Last week we moved out of the guesthouse and into a cute little flat, on a quiet street, with little puppies living outside. We've fully unpacked for the first time in WAY too long, built a closet out of industrial shelving, some chain, and metal tubing, ordered new pillows, and in general are thrilled to bits to finally settle into a little place to call home.
A great gift since we've moved to this country has been to be able to catch up with two of my dearest friends from my previous desert home. For various reasons they've ended up in this sprawl of a city, too, for a time and it has filled my heart with joy to cross paths and catch up with them again. I haven't seen them for about 2.5 years, but as it goes with people you've done a lot of life with, we were able to pick up just where we left off.
When I was leaving my desert home, still single, devastated to be forced to go, I remember thinking that if God ever gifted me with a spouse, how sad it would be that he'd never know this part of my life. While only a few years, they were a really significant couple of years in my life.
And while I'm still not sure that I'll ever get to take him there (and if I do much will have changed since I left), I am grateful and amazed with how God has made it possible to cross paths with so many people who were incredibly important to me those years. Twice we've been able to visit the British family who were basically my family for those years, as well as one part of another family who cared for me, frankly, a lot more than they needed to. And now two of my dearest friends during that time, too. We get work with refugees from that country every day now, and we're trying to help one of the boys from the center where I was working with his school fees. Having my now-hubs be able to meet people who were so important to me during those years is so good. Many of those folks were ones who were praying for someone for me too, and it's nice to take him 'round now and show this handsome miracle off.
One nice thing about working in the same office and with jobs that overlap a bit is that the hubs gets to drop in on some of the courses we're running. Last week I started helping teach our once-a-week accessories course (seems I just can't stop myself from teaching people how to make things wherever I am!). Its a bunch of refugee ladies from my previous desert home. These ladies are strong and sassy and sweet in their own way. Dan came in after a little while, mostly just to say hi, and the ladies were all pleased to have him praise their handiwork. One lady asked why I didn't have any children. I told her I've only been married 10 months and that usually my culture waits a little bit longer to have kids. She wagged a finger at me and said, "You know in our country it's not possible to be married a year and not have a baby or pregnant!" I smiled and laughed and she laughed and I'm really happy to be lectured by these sassy ladies again, and for a hubs who gets to laugh with us too.
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