The Trip

Long story made short (trust me, this is going somewhere!  Actually, literally!  WE are GOING somewhere!!!  But I must not get ahead of myself...)

I spent 17 years of my childhood (and teen-hood) overseas.
In Hong Kong and mainland China to be exact.
My family is still there.
Different culture/currency/language/holidays/you-name-it.
All things mentioned above formed who I am today.

That's it in a nutshell.  Though Ben has heard some stories, and yes, he's met my family, he hasn't experienced Asia; hasn't SEEN where I grew up.  Something must be done to remedy this!

SO WE ARE TAKING A TRIP!  Now this is not just a little "oh, let's take a quick little trip!" trip.  Oh, no!  We have been saving $$ for it for almost two years (it didn't take that long, though trip savings was in addition to our regular save-for-a-house and retirement savings).  A year ago we put some dates on the calendar for this spring so we would have some end goal/projected dates of travel.  Those dates are coming up and... we are actually going!  I say that with some surprise because you see, it's been a roller coaster of a ride not knowing exactly when we would be going!

When my grandparents went in the late fall of 2012, we looked up quick and briefly threw around the crazy idea of going with, but it was too short-notice and too busy a time for us - it was just not feasible. So we were thinking this winter/spring.  But then Sam (Ben's boss, also happens to be his dad :)) had rotator cuff surgery on his right shoulder.  With one guy out of four (the most well-trained and the leader at that) out of commission, we didn't feel right about leaving as long as Ben was needed to be his right-hand man.  So we would maybe postpone our trip to the fall?  We weren't really sure.  However, still enduring pretty severe daily (and nightly) pain, Sam is pushing through and bounced back faster than we thought in a lot of ways.  He's driving, taking phone calls, handling the business and doing service calls like normal, except for not lifting things (and all the above things with one hand).  It will make it tougher for the business, no doubt, but mom and dad are the type to seize remarkable opportunities and encourage their kids to do the same.  So they are encouraging us to go! :)

Of course my parents are overjoyed and we are super excited to see them!!!!

We will be leaving in March and coming home in April!  More stories of our already adventurous roller-coaster-emotions of a trip coming soon!!!

pinks & blues

Pink Easter Bonnet Daffodils for a girl, Blue Scillas for a boy!

We'll meet you in heaven, little one! <3

Fading Memories...

...like the sunset over the sea.  

The other day (Jan. 7) was the first day I missed the ship, like REALLY miss the ship and ship life in it's entirety.  We spent an amazing night at Jacob's (and roommates) apartment in Brookings.  It was just a bunch of us college-age friends, living/eating/talking about God/having fun together, and it felt a little like the community life onboard Logos Hope.  

How much fun it used to be to grab my sleeping bag and walk to the other side of E section to cabin 266 for a "sleepover" in Elise's cabin!  Crazy times with her, Linda, Allie, Maddy and Emily Geffert, their "5th cabinmate" as we called her!  Going off the ship with friends, ministry days, performing in events, work, security watches, sailing, teaching Sunday school and little kid's Storytime, meals in the dining room with 400 people...  You lived with your friends, ate all your meals with friends, worked with friends, ministered with them - it was our home - and we made the people around us be family.  It was an incredible and amazing time, living our life wrapped up in this unique ministry and lifestyle serving God!

Time helps ebb the hard memories and the painful ones like the tide going out to sea, leaving me with balmy sunshine, friends and laughter, and gently rolling waves.

Though at the time, it wasn't all smooth sailing.  From my journal:

August 28, 2010

"Then I went out onto the decks to our spot behind the container with an empty chair beside me and cried. I felt like I couldn't scream or yell loud enough to get the pain out... I think deep inside I miss Ben.  Also so many of my friends are leaving.  And the upcoming changes too... we can't go back.  The time we had together was just a brief breath, and then it was gone."