Good bye and Adjustments

Yesterday, was a pretty rough day to say the least!  After Sunday School, we had lunch and then left to take Anne to her home away from home.  Please be in prayer for her host parents, David and Liz, as they not only minister to Anne, but to the other girls who are living with them.

David and Liz

Anne will be staying with David and Liz for 4 weeks at a time and then will go and stay with another couple on campus for 2 weeks and then continue on in that cycle.  It gives the house parents a chance to catch their breath as they work together as a family to take care of these hurting girls.  Anne will have a roommate, while she is staying in David and Liz' home, named Lexi.  She seems like a really sweet girl and had a great attitude when Adia beat her in air hockey.

I'm not quite sure what I envisioned with telling Anne good bye, but it didn't really happen the way one might think.  Everyone in the house just made us feel like family as soon as we got there.  They played with the kids, gave them snacks, etc, while we met with David and Liz.  David and Liz love the Lord and encourage the kids that live with them to seek Him for the guidance and strength that they need with the hurts in their lives.

While there, Anne will have all kinds of opportunities for fun activities and community service options.  She will also be involved in the weekly program of Celebrate Recovery for Teens.  Skeeter and I have been encouraged to check out the Celebrate Recovery Program for ourselves as well. 

How long will Anne be a part of this program?  Up until yesterday, that hadn't been a question that we had asked.  We had focused so much on getting her help that time wasn't really a factor (it still isn't).  We had kind of hoped that maybe she would be there for maybe 5-6 months, but the average stay is about 18 months.  She may not even get passes to start coming home until this summer.  So that was kind of a bombshell for us!

Of the children, Hawa and Adia are definitely taking it the hardest.  Adia is full of questions, whereas Jonathan just goes along with it.  The longer Anne is gone, the more questions Jonathan may have as well. 

Today, surprisingly, has been much tougher on me than yesterday!  I feel like I am almost dealing with this as though it has been a death (yes, I know that Anne is still very much alive).  Taking the kids to the school bus, without her there to talk with me and sit beside me was super tough!  I miss her hugs in the mornings when she is first waking up.  Everywhere I look, I see reminders of her, whether it be clothes, shoes, something that she liked to eat or do, and she's not here and I know that she won't be back for awhile.   I think the reality of adjusting to everyday life is going to be rougher than the actual taking of her there.  Today I had to call and schedule her orthodontist appointment so that her host mother could take her to that.  She is getting really close to getting her braces off, and I was looking forward to being able to be there when she had them removed.  Now, I won't be able to.  I looked forward to seeing all the things she was going to do this semester at school, and now that will have to wait as well.

We know without a doubt, that God has her where she needs to be!  God didn't promise that what He called us to do would be easy, but He did promise us the strength to do what He called us to complete.  In the meantime, I will be wearing this reminder of how much I love Anne!  Before she left, Anne and I went to pick out a necklace set.  This is the one that she chose.  She has the other part of the heart that talks about the daughter being cherished.  I told her that I would either wear this or the necklace she made me everyday that she was gone!

A huge thank you to all of you who have been praying for us, sending us texts or emails and just letting us know that you are thinking of us.  So many of you have asked how you can help.  To be honest, I don't even know what to say.  I am so used to enjoying being the helper of others that I don't know how to tell others to help us!  I do thank each and every one of you who have been such a strong encouragement and support for us!