Ready or Not...

A lot has transpired since our first post, almost a month ago.  In the past month, we went to Ohio to drop our dog, Daisy, at my parents.  We made a second trip to Chicago for the kids and me to apply for our visas, yet again.  We packed up our house of all of our personal effects, cleaned it like crazy, and prepared to rent it to a wonderful family from Northfield.  We also got our cars ready to also be rented by two great families in town.  

In the midst of that, we had many wonderful celebrations.  Edy and Will each went to different church camps, enjoying time with their peers.  Our friends threw us a fun Bon Voyage party, where many were able to attend to wish us well.  We have been inundated with notes, texts, and messages from people all over the world sending their best.  And finally, we are just ending a fabulous five day stay with my sister and her family before we fly out tonight to meet Jeff in Paris, who arrived on July 5.  

Many have been asking about how we are feeling.  There are so many emotions.  For me, I haven't been able to really enter the Paris mindset yet because we seemed to have had many hurdles these past few weeks.  First there were the visas, then the delay in prescriptions for Will.  Then there was our apartment falling through just two weeks before we left.  Then there was the French Consulate in Washington, DC, asking for even more paperwork for the kids' visas, causing another delay in their arrival.  Then there was the uncertainty of whether we would even be able to fly today, due to the lack of visas, and finding that our trip insurance wouldn't cover the additional thousands of dollars in expense.  But, here we are.  Everything worked out in its own time.  We are ready to go.  

Our visas arrived on Friday, June 5, at 10:00 a.m.  The poor UPS Associate didn't know what hit her when I asked for a photo.  We found a new apartment the same day our old one fell through.  It is even more amazing than the first!  It is so light and spacious.  The best part?  It sleeps 8!  (Please come visit!) Edy and Will have their own rooms.  Edy even has her own bathroom.  The neighborhood is quaint and easily accessible by metro.  For those of you who have asked, here is our address:

44 Rue Poussin

75016 Paris

France

Will's prescriptions came through, with the help of a little nudging from a friend.  And we didn't have to pay thousands of dollars in airline fees to change our flights.  Whew!

Edy and Will are definitely more excited now, then nervous.  To be fair, Will has always been excited.  In some ways, he has been carrying us through this uncertainty.  He can't wait to go to Normandy, eat crepes, and make new friends.  Edy has been more apprehensive.  Leaving all of her dear friends is scary.  But everyone has been great about promising to connect through FaceTime and Messaging.  

Then there is Jeff, who is anxious for us to get there to begin this adventure with him.  I know it was weird for him to leave us on Thursday, not knowing if he would see us tomorrow or in another two weeks, while we awaited our visas.  He is enjoying getting acclimated, already unpacking his bags, and starting to fill the refrigerator with yogurt, Nutella, and fruit.

As I stated above, I am in limbo.  The goodbyes are done.  The responsibilities here finalized. The suitcases packed.  Now I just need to sit back and enjoy every minute.   This will be my goal for the year.  I am a doer.  I like to get things done and I like a lot of control.  I have already learned that in preparing to move to France for a year, I need to relax on both of these fronts.  I need to trust, be patient, and enjoy the ride.  After all, it was patience, support, and a lot of help that got us to where we are right now - about to board a plane to Paris!

Thank you all of your love and support these past few weeks and months.  We cannot wait to take you with us on this journey.  We will keep you updated on all the ups and downs.  Please keep us in your prayers.

Much love,
Betsy