Not Too Big
It’s been just over a week since these ladies came to visit us! We’d been talking about the possibility of them coming even before our family moved here in October. There was a conference they’d be helping with in the UK. I jokingly (but kind of seriously 🙂 insisted on them stopping through Ireland on the way back, since they’d be only an hour away. I’m so thankful they made it happen!
I have to admit, I surprised myself, tearing up when they walked though our front door. The last few months have been amazing and full and good. There’s been (and continues to be) a lot of transition, and we are settling in to the new normal. But somehow, their familiar faces, standing with luggage in hand, in our entry way – it got me. They’d brought a little bit of home to us and I was both thankful and overwhelmed. I suddenly realized how far away from the familiar we really are.
We went to the ocean while they were here. We actually hadn’t been to the beach since we’ve moved here. Sometimes I forget we live on an island now! The weather in Ireland can be unpredictable. Actually, the forecast was quite grim for the two days they were supposed to be visiting. I remember just praying for favor beforehand, that the Lord would hold off the crazy winds and pouring rain! And the Lord answered!
When we got to the ocean though, it was pretty windy (as you can see in our picture above!) The sky was thick and gray, the waves full of commotion and noise. It was incredible, the water seemed to go on and on forever.
We’d just walked down to the shoreline and it started to drizzle. I thought is was the ocean misting up at us at first. Within minutes, it was raining, then all but pouring! There we were, three grown women, running from waves and trying to collect a few rocks, souvenirs from this side of the Atlantic!
We probably only stayed about ten or fifteen minutes. By the end of it we were all drenched, laughing and yelling to be heard over the water!
I’m so thankful for these women, for two days packed with laughter and late night tea and easy, full conversations. I’m thankful for memories made in full winter gear at the beach, with the ocean threatening to wash us away. And I’m thankful especially for friends that make you feel like home is not so far away and the world is not too big.
Until next time…
