Moved...for now

Whew.  We are all moved out of our apartment.  We even left it clean enough to receive our whole deposit back.  I would like to thank all of you for your prayers.  This moving thing that millions of people do all the time with no trouble is maddeningly difficult for me.  The process did not go perfectly, but it did go rather well.  I did not cry in frustration.  I only raised my voice twice, and briefly.  The husband did a rockin awesome job of lifting heavy objects, running up and down stairs, and organizing all our worldly goods. 

I can only describe this experience as grace-filled.  I felt tense and nervous along the way, but I made a concerted effort to invite God into my heart each moment.  In the midst of the sticky heat and boxes that have no lids, I could feel His calming presence. 

Now, here we are at my in-laws’ house.  Doing tons of laundry, sleeping in the husband’s old bedroom, confining our belongings to as small a space as possible, and trying not to get tangled underfoot.  I may simply be too awkward a person to deal properly with all this.  Next, we have to figure out what to unpack, what to store, and what to take with us on orientation and mission.

Monday was my last day at work, and I did not cry until I got home and read the sweet notes from my friends.  My job has been an immense blessing.  Each day, I was given the opportunity to perform works of mercy.  I helped feed the hungry, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, comfort the sorrowful.  I loved every minute of it.  Almost.  I did not love the math on inventory days ;)  I also made some incredible friends along the way.  They have supported and encouraged me through some intensely difficult trials and provide me with beautiful examples of Christian love.  I love them dearly.

I don’t think I have fully grasped that we are about to leave the continent.  Though our lives are jumbled in preparation for such a journey, none of it seems real yet.  Perhaps I am afraid to allow myself to think about actually leaving.  I am excited about this adventure.  Really, I just hope our community likes us.  I know that whatever we do on mission will be tiny and clumsy, but God has asked us to do it.  So, here we go.  Also, hooray of hoorays, the husband’s corrected passport arrived today!  The original suffered a printer error and was missing half a letter.  I could just picture foreign airport officials detaining us for fraud.  No, gracias. 

Not only have we been moving, preparing to leave the country, applying for student loan deferment, and working, but I recently turned in my last chapter of book work for NFP teacher training.  I am now allowed to begin my student teaching, but that will have to wait until we return home from mission.  The husband has a few chapters to go…  I am super excited about participating in this ministry, even if we have to wait a bit to get started.

Since all that is rather boring, my family decided to spice things up a bit.  My grandma recently underwent hip replacement surgery.  Neither she nor my grandpa could be left alone for several weeks.  She was in the hospital or rehab facility, and he was at home.  My dear mother and two youngest siblings moved into my grandparents’ house for almost a month to take care of them.  Mom has not, however, perfected bilocation.  Making sure everyone had adequate care was like solving that riddle where the fox, goose, and grain have to cross a river.  You can only carry one item at a time.  The fox can’t be left alone with the goose, and the goose can’t be left alone with the grain.  Que exhaustion.  Thankfully, my grandma is home and recovering beautifully.  My grandpa is happy to have his sweetheart back.

Wow, this post is all over the place, but such is my life.  Today was nice, though.  Got to throw a football in the park with my sweet love.  Did bunches of laundry.  His parents made tacos for dinner.  Now, to curl up with my kindle and stay up too late reading my beloved Sherlock Holmes. 

Thanks, Jesus, for a beautiful day!  I love you!