7 Days!!! Are we ready?????

Well, I can't believe that the time for our family trip is almost here! On one hand it seems like we have been waiting forever to take the kids to Costa Rica....as it has been two years....but on the other hand it seems like just yesterday. Do you ever feel like that? It's an odd feeling.

Many have asked if I am "ready" to go. "Weeelllllll....." is usually my reply. Being "ready" can be a complicated concept. I am "ready" to get back to the place that has kept a small piece of my heart for the past 2 years and see and experience all that God has been doing there. I am "ready" for the kids to be able to experience it all too. I guess you could even say that I am "ready" as far as packing goes. I have about a million lists going to make sure we don't forget anything that can't be purchased there (like the kids' math work...they are thrilled about that! :) The suitcases have been up in the bonus room for weeks and the girls are completely packed. It is harder to pack the boys since they still wear all of their summer clothes....even though we have a few inches of snow on the ground as I type this! Crazy boys!!!

But am I really "ready"? I don't know. This journey has been like nothing that I have been through in my life before. When Joel and I reflect back over the last years, we can see how God began this process more than 5 years ago. We know we weren't ready for it then and had no idea what God was doing. All we knew is that there were a lot of changes (too many it seemed at times) going on. I am glad that I didn't know because I probably would have gone running in the other direction....we both would have! But that's why God is so awesome. He knows that the whole picture would just be too much!

I think the hardest part of this journey for our family has been learning about God's perfect timing. When people have asked us over the past 2 years when we would be leaving, it has been awkward to say that we didn't quite know. Walking through life with out knowing exactly what the next step will be has been an awesome and humbling experience for our family. It goes against everything that society tells us....we always feel like we have to have a "5 year plan". I will be the first to admit that it has frustrated me at times. I keep reminding myself of Psalm 31:14-15a which says "But I trust in you, LORD; I say, 'you are my God.' My times are in your hands."

So, ready or not next week we will begin another leg of this journey that we have been on. I am eager to see what God has been doing and to hear what He has to tell us as a family. So much has changed over the past 2 years that we feel like we are starting all over again, but that's okay because that was all in His perfect plan too! I will be updating this blog often while we are in Costa Rica so check back to keep us with us.

Please be praying with us now and while we are gone that God will speak clearly about what His plans are for our family and Jaco.

A Dios sea la gloria!!!!