After a week of staying at Matt’s parent’s house, we concluded our stay with a wonderful Thanksgiving meal. I love how thoughtful they all were to want to spend Thanksgiving together now (even though it’s October), in light of our future move across the world. Matt’s older sister and family are also moving to Peru next month, so the time was really a blessing for all.
It felt surreal saying goodbye on Saturday evening. These are my people. Ellen and I have done pregnancies together. We’ve all watched Sarah and James grow up. Barb and Rodger attend our sending church. We see them multiple times a week. Is it really possible that we’re saying goodbye?
Without visas and tickets to leave the country when we said goodbye it felt so surreal. Like we were going through the motions. This is what it would feel like if we were really leaving. Good rehearsal, everyone. See you at church on Sunday, family!
But when the night was done we gave hugs and really said goodbye.
…And it hurt.
We went down to my parent’s for a few days. We were all grateful for a gentle pace. But still in the air hung the goodbyes. How can something feel so “every day” normal and so “permanently the end” final at the same time?
We got our Visas in the mail on Monday afternoon. Ha! That wasn’t a stressful Monday at all! 😉 Nothing like knowing ticketing wants to book your flights by the end of the day, the field wants to receive you ASAP and you’re just waiting on the mailman to do his job. Bated breath. Our stomachs churning. Thank you for those of you who walked that stressful day with us. Oh good grief, what a long day. Thanks mom and dad for ignoring our distracted responses and glazed over eyes at random times during the day. We were constantly in prayer, begging the father for His favor in all the chaos.
It’s so crazy to no know when you’re going to leave the country for a very long time and be ready to go at the drop of a hat. Like literally we didn’t know if it’d be 24 hours later or 36 hours later or 5 days later, but we stood ready. Just waiting.
And amidst the waiting we found ourselves sipping hot chocolate around a bonfire in my parent’s back yard. Our history swirled out through pictures and stories shared from two grandparents to their four grandchildren. A story of blessing, filled with time together given to us from the Father. And while our paths were about to branch off a bit as we jump over the Big Pond, a legacy was offered. A chance to be reminded of their stories beginning on American soil. Together. Before the apart.
Goodbyes.
They’re hard.
So much emotion.
So much delight in the Sender.
So much hurt in the leaving.
So much hope in the new layers, the new developments,
the new growth
built upon so many beautiful stories of life together.
All this before our departing.
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