We left on Friday from the Des Moines airport. Wednesday turned out to be the first of the three toughest days I've had since we started this journey.
Wednesday we ate waffles at the church, so we saw a lot of friends. They all stopped to talk about us leaving and wanting to know details. Though I appreciate their inquiries so very much, every time someone asked I started to cry. No, not like Sarah cry where the flood gates open, but my cry. Where I get that feeling in my chest and my eyes water a little and I try to hold it all back from being shown. For some reason I think I need to do it that way so my wife and kids see I'm a big brave dog.
Reality started to settle in that i was going to be away from my kids for four weeks. Then leave my wife and daughter in SA alone, to come home and then send my oldest daughter to SA on her own. Sure, I know Sarah and Taylor can handle it all on their own, but this brings up what I told Judah and Jake before I left.
"Boys, now that I'm leaving, you are the men of the house"
Judah asked " What does that mean?"
I tried to simplify it down to one sentence for him. "Judah. The man of the house, protects the girls."
I think that was easy enough for him to wrap his mind around.
Now, when I leave and send Taylor down here, I can't "protect" my girls in SA, but, this leads to the best protection of all. The next lesson to teach my boys back home. It's the same protection Sarah and I have recieved from the beginning.
God's protection. All lead by the prayers from friends and family. I can teach my boys that "protecting" the girls, goes beyond the physical aspect of it. That they also have the great power of prayer to offer. To talk to, and of the Great I Am.
Everyone I talked to, I told them I just needed to go. I needed to get on that plane and leave. To feel a great weight just lifted of my shoulders. I think Sarah and I were just feeling really overwhelmed trying to get everything perfect and lined up before we left, so everyone back home taking care of our responsibilities had an easier time.
Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for everything you've done for us.
J
