What a week!

Hard to believe that this time, a week ago, we were still on the road, having just left Arkansas!  There have been so many adventures, reunions, new friends to meet.  Whew!  What a week!!!!

We went over last Saturday AM to Becky's house to we could spend some more time with her, her family, and our little nephew, Roman.  What a sweet boy, we will miss him so much while we're gone.

Roman and I at Becky's house

Roman and the kiddos had so much fun playing.  You forget how much they like baby toys, those haven't been out for awhile in our house ;)!

A bit blurry; but, I LOVE Roman's face!

Sissi, playing with baby toys

Grandma, Roman, and Krypto all cuddling and watching the tv

Well, we got to Winston Salem, NC last Sunday night.  We were EXHAUSTED.  I quickly got overwhelmed on Monday and Tuesday with all the phone calls and things we needed to take care of.  I was especially frustrated that JPSO couldn't deliver our household goods this week like they had said they would.  Well, it took me just a few hours (and a grumpiness meltdown...yes, I do use the made up word "grumpiness" on a regular basis) to realize it was a gift from the Lord, I needed some down time. 

I got through a bunch of banking, housing, roofing, storage facility, etc. phone calls.  Ran a bunch of errands and got things lined up for next week.  I also was more open to the idea of meeting up with some local Tapestry of Grace (TOG) Loose Threads (TLT Yahoo Group) ladies and going to my first ever homeschool convention.  I had NO IDEA what I had been missing all these years.  I'm telling you now, if you haven't been to one (and are a homeschooler of course ;)), GO!  They are amazing...at least NCHE's is!!!  Next time, I'm doing full conference, instead of just the Book/Vendor Fair and the free sessions.

We also made it over to Oak Ridge and met up with the President of Oak Ridge Military Academy (ORMA.)  Indy has been in email/phone contact with him for over a year about the possibility (long term) of him teaching there long term.  He was so kind, wanted to meet all of us (I had waited outside with the kids before he called us all in to his office and gave the kids jelly beans), walked us around campus, and told us all the history of the school.  That place has been around longer than several states that we have lived in have been around...super neat!!!  You never know, one day, maybe....  We're trying to be open to how long the Lord wants us in Tanzania.  I am really torn somedays and just don't know how long His will, will keep us there...please pray with us about that.  We want to make the right decision in about a year in a half when we have to tell HOPAC if we're returning after the 2 years are up!

While in Oak Ridge, I made a call to Siobhan (she's Irish, and THANK YOU to Marsha and Sharon that helped me to pronounce her name correctly...it's phonetically pronounced "Shi-von".)  She was most gracious, gave us even more history of the local area and the economy.  Told us about the local, very active homeschool community, 4-H, homeschool camps, churches...so MANY opportunities here!

A picture that Sissi took of "her boys" while we had an amazing lunch at "Elizabeth's", courtesy of Siobhan...Thank you Lady!

Another shot by Sissi.  What a wonderful day we had!

We went home that night, and on Friday...I just couldn't resist...I had to go back and get some pictures with the ladies and walk around the amazing Book Fair again.  Oh, and this time, the whole family came.  Did I tell you that I LOVED the NCHE (North Carolinians for Home Education) Conference???

 Picture of me, Sharon R., and Jennifer McQ.

This is when I misplaced my camera.  It got left "by" my purse, not in it...and when I walked away from these pictures, it didn't walk away with me...but stayed, all lonely and abandoned on the floor, in the hallway, of the Benton Convention Center.

Sissi is always the life of the party.  She has never met a stranger.

She told them all to make funny faces ;)!  Indy said this is good for some black mail money down the road.

Later on, Siobhan showed up.  Another great shot of my ladies...

Finally, today was the big family BBQ.  Indy and I started off the day by going BACK to the Convention to get my camera...it was the 3rd place we checked.  Thank the Lord!  I was literally giddy with my joy over the recovery!

The girls, watching a movie in Nana and Papa Chuck's room.

Aunt Vana, Chana, and Maggie working on the food

Ahhh, sweet Cowboy!

Downstairs, dinner out of the sun and heat.  Gotta love the AC ;)!!!

L-R, Aunt Lisa, Sissi with Elisabeth (E.B.), and Carla

What a dinner party, did we really have 25 people here!??

 So glad we could see Mama Dot again too, it's been a few years!

Aunt Lisa got Uncle Chuck a new grill for his birthday, Father's Day, Christmas...don't say I don't love you, gift!  He was wiped out though after cooking.  Funny, I thought that thing did "everything but wash the car...."

Big man Krypto and his Daddy, Indy on the screened in porch.  Love that addition to the house!  Reminds me of my Grandma and Grandpa's house in Marcus, IA...ahhh, the flashbacks to childhood.  

Our favorite summer hangout!

A few Sissi shots to share...Aunt Lisa is Sissi's new best friend...or was that E.B., or Uncle .... oh yeah, everyone is Sissi's best friend ;)!

Chuck and Carolina

Sweet Carolina, she's Sissi's new sister...hmmm, does she really want our family to grow?

This face is classic...love it!

More shoe shots!

Self portrait

Oh man, really...too funny!

Charlie and Bannon, if you can see in his hand

 his origami flowers that he made for Mama Dot...what a sweet boy with a big heart!

Uncle Chuck, you are so big!

Why is Mommy crooked?

Like my feet?

View from the deck of all the kids (and E.B.) playing in the yard.  

Cowboy is just sitting in the center, taking it all in.

Mama Dot and Maggie

Maggie and Aunt Vana

The ladies looking at pictures of Brian's furlough from his deployment.

What an amazing week it's been!

What does the next week hold?

-Saying goodbye to Chuck, Maggie, and the girls...

-Saying goodbye to Chana and the kids

-Saying goodbye (for now) to Aunt Vana and Uncle Chuck

-Accepting our household goods on Tuesday and PRAYING they all fit in storage

-Going to meet the Classics Dept. Head at UNC Chapel Hill on Wednesday about Indy joining their PhD program in the future...who knows when???
-Lunch with Sharon

-An overnight with Chana and the kids at Seymour Johnson

-All the base activities on Thursday...legal, MPF, Tricare, new IDs....ahhhh

-Praying we get a contract on the house soon!

-Etc, etc, etc....

A few "going aways"

This post (and Indy's Retirement) are hard posts to write.  It is bringing back a flood of memories, feelings, and thoughts that I didn't want to resurface...like, "what in the world are we doing" (insert sheepish grin here.)  I'll be honest with you, I'm not a good liar anyway, I think we all have doubts after we make a big, life-changing, decision...did we do the right thing, can God still bless us if we made the wrong decision.  I've had these thoughts over and over as I've dealt with my children's melt downs about leaving our home and their friends, my own melt downs (not proud of these, to be sure), my endless list of things to take care of, selling vs. renting our house...I honestly feel like I'm in a vacuum in time and it will never end.

BUT, enter the warm kitchen, with a lovingly cooked meal, good friends, comfy couches, lots of laughter, a few tears, children racing through the house with shrieks of joy, and I get all sentimental.  I know we are loved, beyond measure, by so many friends and family.  I feel like I'm cherished and held tight in a big hug.  I know we have an enormous group of people praying for us...I know that the Lord is on our side!  Every time I even venture to THINK about us not going to Africa, about just quietly backing out and staying here, where it's warm and comfortable, I just know that it isn't right.  I will miss all of this SO much, more than I can verbalize, more than I can write, or explain or blog about.  I love so many of you with all my heart.

So, before I begin to cry...  A few photos from over the past two weeks.  Honestly, there are a ton more; but, I don't have many of the pictures, others took them (hint, hint, you all need to send me a few pictures ;))

A Girls' Movie Night with some of the greatest ladies ever (a few were away and couldn't make it)...

Kate, Alison, me, Katie, Miranda, Rachel and Hosanna

Our last story time at the East Branch library with Jennifer Rodman as the story teller.  She is so great with the kids (all the story tellers are); but, she was also the wife of one of my husband's co-workers.

Our last Tapestry of Grace Co-op meeting...a bittersweet time.  We'll miss you all and yet I'm looking forward to our new group growing in Tanzania.  Laura, I'm on my way ;)!

Dinner with some of our best church friends.  Renee, you always put out an amazing meal, we love you and Dan so much for ALL that you've done for us over the years.  There is never enough time to hang out though...  Hope to learn that lesson this time.....Spend the time that you have with friends and family, don't get so caught up in being busy that you don't forge those relationships.  Thanks Lisa K. for that reminder.

Some great ladies here; Kate, Loni, me, Pat and Renee

The gentlemen; Dan, Indy, Robert, and Norm

The kids; Samuel, Adam, Gwangi, Krypto, Sissi, and Zachery

A final breakfast with our dear friend Bernadette at the "Egg and I"...we'll miss you and expect you to visit us, start working on that passport and the travel plans, you hear?

Daddy's Retirement...through the eyes of a 3 year old

SO, Sissi LOVES to take pictures, to play with the camera, to be a "big girl"...is that really a surprise to any parent of a pre-schooler?  They really do tend to copy and imitate us in most all we do.  I, personally, love to take pictures and to scrapbook.  In fact, it's something that I've been promising Sissi for years, that when she is 10, I'll take her with me to her first scrapbooking retreat...she is SO excited about this idea!!!  My little "mini-me."

At the retirement ceremony for Indy, Julia really didn't understand all that was going on.  She was concerned and worried that Daddy was leaving us, she cried and fussed and several of us kept trying to tell her that it was alright, that Daddy was just retiring and would be around MORE now.  As the parent of a pre-schooler would also understand, sometimes you'll do just about anything to "keep the peace", and that includes giving up your camera to a frightened 3 year old.  And, oh, what a collection of photos she took...there are about 150 of them! I'll share some of my personal favorites below:

Oh, Uncle Jon...LOVE this picture of you talking to Sissi!  Classic!

Grandma Marquis

My Dad, what more can I say!!!

Mr. Robert, very nice...you're just too tall my man!

Adam is such a sweetie to Sissi, what a good "big brother"

Almost didn't put this one in...not too terribly flattering to me; but, I really like the look on Marcus' face..."hmm, what are you doing little girl?"

Yeah, now that is the face I know!

The ceiling; but, at an angle...very nice.

Krypto, crying because Daddy was crying after the Honor Guard did the 13 folds on his American Flag.  It was a really moving ceremony.  You can see Gwangi with the video camera, still haven't had the heart to look at that recording yet ;).

I like this one...the ceiling, the mountains, the chapel, and about a 1/3 of Daddy.

Love that Nowlin Family...so glad that their children are gracious, good helpers, and friends to all they meet.

Paul, this is a great shot too, thanks for playing with the kids when the dinner went long.  You're a great man!

Big brother, maybe he didn't like what he was drinking?

The Elephant Bar, great decor and really tasty food too!  There were some awesome posters/travel advertisements from back in the day for Zanzibar, Kenya, etc...a real neat "walk down memory lane."