Well we made it to November. We've made it to our home, Durango. This weekend we say goodbye again, and finally to this precious town, our precious sending church, and friends we have done life with for the last 10 years. I felt emotionally confused coming into town today. 61 days and we will be boarding our plane to Cambodia, and we will be not have the ability to drive 6 hours and be here...
I was driving up HWY 160 to our friends' house, which is right near our old house. I thought, this so natural, so comfortable, so... home. We haven't been home in 5 months. I came for a women's retreat and it was great, wonderful, but I didn't come all the way to Durango, and I didn't come up here to these sweet neighborhoods. This is home, we got to Pagosa, and Amirah got so excited because we were near our house. I had to reexplain that it isn't our house anymore, our new house is in Cambodia. Yes, I miss our house too. Then when I got up here, I quietly drove by our old house, just to see it. The girls were asleep, and Chris is at the church, so it was just me. I felt my heart swell, and break at the same time, and I thanked God for the sweet sweet memories there. I prayed for the family who bought it, and now occupies it, and I drove away again.
The odd thing is... we brought suitcases home, we are staying in someone else's house, and we our weekend is full of what will be heartwarming and joyful hellos, and heartbreaking, gut-wrenching goodbyes. Easier because we have done them once before, harder because this is it. We have a long time before we will hug these necks, talk with these people, and share life with these friends, and family choice, and when we return, it won't be the same for any of us. Just like it isn't quite the same now.
We just spent a week traveling to see family and family of choice, and training at MissionsPrep. It was exhausting, and wonderful all the same time. We now have a home in Illinois, who knew we would ever have a home there. (A piece of our family of choice moved there.) We wept as we said final goodbyes to the Beach Family, and drove home to Colorado. This weekend we say goodbye to Durango, The River Church, and family of choice still here. Then we head out for one last training at the end of next week, and then, more and more goodbyes. Until December is over, and we board that plane, with our 8 checked bags, 8 carry ons, hearts full of grief, and full of excitement, that the day is here...
**Update when published a few weeks later:
- We finished our final training last week and we enjoyed time together and learning how to be more safe. We often feel these same emotions, and it is a good look into how we feel off and on as we go about celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas and packing!