3...2...1...GO!: Wrap it up

This is a sad post because it is our wrap it up post which means that our trip has come to an end. What an amazing journey we have been on! We are back in Alabama, in our air conditioning, where things are far less expensive and cars drive on the right side of the road. While we are excited to be back together and to be reunited with our family and friends, we are already missing those we formed strong bonds with back in Antigua.

Things that we missed about America:
our friends and family
our church
our couch
the cheaper prices
the ease of fast food
our small van (we drove a 15 passenger in Antigua through those crazy streets!)

Things we miss about Antigua:
the BREEZE!!!! It's hotter here for sure!
our back porch view of the mountains and the bay
the Villa church members
our kids in the community
meat patties
fritters and dumplings
the slower pace of life
the time we got to spend with our family
the time we spent daily teaching others about God

I have only driven on the wrong side of the road 3 times. Will has only hit the windshield wipers instead of the blinker EVERY TIME he's driven!! Even though we missed the ease of fast food, we haven't really craved anything like we thought we would. We got used to eating over there and kind of miss it. It was easier and not as involved as we tend to make our meals here. I miss saying good night to the church members (that's how they say hello at night). I miss everyone at church trying all their tricks to get Walker to come to them. I miss Walker giving Big Ups (knuckles) to everyone that asked. He still does it here and we are not changing the name of the trick!! I miss hearing Kan-niajah yelling for Wiiiiilllll every time she spotted him and then saying "come to chuch (church)". And he would walk over and get that sweet baby (she is 2) and hold her as long as she wanted him to. I miss the girls counting dogs on the way into town (450 in 4 days) and not missing having a dvd player in the van. I miss hearing Brother Dion lead Empty Mansion at church and You Can't Get to Heaven on Roller Skates. Can we sing those here please???!! I miss having Sandra being motherly and emailing me at night to make sure I got home. I miss Daisy and Rosie bringing us goodies All. Summer. Long!! I miss all the kids picking fruits from the trees in their yards and introducing us to sooo many new things. I miss hearing "where's baby Walker" when we were driving through the streets. That boy is famous there! He and the girls were the bait that drew the kids in. Otherwise we would have just looked like some scary white folks that kidnapped random kids in a big white van but because of our kids and our connection with Villa Primary and Villa Church of Christ, we got some credibility through the streets in the Villa and Point area. I miss the Villa teens and college kids playing with us in the afternoons and getting to know some of the community kids better. I miss hearing Brother Bernard preaching each Sunday morning and his words connecting with us on our level. I miss not having cell phone service anywhere except at home or church so our car rides were full of meaningful conversations instead of texts and emails. I miss the days I spent with my girls at the pool and the friendships I made with Silvanie, Patience and Earl that ran the pool and the tennis center. I miss the sunsets we witnessed from the ocean and the helicopter pad at the top of a mountain that displayed God's beauty and handiwork. I am thankful for the fact that we had so many family and friends visit us there and work alongside us. The money you spent and the time you sacrificed does not go unnoticed. I miss gaining 3 extra college kids the last few weeks. Paden, Hannah and Anna were our live in extra children (John and Scarlett and Brother Victor and Mrs. Daisy housed some of them too) and it was so fun to get to know them better and be around some young souls. They even babysat twice so we could enjoy an adult only dinner with Adolfo and Shantelle and then another night with John and Scarlett and our big kids cooked dinner for us one night! It was delicious and we ate on it for 3 days! There are so many other things that we grew to love in Antigua and it will forever hold a special place in our hearts. We are already planning on going on the big trip again next year...how could we not??!! We miss you Villa!

There were so many things done for us and so many prayers lifted up on our behalf and we could never express the amount of thanks that would be appropriate but I'm going to try to mention some of the things done. Some of these things we know who did them, some we do not. We know tons of people prayed because I have never felt God's presence like I did during the planning, preparation and execution of this trip. Several different guys mowed our yard weekly, our neighbor Robin got our mail and dealt will all of our bills, our mailman, Mr. Willis, delivered the mail to Robin's so she didn't have to stop and get it everyday, Mark and Gena brought us tons of groceries the first weekend they visited, Lee Flynn, brought us baby food, goggles and OREOS!!, my mom, brother and sister-in law, Will's parents and sister brought us tons of goodies and food when they came, Kenny and Scarlett donated Will's coffee for the summer, Jared worked on our tv and checked some things in Will's office, Ann Marie handled my summer Wee Swap drop offs, Will's dad jumped off our dead van when we got home, my dad bought us a battery for our dead truck when we got home, Jack handled the SonSeekers' stuff, our house was pressure washed by Kevin Foust while we were gone, friends brought me dinner to Wee Swap, friends stocked our pantry and made us welcome home signs and Jeff and Anisa drove me and Walker home from the airport.

My husband was so sweet in his last blog post and I want to take a minute to brag on him for a second. Some of you may not know that we have been separated for the last 2 weeks and 2 days. Me and Walker left Antigua on July 18th and came home in time for me to work at Wee Swap, the children's consignment sale that I work with twice a year. It is a very busy job that I do and I usually work around 12-13 hours for several days in a row without leaving the building or seeing my family much. At the time we were booking flights, it made sense that Will and the girls would stay the 16 extra days and continue the work there while me and Walker came home and I worked and got Will's parents and my mom to keep Walker. At the airport, though, I was really regretting that decision when I was saying goodbye to my girls and to Will. The girls were arguing and fighting at the airport so it made it a little easier! JK!! We came on home and Will and the girls and Paden stayed for the extra time and loved on the kids a little longer. It was probably a good decision even though it was so hard to be away. I got a lot more done than normal and it was nice not having to mentally worry about the girls and childcare and all that is involved with having my family home. Will and P-daddy, as the girls call Paden, handled those little girls like champs! Will is an amazing father and a very present dad. He is involved in so many aspects of their lives that other dads aren't and I don't think they even realize how lucky they are to have him. They had their moments while they were still there in Antigua just like we have our moments here. Honestly, I think I had it easier with a 15 month old that doesn't talk back and naps a lot! P-daddy probably doesn't want children for a long time now but I'm so thankful that he was able to come and stay and experience what John Oubre got to see and love. He is a really cool guy and it was so good getting to know him more. And know we know how good he is at frying plantains so we'll be requesting that from him!

By the way, we LOVE talking about our time there and the many things that God did while we were there. But we are usually aware socially and can tell when people care to hear it and don't care as much so we most likely won't bring it up. BUT we would invite any and all questions and we promise we will watch for social cues and quit talking when you become uninterested! One of the hardest parts of mission work is re-entry into your reality. It is hard when you have experienced something so powerful and amazing and don't feel like people care about what you've experienced. "How was it?" is the question we get most often and although we will smile and say "GREAT", you can't sum up 3 months with these people and this country in a one sentence answer so we are grateful for interest in our trip. Please continue to pray for our family because readjusting has been more difficult than I could have imagined...especially for our girls.

We are so eternally grateful for the John Oubre 4 Antigua fund that made it possible for us to go and spread the good news. We heard from Mark & Sherri Henderson often and they were so encouraging to us and to the work we were doing. Mark repeatedly stressed the importance of loving on these children and that is exactly what we did. We are meeting with them soon to catch them up on the trip. If you have ever considering donating to this great cause, now is the time. It took a lot of money to house and feed our family of 5 so the fund needs to be replenished! Now we are prayerful for the next person(s) that will feel the calling to go to Antigua and continue the work. You can go to www.johnoubre4antigua.org to visit the website, read more about the foundation and to donate.

Here are some pictures of the last few weeks for Will and the girls and Paden in Antigua and me and Walker at home.

Our last picture together in Antigua

Callan, Bonnie, Ava and Lizzie saying goodbye in the airport

My sweet sign!

Part of the junk food my friends had waiting for me!

Kiarra, Callan, Lizzie and Shade at VBS with the Texas group

A post Antiguan slumber party with my big girls

"Helping" mommy at Wee Swap

Paden and Erick at camp

Lizzie and daddy enjoyed one last Castaways breakfast

Callan at camp with the Villa members

What a funny trio they make! Love these guys!

Playing Legos in the aiport

Paden and Kenny coming back to Alabama!

Selfies in the airport

Baby Walker!

They loved each other for this moment at least

Flying home

Worn out!

Reunited with Mark Henderson

He missed his daddy

1:00 am picture taking time

1:30 am family selfie!

Let's go to sleep at 1:00 am after being out of the country for 3 months and then get up and go to school. Pray for us! Ready for a good year of 1st and 2nd grade.