Moving On

A big heartfelt "THANK YOU!" to all of you for your love and support this week! It has at times been emotional for me as I faced this milestone and completed yet another chapter of my life. Along with the anniversary of Papa's Homegoing, there is tangible evidence that life as we know it will never be the same. With Stephen and me both preparing to leave Daffodil Hill for good, we are compelled to go through all of our worldly possessions, eliminating the superfluous and packing up the rest. He is giving away almost everything including his prized electronic gadgets. His car will be sold just before his departure for Basic Training. Stephen's philosophy is "The things you own end up owning you". Wise words from a twenty-three year old!

The past I cherish and the future I eagerly anticipate have collided in a big way this week, making for quite a roller coaster ride in my heart. We have been sorting through some of Papa's things and dividing them among the children. Other items will be passed along to people who can use them. As hard as it is to part with these bits and pieces of Papa's life, I know this is the right thing to do. He isn't coming back to me. Holding onto "stuff" won't change that. Certainly I am keeping some mementos of the life we shared, but my real treasures are the memories of the thirty-three years we had together. I am a blessed woman!

I was much encouraged by a visit from Papa's only brother yesterday. It means a great deal to me that he and his wife are extremely supportive of my decision to move to Michigan. They are even having the upholstery work done on one of the living room chairs I plan to take with me. Thank you, Doug and Lisa! We love you!

Add to this emotional upheaval a throbbing tooth, and yeah, it's been quite a week! Having put off some dental work for far too long, I am now on the fast track to two root canals and three crowns. Nobody ever said life was dull on Daffodil Hill. ; ) Please continue to pray for us as we deal with all of these changes. Transition can be difficult, but the time has come to move on with our lives. With tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat, I am ready to put the past behind me and face the future with hope in my heart. I hope each of you will go with me.

"But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and counted them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ." Philippians 3:7-8