The Day we left Everything...

Well, I got through "20 Chapters" in summarizing the Genesis of this journey! I think that is probably enough details for most people! :)

The day we left Huntsville will forever be etched in my mind. We had been packing Brad's office up in a frenzy - and then loading the moving truck in the rain... Wow. What a job to move everything you own at one time. We have never done that.

We probably could have left earlier - but Brad and I wanted a last "walk-through" by ourselves in the house. I would have done better to just get out! He was reminding me of all the little moments and memories that we have in this house. The Christmas mornings....the girls learning to walk up the stairs...we were both crying our eyes out.

This is the first house that has ever been a "home" for me. As a kid I lived in a lot of different houses...then after I was adopted...and even as a preacher's "wife" - I have always lived in parsonages. This is the first house that has ever really been HOME for me. It is very special. The friends that helped us make it our home made it even more special. All of the hours that all of us put in to fix this place up to make it "ours"...

After we finally pulled it together enough to leave - Brad went to the bedroom and got one last thing. He had purposely left it for last. He kept two little "tokens" above the trim on the closet door. A plain silver cross... that was a token he gave out after a sermon he preached on living a life totally surrendered to God's purposes. And a small sea shell....that was a token he had given out after preaching a message about a couple who lived their life to retire, collect sea shells, and play softball. It was to represent 'what are we doing with our lives?' He has said ever since the day he preached that message that he didn't want to live a LITTLE life. And today, as we leave everything we know - that means more than ever. We are truly stepping out in faith to pursue God's direction for our lives. He was crying as he shared all of this with me...and tearing me up....and I was wondering at this point if I would be able to even see to drive down the mountain to get to the interstate!

We finally go out to get in the moving truck and the car to leave - and Wyatt and Rachel are still there (they had showed up to help load the truck). Raegan is crying and saying goodbye to us and goodbye to Macy. Talk about rip your heart out. Raegan and Macy have been best friends since the day they were born. I remember holding Raegan over my tummy the day she was born and telling her that she was sitting on her friend (Macy was still in my tummy)...and Macy was born 3 weeks later. The bond of friendship between these girls is special - and one that I hope will last a lifetime.

It is just me and Mia as we leave the driveway (Brad is in the moving truck and Macy is with my dad...haven't picked Joyce up yet)...and I am WEEPING. From the moment I close the car door the waves of emotion set in. As I drive up the driveway away from our home I am SOBBING. Grief. Loss. Love. Friends. Church. Family. All of the emotions I have held at bay finally come crashing in.

We make one last drive through the church parking lot...and I am hoping to catch the girls at the preschool to just hug them and let them know what incredible influences they have been in Macy's life and how proud I am of them for making this preschool such a success. I pull over to Kelly's vehicle to talk to her - tears running down my face - only to see some strange woman - NOT KELLY. So I go on to pick up Joyce and Rachel Worley calls me (Macy's teacher and also a young woman I was close to when I was her youth pastor) - and she tells me that some woman just called her and said that someone in a little tan car just came up to the preschool - and they were crying... She told her, "I KNOW WHO IT IS...I WILL CALL HER!"

We had just missed them. I start sobbing and telling her how much I love her and how proud I am of her and how much she has meant to Macy...

Good grief. Have I totally had a nervous breakdown? This is NOT me. I do not cry.
Well, today I do.

Brad was pretty emotional too. We have loved deeply here. We will cherish this place forever.