Departure Month Decided

WE HAVE SET A DEPARTURE TIME OF SEPTEMBER 2012!

September, for some reason, has become a month of huge life changes for me.  My mother died September 9,1990.  I left for Nigeria September 16, 1998.  I had my first child September 7, 2004.

And now this September 2012 (probably the first week) we will move to Brazil.  All of those huge changes in my life had incredibly positive outcomes (yes even the death of my mother) and I doubt this one will be any different.

After speaking with Rick and Deanna Bergen the mission directors for Xingu, they both feel we are at a point that we can set the wheels in motion for September.

We will spend the summer back here, in Cambridge, living with my brother and sister-in-law (thank you Kevin and Laura!) continuing to fundraise so that we are going as equipped as possible to make a difference in the lives of the people of Brazil and sucking up every moment of summer with friends and family.  We plan to seize every single day of it.

It's a surreal thing-when you've been preparing for something for almost two years and the moment is finally upon you.  I've never climbed a mountain but this fundraising journey has definitley felt like I imagine a climb like that would feel.  Emotions are high and mixed.  It's a liberating feeling to no longer be living in limbo, but there's the reality of saying good-bye to everyone we know and love, lingering around the edges of the excitment.

Our house is empty and rented, our bags packed and tomorrow we head to England for 5 weeks to spend time with family and friends spanning from the south of England all the way to Aberdeen Scotland.  We are so looking forward to reconnecting with everyone there.

Thank you so much to all of you who have stepped forward to join us in this adventure with God through prayer and financial support and thank you in advance to those who are yet to.  Thank you for the prayers, the encouragement and the advice we've received along the way-we truly could not and can not do this without all of you.