On August 23, the belongings we chose to send across the ocean to England were packed in two wooden crates. The ship arrived just six weeks later. (Actually, it was here in four but took two weeks to clear and make its way to the northwest.) Two British guys cheerfully unpacked some of “home.” 
How wonderful to have glimpses of many of you right here in our living room! Later in the day I told Dennis how unpacking had made me cry. He marveled, "How could you still have tears left, didn't you cry enough when we left?"
How wonderful to have glimpses of many of you right here in our living room! Later in the day I told Dennis how unpacking had made me cry. He marveled, "How could you still have tears left, didn't you cry enough when we left?" Well, here was one difference between how the two of us experience life abroad. First of all, you need to know that the saying, “variety is the spice of life” is a motto in Dennis’ life. He says he loves variety in everything except women (good thing he added that little caveat). So, for him, moving here has brought all sorts of variety! New challenges at work, new culture to understand, new people to get to know, new places to explore, new foods….it’s all great! 
I, on the other hand, am jumping into this new life but not without missing life with our dear friends. I am actually enjoying being here but I’m not 'gung-ho' about change. Dennis and I have had many a conversation about our differences. We want to try to understand how the other is processing the change without judging or berating the other but our views are still different. Dennis thinks that my love of relationships back home, may prevent me from making friendships here and I say to him – work hard to stay in touch with your friends at home. The point is we need to be fully here but we still need the valuable relationships God gave us at home. There’s nothing quite like the weathered friends that have been through much of the muck of life with you and continue to love you and point you to the King. (Actually, I am doing the hard, slow work of getting to know people and Dennis does miss life with people who know him well) The old jingle, “Make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold” is true. We trust God will add silver relationships to us here in Britain but we surely love the gold friends back home. We are rich indeed!
2 comments:
AC directed me to your blog! It is so cool that you get to live in England. How long? The lake district is one of the prettiest places in England. I lived there for a year just south of the Lake district, outside Carnforth. I loved it. One of my favorite things to do was to go in the old book stores, that seemed to be everywhere, with a cup of coffee, I would look through all the shelves to see if I could find any classics.
I appreciated this blog as we have been dealing with the same things having moved to St Louis. It seems the older Conner and I get, it takes us longer to make deep friendships. We still grieve while at the same time praising the Lord for the time he allowed for us to be at First Pres.
Joye(my sister) forwarded your info to me. I remember your family from MANY yrs ago at Cornerstone & kept up a bit through the yrs through J. You'll have great fun in your new home & the Lord will bring many wonderful new people into your lives as he has ours in VA. Maybe you'll even find a great Anglican ch.We attend The Falls Church. I pray for peace & fun for each of you. God is good! Sandy Quillin
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