Moving Can Have Some Great Family Moments

After hearing from many of you with your kind comments, I realize I should have served up a box of Kleenex to go with my last post.  Some moments in life need a sound track; some are better served with that box of blessed, nose-comforting tissue.  Seriously, it wasn’t my intention to bring on those tears of moving flashback.  Some moments, you just want to move on from. ‘ Nough said, right?

So on with the pictoral update of Life Harrington over the last several months.  As stated in my last post, one unavoidable aspect of moving is the actual leaving.  One thing that I have learned in multiple leavings is that when at all possible, plan some special family time in with the  travel that comes with moving–unless of course you are crazy enough to pack up your household for a move down the street.

For me, time spent with family and friends in different places acts as a buffer, easing the transition from one place to another.  It provides a break from the stress of packing out and leaving.  A little R and R provides some great memories and provides a chance to rest and regroup before charging into all of the craziness of getting moved in and settled up in your new place.   I know that sometimes this isn’t possible, but for us this move coincided with our 20th anniversary year.  Never ones to be sticklers for celebrating on the actual date, we decided to plan a cruise (first ever) to Alaska as a family celebration.  We also knew that with our first-born heading off to college that the opportunities for all five of us to vacation together will slowly become harder to come by.  Conveniently, the military travel took us to Seattle, which is a great spot for catching one of those Alaska-bound vessels.

So how is this for a contrast?

 

 

Can I mention the packing challenge that required to spend that last week in Okinawa, a week on a cruise to Alaska, and then back to summer weather until your household goods arrive?  In one suitcase?  And not exceed 50 pounds?

 

 

Here are some other wonderful moments that our travel time brought:

 

While we were in Washington, I had to sweet blessing to visit two special ladies that God has used in shaping my life.  On the left is Marge Kimbell.  When we lived in Washington from 1992-94 God gave me time with Marge who taught me so much about following Christ.  She laid a groundwork in me that God has increased over the years.  The concepts she taught me are now in a manuscript currently at NavPress in the review process.  Lord willing, He will bring this book into print and we can all benefit from what God has taught me through Marge.

On the right is my friend Lyn.  She has been a mentor mom to me as she walked a step or two ahead of me in marriage and parenting.  When I was pregnant with my first-born, I would hang out with Lyn and her peeps.  She taught me so much about loving your husband,  keeping a house, feeding your family, and pulling a smile out of the pocket of a cranky four year old.  Most of all, she modeled a dependence and reliance on Christ in every need, joy, and trial life served up.

As we made our way forward in our travels, we had some great opportunities to have fun with family.  One upside to moving back to the states is easier travel to visit extended family!

 

 

 

 

 

Travels between addresses truly was a great time to recharge and enjoy time with family and friends that we haven’t seen in a long time. Between-time travels created a breathing space between packing out and settling in.