Two more sleeps. That is all that we have left of Puerto Rico and our lives here. We are in the very guest house where this journey began. Fitting I think. It is Sunday and we had our last church service hours ago. Barrett was honored to give the sermon and Pastor Ronnie had us come forward to pray for us at the closing of the sermon. I’m not gonna lie…tears were shed. We hugged and kissed all our brothers and sisters in Christ knowing that we will meet again, sometime, or at the end of time. This hope makes the sorrowful goodbyes a little sweeter.
Insert community conservative water announcement due to sewage issues plus a power outage. It is now Monday. Bienvenido Puerto Rico!
I was about to mention how hardships really drive deep friendships. Case in point, random power outages (at dinner time) and community sewage issues. Ha! I hung out with three friends while all our kids played outside until the power to returned. What else could we do? In our stay here, Puerto Rico experienced an island wide three day power outage, Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Maria, and a few major schisms with friends that really made us dig deep theologically. These crisis of nature and faith created bonds and lessons that will last forever. It’s always the people that I miss most in each move…especially overseas ones.
So this night, my eyes begin to fill up as I think about leaving the place where the twins learned to swim, ride bikes, hit with a bat, walk a mile, and talk! I think about all my friends who invested in our kids treating them with so much value and care. I ponder on how Annabelle began her journey of knowing how to keep friends even when they hurt you or you hurt them. And I met men and women that helped my process life, parenting, and adoption issues. I learned what hair products work…and don’t work with Lydia, I learned how attachment issues wane and wax with seasons, I got help with how to raise girly girls, I’ve cried with friends who have lost parents or had their parents go through crisis and they cried with me through my mom’s battle with cancer. We’ve laughed at community events from Santa coming in on a helicopter, to sweaty Easter Bunnies, to pool parties that always serve the same food. We’ve had outdoor movie nights where it was really an excuse for us to check in with each other while our kids ran wild on the tennis courts or blocked the projector with their faces. We’ve held small group at our house where marriage issues were worked on, biblical teachings pulled out, and getting to the root of what we really believed was discussed. We’ve hosted Admirals to non-rates for dinner and been invited to meals from sweet friends that always opened our doors for us.
Phew. So many memories. I wish I could show you the faces of my friends who have made me a better person. I wish you could sit in on a service at Trinity Church and hear the gospel preached to weary souls. Imagine the faces of the students we interacted with at a poor school when they understand another English word. Hear the peals of laughter as we shake our heads at potholes, traffic, death invoking driving, skinny roads, GPS that leads you to a field instead of a mall, and people drinking beer at gas stations. We don’t even notice the horses in the street any more, nor the downed power lines and traffic lights that still don’t work. I could go on. Puerto Rico does not disappoint in story telling!
So to all my friend that I have made here, you will not be forgotten. To Trinity Church, you have been a salve to our souls. To the Coasties! What a joy to be a part of your lives these three years, you are an incredible bunch and I am honored to not only understand your mission, but be a part of it. Oh Puerto Rico! It’s been the best of times and the worst of times! Thanks for the memories!
The Lord has reformed us here. I’m so thankful for a God who sees, is involved, and is in control of all things. He helps us say goodbye…and hello.