Happy New Year! We touched down in Manila in the wee hours of the night January 2nd, slept for a few hours, and got to work on getting our house back in order. There are quite a few repairs that need to be done to the house and our car, but those will all hopefully be completed this week. A lot can happen when you're gone for 7+ months!
As we reflect on our time in the States, we are overwhelmed by the gift it was spending so much time together as a family. Caleb and Rogie are at school from 6:30am until about 4:45pm throughout the week, giving us only a few hours together before it's time to put the kids to bed. It has been, and will continue to be, an adjustment as Caleb has less time with the kids and me; we truly feel spoiled with our furlough time!
We spent our last 3 months in the States mostly in Ohio, but also traveling a bit to see family. In October, we joined our local YMCA to: prioritize our health, get into a routine, and get some time away from the kids (if you know, you know). Miss Callista (the girl who watched the kids for us at the Y) quickly became a favorite for both Paul and Ruth, as they looked forward to seeing her each day. We also rode on two different trains, spent a lot of time outside, and enjoyed time with my family this month. We took a weekend trip up to Grand Rapids at the beginning of November for my sister's bachelorette party. I enjoyed being able to celebrate her with her friends, while Caleb and Paul got to spend an entire day together, just the two of them! We also had the gift of spending the weekend at the house of dear friends and enjoyed meals together, a bonfire, and playing with their dog (Paul couldn't get enough).
Towards the end of November, we drove down to Atlanta to visit with some of Caleb's family. They were wonderful hosts and great company! While in Atlanta, we visited Passion City Church; the "Jesus is Life" photo is from Passion and each light represents someone in their church choosing Jesus and getting baptized. They have other light installments that continue this trend, but this one was by far my favorite with such a powerful message. We later drove to Nashville where we spent Thanksgiving with the other side of Caleb's family. We were so blessed to have had that time with them.
December was a whirlwind!! Getting things together for Christmas, filling and shipping balikbayan boxes to the Philippines (they should arrive in 3 months), packing up our suitcases, and getting my sister married. Paul was all about Christmas this year, walking around saying, "Merry Christmas everyone!" all the time; it was so cute. I feel like so many lives were lived in December and I'm not even sure how to write about everything that happened. One of my most treasured memories from this month was talking with my sister towards the end of her wedding reception and seeing her and her new husband dance together while everyone else tore down and cleaned up. It was as if the rest of the world didn't exist for them and I loved that.
We are so grateful that our trip back to the Philippines went smoothly, with both kiddos rocking the flights. Caleb and I were exhausted and ready to fall asleep at any moment, but we've caught up on that sleep now and are doing much better. Rogie is settling in well and is busy with school and rugby. Now to get back into the swing of all things school, church, and sports! Thanks for being on this journey with us; God has truly blessed us beyond measure!
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