Well, this is the week. I leave for Kazakhstan on Friday and return home on May 9. The anticipation of leaving the boys and Andrew is making me a bit of an emotional mess. It will be hard but we know that our family has been called to participate in this mission by sending me.
I'm no where near ready. In fact, I'm so far from ready that it's hard for me to believe that I will actually have things in order by Friday. Having everything converge at once (new job, moving home, and leaving for Kaz) was unplanned and has proven very challenging. I feel bad that things at home will likely not be as organized and prepared as I hoped.
So on the agenda this week:
- Pack
- Continue unpacking and organizing the house.
- Work (this afternoon and Thursday).
- Bring birthday snack for Patrick - Tuesday.
- Make easy menu plan and get groceries for while I'm gone.
- Set out and label clothes for the boys for next week.
- Make a lion (I though zebra but I was wrong!) costume.
- Parent/Teacher Conferences on Friday morning.
- Put together letters, paper chain, special gifts, and snacks for the boys.
I'm going to take it one thing at a time. While it will be a busy week, it will also help keep me distracted from leaving the boys. :)
Going back to Kazakhstan is, in many ways, a dream come true for me. I look forward to building the playground for the sweet kiddos - I see how much mine love going to the park and know that this will bring so much joy! Most of all, I look forward to holding, cuddling, and playing with the children. It will be hard and I'm certain my heart will break a hundred times but showing them love and concern and interest is worth it. There will likely be 1 or 10 or 100 or more that I will carry in my heart forever.
This will be a life-changing trip and I know that there is little that can prepare me. I pray that my eyes and heart will be further opened. I pray that we can bring love, joy and hope. And I pray that we can make a difference in the lives of these precious children. Children that did not choose to be orphans.
If you think of it, please pray for the health, safety, and unity of the team. Pray for the work we will do. And please pray for our families at home - I know it's tough for all of us to leave our spouses and kids.
5 comments:
Alaina, I'll be praying with you and your team as you head back there. it's such a blessing that you are able to go! everything that is important will come together, and i'm sure you have plenty of friends who would be glad to help in any way they can...wish i lived closer so I could!
our friends are all there right now picking up their kids/babies, very exciting. kind of bittersweet for me, as i would have been heading home next weekend...but we know God still has good plans and we wait to see what will unfold.
blessings to you as you go, my friend!
Oh how I cannot wait to hear all that you experience! Praying for sure.
Most definitely praying for you and the team. Give the kids some extra cuddles from the Tenneys!
Hi Alaina,
Your post made me cry, I feel so happy inside that you are giving up so much of yourself to do this trip. What an amazing human being you are! Please hug and kiss as many of those children from me. Oh, how I wish I were going. Maybe next time, I just could not get the time off from work and get coverage for Henry. So bummed!
Enjoy and have the best time of your life! You are doing something only others dream of doing. God bless you.
Hugs,
Carolyn
Oh the best of luck on your journey.... I would love to do something like that...maybe someday...
I am soo excited for you and lookforward to reading all about your journey back to our beloved Kaz....
Blessings to you all
Adrienne
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