Repatriating

So that’s a thing.
Many of you have moved to and from foreign countries. You have experienced your own struggling with the identity of “home”. And now it’s our turn.
Yes, we returned to the states in August for fun and vacationing but it was a whirlwind and we knew we were coming right back home. Bardo home.
I just finished reading two blogs about the topic. Expats who have settled in a foreign land, made it their home, and then returned back to the original home. It’s crazy and exciting and scary and emotional and stretching. And throw on top of all of that the emotions of living here (where I am often caught fighting fears as I read the daily news). Of course I can’t wait to get away, right? Well, kind of. We really do love our new home as well and are finding it very difficult to tell our friends goodbye.

So where does that leave us these next few weeks? It leaves me sorting, selling, trashing, goodbye-ing, crying, laughing, loving, and living just plain exhausted.
If you think of us please remember to pray that we adjust well. Both Max and Ella have expressed only wanting to come to America for another visit and then coming right back to their home in Bardo. (Sorry grandmas) I know after a few weeks in the motherland we will be just fine but until then it’s hard to change and transition.

We leave here two weeks from today. We will go to Rome for two days and enjoy gelato as a family (I know, sounds awful) before we fly into Cincinnati and then begin another adventure for an entire year.

Anyways, sorry for the ramblings. I just had a second because Max is napping and I needed a break from packing the house up.

We cannot wait to see each one of you!

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He is Risen Indeed.

Holidays are always weird here. First of all there is no WalMart reminding you months in advance that Easter is coming so before we know it Easter is here. Another reason it’s weird is the obvious lack of not being with our family or church family in the states (notice that I just wrote ‘in the states’ and not ‘home’? This is another blog topic in itself but as we are facing one more month here our kids are sad to be leaving their ‘home’ to go back to our ‘home’. Okay, I’ll return to this topic another time). The last reason is also obvious…what is Easter with no chocolate bunnies, Cadbury eggs or ham!?
But this Easter as our small group of English speakers gathered for fellowship and singing I would not have traded to be anywhere else in that moment….Amazing worship with a group of people who have left all of the above familiar holiday celebrations. This is my third Easter here and now I kinda like the weirdness. I like that this Holiday has been stripped bare for me. I like that the only way I celebrated was with the same like minded people as us in beautiful worship before the Risen King.
(Don’t get me wrong I’m more than excited to celebrate Easter with you all over there next year but I think I will miss a little portion of this naked Easter).

Angel Visitors

Just two days after the Bardo attack our beautiful friends, The Vandenberghs arrived. We thought they would possibly change their minds after hearing about the museum incident (see my previous blog) but when we talked to them on skype they sat in Paris determined to still come visit us. Actually Allison said, “if you’re there, Jenny Brown, then I’m still coming.”
I cannot tell you how perfectly timed this visit was. To have one of my very best friends here living my life, experiencing the joys, feeling the hardships, and listening to me in real time and not through FaceTime was one of the greatest gifts ever. We didn’t DO a lot but their visit definitely gave me that extra boost of energy and encouragement that was needed.
Emma and Ella played and played and played. They never stopped and they never fought. It’s like they have known each other since before they were walking 🙂 Max and Lily became fast friends too. We were so blessed by LK’s sweet little love for Max. They were just cute together.
And of course Stevie enjoyed Joel’s company and took him along to all of his usual favorite spots. Poor Joel. He humored Stevie well and even ate the harigma (mystery meat).
I will have to add pictures later. Side note: our computer has died so it’s been difficult to do the blog writing on our phones or iPad, but we shall prevail!