Packing/Leaving & Before/After pics

BEFORE AND AFTER 1.....
This is Elijah's room when we first arrived. It was kind of an office, but mostly a junk room that I was afraid to go into, because there were always so many geckos on the walls!!!

This is Elijah's room after some TLC. It's amazing what a little paint and new curtains can do for a room!

We got that cute little dresser/changing table from an expat who is leaving Malawi. We have been looking for quite some time, but only found gaudy things for a VERY high price or old used things for a VERY high price ($100 or more!!). It was getting ridiculous. We were sooo happy to find this sturdy wood dresser and it was only 3,000 Kwacha (about $21)! And just in the knick of time, too! The bassinet/cradle is from Marion. We will use that when we get back until Eli grows out of it. We have another crib lined up for when Eli gets big. Praise the Lord! He has really provided for all our needs concerning little Eli.
BEFORE & AFTER 2...
Dan and I in Paris. A cute picture, I know...but notice me in the dress......This is me in the same dress at 30 weeks (taken while packing...that's why everything is SUCH a mess!)



It feels like just yesterday, Dan and I were stressed out about packing up our little apartment in Seattle. At that time, we were trying to figure out whether the box was going to Africa, Nashville, Indianapolis or staying in Seattle. Thankfully, this time we only have to figure out if things will come with us or be packed away in a closet here. Still, packing is packing and it's tiring.

I have had to be very careful to lay down when I get tired, especially when the charlie horses start to set in. Lately, I've been waking up with them in my calf muscles!! Over all, we are doing a great job and are almost ready to get on that plane to AMERICA!

We leave this today at 3pm. We fly to Johannesburg, South Africa and then through Senegal to NYC. Our layover in NY is about 3 hours and then we puddle jump to D.C. for another layover of a whopping 5 hours!!! Finally, we arrive in Nashville Tuesday evening around 6pm, just in time for dinner. My reward for making it through all that traveling and waiting will be a nice big friend chicken salad with EXTRA honey mustard at J Alexander's in Franklin. I have been craving it for months now, and cannot believe I will actually be tasting it in just a few days!

In talking with Dan yesterday about leaving, I realized that I feel numb. Last week was a very emotional and trying week as we closed up school, said our goodbyes to students and cleaned out our desks. I visited the babies at the nursery and gave them all loves as I probably won't see most of them when we return. But by Friday, I think I was overwhelmed and a switch went off in my heart. Now, I can't seem to feel anything at all! Maybe I just already went through all the emotions of leaving and dealt with it, and now I am just excited to get on the road, especially since we've been looking forward to this time for 5 months now. Getting on that plane means we are that much closer to meeting Elijah and we are so thrilled about that! As well, many of the people we are saying goodbye to will be here when we get back, so it isn't quite a permanent goodbye, although, there are a few of those. Dan made a good point though. We are feeling sad about leaving because we are leaving the work that we felt so strongly called to do. Of course, we are learning how quickly the Lord can change our path and we are gladly following him into parenthood, but there is a sadness to letting go of this work.

We both really enjoyed teaching the students at the Academy and are sad that it was cut short. I feel as though I was just getting the hang of things in a way, and now, I am off to begin a whole new job! It is important for me to remember that the calling of motherhood is a gift from God. Just as God freely gives to us, He also freely takes away, and we are to be thankful for both. Of course, I can be sad about leaving my work at the Academy, but I need to always see that everything comes from the Lord and He has plans to prosper me and not to harm me.I feel so blessed and wouldn't have it any other way.

I do have some anxieties about traveling, though. Our connection in Johanessburg to NY is VERY short, and we might not make it. Please pray that all of our flights would be on time and that we wouldn't have any delays. We will be traveling for about 30 hours. We need grace for each other, patience with the airlines and peace while we wait to return to the States.
Thank you for all of your prayers, and we so look forward to seeing you in various places at different times over the next 5 months!