A Year And Counting....

Yep... It is hard to believe... One year ago today we and all of our family went to the airport... I remember the long wait to go back past the security check... that inevitable moment of saying good-bye was almost too much to bare. I don't remember much about the actual moment of saying good-bye or going through the security check but I do remember very clearly how hard it was to have the security guards check my laptop case because I could hardly see through all my tears............ We passed the seven hour layover in Chicago by reading the notes and cards that our family had sent with us... I remember how we sat there at a table recovering from one note and trying to prepare ourselves for the next one over and over again... I think that it took us the whole seven hours to make our way through them all... We eventually made it on the plane and then over to Ireland. Our co-workers picked us up from the airport and helped us get to our new apartment. They took us out to eat for a good hot meal and took us to our new apartment so we could crash. They were a great help those first few days and weeks as we settled into a new country......


Reflection

Our first year mark is a good time for reflection and counting of blessings. The past year has really gone by quickly but as I sit here and reflect on how the past year has gone I can't help but be grateful for how God has taken care of us. We didn't know anyone in our village but God has provided instant friends in our village and has placed people in our lives that we can count on and turn to if we have had an emergency. We didn't know where we would live or how much it would cost to live here, but God has blessed us with an amazing place to live and has met every need financially that we have had. It was incredibly hard to leave our family and friends in the states... but we knew that moving here was a part of God's plan and God has continually reconfirmed this to us while we have been here... His grace and patience with us has really been evident over the past year and I am really excited about all the future things that He has for us here!