Continuation...finally.

Okay...so I'm not so good at this blogging thing! I keep thinking in my mind that I want to write everything down so I won't forget it, but let's face it. Writing is not my passion!

Anyway, to pick up where we left off...we began praying that God would either close the door entirely or allow all of the details to fall into place. In the meantime, we began to research. We Googled where it was, what language they spoke, what their houses looked like, their schools, their churches and a bazillion other things. For weeks, when I laid down at night, I just couldn't get my mind to "turn off," because of all of the thoughts. As the days went on, Chris had been talking to lots of guys at work and began to get the impression that this was a REAL possibility. We finally decided that we had to tell the kids. I had already been playing the "What if we got the chance to move somewhere really fun" game with them. I knew we needed to tell them soon...after all, it had taken us six months to get them excited about our trip to Disney!☺ So, on Thanksgiving morning (because we thought it would come up in conversation), right before we left the house to go end enjoy food and family, we sat them down on the end of our bed and gently told them of our possible adventure. Avery really didn't have a clue what we were talking about. Aaron was thrilled!! Ashlynn burst into tears. This wasn't really the reaction I expected. I thought Ashlynn and Aaron would be reversed, so this really threw me. We discussed it all day...on the way to Mimi and Poppaw's, at the dinner table, while we were there, on the way to Grandmama and Granddaddy's, at the dinner table, while we were there, and on the way home. The next several days were an absolute emotional roller coaster. I could totally relate to what they were feeling, though, because I had experienced the same feelings days earlier. We all went from, "Yay!! We can't wait to move!" to "Why are we the ones that may have to go?"

We found out a few days after Chris was initially approached about the job that they had also approached two other guys, but Chris was the definite frontrunner. In fact, he was later told that "it was his to lose."

In November when we first found out, we wanted to just know ALL the details right then. It seemed like the whole process was moving in slow motion...no one really had any details to give us. So, we waited and continued to research.

Then, we got word that Chris' official interview was going to be on Thursday, January 13, in Indianapolis. As God would have it, this coincided with our church's first churchwide fast. So, on Sunday, January 9, we began our fast of television as a family. (God also has a sense of humor as we were out of school for four days due to snow that same week...with no TV!☺) We followed the same outline that our chuch followed for the fasting experience, but our family's main prayer focus was on what God's will for us truly was. We ALL were thrilled, terrified, overjoyed, relieved, happy, sad, etc. when Chris called us at 6:15 that evening on his way home from the interview to say that he had gotten the "official" call and offer. The kids and I knew immediately when I hung up the phone with him that THIS was God's plan for US! I've had several people ask me how the kids feel about it or if they were mad at us for taking them away. I always answer the same way...WE didn't make this decision. We are just being obedient to God, and the kids got to witness and experience a true answer to prayer. What a blessing!!

Once we got "the call," everything changed from slow motion to fast play! Before Chris got off the phone that night, they had told him that I needed to have a passport, because they wanted us to go on a preview trip to make sure we could actually live there. So, I began gathering all my papers to submit for a United States passport. I literally submitted my papers on Tuesday, January 18, and I had it back in my hands on Tuesday, February 25...apparently, that is lightning speed, and I'm sure it wasn't cheap. Anyway, Chris and I left to go over to The Netherlands on Saturday afternoon, January 29, and we returned home on Sunday, March 6. I'll save the next part of this journey for next time...☺