Here and There: Day 3

So we're here. In Australia now. Its a foreign land and I am a stranger here. The beautiful thing about being a part of the family of God is that there is warmth and openness and help no matter where you are in the world and I am so thankful for His help through others.

It has been a long time in coming, this trip to Australia following our hearts desire and His obvious calling and will for us to be here. Our family and friends sent us off in a great big way with the most wonderful party. It was complete with delicious food, drinks, adorable suitcase decorations and a spectacular suitcase cake. It was so beautiful. All the love. Each person who came, came with extraordinary words of encouragement and support and hope. We were both speechless and honored at the spectacle of it all and the generosity. Goodness, the generosity of everyone. Thinking back on it has helped me in dark moments and given me hope.

The journey here was so long and I was so tired when we arrived. Each mile closer to Sydney and further from home seemed to tighten my heart strings and with each step a sad note played. A mournful tune. We finally got here to our home and they left us in our room, closed the door, and I thought my heart was going to fall out of my chest. The night and the morning are hardest right now. You feel like you might fall into a million pieces. Not knowing anything, where anything is, or how it works, or what to do. Its a scary feeling. I’m not going to lie. Quite possibly the hardest thing we’ve ever done. I know that we’re clinging to God and to each other. And though I feel the pain and sorrow of moving away from all we know and love in my bones, I keep reminding myself of the steps God took us through to get us here and that He will provide and be faithful.

I keep thinking of a chapter that Shauna Niequist wrote about when she and her husband moved from Chicago to Grand Rapids. She told her husband she felt like she was a new puppy all safe and warm and happy in the box with her other puppy brothers and sisters and someone had taken her out of the box and all she wanted to do was get back in. Yes to that.

I was encouraged by my last post. It helped me to read those words I said and believe.

For us, this is where the rubber meets the road of faith. Daily, what will I choose?

For now I’m giving myself some grace to adjust and clinging to what I know to be true. I am so grateful for all the prayer and support from home and to all who have helped us along the way. Words can’t even express.

Today we got our luggage and we were so happy to get our things. It makes it feel more homey. I did some grocery shopping and everything is different and more expensive. I am missing the United States in so many ways. It is making me so grateful for our country.

It is beautiful here. The weather. The trees. The people. And still so surreal to actually be at the bottom of the world.

Brooks had the chance to drive today some and he did very well. Easier than he thought. It was a fun and happy moment along with the homemade dinner.

Things are looking up and though my heart has been overwhelmed I will not waste a moment. I want whatever God has for me to learn. I'm thinking it must be a lot so I'd better get started.