Monday, July 02, 2007

Settled at last...for a little while anyway


Well, we have returned to Baton Rouge for our last bit of rest before we make the final leg of our journey. We had a wonderful visit in Yazoo City. We were able to stay with the Nott family--Isaiah's honorary Aunt Wendy, Uncle Steve and cousins Stacy, John and Luke. Their home is a wonderful place to stay, which makes sense as they are a wonderful family. We were able to truly rest and to enjoy lots of fun!

Friday we had Isaiah's last appointment with the neurosurgeon in Jackson. Dr. Lancon gave his final approval and encouragement for our move. We were also able to see Isaiah's physical therapist (Becca) and occupational therapist (Lou Ann, pictured to the left with Isaiah). We had the extra pleasure of meeting
Lou Ann's children who have been longing to play with Isaiah for some time apparently. They were so sweet and gentle with Isaiah. He seemed to like them a lot, too! He has recently started interacting more with children his own age and a little older as he has been interacting with adults and "big people" for
some time--so much fun! We returned to the Nott's late that afternoon for dinner. We had been in the habit whenever we had a meal with them to end the evening with singing. Thankfully we were able to sing with them one more time. Thomas and Luke played guitar, and we all sang some of our favorite songs. I have to admit that as we ended the evening with Thomas' and my favorite songs that I had to fight back the tears. How blessed we have been to enjoy such wonderful Christian fellowship. But that wasn't all!

Saturday Thomas and the Nott men "went to war", paintball war that is. A friend of Thomas'
has built this paintball course on some of his family land. Lots of boys were able to talk proudly of "battle wounds" later that evening (I'll let Thomas have the pleasure of describing that event) as we gathered for a meal that the Notts hosted for some of our friends that evening. We enjoyed some spectacular food and some more running around as some people started a game of ultimate frisbee. I chose to just sit and visit. I was able to spend some time with several people, but especially Becca (pictured far right with Isaiah and the red cup) who was able to make the trip from Jackson and Michelle and her girls (that's us to the immediate right with Michelle's oldest girl Ella and youngest girl Savannah).

Sunday we went to First Pres in the morning. We were able to say goodbye to everyone there after the
service, and yes, I cried. That night we went to Second Pres to say goodbye to our friends there. Yes, I cried again.

Monday we said goodbye to the Notts.
I'm not even going to tell you, you can guess on your own what I did. As we drove away Thomas said, "It's our own fault. We chose to love these people!" I used to avoid such painful goodbyes by emotionally pulling away from people as I sensed the time drawing near. I thought that pulling away would be better for me, but now I think differently. Lord willing, I will see most of these people again, but some will have moved on in different ways when we return. I want to have every possible opportunity to tell people how important they are to me, how special they are and how God has used them in my life. I look forward to the future, but I want them to know how I will always treasure the time God has given me with them. I also can't wait to make more memories with them as God so ordains!

We still have a few more goodbyes to make, and
I don't want to even think about how blubbery I will be as we make them to our family. But as one of my dear friends says, "Glory of God, good of others"--I'll remember the plan that God has for us, a plan of good and not of evil to give us a hope; and Lord willing, we will be telling the Russian peoples of that glorious hope.




And here you see how exhausting all these goodbyes are! We have fun, but whew! :)

1 comment:

Bekah Rush said...

Hey Thomas, Cristy and Isaiah!!! We all miss you so much, and hope that the years will go by fast over there!! Make sure to tell Michelle to tell me(Bekah) when Isaiah is walking and all that fun stuff!

Love ya'll and hope ya'll have a safe trip up!

Bekah and the Rush family