Its September 27th which means we've been in the states for one month and 10 days. We leave to go back to Uganda next week. While here many of you encouraged me to continue to write on this blog. I confess that I was surprised that more than just my mom was reading it. So, to all my faithful friends and supporters, thanks for the encouragement.
When we first decided to come to the states for 7 weeks I was feeling like it wouldn't be enough time. Having been away from the motherland for almost three years, a piddly seven weeks felt awfully short. However, as I near our departure date I can say that is was the perfect amount of time. Here are some highlights from our stay here:
Seattle Washington. We love you becuase you are the home of our dear friends the Lathrops. We were so happy to see their smiling faces at the airport as we arrived. Amy cooked massive amounts of weight inducing food including waffles covered in sausage gravy topped with chicken strips and pepper jack cheese. Unreal. Reconnecting with people who have known us in all our ugliness and still love us was amazing. We ate, we shopped, we laughed, we lounged and we cried when we had to leave again.
Portland Oregon. Our roots are in this area and it was strange to be back. We had an awesome time with my in-laws and other long lost friends from as far back as my elementary school days. We got to speak at the church I grew up in and where our dear friend Kent Borror married us. We did more eating, more shopping and lots of remembering.
Kalispell Montana. Having spent eight years in the wilds of Montucky we were maybe the most excited to revisit. The kids saw their besties, Ava, Vance and Sydney. Dan and I saw some of our besties Chadd and Marla. We stayed up WAY too late defending our family names in a wild game of Sing Star and spent all the time we could spare laughing and sharing about our lives with these friends. My family showed up and we spent an awesome weekend on Whitefish Lake boating and swimming and sunning. We managed to eat quite a lot as always happens when Shattucks get together. We shared stories of our beautiful friends in Uganda and spoke of the vision of what is to come. Our home church Easthaven Baptist hosted a bbq in our honor with a "pit master" who cooked up some pulled pork sandwiches. We were surrounded by encouragement and love and many people caught the excitement of what God is doing in Uganda. Our time was bittersweet as we knew time was growing short.
Back to Portland Oregon. We spent a delightful day of travelling in style in my in-laws motorhome heading back to Portland. Our last day on the west coast included a day at the park and a night at Olive Garden where Dan and I first met.
Raleigh North Carolina. And now we are here in Raleigh. The home of Vintage 21 Church. We are staying with the incomparable Rachel Gross and are eating our way through the homes of Vintage 21 members each night. Our time is almost done and we have had nothing but encouragement from them. We head to the beach tomorrow to spread some love to Rosalie Simcoe's family. We'll spend our remaining days with my parents and Vintage people and we'll spread the vision for Uganda on Monday when we are part of a Plant Uganda night.
There are so many stories that I don't have the time to share. So many people that we saw and became fast friends with. Many of these people have asked me if it has been hard being back in the states. I realized that my time here has been good in many ways but also really distracting. I had much needed time to enjoy people I haven't seen FOREVER and to love on my family. But I also had too much time to indulge in myself. I shopped till I dropped and fell right back into the trap of accumulating. Of thinking I NEED MORE STUFF. I gained 10 pounds and lost what little self control I had especially when someone brought Krispy Kremes over to a dinner last night. My kids have become monsters and have had to revisit what discipline means. I have sought entertainment over quiet time. And I started to entertain thoughts of how much easier my life would be if we lived in the states again. I fantasized about being a soccer mom and my kids being in a school so I wouldn't be responsible for their education. And these thoughts brought a lot of longing for something other than what God is doing in my life.
So with a heavy heart I have had to pray again for the joy of being in God's will. I desperately want to be happy even if God tells me that we'll never move back to the states. And honestly in the last two days as God started cutting away the things entangling me I have felt my affections move back to Uganda and to my precious friends there. I feel the LONGING to be back in my funky neighborhood and to have all our teenage girls harassing me daily. I miss my "daughter" Scovia and her silly smile. I miss Rosalie and our delightful encouraging friendship. I miss the dirty beautiful kids that follow me around and drive me nuts. I miss the red dirt in my ears and on my feet. And I miss the satisfaction of knowing that I am exactly where God wants me.
Thanks America for all the fun. Thanks my dearest friends and family for loving on us and filling us up. Thanks to all the churches that have shared with us and let us share. And thanks Jesus for reminding me that you desire everything to bring you glory, including my summer vacation.
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