a small problem

so. the problem, in short, was that the same monday that all those e-mails were flooding my in-box? happened to be the same monday that brett got a call offering him a job that -- we immediately agreed -- he couldn't turn down. we talked about it for 30 minutes just to make sure we had thought through all the different issues, but even those 30 minutes were just a formality. "you have to take it," i told him. "of course you do."

and then, having made sure he understood that i supported this move 100%, I started to cry.

because this new job is in another town, and even though we knew (hoped?) this move would come eventually, it came earlier than we expected,

which meant that we'd have to leave all those people we loved,
the family who reached out to us our very first sunday there
and the older couple who adopted us as their kids
and the young men who Brett met with on a regular basis
and the sweet young women in our small group who spoil ivan
and all the young families who provided the rich community that we had longed for

and we'd have to leave them that week. without seeing most of them before the move.

so, I won't get to meet with these dear young women this semester...but I'll pray for them every Wednesday night as they meet, and I will pray that God will give me a new group of friends who are just as excited about better knowing and serving our good King.

(and next time I won't wait as long to propose or join such a group)

(I'm happy here at our good bye lunch...but this picture  with Steph still makes me tear up. 

Good tears, of coure. Steph and all the rest of them promised to come visit, 

and since we're just 2 hours away I'm holding them all to their promises!)