What do you think you'll miss most? (and a little of what we won't!)

When I asked our children what they'll miss most about the ship, each one's first response had to do with their friends.

It goes without saying - but we're saying it anyway - the relationships we've formed have been the most valuable part of this journey.  God has blessed each of us with various friendships throughout our time onboard the Africa Mercy...some left us waving on the dock and some we'll be leaving behind....some friendships started 5 years ago at the beginning of this journey, while some friendships been formed in just the past few months.  

It's true, "the best ships are friendships" - and this ship has provided us with some friendships that are going to last this lifetime and on into eternity. We have no doubt that we'll be hosting people in Columbus and making plans to visit friends in various places all over the globe in the coming years.  

As we've been thinking about what we'll miss most, we've also been thinking of things we won't miss...

Eli
won't miss:

• firedrills
• having to walk up so many flights of stairs
• life jackets

will miss most:

• seeing his friends all the time (how easy it is to get together with friends)
• amount/variety of food offered at each meal
• how close everything is (we haven't had to drive to school or church...)

Nick
won't miss:

• the process that is required in order to take a car out into town (looking forward to 2 steps:  get in the car and go.)
• lack of green space

will miss most:

• getting to follow Jesus with Christians from so many different cultures (35+ nations at any given time)
• maintenance needs being so easily and quickly (and freely) taken care of
• being so close to the ocean

Emma
won't miss

• all the good-byes
• the loud alarms
• the cold air conditioning

will miss most:

• mid-ships and the games on the computers
• the academy
• my mom and dad's bed -it's comfortable. 

Caroline
won't miss:

• small bedroom
• getting seasick

will miss most:

• how close everything is
• spaghetti in the dining room

Dianna
won't miss:

• the sound of the EVAC system
• having to "get ready" before going to the dining room to get breakfast

will miss most:

• being able to do 4-5 loads of laundry at one time
• hearing so many accents

It's all a bit bittersweet - bittersweet makes for good cooking chocolate...but it's not always fun in life.

(and my apologies to the friends who's pictures aren't on this blog...you are loved and treasured just as much as the ones pictured!  These are just the pictures that I happened to have easy access to....)

Surely there will be more to come.