Rapid Deceleration!

It has now been almost three weeks since we completely moved out the abode we called home for the past 18 years. Fortunately, the days leading up to our actual departure were so filled with the labor of packing and purging that we had little time to reflect on the memories and the impending goodbye. In the wee hours of Friday morning, after one last cleaning, we stood tearfully on the driveway with the realization that “this is it.”

It was tearful because this was the place where we spent so many times enjoying Mickey Mouse pancakes, decorating Charlie Brown Christmas trees, photographing prom couples, shedding tears through difficult times, and watching three young boys grow into men. It was bearable because we were saying goodbye to the place where these memories originated, not to the memories. It was bearable because deep down we know that we all still have each other and that the memories which made it hard to leave that place helped form who we are today and are indeed part of us.


Most of all though, it was bearable because we know that we are following God’s leading. And His leading is not to stay there. It is by God’s grace we have had affirmations along the way that have allowed us look back with amazement and forward with anticipation. Affirmations like bringing very special people around us to help us prepare our house for sale, to pack and move, and to love us and encourage us throughout this time. Affirmations like selling our house in five short days, or perhaps even more miraculously, selling our Suburban in just a day and a half!




We were blessed to be able to spend the next several days at a mountain condo retreat with two of our three boys (Shawn and Janelle were returning from there own retreat in Ireland). The previous months have been at a frenetic pace, so stopping suddenly to relax was a bit, well, awkward. At first we really didn’t know what to do with ourselves. Fortunately, the awkwardness dissipated and we rediscovered how much we like each other and how much we enjoy simply being together. This was not a trivial revelation given our future!

Right now we are on the tail end of our long planned trip to California. We have reconnected with old friends, spent time with family, and had some very relaxing times. We have enjoyed this time, but once again, it has been a little uncomfortable at times, we just are not used to this pace or lack of structure in our lives.


Monday, we begin our training at Missionary Training International. We will spend the next five weeks at MTI’s campus in Palmer Lake, Colorado, preparing to take the next steps of our journey in Latvia. We are going to enjoy a return to some structure in our lives, as well as learning and spending time with others on similar journeys.

As we near the end of this time away, we are reminded of how thankful we are for the dear friends and family we have, our church family and for our totally cool God and the plans He has for us. I write this concluding paragraph sitting in a Starbucks in Incline Village on Lake Tahoe. We are surrounded by astounding wealth in this beautiful part of creation, we will never be able to afford a place here, and yet we feel exceedingly rich. Thank you for being part of our wealth!