last night in minneapolis

Six years ago, when Vance moved here, he didn't know anyone except his advisor. Five and a half years ago, I didn't know anyone except Vance and a couple people I had met from his church. I don't think I could have known then that I was heading into some of the most formative years of my life (so far :), nor could I have known just how precious so many of those new faces in my life would become.

But here we are, having come full circle: the moving van is packed, the house is cleaned and inspected (thanks to an army of help!), the bags are packed for the car tonight, and I am starting where I began--in Beth's house. It feels right to end here, just as I began, even though I can't quite get my mind around it all yet. Somehow it doesn't feel real, all this leaving. Mostly I'm just doing the next thing.

And although part of me wishes I could really just go ahead and feel all that the little knot in my stomach symbolizes, part of me is grateful for the reprieve. When I do start to think of all the life that we have lived here, and all the rich relationships that we are leaving behind, it is easy to start to feel a little fearful. I think that speaks to both the preciousness of the people we've loved here, but also my quickness to doubt that the God who has so abundantly provided for us could continue to do so somewhere else. So in some ways it is nice to just move on to the next to-do, because I have a feeling that by the time all the dust has settled, I will already see God at work being faithful to us. I think it's probably better this way.

Most of all, I think I'm glad that it's not really goodbye. We'll visit, we hope ALL our friends here in MN will visit, and even though it probably sounds hokey, I'm increasingly grateful for heaven, where there won't be goodbyes like this.

And so we're off, to the next adventure....