Telling the Girls

We found out on Tuesday that the transfer to Australia was official, but we kept it our own little secret for a few days. We didn't want to start telling friends and family until we had a chance to talk to the girls. And with our busy after-school activities, we waited a few days until it was a good time to sit down with them and talk. So, on Good Friday afternoon, we called a family meeting.

The girls could tell that we had some exciting news to share and they immediately started trying to guess what it was: "Are we going on a vacation?", "Are we getting a new pet?"

Brian said, "Well, we are sort of going on a vacation...a really long vacation. We are moving to Australia!" At first both girls were excited! In fact, Katie jumped up and screamed, and then ran outside so she could scream some more! Sarah jumped up with a look of elation on her face, but that quickly turned into sadness when she realized what was actually happening.

Then she looked outside and saw that Katie also had started crying. Katie came back inside and, through her tears, cried "I don't want to move!"

I knew it would be a hard pill for the girls to swallow. Everything they know is here: their home, their friends, their school, their family. Brian and I are very excited about this opportunity, but change is always hard. I know the girls will be just fine, and even better than fine, in the end, but I can't discount the challenging road it will be to get there.

We will have many more tears in the next several months, and much joy too I hope. We have already begun to cherish moments with friends and family, and we are making plans to fit in as much time with people as possible before we leave.

I know it will be difficult, but I plan to continue relationships with our friends here as well as we can while we are gone. Through skype and facetime, we will have monthly appointments with our firends and family to keep that connection. And I really hope that we will have some visitors. I hope I hope I hope!
We have already started praying for friends to be waiting for our arrival in Perth as well, people we don't know and haven't met yet, but who will be an immediate easy connection with our girls. We are praying for a like-minded family there to connect with and a church to attend and get plugged into.

Brian and I are confident that this is God's plan for our family and that he will provide everything we need to live an abundant life in Australia, including sweet friendships! 

John 10:10 "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly."