if you haven't seen it, our story was shared in our local newspaper this past Saturday...
ledger-enquirer article
though i MUST give a few disclaimers...not sure where the "they look forward to touring the countryside" comment came from. i'm picturing us in a 1920s convertible with a scarf wrapped around my well done hair and nick wearing driving goggles. we're just a laughing...and i'm wearing fabulous sunglasses.
i THINK Mr. Gierer asked if we would be able to get off the ship and visit other places in the country/continent. not sure what our response was - something like, "yes, we could do that if we wanted to during our time off." who knows, maybe God will provide us with the opportunity to "tour the countryside."
AND, i didn't EXACTLY say the "This is a great country but people are spoiled." line the way it came across (or at least not the way i read it!!!). i said something more along the lines of "i love our country...it really is a great place...but we are all so spoiled...i think being on the ship will give help break us of some of our selfishness." (i certainly include myself in the "we" part of who is spoiled).
i know disclaimers are unnecessary...but it makes me feel a little better to explain. :)
one other fun story - i was in the post office today mailing some books to a friend (books that he let our family borrow YEARS ago...bet he never thought he was going to see those books again). i was also hoping to get a money order to pay for our visas for our field service in Ghana. the kids weren't exactly being perfect - especially emma...but i'll take some of the blame, i had her up past her nap time! i was staying pretty patient....but i wasn't exactly being perfect either (am i ever? absolutely not.). so we're interacting...emma is pushing a box that's under the counter and eli is trying to be responsible and put it back where it belongs...but his actions make emma scream...and she just pushes the box again...and then i am trying to get this box of books packaged up and keep emma from screaming and keep eli from doing the thing that is making emma scream and make sure caroline is staying close -- and the tape i brought (post office approved tape!) ran out as i tried to tape the box (something - or Someone! - told me to check it before i took it! i didn't...)(i hadn't taped it prior to coming because i wasn't sure if sending it media mail in the box i had would be cheaper than buying a flat rate box)...so then i used the "priority mail" tape that was out and available...but the sweet lady said that wasn't the right tape since i was mailing the package using media mail (which was way cheaper than i thought it would be!! quite a few books = heavy box). so i rip off the priority mail tape and in doing so, i begin to realize that i'm going to have to buy a new roll of post office approved tape...which just makes me cringe and wheeze and want to stomp my foot - because i know we have multiple rolls of post office approved tape at our disposal - it just wasn't with me...but i decided i would rather spend the money on the tape (which is actually good tape!!) than pack up the kids and haul them away only to have to haul them back another time. so...(this story is much longer than i anticipated...and it really isn't that great of a story - just a heads up) i finally get the books boxed up and taped up and addressed and we get back in line (rather short lines today, thankful for that!!!) and then it's my turn and she weighs the box and i go to request my money order...but realize that i don't have my lovely post-it where i wrote the exact name of who is getting the money order...i say it's for "um...ghana...embassy of ghana...umm...ghana..." (i'm still distracted by the fact that i'm buying more tape...and trying to keep my kids in some sort of decent order)...she says "oh, i don't need to know who it's for...just the amount." ok! whew. that's good...at least i won't get it wrong and have rejected visas...and i hand her my credit card...and she swipes it and says "are you....are you the one that was in the newspaper?" "why yes, yes i am." and she is so excited to meet us (which is especially funny to me for some reason...maybe because of the unruliness of my children...or maybe because of how i came too close for comfort to not staying patient...or maybe how God is so kind to turn a routine trip to the post-office into an opportunity to talk about Him...). so we chat for just a second...and then she says "is this a credit card?" "yes, ma'm" "i'm sorry but you can't buy a money order with a credit card...a debit card will work or cash." i have neither. oh well. nice try. i'll go back another day...and maybe i'll get to see my new friend who whispered that she's praying for us.
lessons learned:
when the Holy Spirit prompts you to check the roll of tape, check it.
the goal is to stay patient with your kids - regardless of who is or is not looking
you cannot buy a money order with a credit card
don't keep emma up past her naptime if at all possible
fun fact:
this is the THIRD post office worker that has been super excited about what the Lord is leading us to...we've got a lady at the Milgen Road PO, one at the Wynnton Road PO and now one at the Double Churches Road PO praying for us. i like it.
other fun fact:
most of the "stuff" in the picture from the article isn't at all what we're taking to africa with us...it was just the "pile" that came in as we moved all of our stuff from 19th ave...it was waiting to be sorted.
one last random thought:
it would have been extremely cool if the "space" between me and nick had made the shape of africa...it almost does backwards...but not really. oh well. maybe next time.
thanks for hanging in there for this rambling post.
surely there will be more to come.
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