So Long, Farewell, Auf wiedersehen, Hasta Luego
Maybe, hopefully, even hasta pronto for some of you. This might be the end of The Blog, but it certainly doesn't mean the end of my service to the church or the many relationships I've formed in eight years as an international missionary.
Josh and I left the Dominican on a Monday morning I'd been dreading it for weeks, sure I'd be a wreck by the time we had to board. Had we not been able to make it to my beloved garden one last time, I might have.
From the time I finished cleaning up my breakfast dishes until past when I'd wanted to be on the road, my house was full of friends and laughter.
We're settling nicely into a relaxing routine marked by morning walks if it's over 50° (which it mostly has been), pre-Jeopardy! afternoon walks if it's not, and Jeopardy!, yet at the same time staying busy with wedding planning. I went dress shopping already a week ago...
...and Josh said yes to the suit. My brother (center) and dad (right) liked his style.
By the time I had brunch with some dear friends on Sunday, the DR felt a gazillion miles away and at least a year had gone by since our despedida at Pueblo Nuevo the previous Sunday (yet somehow, the wedding countdown had been stuck in the 160s for at least a month...).
Yesterday, we bought a car! It's a Corolla; DR people: watch for it to show up as a concho in 10 years or so.
In another few weeks, we'll take it for a spin to GA > FL > back to GA > MT and soon after, Canada. We'll be visiting family & friends and getting the last of the wanderlust out of our systems before we settle in for our 4th year of seminary by the beginning of August.
Will we decide to stay in St. Louis for Josh to pursue studies beyond his MDiv? Help fill the vast chasm between calling congregations and new grads in the US? Head back abroad and presumably be the first missionaries (in my case, anyway) to serve three non-consecutive terms? God only knows, quite literally, and we'd love for you to join us in praying for discernment for both us and the powers that be.
OK OK, yes, if we go the latter route, I'll start blogging again, but in the meantime, you can stay up to date on the LAC region via its Facebook page. Chronicling my time abroad like this has been as much an outlet for me as it's been a window into missionary life for you; it's been my distinct pleasure to have you along. The link will remain active in cyberspace if ever you fancy a look back at anything. My Facebook and Instagram pages also won't change, and you can comment on this post or DM me if you'd like my US address or phone number.
Until...we meet again on either side of heaven, blessings in Christ!
Un abrazo,
MissionaryMAC
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