"Where there is love, there is joy," was a fitting shirt for the Heckman send-off picture...they have brought much of both to Emmaus the past five years and are already being sorely missed :( They made is safely to New Jersey, took their beloved Haitian mutt, Pepper, with them, and our two summer interns, Drew and Braden, left on the same day.
I can't even get into all the ways they have been family and life and breath and help and friendship to the five of us (and so many others) and while I'm thankful they'll be back for short trips in the future, it's nothing like the same and I spent the majority of last school year mourning.
Love them and grateful for the way God gave them to us, right in the trenches, right when and where and how we needed. Giving them back. Giving them back. Looking forward to seeing what God's got in store for them in New Jersey.
We were all sad to have them go so quickly, and the girls were almost as devastated to lose Pepper, too. We've been needing an actual security dog for a while, so this morning Matt took the girls to visit a pastor/master's student/dog breeder in town, and they came home with Champion and happier hearts.
He already seems like a great fit, is keeping our sweet, but entirely brainless, Sadie company, and has been a good distraction for the girls today.
We've spent the most hours the last 2 days visiting...everyone we know, I think, has been to see us. From Gertha and Micheline to Granny, Junel and Edlin, Shayla and Naomi, staff and students, it is sweet community we've returned to. How rich it has been to sweat and sit and catch up with so many beloved family, all of whom are shocked that I'm STILL pregnant, that I could possibly get this big, and all of whom are sure that this weekend is Ben's weekend.
Which it is NOT, because he's waiting for Aunt Sharon (Tuesday) and Dr. Jen (Wednesday).
After Wednesday, you'll find me on the trampoline with the girls, because enough is enough :)
Thank you for all your re-adjustment and new adjustment and lots of adjustment prayers!!
The view from my devotions this morning.
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