These are just some of the activities that we have been up to this past month. After we got our crates shipped off we started to sort through the rest of our belongings. We had to figure out what was going to be carried with us in our luggage and what was going to need stored here at home. We are nearly finished with this process and what remains is going to be sold in one final garage sale.
We have made good use of Craig’s-List on the internet and have managed to sell all our major items quickly. One of these items was our sectional couch. Although we were happy to get it sold for the price we were asking, we’ve been using camping chairs in its place ever since. We have our TV on a pair of saw-horses from the garage, and we simply haven’t found a replacement for our recliner. Our house is feeling less and less comfortable but serves to remind us that we, truly, aren’t HOME yet.
In the midst of all of this Missy has begun homeschooling our children. It has been really wonderful to watch them function together as a little team and see it actually happening. So much time was spent in preparation. Countless hours of research was done by Missy to get us to this place. I know that our kids don’t realize just yet how much of an adventure this is going to be. I am very proud of my wife. She has done an outstanding job with something that seemed so overwhelming when we first started thinking about it.
We have also begun to say some of our goodbyes. Just this week we came home from our last trip out to Grandma and Grandpa’s house in Pennsylvania. It was a tearful farewell to say the least. We will enjoy a final visit with Benjamin’s brother and his family this weekend and then say goodbye to them. There are many more goodbyes to come in the next few weeks. Please be praying that we would not be so distracted with what lies ahead that we would miss out on the last few opportunities to enjoy what we still have right here in front of us.
Between the 4th and the 24th
After we leave on the 4th of October we are going to be spending some time in Ireland with Benjamin’s relatives. We haven’t had time with Benjamin’s side of the family since 2005. His Grandmothers and Aunts and Uncles have yet to meet Tiernan and Silas, our two youngest children. We will also be spending a few days in Australia getting over jet lag before we actually make the final flight to PNG. October 24th is the day of our official arrival in Papua New Guinea; then it all begins!
In our next update we want to talk to you about what we are going to be doing in the first couple days, weeks and months of our time in Papua New Guinea. We will also include information about how to best stay in contact with us while we are overseas. As always, we want to express how thankful we are for each of you. God continues to pave the way for us, and He is using you all so clearly in our lives. Thank you.