Last full day...good byes looming.

Peanut Butter fruit

Well 3 of us made it past our normal bed time of 9 p.m. [also known as missionary mid-night] and 3 other's busy with a computer game did make it past mid-night on New Year's Eve, but forgot to check the computer for the ball-drop or notice when the new year started.

The neighborhood stayed awake much later than normal with party music competing with church service music.

Before breakfast time we received a gift of traditional Haitian New Years Day / Independence Day pumpkin soup from Jean Pierre's family.

Yesterday we mostly just enjoyed being together...one of the things I miss the most about being away from family, just getting to hang out.

This morning the kids and Dad finished getting the guest house ready for a team of 8 due to spend tomorrow night with us as they bike across Haiti.

Mom, Dad, and Eli helped me with some cooking...both special dishes that Eli likes and some for the team.

Lipstick tree

A nice sunny day so two loads of laundry drying on the line as I write. Packing, organization, letter writing...and then we will spend the rest of the day enjoying our time together.

Tomorrow Cory will head to the airport about 11:30 a.m. for their afternoon flight to Miami. Then, Lord willing, they will continue their travels on Monday, bring Eli to Calvin on Tuesday, in time for him to settle back a bit before class on Wednesday.

Mom-
So we begin our good-byes.  Last supper together, last evening with videos and computer games, last good night hugs..at  least the last for a while.

Good-byes are an ever present fact of missionary life, but also life in general.  Many have said good-byes in the last year and those final good-love ones are always difficult.

But as I think of good-byes, I also think of precious hellos.  Hellos when we will greet each other again, hopefully with a new hello for F; hellos someday when we are all gathered in our eternal Home.  Precious hellos...it helps the good-byes to think of them.