The Long Goodbye

I had been counting the days till they left in my head, so many times the last couple to weeks. I was dreading it, I wanted the day to be done at the same time wishing it would never come.

My son and grandchildren left last week, van fully loaded, headed to North Dakota. The goodbyes were hard, I knew they would be, but the days leading up to their departure were so busy that I barely had time for tears.

I have already talked to them, they arrived yesterday, safe and sound and thrilled to be reunited with their momma.There are still evidences of their presence all around our home, lego aircraft on the mantle, baby dolls forgotten, hair bows in the car, a ball cap in the room over the garage. Things I will be packing up to send to them.

The plan is for them to be back in the summer (mom's a school teacher) and we hope to be able to visit as well...going to need a "real" winter coat for that visit.  They are hoping to get internet so we can do "face time" and there is the phone, but it won't be the same.

I thought I would be a mess, but God has given us a peace that defies explanation.

With the children gone we will have more time, it will be a new season for us. I told a friend a few weeks ago that if our family left, I felt the Lord would fill the void with something else, he has (never saw that coming either but more about that in a later post)

I am going to miss those sweet little faces, but I am trusting that God has a purpose and a plan for all of us. Keeping eternity in view as we walk this journey.