we've grown accustomed to good-byes

We meet wonderful people everywhere - state by state.

The girls find friends to dress-up with, to play rough-and-tumble with, and to scream extra loud with.

we've grown accustomed to good-byes 1 we've grown accustomed to good-byes 2

Tim & I meet people to play Catch Phrase with after the kids are in bed, to go running with, to have crazy adventures in NYC with, and to pray with around campfires.

we've grown accustomed to good-byes 3 we've grown accustomed to good-byes 4

And then, in a blink - we're waving again.

* Big shout-out to Mike & Colleen, Mick & Eileen, Jay & Kristen, Jay & Sara, Dirk & Valerie, Roger & Janette, Troy & Suze, Dave & Carol, and so many others we've had to wave good-bye to on this grand adventure. Miss you.

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14 comments on “we've grown accustomed to good-byes”

  1. Ah, the life of a traveling family... we, too, long to see familiar faces on a more consistent basis. After six months on the road, I've cataloged three different ways to be forever mobile, happily: (1) Love bein' a hermit, (2) have one or two home bases where you spend most of your year, or (3) travel with your people group. We've met folks from all three groups. The hermit route doesn't seem especially healthy. The other two options seem pretty great, of which I prefer the travel group... more adventurous. It will be interesting to see where our roads lead in the months to come...

    1. I think my preference would be #2. I love traveling, but I also would like to have a place to call home (preferably not in a campground). ;)

  2. That was the part of my childhood and all the moving around we did that I disliked the most - always saying good-bye, getting to high school and not having any friends that I'd known since grade school, being an adult and not having any life-long friends that I'm not related to, it just feels like something really special is missing - especially since my parents and my husband both have those life-long friends and I see how special those relationships are to them.

    On the other hand I had the privilege of living in several different parts of the country - picking up regional lifestyle treasures for my memory banks. And I have some awesome relatives who are my life long friends.

    It's a give and a take - you gain things and loose things when you don't settle somewhere and stay there for the long haul. I'm working to figure out a way to give both things to my children - the experiences of traveling across the nation and the stability of having a long-haul home.

    1. That's a tough one, isn't it? We definitely know that we want to settle down again somewhere after our year is up. Although we are having the adventure of a lifetime...we long for community, for friends, for spontaneous dinners, for rhythms, and for continuity.

  3. Steph, we think and pray for you often. I looked for you on facebook but could not find you. We will be back in the NW in the next few weeks. I really hope we can meet up with you there. Love, Valerie

    1. Val - I finally found you on Facebook (yay!) and sent a friend request to you tonight.

      We'll likely be in Washington State in mid-August...and then in Oregon in September or October. I do sincerely hope that we meet again.

  4. Awww, they look adorable :) I hate saying goodbyes, especially since I say it so often to my loved ones back in Nigeria :D

    1. You know - I think of you often when I wear that shirt. How fun that we're wearing the exact same one in different locations! (You look so good in yours).

  5. Goodbyes can be hard. But how wonderful it is that you guys are meeting so many people and living so fully in spite of having so little. How have the girls been handling your goodbyes?

    1. Agreed. Moving constantly is a blessing and a curse. We're getting to see and spend time with so many people that we ordinarily would never have been able to make memories with. But...we also have to eventually say good-bye.

      The good-byes are definitely getting harder for the girls. K was all-out sobbing when we left our friends last week. It broke my heart.

      I look forward to the day when we can settle down and have "community" again.

  6. Oh, how I know that painful yet beautifully-amazing feeling, having been a member of that club for years....but I have found that literally THE BEST people are in this group!

    Thinking of you along your travels....and your hellos....and your goodbyes!!

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