Goodbye Acibadem House Shoes among many other things

Well since we have lived the last few months in a state of transition one thing I have missed has been my house shoes. We live in the land where people take their shoes off when entering a homes. (Once you begin this custom you will never go back after realizing how disgusting it is to wear your shoes indoors, but I have digressed). I had been reluctant to buy new house shoes, since I had comfy ones waiting for me back in Nineveh. There is something about buying house shoes that makes a place seem permanent and I mentally didn’t want to cross the bridge yet. So I have been wearing other peoples’ house shoes and also sporting these paper thin slippers I got at the hospital when Calvin was born.

After digesting our devastating news I looked down at my feet and thought of my house shoes I will never wear. There are just certain items that are comforting and my house shoes and robe are two such items. I was talking about my house shoes with a colleague and later she blessed me by buying me a new pair of house shoes. You have no idea how much this one little gesture has touched my heart. We really do work with some of the greatest people in the world.

With all of the craziness of our life right now it has lead me to ponder what is home. When we thought we were receiving visas I was excited to head “home”; to go back to the place that was familiar, where I could understand a few things, a place where my friends live, where a few comforts like my house shoes remain. It got me thinking about how we all long for a home. What a day it will be when we can finally celebrate our eternal home. Until then we are just nomads, but some of us move a little more often than others.

We will head back to the states next week with one bag of clothes for Marvin and me. As I was hanging up our wet laundry last night I counted and I have been wearing the same 6 shirts for the last 6 months. Some people could never fathom a wash and wear lifestyle, but it certainly has made things much easier. I was looking forward to having a little diversity in my wardrobe once we returned to Nineveh, but that will have to wait. We still aren’t certain how we will get some of our things from Nineveh since we are returning to the states before our stuff makes it out of the country. At times I think all of this is one big headache, but I know everything will work out.
As we were going through a list of things left behind, it is crazy how little you need to truly function on. But it will be a little sad if we don’t see some of it again.

Right now we are trying to prepare our hearts to return to America. We know that some things will be a nice change of pace and other things will take us a little time to get used to again. It’s crazy to think how 2 years has changed us, we have become accustomed to grocery shopping every day, taking public transportation everywhere, speaking another language, and having only a few friends who spoke English. It will be very weird going back to a place where we can order with ease at a restaurant. We haven’t driven a car in over 2 years and Wal-Mart is totally going to overwhelm us.

We are eager to see lots of dear family and friends who have walked along side of us the last couple of years. We are eager for everyone to give Calvin a big squeeze. We hope to try to see many of you during the next couple of months, but please bear with us as we literally adjust to a if in America once again. We love you guys and can’t wait to see you. Here are some of our latest pictures.

Just Chillin' after getting dressed one morning. I think we have lived overseas too long, because my first thought when looking at this picture is "his toes must be freezing, somebody get some socks on that boy."

Calvin loves his new toy that some dear friends gave us. It has be nice for him to have something to hold his toys up for him. We have been able to do a few things while he plays on his own, PTL.

there's my sweet boy

We think Calvin looks a little like his Uncle Kenneth, although everyone we meet here thinks he looks like Marvin. What do you think?

Marvin can't wait for the day when Calvin jumps on him to wrestle.

So until that day comes Marvin will have to settle with this.