"Saying goodbye to your brother and sister in law, and your kids' cousins" would be a 10plus. It's one of those goodbyes that you wish never had to happen. If we were in charge of choosing our neighbors, these guys would be right at the top of the list.
On a date Thursday evening Matt and I talked about "what if ND was our permanent home". It was kind of fun to create a fantasy life here for ourselves, complete with employment (Matt would be an engineer for the city government), transportation (a minivan in the garage) and even wardrobe (I'd be buying a pair of toasty warm winter boots like my cousin Michelle's).
We'd love to worship at Bethel, watch our kids grow up with their cousins, talk parenting and marriage and life with Andy and Kristi.
But this is not our permanent home. Neither is Asia, for that matter. So I'm trying to be grateful for the sweet reminder that heaven is my home, and that goodbyes are a painful reminder that we were created for everlasting relationship with our heavenly Father.
On the evening of July 2nd these cousins greeted one another at the airport and now, six months (and one sweet additional Jonah-cousin) later, we said goodbye. I mostly held it together until the kids started hugging and Julianna ran to me with tear-filled eyes. After that I was pretty much a wreck.
They gave us thousands of sweet memories, and also this sweet book that Kristi made for our family.
You'll have to trust me when I tell you it is even more precious in person.
And that we cannot wait to write a second book the next time we are together. Oh wow, we miss you guys like crazy!
6 comments:
Wow, What a treasure to take with you to Asia. Not only will the children remember in their hearts, they will be reminded of a loving family who keep them in their hearts as well.
Family is forever when Jesus is a common piece. What a blessing. BN
Double wow! Kristi you have created a family treasure! Great photos, great memories for cousins who will be loving and remembering each other from afar!
That is the coolest book! The girls will look at it for hours I'm sure.
That is adorable! I wish I could see every page! Yes, goodbyes stink. Living far away from cousins stinks. But like you said, praise Jesus this world, in whatever corner of it we find ourselves in, isn't our permanent home! Praying for you guys as the goodbyes continue in the coming days and you come back over to this side of the ocean.
That book is PRECIOUS! I must make one!
ugh...getting that lump in my throat just thinking how much I hate goodbyes too. BUT so excited to welcome you into that 90 degree heat soon! We will be there Sat night and I will be looking for you. Hopefully we can catch a little time between your jetlagging family and everything going on. Will be praying for the flights!
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