former opponents in the congressional race. Next to actually winning the election and becoming a congressman himself, working back on the Hill was Harvey's first choice as he considered the possibilities of what he could do next. He will be a legislative aide to the congressman, advising him in certain areas of policy. Harvey has great respect for his boss, and he is excited to be a part of the shaping and direction of his new office.

It was two years ago that we were moving to Washington for the first time. We knew no one there, but we jumped into the move headfirst, taking a weekend trip there to find a house and packing up moving our family of six there just a few weeks later.

This move will be different. Our kids have been in five different schools in three different cities over the past three years, and I am hesitant to move them again so soon. I'm still no expert, but I know more now about the school situation in DC--that you can't just find a good school and go enroll. I know about the lottery system and the time frame for it. I know about neighborhoods and I know where I want to live--preferably the same neighborhood we lived in before because of its proximity to Harvey's work and our church and our familiarity with the schools and surroundings.

We also now have friends in DC, dear, generous friends who have offered to open their homes to Harvey until we find a home and our family can come. So Harvey has a place to stay and he can take time to look for just the right place for us.

So we decided, at least for now, for the kids and me to stay in Oklahoma City temporarily, the kids continuing in the school they've grown so fond of this year. The sad part will be the separation from their Daddy.

There is one thing that should make this bearable for us. Harvey will be flying back on weekends to continue his interim preaching position at Lone Star Baptist Church--at least until they call a permanent pastor. They won't have to search for someone to preach each week, and the money they pay Harvey will help cover the cost of the weekly flight so he can be back with the church and with us each weekend. It seems like both the church and our family will benefit from this arrangement.

Of course I have all the mixed emotions that go with a big move. I will be sad to be so far away from our family again, and we've made some precious friends at Lone Star and at Portland Avenue Baptist Church (where we go when we're not at Lone Star), friends it will be hard to leave. But I am excited and eager to get back to our life in DC, back to our church and friends and all the amazing and wonderful things that city has to offer.

Our 2014 was quite a ride. (If you're not caught up and wondering why, you can read about it in my previous blog posts.) I am thankful for all the experiences and the ways we grew through them. But I am ready to settle back in to a routine and a stretch of calm, if that's possible in our family. We will make it through the next few weeks and months and return to life Washingtonian, with its traffic and bustle and museums and politics and history and diversity. And Ikea. Look out, Washington. We're coming back.