Part 1: First Furlough
It feels crazy that it’s May already! Our last update was at the end of December. Since then we moved into a new house and went on our first furlough back to the United States! Moving was sort of a whirlwind. I think it always is, but we needed to pack, paint at the new house, move, unpack everything, pack all our suitcases again, and leave for an international trip – all in the span of about a month! I’m so thankful for the community the Lord has given us here in Cork – people who help you fill boxes, paint, load and unload your stuff, clean your house, and even feed you! There’s no way we could have moved like we did without them!
And a month later we were on a plane. Our first time off the island since we arrived in October of 2016. Our first time going home. I don’t think any of us really knew what to expect…how we would feel, if it would be hard to come back. We were looking forward to being with family, catching up with friends, hanging out with people we love, and eating all the food we missed! But I was honestly worried, especially for the boys. What if the novelty of moving to Ireland, being on this great adventure had worn off for them? After all, now we had a routine, school and chores and normal things. What if they didn’t want to come back?
The day before we left, a friend came over to say goodbye before our trip. She brought the boys a few little things to occupy them on the long plane ride, and she handed me a card she’d made. On the front, she’d written Deuteronomy 31:8:
“The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you…do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
And on the back, Isaiah 40:11:
“He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.”
A great comfort – Jesus sees us, knows us, and goes with us. It sounds so basic, and not very glamorous, but knowing that we are not alone, that God Himself loves us and cares for the things we care about, that He is with us – sometimes it feels like all the assurance we have. But it is enough!
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We landed in Denver, spent a day and a half there, and drove up to see Branden’s family in Wyoming. While we were there, they got a three day blizzard! Leaving Ireland in February, it was cold and wet, but this was a different kind of cold! A big blizzard meant lots of sledding for the boys, driving a snow mobile, and even ice fishing!
Branden and his dad took the boys out on the ice for about three hours. They hand drilled holes, dropped lines, and even caught a few fish! By the end of it, Ethan was frozen! When I asked him how it went, he said, “Yeah, I would go ice fishing again, as long as it wasn’t cold!” Just fishing then 🙂
After about a week, we drove back down to Denver, hopped in a rental car with my parents, and drove to Phoenix. Two of my sisters moved there last year. They were each pregnant with their first babies when we left for Ireland. Their babies were born five weeks apart and both celebrated their first birthdays right before we arrived back in the States. I couldn’t wait to meet them!