looking ahead

When we were finishing up our mission formation time in Los Angeles this spring, all of our fellow pre-missionaries were busy making packing lists, preparing to say goodbye to loved ones, completing their needed vaccinations, and completing many other tasks as they prepared to leave the country for their three-year commitment.  Our family, on the other hand, was busy deciding on a homeschooling curriculum, making final plans for our transition to Houston, looking forward to a summer full of visits with family and friends, and happily awaiting the arrival of "baby brother."  Needless to say, we were in a decidedly different place than our friends.

Well now we feel like we are finally catching up.  Our homeschooling adventure is in full swing and thus far, "Powers Academy" seems to be doing pretty well.  Everyone (myself included) is learning a lot, we are helping each other to grasp new concepts, we are reading a ton, and we are finding time most afternoons for lots of other fun stuff.  That other stuff includes gymnastics and a church children's choir for both girls, watercolor class for Madison, and tae kwon do lessons (usually 6 times a week!) for Joshua.  We are thankful to have found activities that all the big kids enjoy so much, and all of which are located less than a mile from our current home.  That is great news to this mommy who is still attempting to find a good balance as a mother of four (including a very cute 11 week old who still has some frequent nighttime feeds), homeschooler, and missionary preparer.

And about that mission preparation––things are happening fast.  We obtained Jacob's passport just a couple of weeks after he was born, and we updated everyone else's.  We have all received our series of three rabies vaccines in anticipation of our move to Africa.  We have incorporated a focused study of Swahili into our homeschooling days.  We are scheduling our last medical and dental appointments before our departure.  We are planning for homeschooling curriculum at least for our first year in Africa.  We are purchasing things like solar-powered battery rechargers and portable water purifiers, as well as downloading books to our Kindles and educational apps to our iPad.  We are trying to look ahead, while simultaneously being fully present to the gifts of each day right here before us.

In addition, we are planning a much-anticipated trip to visit Greenville and beloved old friends there in early December.  We will also travel to visit Chris' family in south Georgia and my family in Louisiana, as we begin the unavoidable but necessary process of saying our goodbyes.  Ugh--that is absolutely the hardest part of this whole deal.  As with any other experience of significance, the wonderful and happy portion comes with a price.  Our excitement and joy of finally becoming missionaries means that we will not have frequent visits with our dearest ones...and that is hard.  Hard for me to not see my parents and sisters at least a few times a year.  Hard for our kids to not have that regular interaction with their amazing grandparents.  Likely harder still for those awesome grandparents to not see their incredibly cherished grandkids.  Hard to think of a life for our kids that doesn't include traditional schools or neighborhoods or after-school activities or birthday parties or vacations.  But despite these challenges, we still feel very much called to this journey.  Every step of the way, when we've met what the world might call insurmountable challenges, God has opened new doors of opportunity and shined a purpose to each experience.  We continue to hear His voice say, "Come," and we are deliberately taking the steps that we feel we should, so that we can follow.  Because we know that He has promised to always be with us and to never forsake us.  And that promise is enough––more than enough––to sustain us.

Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid

or terrified because of them, for the Lord

 your God goes with you; he will

 never leave you nor forsake you.

Deuteronomy 31:6