SO, SO EXCITED!
Tomorrow is going to be a wonderful day, and I just wanted to share my excitement with you! I will be flying out to Richmond, VA to spend 4 full, excellent days with my family and hopefully a few friends, as well.
Since Jody and I have been stretching every penny these days, flying or even driving to be with our families this holiday season did not even cross our minds. And everyone knows it's expensive to travel, so we can't afford to worry ourselves too much how in-laws might feel. They know graduate school is tough, expensive and exhausting. And while seminary students are posting statuses on facebook saying, "Heading home in 10 hours!" and are constantly flying back to spend weekends and holidays with their families throughout the semester, Jody and I have contented ourselves to remain with each other wherever we are, trusting that our families know we love them and treasure every opportunity that we do get to spend together. Our thought was always, "Well, we might as well start our own family's holiday traditions now!"
Needless to say, with that in mind, I was shocked when my family offered to chip in to buy a plane ticket for me to come home for Thanksgiving. My first concern was Jody, of course. I wanted to spend it with him. But as time drew close to make a decision, we realized that he had too much schoolwork and could not in all good conscience just leave it all behind for almost a week. As I talked with Mom and as Jody urged me to not worry about him and to just go, I realized I had better jump at this opportunity.
For the first time in 3-4 years, I am settled in the United States again. Rebekah and Bryan have decided not to go to North Carolina to be with Bryan's extended family, since they just had their 4th baby (Pictures will be posted after this post!) It is Daniel and Courtney's year to spend Thanksgiving with our family. And Luke is now in the National Guard, with the very real possibility that he could be sent to Iraq or Afghanistan in the next year. And even Chris will be making it down from New York. Poor Mom, she has done so much to rally her brood around for a family get-together... so hard when you have 10 people running in so many different directions! We haven't all been together for the holidays in 5 years. That is too long.
In short, I didn't want to spoil the family get-together yet again. So I accepted their amazing gift, and I am going to Virginia tomorrow! I am praising God for the opportunity and already rubbing my hands together in anticipation of all the pictures I am going to take, all the hugs I'm going to grab, all the nummy nummy food I'm going to eat, and all the family updates and stories I'm going to hear. Oh yes, and all the holding I can get of Baby Jane before she grows up and gets a 'tude like her big sister Chloe. Ha! So, so excited, and so, so thankful! Thank you, family for helping me to come, and thank you, Jody, for encouraging me to go without allowing me to feel guilty at all. And thank you, Lord, for giving me such a wonderful family. I am so truly thankful!
Psalm 100
Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth.
Serve the LORD with gladness;
Come before Him with joyful singing.
Know that the LORD Himself is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
Enter His gates with thanksgiving
And His courts with praise
Give thanks to Him, bless His name.
For the LORD is good;
His lovingkindness is everlasting
And His faithfulness to all generations.
rebekah with all her children: chloe, nathan, micah and now baby jane
