15

June 11th was somehow our 15th wedding anniversary, and my heavens, have we packed a full life into those 15 years.

It's been a busy week of school, Matt getting ready for intensives next week at Wesley, new friends in and out, and I never seem to be able to get as much done as I think I should...life with four and a house and school and no Gertha, no Nikki, no Julie, no Micheline...it is busy.  Even if I don't sit down all day, at the end of it there are still three rooms needing vacuumed and dishes and shoes to put away, and a basket of clothes to be folded, at least. You understand. 

I keep thanking the Lord so much for so many lovely people, and there ARE.  Would you believe me if I so genuinely insist that my heart is so grateful for so many wonderful new people...but allow it to also be true that I deeply miss friends, family, anyone, really, who has known us for more than a moment.

When new friends leave or the conversation ends I praise the Lord with tears in my eyes, for I so look forward to getting to know them better, and simultaneously so greatly miss the many people we actually share memories with...the many people who know us well and whom we know well...whom we sit comfortably with with rich histories.

I miss the many friends of Emmaus who came year after year and have watched our children grow up and who laugh with us over dinner over years gone by...the friends of Emmaus who were students and then staff and then family and always friends. I miss family who knew our children more than two months ago, who know their quirks and loves. I miss friends who get us... and remember, too, friends who had parts in those 15 years.  Anytime anyone graciously asks us about "before here," I am so thankful...all the while missing so much the many who were a PART of "before here."

I count my blessings and there are many.  In the morning I count them and so thoroughly enjoy getting to know some genuinely beautiful people, and so I look forward to getting to know them better. By the evening, I am so homesick for old friends and family.

I am sure those first years in Haiti, when we knew absolutely no one, were like this too. Those were hard, hard years, and maybe I was younger then, or maybe I just don't remember being so blessed and so simultaneously lonely.

There is the honest, teary post of the night.

So thankful for you.  We are rich with you, I know, family.

None of these tears will He waste.