Are We There Yet
No we’re not there yet…in fact, we’re only nine hours into a 26 hour drive. Before any military move we usually try to visit our parents and extended family, but with an overseas move it feels more urgent, and takes a whole lot more effort too. So here we are, nine hours in we’re feeling “are we there yet” pretty intensely.
This trip away is so desperately needed because the pressure and stresses of moving overseas have been far beyond what they were for us last time. My normal days of work and mothering and friends have been hijacked for hours of driving to and from military bases, medical appointments, hours of paperwork and emails, appointments, cleaning and clearing out and list making…SO MANY LISTS! 😅 Our kids are older time around which means I’ve traded calculating how many diapers we’ll need to pack for working through real, big emotional transitions and processing it all. It’s also far more costly this time with what’s going on in the world,. And there are new government systems in place that are meant to streamline and make moving easier, but they are just switching over to these new systems which means nothing is happening on the timeline it should be…which is bad for every part of this move.
One the left - how I want things to line up. And on the right - how things are actually playing out!
Matt and I both woke up at 5am at the hotel this morning and the first thing we did was open our email to see if our EFMP packet (medical clearance paperwork) has cleared the European offices yet…it hasn’t. EVERYTHING is hanging in the balance with this packet clearing. If it doesn’t clear by the end of next week we will have to cancel our scheduled movers, which would trigger a whole series of unfortunate events from our current lease ending and figuring out where to live in the meantime, not being able to ship our dog in the height of summer heat, not having a temporary place to stay in Germany once we arrive (everything is booked right now), and missing the start of school for the kids…
Big. Deep. Breaths.
When we moved to England in 2013, our visas didn’t arrive in time for us to fly out and I remember feeling so stressed with the nonrefundable apartment we had rented there, the extra hotel stays on this end, and living out of suitcases with two kids and a baby. It felt horrible to live in that space of delay and waiting.
This time, the stakes are the so similar, but I’m older, definitely wiser, and hopefully handling it all better. My prayers are less of a laundry list of what I want to have happen and more of asking to see clearly what to do, what to act on, to feel direction, and especially to have the power to do the tasks that are required. Honestly, I have felt peace through so much of this new assignment even when it has felt like things are falling apart.
I know God is on our side, whether things happen the way I want, or not. If everything falls apart, I’m with Him and He is with me. If miracles happen (we’ve already seen so many), I see His hand all over it.
We are far from being there yet…but at least we are headed in the right direction.
If you’re in a season of waiting, or delay, just know you’re not alone. Things are in the process of working out for the best, I am sure of it.
love,
dayna
