Changes, Travel, and Home

After saying goodbye to Tyler, Lara and Judah on Thursday night, I drove into Chicago to spend my last night of this precious time in the States, with Claire at her apartment.

She and I headed over bright and early to Joe's to enjoy one last coffee from Caleb, who will be finishing up his position there as he graduates from Moody in just four weeks.

While Caleb made the latte for me, his co-worker wrote on my cup!

This too was an emotional goodbye for me.

Right after he finishes finals in December, he and Haley pack up their apartment and move to Colorado for the next season of their lives. I'm thrilled about this for them! But it also means they'll be gone from Chicago next time we come through. And that was the last coffee from him as a barista/manager at Joe's. I don't know why, but I get sentimental about things like that!

After hugs and words of love with Caleb, Claire and I headed down the street from Moody to a breakfast place for our last time together.

Thankfully this is only a short goodbye with her! I'll be seeing her again in just four weeks when she's back home for Christmas. Whew. The Lord knows how much change I can handle at one time! It will be nice to have her home for a few weeks.

After a delicious breakfast and sweet, deep conversation, it was time to say goodbye. We began to take a "selfie" when someone from a nearby table offered to take the picture for us. I love friendly Americans!

I won't lie. The trip to the airport to drop off my rental car and then catch my flight was a teary one. Life is changing, again. And while these are all good changes, there is loss too. Our kids will no longer be all together in Chicago, new phases of life are being entered in to for all of them, our kids' college years are almost at the end, and of course there's a new grandson who we now live an ocean away from.

Claire and I talked about that at breakfast, acknowledging the emotion that loss brings for us. I started a sentence with, "If you don't acknowledge the loss..." and then Claire finished it with, "...you're not a human being."

We both laughed, with tears in our eyes, at the simplicity and yet profoundness of that truth we're in the midst of figuring out. Yes, we're human and changes are not easy. But we're admitting to our sadness in change and I think that allows us to move through it in a healthy way.

When those changes press us further into the Lord to find in him our safety and security, it's a good thing. We'll all come out stronger and deeper in our relationship with him, and each other, as we move forward through the changes.

After thirty three hours of airports, flights, and more than a few cups of coffee to keep me going, I made it home safely last night, full of beautiful memories of these past weeks in the States.

As hard as it is to be away from my kids, and sweet new grandson, I want nothing more than to be in the place where God wants me to be. And I know that's here, in Czech, with Dave.

It doesn't make the heartache any less, but it does bring peace to my heart and assurance that God will be with me and lead me every step of the way as I enter into yet another new season of life.