We stole away for a bit this week to wade in a creek, climb some rocks, and reconnect with our kiddos. There is nothing that chills me out more than being outside with Brian and the kids. As we were hiking and wading they would shout out, "I have a rock in my Chac!" and burst into a belly laugh. It was a phrase they picked up last weekend from their cousins- who are some of the coolest Chaco wearing kids on the planet, and it seemed to become the theme of our camping experience.
This camping trip was quick and unplanned but turned into one of our sweetest ones yet. There were so many sweet moments... like Anna conquering even higher climbs and going deeper into crevices and seeing the confidence in who she is shine out. Jakin building and managing the campfire. And this morning as I held hands with Mikaiah and we were wandering upstream looking for pretty rocks, I looked down and said, "Thanks for always being my sidekick." She smiled up at me and responded, "Of course I'm your sidekick. You're my superhero." Just typing that makes me tear up because I have been far less than super recently. Yet my kids continue to extend so much grace to me during this crazy time.
This time of transition is SO EXCITING!! We are fully funded! We have our tickets booked! We are packing our tubs and making final decisions on what goes and what stays...and I feel like my mind is constantly spinning. I truly am feeling so peaceful and so excited one minute, then I feel completely overwhelmed the next! I want to make our last weeks of summer in NWA special for our kids. I want to connect with every. single. person. we love before we leave. Brian wants to have everything packed ASAP. (Which can be a wee bit stressful when we have different ideas of what the packing process looks like... more on that later...but I will give you a sneak peek and tell you he tried to put my KitchenAid in a box... with four weeks left until we leave. Bless his heart. Don't worry. Reason won out before things got ugly. My KitchenAid is still on the counter in case you need me to whip up anything amazing in all that free time we have. I'm realizing as I type this that he may have had a point.... but it's the principal. Packing my KitchenAid will mean I am officially closing down my kitchen in Arkansas and I'm just not ready for that yet!) Despite being so close to departure, we still have a million things to do and everyday seems full. One of the kids summed it up the other night at dinner perfectly when they burst into tears and said, "I just feel so much! I'm homesick, but we're home. I miss you, but you're here!"
We realized it was time for us to slow down and just be together. We had our kids brainstorm a few "summer activities" they wanted to accomplish before we leave and not surprisingly, every single one revolved around quality time. Anna wanted to camp and when we looked at our calendar, we realized we only have a few free nights left and last night was one of them.... so we loaded up the tent, grabbed some groceries and headed out. It was beautiful and peaceful and exactly what we needed. The creek by our campsite was the perfect place for us to spend hours playing. And as I was navigating over slippery rocks trying to keep my balance (tricky for this clumsy mama!), I realized it was a great snapshot of what these weeks are for us. I looked up and saw all this beauty, and my kids laughing and splashing and having a wonderful time... but I could've missed it all if I had stayed focused on the wobbly step right in front of me. I can't get bogged down with the things at my feet. I have to keep on looking out, and focusing on the joy and fun of this crazy time. A more seasoned missionary couple we met told us they envy us because nothing has ever made them trust in God's sovereignty more than that first time launching to the field. I want to savor how amazing this process is. God keeps bringing me back to Colossians 3:1-2... to set my heart on things above. He is in the details. I don't have to have all the answers or try to manage everything. I can just breathe. And enjoy. I hope I can look back with grace on all the things I feel like I'm not doing well during this crazy time. Because honestly, the things that matter... those things are happening. Brian and I are totally on the same page (KitchenAid experience excluded), our kids are talking deeply and openly to us, and they are finding joy in simple things like getting "rocks in their Chac's".
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