Farewell Greenville :(

Sofia, Tomas, Sophia, Samuel and Joshua


Sniff. Sniff. We have officially moved away from Greenville... not to our final destination yet but away from friends which makes me sad. We gave our final farewells over the past two days and it was more difficult than I had anticipated. I was telling a girlfriend yesterday how for the longest time our move to France seemed mostly in theory... something that was happening a long time from now. Well, all of a sudden it is practically now. We are leaving the best friends I have ever had in my life and the only friends my children have ever known. I used to say "oh, three years isn't a long time!" but I found myself thinking lately "wow, three years really is a long time". Especially in the context of my children's lives... it is 3/4 of Joshua's lifetime, almost exactly Sophia's and, well, you get the point. They will be different little people when we return. Will they be able to reconnect with all of their little buddies who they have played with since they were born? I can only hope. What about my sweet friends and family? I love you all and have so many wonderful memories to take with me. I have kept all of your Christmas cards and photos in a ziploc bag so I can take them with us and place them all around our new home in France so I can see all of your friendly faces to remind me of home. Everyone is welcome to come and visit and be a part of this experience with us. I can't wait to reconnect in person with you all when we return.

We attended our church for the last time this past Sunday. That was difficult. Sophia told her teachers that they wouldn't see her for a loonnnggg time. I wonder how much she really comprehends how much her life is going to change. I have been so blessed by our church and all of the people who make it up will be greatly missed. Thankfully, we can download the sermons from their website. I am beginning to realize what a blessing the internet is with regards to the ability to continue listening to sermons from church and keeping in touch with friends and family who are far away. We tested out Skype with a friend who is in France now and we were able to see each other using our web cams and talk to each other... almost like we were right there together. Email and facebook will help us stay in touch with everyone. I mean, really, I can know, at any given moment in time, what each of my friends are doing thanks to the status lines in facebook. And, of course, I will be documenting our lives and experiences through this blog. Yay technology!

I feel like I have been having writer's block or something recently. I have been somewhat at a loss of blogging words. These past four weeks of living in the apartment have truly flown. The apartment was pretty fabulous... almost as big as our home, cozy and in a great location. However, our time there was overshadowed by sickness. It has been the sickest fall/winter season that I have ever experienced with my family. In the past I have sort of been prideful of that fact that we neevver get sick. I just figured we all have immune systems of steal or something. Well, pride comes before a fall is exactly right! First, there was the scary experience of Joshua's virus then last week we were visited by the pukie bug. It graced its disgusting presence on me, then little Sophia, then my sweet Emily and finally caught Joshua yesterday. Freddie was Mr. Mom for a couple days last week... cleaning up pukey sheets and clothes and kids and taking care of general household and kid duties. I was so thankful for him! I am praying he does not come down with it... it will truly be a miracle if he doesn't considering how many times he probably came in contact with the wretched bug. For the moment though, everyone is well and the three little munchkins are upstairs in our new temporary home snug like little bugs in the bed... sleeping soundly. Thank you God!

Hannah Grace, Sophia, Caleb and Joshua