On The Horizon

Home Assignment is around the corner. We will celebrate Easter here, butcher and prepare 5 sheep (and chop 100+ pounds of onions) as we farewell our community (goodbyes and moving is not my thing) and then move and spend the last three weeks in May, settling into our new city. The month of June we will be in Addis Ababa (AA) wrapping up things in the capital and then spend the last half of the month visiting friends on a vacation before a conference/retreat designed for counseling and refreshment of cross-cultural workers. We are praising God for this provision as I’m feeling…just a second…I am trying to think of the right, honest word…tattered?…no, too alarming…tired? Not adequate…Let's just say, ”I'm not at my peak”. The past two years in Ethiopia have been full of challenge and abundance, God’s miraculous provision never absent. A constant stalwart and strength through our weakness.

Knocking to-do's off our bucket list, like movie night in the hut.

Tiger and Miss T love the shepherd life for about an hour.

 I feel like our trip back to the USA is our “finish line”, like I just need to keep pushing and not stop and make it there but in reality, it's another “start line”, getting through jet lag, with a strong desire to build memories, acclimate, snuggle nieces and nephews (we have four little ones in our immediate families we have never yet met), share with friends and churches what God is doing, pack in two-years of doctor, eye, dentist and other appointments, and eat so many yummy foods and doing this while feeling a little “green”. 

From a previous post:

Let’s assign the USA a color,yellow.

Before, we thought yellow, we dreamedyellow, we were yellow.

We love yellow.

For the sake of the illustration, Ethiopia isblue.

We now partake in many blueevents, we eat blue, try to understand blue, and where appropriate, we are trying to beblue.

We love blue.

And we come out a nice shade of green.  

One foot in two worlds, straddling both, trying to juggle in spite of our awkward fumbles, leaving us feeling a bit out of sync in both.

Before a home assignment years ago I wrote “My Kids Might Call You Fat” when I wrote about our cultural combination, I see now it's amplified now as Tiger and Miss T were so young when they came and as our time has lengthened here, we aren't sure which way is "home".  Miss T is the most Ethiopian of our family and huts are her dream scene. Animals underfoot, people feeding her in every direction. The other three love it as well but are less comfortable being the center of attention in group settings. 

Not everyone can climb a staircase to the attic and watch whoever is on the toilet or doing  laundry.

The strength of my neighbor women will always amaze me.

Exploring spaces, finding monkeys and bee hives.

A loaded plaster truck crashed nearby and J and A were so excited for "snow!".  Sorry for your Easter snow. 

And our focused, intent son started to fold diapers like a boss. He won't talk during it, he is so focused.

Blankie rides

We are hosting a KIBIR Retreat here and while wiffleball isn't on the schedule, it's always fun to teach and learn new games. 

It's started. They are raiding my clothes and wearing my t-shirts.

Church and time together in prayer

Thank you all for your capacity to care about us and our neighbors.