When I initially saw Paislee Press’s kit, Dwell, I knew it would be special to me. After all I do write on this blog called daily “dwell”ing.
I love the word “dwell” as it holds a lot of special meanings for me. So, I knew that I could take this layout in a lot of different directions. I’m sure this is a kit that I’ll use more than once!
I chose to focus this layout on the concept of dwelling as being a place of home to help me tell the story of making our home here at Fort Leavenworth.
I took this picture of the kids walking into our house here at Ft. Leavenworth last fall after taking a morning break from homeschool for a walk around the neighborhood.
I am choosing to be happy here in this home, not because that’s what I necessarily want to do or because this is where I want to be, but because it’s what I have been called to. It is a choice that hasn’t come easy for me. It’s a choice that I have to be very intentional in making and following through on.
You see, we came here to Fort Leavenworth with a very temporary mindset. We were going to be here for one year for Keith’s Command General Staff College schooling and then move on to the next (better) place. We never thought that Fort Leavenworth would be our home for more than a year.
And then the Army surprised us!
Yes, the Army…our life in the Army…is full of surprises.
My husband is headed to South Korea this summer and the kids and I are staying here, in this home for another year.
What we came into as a temporary home is becoming more permanent. I mean…let’s face it…two years is pretty permanent in this nomadic life we have.
I’m learning to accept these surprises as they come.
I’m learning more and more to “dwell” wherever I am at the moment with a heart of contentment.
At this moment and for the next year this is my home…my place of dwelling.
I want to dwell in this place with contentment, even though it’s not what I planned for and it’s not the house I love. It’s the house I have and that’s something tremendous to be thankful for.
This Army life with all of it’s surprises and separations is not what I want all the time, but it is what we have been called to. To be able to support my husband in his calling is also a blessing to be tremendously thankful for.
So…I’m choosing to be happy here.
This layout is a reminder to myself of that choice.
Visit the Paislee Press blog to see other layouts created with Dwell.
Products used: Dwell elements & papers; template by Amy Martin (retired)