Okay, we are here finally. After three years of wishing and praying and defeat and excitement we arrived in Libby Montana today. As we pulled out of Kalispell the kids said good bye to all the landmarks on the way. Aiden's was the most poignant when we passed the brand new McDonald's by Costco. "Good bye McDonald's that I've never eaten at....". There were a few tears on the way out of town but mostly excitement.
We pulled in at the Mountainside Missionary Training Center around 3 pm. Steve and John (regular staff members who run the center) helped us unload our excessive amount of suitcases. It brought back memories from going away to camp when I was eight years old. A new cabin-esque place to live. Dormitory style rooms. Bunk beds for the kids. With great joy I finally unpacked my suitcase. I've been living out of it for a month solid now so the sight of dressers filled me with glee! Mine and Dan's clothes are hanging together in a closet for the first time in seven years. The spaces are a little tight but it serves as a good reminder that we must continue to pare down our load. The kids rode their bikes in the gym, built a wall with cardboard bricks and explored the three story compound. (The cardboard bricks served as a great reminder that all kids really need to be happy is a box or two.) They fought over who got the top bunk and who got to explore the depths of the toy closet first. All in all they are more excited than distraught.
At one point Dan and I looked at eachother and realized how weird this is. Less than six months ago we applied with International Messengers and here we are. Life changes so fast sometimes!
We had dinner at the Subway in Libby and then went to Pamida's (a step down from Wal-Mart) to look for slippers. You can't wear shoes inside here so everyone uses slippers. The only pair we found were High School Musical slippers that said "I love Troy". So we'll venture out again tomorrow to try our luck somewhere else.
Friends and family...please continue to pray for us everyday. I have moments of joy but also moments of deep sadness. I am thrilled to be here doing what our hearts long to do but I still cling to the thought of stability and security that the life of a missionary cannot always provide. Pray that my heart would be open to these changes and that God would prepare me for all the more difficult ones to come. I'm off to watch a movie with the kids so until I"m inspired to write again...bye!
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