Brookings

I feel like I need to say something about the past 4 months.  I've been trying to write through it all, but nothing comes out right.

We came home to Brookings in December.  We lost our sister in January.  We broke and grieved like never before; praised God for His mercy and figured things out together.

It has been a lot.  A lot of changes, and a lot is different now.  A lot that I haven't figured out how to say out loud.  It's a strange thing:  I don't recall ever being so robbed of words in my life, while so overwhelmed with thoughts, emotions, and realizations.  Words are usually my thing, but since we came back for Julie, the words -- the real, heart-held words -- have refused to come out in intelligible sentences.  It's just a lot.  But my heart has ached much in this season of many-sided trials.  I've never known this type of hurt, but am still ever so grateful to have been allowed in, to love and hurt together with our fellowship family.

I guess I just wanted to put this post here as a sort of place holder.  Like a banner that reads:  "THIS HAPPENED."

Because our time in Brookings is coming to a close now, and we are moving forward to see what the Lord has for us in this next season.  It is bittersweet, and there have been lots of tears about leaving these people who are so precious to me. Staying has been hard, and leaving is hard, too.  But I have been reminded (and have been reminding my family) this past month, "Just because something is hard or sad, doesn't mean it isn't right." The Lord calls us all to do hard things sometimes.  Jeff and I are hopeful, and even excited, about this next leg of the journey.  I'll try to keep family and friends updated here.