Suitcase parade

About a week ago we realized that with only four large suitcases we had to go shopping for more.  At a discount store we found lots of suitcases with nice small prices, and we happily let the kids choose the colors they wanted.  It was only as we were paying for nine suitcases that we realized we had to get them home.  Remember we have five children, two adults and only seven seats in our mini van.  Now might be a good time to mention that we also had a half dozen folding chairs riding in the back of the van.   Yeah, it was crazy.  But we are crazy, it's part of what makes us a family.  It only took us about 10 minutes to get the kids and suitcases loaded.  Three of the suitcases were a little larger than the others, so we packed a smaller one in each.  Only two fit in the back with the chairs.  One rode under the two year old's feet.  One went across the laps of the three oldest kids in the back row.  One more fit in the space between our four year old and the door.  The last suitcase rode on Paul's lap while Diane drove.  This is what that craziness looked like.

Managing to get the suitcases home is only half the story.  They also had to be packed.  We spent the next few days sorting and trying to organize the things we most want to take with us to Cambodia.  We were overwhelmed with the prospect of getting it all packed.  One at a time we started filling and weighing suitcases.  As we got them done we shuffled things around so that none were too heavy.  We also happily added things from the want pile when the need pile was all packed.  By the time we were finished we were looking at this.

I'm sure it will be fun to watch us make our way into and out of airports with all these bags and five children.   This is sure to be one of those stories we will look back at with laughter ten years from now.  It's good that we don't have to wait to laugh, because this sure has been a crazy week and I need a good laugh.

Proverbs 17:22a
A cheerful heart is good medicine...

Taking a break

The family that builds together...

has fun!

We hung out with some friends.

And had a great time.

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SOLD! Again...

After losing our first buyers two weeks into escrow, we were pretty discouraged.  We cleaned up our piles of sorted things, and got the house ready to show again.  It took just over a week to get another offer, and we are on the fast track to closing once again.  This second set of buyers is a young family that is a much better fit for the property.  That makes us all feel better about leaving. They are even excited to have our chickens! 

So, out come the piles, and the sorting starts again in earnest.  What to take?  What to store?  What to get rid of?  Most of it goes into the last category.  I've always wanted a fresh start without all the clutter and this is my chance.  I get to choose what is most important to me and let go of everything else.  Making those choices is proving to be very hard.  But, since the reward for choosing is a trip to Cambodia, we will do it. 

One step

When we started this journey to Cambodia it was a simple thing.  We just wanted to learn about the country, the people, and what God is doing there.  I'm not sure we were really seriously considering flying halfway around the planet at first.  It was a crazy idea, completely unreal, but we wanted to find out more about it.  So we took a baby step.  We started researching.  We talked to friends and family.  We prayed.  And we repeatedly said that this idea was crazy.

After taking the first step, we saw where the next one led, and so we stepped out.  One step was flying to Cambodia for a two week whirlwind tour.  After that, it was clear that we were going to take our family over there long term.

The next step was clear, put the house on the market.  Houses in our neighborhood have been taking close to a year to sell.  God found us a buyer in less than two months! We were ready to start planning the next step.

But our buyers backed out.  After two weeks, we have rooms that are now empty.  Our office has no desk, our dining room has no table or chairs.  Stuff that has been sorted into keep, sell, and take piles are making the house look messier than usual.  There is a large pile of things we were intending to sell now sitting in the garage. 

I'm finding it harder to trust at this point.  The timing was exactly what I wanted before, and now?  I feel like I have lost control when I never really had it.  God IS in control, I am not.  If I really believe Him, then I have to trust Him. 

So, we will take each step as it comes, trying not to worry about the steps that come later.  After all we have seven pairs of feet to take through each step. 

Philipians 4:19  And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

Handmade with love

I am a DIY crafty sort of gal.  I've always wanted to do things myself.  Sometimes to save money, and sometimes just because it sounds fun.  I've painted furniture and made lots of curtains for our home.  But what I really like to do is work with small pieces of fabric or a nice length of yarn.  I could pretend that I make useful items because it's cheaper, but it's not.  It's very slow, and when you add up the amount I spend on materials and the time it takes to make one quilt the price is outrageous.  

One thing I have found over the years is that if I start with good materials the end result will be nicer.  It is also more pleasant to work with good quality fabric.  After many years of working with fabric and yarn I can feel the difference in quality.  The good stuff costs more money, but lasts longer.  The end result will be better quality that my family can use for several years.

What I put into a project is worth it because of the end result. 

Today my living room is draped with my handmade quilts.  My children are playing tents and climbing under and over the projects I spent countless hours on.  I hope they understand that they are worth it to me.  And I hope that the quilts will last for years and continue to tell my children how much I love them even when I'm not near them. 

I hope that our move to Cambodia will show the children there that they are worth our time and our effort.  I hope that they will see Jesus love shining through our eyes.  I pray that they will find His love, and that lives will be turned right side up.

Missing stuff

Things I will miss when we leave America...

     Our family and friends.

     Being able to walk into an English speaking church and join in worship.

     Grocery shopping without having to bargain for every piece of fruit I buy. 
     With five kids, I buy lots of fruit! 

     Silly things like being able to shop at Costco.

     Drinking tap water without worrying about getting sick.

     My stuff.   Hey, I like my stuff!  It's good stuff! 

     Roads where people follow traffic laws.



But, when I look at this list, I wonder how much I'll really miss these things?

     With the internet we will still have close contact with our families.

     We got to hang out with Cambodians for two church services, and we were
     worshiping the same God.

     Shopping will be different, but different isn't bad, it's just different.

     I probably don't need all the things I get at Costco anyway.

     Bottled water is easy to find in Cambodia.

     I saw plenty of stuff there.

     We'll get used to the traffic eventually... or just let locals drive us everywhere.  =)  

How are the kids taking it?

Many people have asked me how the kids are taking the idea of us moving to Cambodia.  They were really excited until they realized they wouldn't be able to take all of their toys with them.  I had the same problem.  What about my kitchen gadgets?  Can I take some of them at least?!  Yes, you can take your favorite toys.  The kids and I are happy with that.

We are excited for all of the new experiences we will have together.  After living in 5 different cities in 15 years of marriage we are experts at exploring new places, and finding what we need near us.  A good map has often been our friend.  It's true that an English map may be hard to find after this next move, but we'll find a way to figure things out. 

One of my favorite things about this whole process has been hearing my kids pray for Cambodia.  They are praying that we can go there soon.  My six year old prays for the kids there.  My nine year old asks God to help us find ways to help the Khmer people.  Watching the kids start looking for ways to serve others makes this mama heart very glad.  If they see us moving so far from our comfort zone to serve God, will they be more likely to do the same thing when they are adults?  I hope they will.  I pray they will.