From There to Here

Before you read this one, notice that this is the second one I posted today. There is another new post below!!
So a friend of mine informed me that moving is one of the top 10 most stressful life events! Huh. So, that's why I feel the way I do!! :-) As you can see from the first picture, we left on a beautiful Wisconsin day. I would have enjoyed the farmland more had it not been for the tears in my eyes. Our first stop was Omaha NE. We were then on to Colorado Springs and Santa Fe, then to Kingman AZ, and on to CA. We stopped to see friends two times and both times were blessed and encouraged on our way. We saw some beautiful rows of corn, sunsets, mountains and desert. Did you know desert can be beautiful? I may not want to LIVE there, but it IS pretty!
We arrived in CA all in one piece, Dad having driven the truck the whole 2,000+ miles!! Thanks DAD! Some help arrived from the Temecula office the evening we drove in and we managed to unload the entire truck. My new neighbors, who own the home I'm living in were there as well, moving in boxes and carrying the stuff one load at a time. Wow! It takes much less time to unload those big trucks than to meticulously load them!
The next few days were emotional for me. I am grateful that my parents are so patient. I was not, and never have been one to take moving easily. Each time I move it seems harder. How does that happen? Age? Anyway, after a few days I began to feel better and began to enjoy the lovely scenery surrounding me. God once again has really blessed me and arranged just what He knew ahead of time I would need and enjoy. I live in the beautiful mountainous farmland of Southern CA. We have orange groves and vineyards and horse paddocks all around. It's lovely! I still get to drive through farmland to get to the office! He knew I would enjoy that!
Before Mom and Sharma left to head back to Connecticut, she took Sharma and I to the San Diego Wild Animal Park. I couldn't pass up the silliness of the turtle costume!!
I am now settling into the office routine in Temecula. I met with my new boss for the first time today and we talked about our dreams for the future of NextGen and how we can help build relationships with youth pastors and youth ministries in Southern CA. I have a feeling that the pace of life will speed up quickly. I also think that I will enjoy the job! I already am heading off to help staff a language training camp in the mountains of CA next week and will have the opportunity to learn some more in depth translation work and hang out with a couple of seriously interested highschool students. Hit the ground running!

The sad part

Saying Good by was really hard. There is so much time to cover since last posting that I need to break it into parts. The first part is Wisconsin and the next will be...you'll see! Well, the first picture is of me and some of my kids at the St.Croix Cty Fairgrounds to see the tractor pull. I really enjoyed myself with all this farm culture!! What fun! It was a sweet time with these special people. Then the next one was a flight I was invited to join with my best friends in Wisconsin, Steve and Brenda Allingham and their little boy John Kenneth, for John's first small plane ride with "Daddy". It was our last real time together, and boy was that fun. Steve even let me fly for awhile.
Next is the packing stuff. Mom was a huge help, having flown out to WI early to help me pack. I don't know what I would have done without her! The Sunday before I left was a sad one for me saying goodbye to my church family in Boyceville. We all fit into one picture! See?
The Penske truck was almost NOT big enough to fit all my stuff, but this "motly" crew managed it with the supervision and expert handling of my Dad.
The next day after the apartment was checked we headed out of town. Not knowing when I'll be back made it harder to leave. We have created some great memories and I am grateful that God sent me to Wisconsin, if only for a season.