A final goodbye

For our final blog post of the year, Renee agreed to share some thoughts since leaving Philippi a week ago. She's been staying at Allison's house and returned home to Florida today.

"We finally finished the 'adventure', and it is strange to not wake up at 7:30 a.m., to get to work by 8:30 and see the wonderful, at times silly, families that I helped at the Heart and Hand Thrift Store. So far my mornings have consisted of sleeping, my afternoons spent reading, and my evening out on the town with Allison's friends and finally staying up past midnight! Yet this vacation feeling will end and in a week or so it'll be back to reality. I miss being needed at work. I miss waking up and sitting quietly at my spot on the living room couch listening to our house (the only time it's silent). I miss getting attacked with hugs and kisses from Ian and Ella--who will NEVER understand how much they've impacted our whole lives. Being in Philippi was definitely an adventure, we got to experience, EXPERience, EXPERIENCE, and enjoy God and friends for an entire ten months. No homework, no bills (a budget, but no personal bills--just taking turns paying house utility bills), and no parents... who could ask for anything better? There have been busy days, hard days at work, grumpy nights with dirty dishes, and a whole lot of time to stare at each other. But, I hope I can speak for everyone when I say, we wouldn't replace this past year for another. We are so blessed to have had this experience. We have learned, grown, and matured just the right amount. And I pray God continues to challenge us to utilize and take everything we've learned back to our homes and MAKE A DIFFERENCE. We didn't come to Philippi to coast... God meant to change our lives so we must not forget and trust Him to work through us even in Kansas, Ohio, Oregon, Germany and Florida."

And I'll add Indiana to that list because our family will be transiting back to Goshen, Indiana two weeks from today. We also pray that we will continue to trust God as we begin our next adventure.