30 September 2008

On Saying Goodbye


I'm sitting here blogging one last time in what doesn't really look like our flat anymore, before unplugging, packing our computer, and placing it in the pile of things I don't want things stacked on.

...and I'm feeling a bit emotional.

Blogs are used in a range of ways, often unleashing the would-be journalist, the reporter, the contemplative, the theologian, or the philosopher hidden inside the blogger. Sometimes I even write as if there's an internal monologue tracking with hip theme music. This entry will undoubtedly be reflective of the four years Jasheen and I have spent in the only home we have known as a married couple... and the one each of us have lived in for the longest stretch of time... ever.
We both grew up moving around a lot. Our journeys have taken us from Singapore to London to California to Germany to Arizona to Australia, and finally, to Glasgow, Scotland. Between the two of us, we've lived on four of the seven continents, and saying goodbye to each place has never been easy.

Jasheen and I began our married life in this flat four years ago. We've welcomed two additions to our family (Gabrielle & Isabelle), hosted people who have become life-long friends, led leadership, and marriage classes, hosted jewelry launch parties, youth clubs, movie nights, Super Bowls, tea parties, Thanksgiving dinners, Christmas' and birthday parties for literally hundreds of people. We've experienced some of our highest highs and our lowest lows in this flat. We've been a part of discoveries, heartbreaks, celebrations and failures in this flat. We've watched two seasons of Heroes, four seasons of 24, and are in our fourth season of Prison Break in this flat.
And if it were the right choice for our family, we'd stay. We love our flat. It's been perfectly situated in the west end of Glasgow to be right in the middle of where LIFE happens. But as our girls are growing, other needs are superceding this prime location. For one, we're situated on a main road running through the heart of the west end - not ideal for two toddlers eager to run instead of riding passively in the stroller.
We discovered our new flat by chance. I was over at my friend an colleague's flat and noticed that the door downstairs from them was open. Some men were working inside and the flat has been uninhabited for more than a year. I snuck in to take a peak and liked what I saw. In addition to being much closer to my teammates, the flat has a front yard for our girls to play safely in away from constant traffic. It's not as ideally located as the one we've been in, but as I said... new priorities.

While we won't be welcoming any new arrivals to the family in the new flat, we're confident that many new and cherished memories await us.
But still... saying goodbye to the only home our girls have ever known; to our friends and neighbors whom we have grown quite fond of; and to corner shops, pubs, parks and coffee shops, is going to be hard... even though we're only a 12-15 minute walk away.

We've grown so much in this flat, as a family, spiritually, maritally, emotionally, and socially. One of the byproducts of being third-culture-kids is that we love new beginnings, new adventures and new settings.

...but still, saying goodbye is hard.

1 September 2008

Busy... No, Full Week

I won't say it was the busiest week we've ever had, but this past week was the fullest we've had in a long time. I make the distinction because there's a difference between busy and full. Busyness is often a self-induced state; a byproduct of poor scheduling and time management. Fullness, on the other hand, is complete, rich, gratifying, productive.
Although the week was physically, spiritually and emotionally draining, it was also life-giving.

The backdrop of our week is set against preparing for and taking the Life in the UK test that is a prerequisite when applying for permanent residence. Having been here for five years now, we're eligible to apply for permanent residence which will allow me to find part-time work in the marketplace, fostering a deeper connection with locals, as well as providing financial stability for our family. One of the reasons that this is a critical step in our ministry, is that permanent residence is the last step before gaining British citizenship, and by becoming British citizens, we will also be gaining European Union (EU) citizenship. This would allow us to move into countries that are becoming more difficult for church-planting missionaries to move into should the Lord lead that direction in the future.

All of this to say, Jasheen and I both passed the 24-question True/False - Either/Or - Multiple Choice test. The test itself wasn't so difficult, but preparing for it was the primary contributor to our full and draining week. Unlike students that have time allotted for studying, we have our regularly scheduled week that we have to incorporate study-time into.

Throw in a friend visiting from the States, a friend moving down to London this week, and the start of Mosaic's youth group ministry, and that's a recipe for very little sleep. My friend Sharon (former Westmont classmate) was visiting her parents here for a couple of weeks. And our good friend and babysitter (one of the few that refuses payment) from Kember & Jones, Becca, is heading down to London to attend Uni - that's the second K&J pal we're losing in as many months. (For those of you unfamiliar with Kember & Jones, it's our favorite little patisserie/food emporium around the corner). Anyway, between quality time with Sharon and Becca, attending Becca's going away party with her work colleagues, and hosting a youth group pizza & movie kickoff... not to mention squeezing studies into our already chaotic schedule(s)... we had a VERY... FULL... WEEK.