Bits and Pieces on Sunday

It’s mostly because of friends blogging about Holy Week that I know today is Easter Sunday in the West. Here in Ukraine, we still have several weeks before we celebrate Christ’s resurrection. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!

Today we hosted an open house to say goodbye to our Ukrainian friends. It went well, but was pretty emotional. As Hubby and I have alluded to, we are in the midst of leaving Kyiv. More on that later. . .

We’ve been sorting, cleaning, packing, giving, planning. . . I have some friends who have offered to help, but so much of moving is mental preparation and decisions only we can make.

Hubby brought some boxes into the shipping company the other day. He had carefully wrapped the breakables, listed the contents meticulously, and encased the boxes in layers of tape. Customs opened every single box and went through them item by item. *sigh* Four books were confiscated for being over 40 years old, and a couple of prescription drugs I didn't realized were not allowed to be shipped. For a "fee" Hubby could have the books back. He didn't pay it. They put them back in the boxes anyway.

R6 looking out his bedroom window.

The kids have been phenomenal. Looking forward to changes, but realizing they are saying goodbye. We’ve had a lot of emotions coming up—sadness, anger, mixed up feelings. One of the things that I took away from our cross-cultural preparation was the idea of the Enjoyment/Endurance paradox. That it is okay to be happy and sad, enjoying and struggling, looking forwards and looking backwards—all at the same time. The kids are going through a lot of that now, too.

It’s been interesting how having an online friend go through the craziness of a move at the same time I am has made this move a lot easier.

Posted by TulipGirl | 05:38 PM| TrackBack (0) | Words

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Comments

Ah, yes. I concur with you on this. Makes me feel like I'm not in this alone.

This morning I had a HUGE pile out front for the thrift store people to pick up. It was GIANT! And Katie(3) stood at the window and watched them load it all up and then burst into tears thinking they were taking all the stuff we wanted to keep. I had to take her out to the garage and show her her bed and her boxes of clothes and her boxes of toys. It's a tricky concept for young ones.

I can't imagine doing a cross-cultural move. I'm sure that's got to be more difficult. Here, we have the hope that our friends will eventually drive through St. Louis, or that we'll be back in CO for some reason or other. It's not like you can "drive through Kyiv" on your way to the Grand Canyon or something!

*Hugs* for you. I hope you all are able to end well.

When we lived up at Eagle Lake Camp, we had this weekly chant we did with the staff every opening day that went (depending upon which week of camp it was): 6th Week, 1st Week! To remind the staff that for the kids coming it was their first week and the staff needed to act like it was their first week as well.

This morning before Craig headed to the office I grinned at him and said, "Last week, 1st week!" Trying to finish well here in the Springs...
Posted by: Megan at March 28, 2005 07:37 PM

I teared up reading that Last week, first week! *sniffle*
Posted by: TulipGirl at March 28, 2005 09:13 PM

Are you moving back to the States? Eek. I know what that's like - well, at least for ONE person. Praying everything goes smoothly...
Posted by: Ellen at March 29, 2005 11:27 PM

Keeping you in my prayers friend as you head back over the pond. May all of your decisions come easily and swiftly, and may you be surrounded with a deep peace and joy during this transition!

Hugs and blessings to you dear one...

Jan
Posted by: spiritual ingenue at March 30, 2005 02:46 PM

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