Back with the Family

This is the life… back and forth between Florida and Oregon. I am happy to be back with the family and to pick up a little work this week (I am installing tile for friends). It seems like I am living two lives these days. I have my work in Florida and the prospects there, but my wife and children are here in Oregon. My family needs me. It is a good and bad feeling because I have to be away from them intermittently while I pursue international and intercultural work in Florida, the DR and Haiti.

'When Kristie and I were first… checking each other out… before we were even "officially" dating. Kristie asked me about my goals and dreams when I was a single lad in my early twenties and my response was, "to work and live overseas in missions and humanitarian programs." Her… response was something like… "like, totally far out, groovy, cool… dude! Like that is totally what I want to do with my life too, totally!" (well maybe not exactly like that but she was 19 at the time) We were married less than a year later. Yes we went from "Hi, what's your name?" to "I take you Kristie/Shane to be my lawfully wedded…" all within 11 months. It's a good thing that we do these things when we are young, when life is simpler and more straight forward.

This journey that we are on is nothing new for us. We have lived in 13 houses in nearly 12 years of marriage. That means that Kristie has packed away her life and started fresh in a new place with a new perspective Even our cat Gus has learned to adapt to new surroundings easily. Sometimes my heart hurts for my family because of the constant change in our lives, but like I said at the beginning of this entry… this isn't the life. I wouldn't wish this kind of life on just anyone; you have to be called to do it.

As we keep on keeping on, please remember us in your prayers and if you get a chance, send a not to Kristie or the kids once in awhile… to keep them going, especially when I am away.

May the Lord bless you on your own journey,

Shane