ANOTHER LAST

The closer Betsie gets to leaving for college (only 7 days now) and we get to moving to Swaziland, the "lasts" are piling up.  When the kids were little, we would take pictures or videos of so many "firsts" --  the first time Anna rode a horse, the first time Betsie got a bath, or the first time each child had cake and  ice cream on their one year birthday.

Now it is the "lasts" that are the milestones.  Yesterday, we did our last new school year supply shopping at Target.  After this year, when it is the beginning of a school year, we'll be going to Pick-n-Pay or Woolworth's or some other African store.

Tomorrow will be Betsie's last Sunday to attend Restoration church and serve at We Will Go's afternoon service before she moves away.  Monday morning will be her last "day of rest" with us.  She will be able to take her rest day on Sundays at The W.  

I know we as a family have many other "lasts" apart from Betsie's.  We have our last Mississippi State Fair, our last American Thanksgiving, our last Christmas that all 9 of us will be together and with most of our family.  There will also be smaller lasts such as our last time to shop at Kroger, the last time I teach Sunday School at Restoration, or the last time we give a snack bag away on our front porch of Faith House.

These next few months will definitely be a crazy mix of sadness and celebration.  God has blessed us with an amazing life here and these "lasts" are just a reminder of how truly blessed we've been.

I can't even imagine all the incredible "firsts", both big and small, that He has in store for us in Africa. His goodness and creativity blow me away.

 Every good gift and every perfect present comes from heaven;

 it comes down from God, the Creator of the heavenly lights, 

who does not change or cause darkness by turning.

 James1:17