Well, we are 7 days from leaving for the Dominican, and it’s that time again…
- time to organize and pack
- time to say goodbyes and see you later
- time for final meals with friends and family
For the last month the DR has been on my mind constantly. My dreams have been about flights, hosting groups, and being in our house. We’ve also been preparing by spending a lot of time outside in the summer sun….reminding ourselves that we won’t be able to escape into the air conditioning or jump into a pool.
It does feel surreal that we are a week away from returning, but just like previous times when we’ve returned, it feels like we never left.
We spent the first week of June in Tennessee visiting with Jeff’s sister and family. This was our first time to visit them in their new home since they moved there in May of 2020. The kids loved spending time together. It was also good to catch up in person instead of through text and FaceTime.
This past weekend we gave an update at our church and they prayed over our family as we transition back to full time ministry in San Juan. We are so thankful for the time we have been able to be present among our congregation throughout the past year.
Braegan is enjoying her summer reading program. She is currently in week 2 of an 8 week program. They read 1 book a week and each Sunday afternoon she has a zoom meeting with her teacher and 15 other students to discuss their next book. Throughout the week she continues reading and completes a series of lessons over the text. We are looking forward to continuing this in the DR, and trusting that she continues to have a love for reading! She is looking forward to decorating her new room when we get back. She has picked out all new bedding, curtains, and decorations! Stay tuned for room updates next month!
Brantley has his cardiology appointment this week. He will have an echocardiogram followed by an appointment with the doctor to discuss the imaging. Brantley was born with 3 holes in his heart, and two of them have closed, so we look forward to hearing how his heart has developed in the last year. Brantley will be moving into Braegan’s old room. When we left San Juan in March of 2020, he was only 7 months and still in a bassinet in our room. Now it’s time for his own room!
Jeff is getting his final days of pickleball in. The weather has been beautiful! He was talking the other day about how it’s been a year since he started playing! He is looking forward to connecting with a group of guys that play in Santo Domingo once we return to the DR.
For me this all feels like deja vu. We’ve returned to the states many times and said our hellos and goodbyes. There are a variety of emotions that come with this, but I feel like I’ve learned to internally cope with them. This doesn’t make it any easier or mean that it is healthy.
Specific prayers for the next month:
- our final days in the states
- our travels to San Juan de la Maguana on Tuesday, June 22
- Braegan and Brantley as they adjust back into living and sleeping in the Dominican
- For Jeff and I as we transition back into our full time roles in ministry
- For grace and patience with one another
- For health and safety over the teams we host
- For the remaining teams on our 2021 calendar