Robyn.Bowles.es

We’re still planning to move to Spain. Very exciting, as well as overwhelming and scary. We returned from our week-long family vacation to Orlando two days ago. It’s been emotionally difficult. Probably for several reasons: First being that in Orlando it is 80 degrees and beautiful and full of fun and relaxation with my family; whereas here it is 20 degrees, slushy and windy and full of work, responsibility and stress. Secondly, the whole process of traveling (packing, flying, etc.) put me in a surreal realization that we are really planning to move to Spain – which is good, but saying goodbye to mom and dad and even my family who all live within 4 miles of me now brought the realization that I will have to say goodbye to all of them, and many others. I will miss my nieces tremendously – Emma’s sweet smile and frequent giggling, and Maggie’s innocent curiousity and excitement about everything. They will grow and change so much in the time that we will be gone. Samuel said we will have to find some other small children to “adopt”, but it won’t be the same. Family cannot be replaced.
But would I give up this adventure because of the emotional toll it will cost? No way! Because I believe it will afford and provide us with so much more! We will get to experience and learn and grow in ways we never could if we stayed here.

There are definitely things that I am nervous about, so many “what ifs”, but I have to have faith that we will be cared for by others whom God will put in our paths. I am inspired by others I know who are doing the same thing: like Jen and Tim; and even Chris and Holly who dared to venture out to remote Canada. Although it didn’t work as they had planned, they were able to come back to a community who loves and supports them.

I wonder about that for us, though. Do we have as strong a community here as we would like or need? I feel that a lot of those relationships have been neglected – maybe “neglected” is too negative a word, but they haven’t been as cultivated as I would like them to be. Of course our families will be here, and our closest friends, and we can certainly count on their support – but what about our church community and friends? I hope that when we do return, the church community will embrace us and welcome us home… I also hope that we will find a community in Madrid who will embrace and welcome us.

Samuel spoke to Wendy today. We are hoping to be able to get together with her sometime very soon – maybe even this week Thursday. I am hoping that she will be a major source of contacts for us, and that through the people they know in Madrid, we will be cared for and welcomed.

So, there it is for now.
Adios.

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