Life Is All About Changes...

It isn't the changes that matter, it is how you react to those changes! Your reaction to these changes make you who you are!

This was the phrase I heard today while watching an old episode of Boy Meets World. This phrase for some would strike a chord and maybe for others, it wouldn't mean a thing! For me this one line hit me so hard and it really hard. Change has been the major standout of this year for my family and I! Who would have thought when 2011 started for us in Campbellsville KY, that our 2011 would end for us in Evansville Indiana! What a great and mighty change this has been! As I look back on 2011 for the Brockman 3, changes big and small have been with us all year!
As our year started, we could have never imagined that 5 months into the year, Tim would lose his job. I can remember that day as if it was yesterday. It was Friday May 13, the day started as any other, Tim off to work, Kaizer and I off to school. After school Kaizer and I paid bills and went to the grocery store. We got back to the house around 4, to find Tim sitting there. I knew the minute I saw him, something bad had happened. I had always joked with him when he came home early, "Oh, did you get fired? Is that why you are home early, or could you just not stand us starting the weekend 2 hours before you!" But that day, when he said he did get fired, I just broke. I stood in shock and denial, having no clue what to say, what to do. I knew that our life would never be the same again. We were behind on a few bills and had no way of catching them up. I cried most for the night and most of the weekend. I had no clue what we were going to do and how we could make ends meet.
We went to church that Sunday morning and Tim and I went to the altar and prayed, cried out to God for answers. I can still hear Bro. Gary's prayer over us that morning, "Lord, I know it seems right now that all hell is breaking lose, but give them peace and understanding that You are holding their hands and walking them through this." I felt so much better after that prayer, I knew somewhere, somehow we were going to make it through this. God had a plan bigger and better than what we could see at that time.
A week after Tim lost his job, I started taking a Experiencing God class at Living Grace and what a blessing that was! God knew what I needed before I did! I have never felt closer to God in those 3 months ever! During the time of me taking this class, we also chose to change churches, we went from First General Baptist to Living Grace and could not have been happier! God blessed us with a wonderful home church in First General and I am forever grateful for every prayer and kind word this church ever gave to us! Living Grace for us was wonderful as well! The people were more than kind! We loved going to Living Grace and meeting all the people there, we miss them all so much!
As went on through the summer, Kaizer had surgery and did remarkable! No pain and very little discomfort! Praise the Lord for that! I can remember telling Tim that maybe he had lost his job so he would have the summer to be with us and do things as a family, but when school started back, he would have a job. I can remember having such a peace about saying that, little did I know just how true that was! So we spent the summer going out and spending time as a family, movies, Abe Lincoln birthplace, and just being together!
After Timmy had put in a countless number of apps around town, we made the choice that he would start looking elsewhere. He looked in Elizabethtown, Lebanon, and eventually Evansville. He finally heard back from TJ Maxx here in Evansville. I knew when he got the call for the interview, that we would be moving and I had no idea how hard that would be. Tim did get the job and sure enough, he started the Monday after Kaizer started school! It was so hard to go to school with him everyday and get so close to all the kids, knowing that in 1 month, we would both have to say goodbye.
Tim started traveling back and fourth every week, Campbellsville to Evansville. That month of travel was hard, Kaizer hated telling his daddy goodbye. One of our last days in class in Campbellsville, I read the kids "Moving Day" from the Berenstein Bears, through lots of tears and sad faces we made it through. Thankfully Kaizer and his class has stayed pen-pals and we try to see them as much as possible! We send videos and letters once a month!
August 28, came and we got a moving truck! It was so strange to pack up our small 2 bedroom apartment and see it all fit in a 14 foot truck! Of course that truck was packed full! We took one more look around and said good-bye to a home we had lived in for 8 years and the only home Kaizer had ever known. Packing up his room was very hard. He had grown from that little 7 pound baby to the 35 pound 6 year old! It took us all day and we finally unloaded the truck late Sat night! The drive up was filled with many tears for me! I love Campbellsville and the small town feel of it, I truly miss Campbellsville!
As we settled into life here in Evansville, things started to get better! Kaizer had some trouble adjusting to school, but we made it! I got a job working for the school system! Tim was working at TJ Maxx, life was good! We had found a new church! We go to Henderson for church at the Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church! We really love it! I am currently taking the RCIA course to become a Catholic! It is really neat to learn about the church and faith!
In November, Tim was offered a better job, better pay, better hours, so he took it! He left his job at TJ Maxx and now works for PGW! He loves his new job and seems really happy to be there! Kaizer also took a big step! He started talking about wanting to be baptized into the Catholic church! We sat down and talked about with him and let him decide! He got saved at 4 years old while we attended FGBC, but had said no to getting baptized there. He says that he knows that is where God wants him and this is what he wants, how can I say no! So our November was good!
Here we are in December with 10 days left in 2011! As I was taking Kaizer to school on his last day this year, I just started crying. This little boy has been through so much and here we are, made it through his first semester at a new school! He has bounced back better than ever! He won student of the month and a t-shirt! He was so proud! On Dec 17, Kaizer was baptized into the Catholic church! What a truly amazing experience that was!
His baptism was something that truly is more than words! His Godmother is a very dear family friend and someone we love, her name is Kathy! His Godfather is very best friend and someone I could never not have in my life, Drew! To watch Drew and Kathy come together to promise to see my child through his faith was amazing! Kaizer made the choice for himself be Catholic, he is happier and very confident in his choice, what more could I ask for!
As this year comes to a close and I look back over the changes that God brought us through and to, I can truly say I am blessed! Some of these changes were scary and heartbreaking, but we made it! We have made it through one of the scariest moments back in May to both of us having jobs and being stronger in our faith! God has a plan for us, no matter how scared we may be, God knows what HE is doing! Thank you Lord for YOUR plan! I may not have always had the best attitude through the changes, but I am better for going through them! Life is always changing, just lean on God to see you through!