HASTA LA VISTA SCHRAGS!!!

HASTA LA VISTA SCHRAGS!!

Olivia on her Harley ****** The Max Jones Field House

So last weekend Kevin took the Amtrak out to western Kansas to meet Emma and me. Friday morning we met ran around Goodland for a few hours. We visited my mom's best friend Marge, who misses my mom as much as any of my family. I sat and listened as she shared with me stories about my mom that I'd never heard. It was emotional, but so good. It's been almost 5 years that my mom's been gone, but I still feel like I'm getting to know her. After Marge's, we stopped at the Max Jones Field House. I spent hours and hours and hours in the fieldhouse as a kid and teenager. My high school graduation was held there. The Weskan game I blogged about the other day was held there. I was in the best shape of my life because I ran up and down that court a million times! Around the top are posted pictures of State qualifying teams and State championship teams from Goodland. Kevin and Emma took a trip around memory lane as I showed him pictures of most of my siblings up on the wall. I even made it up there a few times!!

Friday night and Saturday were filled with family! Knowing this was our last trip home before we leave the country, my sisters and brothers planned a going away party for us. 11 of my siblings were able to come home to celebrate with us. Kevin and I felt so honored that they would make the effort to do that. . . I know, it was also a great excuse to see more of the family. Anyway, my sisters made homemade pizzas and brownies and they even had a cake made for us! After we were finished eating, the family gathered around and prayed for us and for our next 3 years in Brazil. We were so blessed looking around at all the people surrounding us. After they prayed, we were surprised by a mountain of going away gifts! Actually, it was like 3 mountains of gifts! We had 2 full bags of dressup clothes for Emma, swimming toys, worship CDs, a 3-pound bag of Hershey kisses (which should last us a few days), massive amounts of gum and dental floss and sunscreen and soap, sewing materials so I can quilt, running socks, spices that aren't sold in Brazil, coloring books for Emma, and a ton of other things I'm forgetting!! It was crazy! It kind of felt like a wedding shower or a baby shower - it was so much fun to open the gifts! I was a bit overwhelmed too. Over the last few weeks, I've started to realize the enormity of the decision we've made. This is a life-changing decision and one that we are very excited about. However, there's also a lot of anticipation, fear, anxiety, and insecurity. We know this is what we are supposed to do. We also know there are going to be some tough days ahead. I'm overwhelmed, but not very emotional. I know that will come. I'm sad to leave. I just want people to know that if I don't cry or seem like I'm sad, it's just because I have so much to do before we actually leave. Believe me when I say I will bawl like a baby once we get on the plane. . . I'll probably bawl for the next 6 months. Just thought I'd share that so many of you are so important to us and we'll miss our face to face times. OK, gotta run!