Mini Apples, houses, and other things

I changed my blog title to what I had always planned on naming it in the first place: Mini Apples: Journey to a New Home. When we first visited the twin cities area, and got to Minneapolis, we told our 7 year old daughter "we're here in Minneapolis!" She later replied, "I really like Mini Apples. It's a nice city." No longer is it Minneapolis, but forever known to our family as "Mini Apples".

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We've been looking online at soooo many houses for rent in MN, that we go to bed at night with visions of homes in our head! Does it have 3 bedrooms? 4?
1 bathroom? or 2? What part of the twin cities is it in? Closer to Mini Apples, or closer to St. Paul? The list goes on! Living in St. Petersburg, Russia, we were always in an apartment. It was furnished at that! We have never had to go house-hunting because there wasn't that option really, there. So, this is all new to us! We're having fun, even if a bit overwhelmed.

It hits me at different times how different life is here than in Russia. I think my mind is just still not grasping that we are no longer "Missionaries to Russia". We are now "Missionaries in Minnesota". I must tell you, I don't know why God has asked us to leave Russia, but I thank Him for it. Thank Him for letting me leave? NO! It was home, and I long for St. Petersburg many days. However, I thank Him for asking us to do whatever He has planned for us in MN. After all, since it's part of His plan, I choose not to question, but to honor His wishes, and go. Just go. Minnesota is foreign to a Florida girl, but God prepared us for many aspects by allowing us to live in Russia. You know, someone just said to me last week, "Just think! Maybe God had you live in Russia to prepare you for Minnesota! Maybe it was His plan all along!" Well, yes.... it was His plan for us to go to Minnesota, but it was once His plan for us to be in Russia. I do know what the man meant though... maybe one day we will look back and say, "NOW I got it! NOW I know why He asked us to move to Russia- it was so we could relate to the Russians here in Minnesota, it was so we would be prepared to live in the cold here, it was so we could reach those precious people, have a burden for them, and __________"

I can't wait to fill in the blank!