Where We're At

These days I find myself a jumble of emotions.  The easiest one to label is "freaked out".  Overwhelmed.  At capacity.  We've got a lot happening around here and I wonder if I'll get it all done.  But I also feel conflicted...I've got my head firmly planted in Germany: working logistics, planning the move, panicking about housing and drivers' licenses and passports.  But my heart is right here with this beautiful life we've made with these wonderful friends.  Two years is nothing...it's the blink of an eye.  But once again, I am getting choked up thinking about saying goodbye.  I could live life with these people forever.  I could let them continue to help me raise these kids.  I wonder how I did it before them.

So...logistically...here's where we're at.  Six weeks until pack and load out.  Seven weeks until we're on the plane.  School's winding down and triathlon and field trip season are in full swing.  We thought we had found and nailed down an awesome house for us in a great little village in Germany, but it is not meant to be.  We got an email last week telling us that the current tenants are not leaving this summer (I mean, I can hardly blame them...it's awesome...but still!), so we're back to square one.  Deep breaths, deep deep prayer.  When we land in Germany we'll live in a hotel for many weeks, as long as it takes to find a place to live.  Our household goods will arrive sometime in August (we hope!)  In a few weeks we'll put our van on a boat to Europe, to be seen again in 6-8 weeks (we hope!).  In the midst of it all we are also going to say goodbye to Casey.  Oh God.  She's going to live with my parents in Colorado...her version of heaven on earth.  She's 13 years old now and slowing down a bit.  We fear the ride over plus the upheaval of it all would be too much to ask of such an angel of a dog.  I can't bear it.  I don't know how I will.

So there's a little stream-of-consciousness update for you.  Would love your prayers for God's will for our family.  We certainly have ideas about how we would like it to go, but it only really works if it's His plan.  Let it be so.

Spring Break, Charlottesville Style

These scenes look familiar, huh?  We took the opportunity for one last quick visit to Charlottesville during the kids' spring break.  It did not disappoint.  Well, I'm sure the weather could have been better, but we had a blast anyway.  Some shots from our always-awesome hike on the Rivanna River trail.