Where is home?

We're home! Well, sort of. We arrived in Brazil a few weeks ago and have been settling in again in Soytown. We really enjoyed the last 6 months in the States, but there was definitely a transitional, non-permanent feel to it.

Knowing that our time in the States was limited, we really noticed and appreciated the little things (like being closer to family, church services in English, nursery, speaking in English, carpeted floors, clothes dyers, dishwashers, central air conditioning, asiago cheese bagels from Panera Bread, Mexican food, frozen vegetables, pop-biscuits, chocolate chips, restaurants that open for dinner before 7:00 at night, Walmart, second-hand stores, smooth roads, taking a walk with a double stroller and not being stared at, changing seasons, hot water from the tap for washing dishes, toilets that flush toilet paper, etc). We also began to miss things about Brazil (like tile floors, singing at church in Portuguese, speaking in Portuguese, picanha (a cut of beef), farofa (manioc flour), good coffee, atacadão (a huge bulk grocery store that always has the best prices), receiving virtually no junk-mail, the community pool and having summer year around, Mali (our dog), not feeling a desire to watch much TV, less commitments, more freedom to do things spontaneously with friends, etc). We feel split between two homes and two different worlds -- the U.S. and Brazil.

Not that I'm complaining. I think we have the best job in the world, even if it means moving and traveling a lot. Mike and I counted that we had lived in eight different cities by the time we were married five years! Here is a quick list of the places we've lived in the last six years. The places in green I consider real moves as we had to pack up everything we owned to move there while the rest are places we've stayed for two months or longer for coursework, furlough, medical, etc.

Grants Pass, OR (3 months)
Klamath Falls, OR (9 months)
Dallas, TX (6 months)
Holland, MI (6 months)
Cuiaba, Brazil (8 months)
Rubbertown, Brazil (1.5 years)

Brasília, Brazil (2 months)

Zeeland, MI (6 months)

Soytown, Brazil (6 months)

Dallas, TX (5 months)
Soytown, Brazil (June 2010-present)

This doesn't include stays at the mission base for Emily and Lydia's births or other extended stays for meetings, workshops, etc. In case you're wondering, packing is not one of my favorite things to do!

Packing the truck to go back to Soytown

Our "job" also requires us to travel around the U.S. to see our partners. Although this is a blessing to be able to reconnect with people, it can also be exhausting, especially traveling with kids! We realized that Emily had been in 17 states by the time she was 17 months old! In Brazil we live more than 10 hours from the nearest airport, so at times it seems as though the car is one of our second homes!

Our little traveler -- Emily at 15 months

Thankfully we've been blessed with two very adaptable girls who also are great travelers. However, it is hard to answer Emily when I tell her we're going home and she asks, "Where's home?"

I recently watched a movie about a couple that moved a lot. The wife lamented to her husband, "Where is home?!" and the husband answered, "Home is where we are." I feel that this really sums up our family. My hope is that what determines our home is where our family is and not where our house is located. One added advantage of moving a lot is that it helps us remember that earth is not our home, but heaven.

~Kelli

P.S. This was the verse from my devotional yesterday -- how appropriate!

Numbers 9-17-18

"Whenever the cloud lifted from above the Tent, the Israelites set out, whenever the cloud settled, the Israelites encamped. At the Lord's command the Israelites et out, and at his command they encamped. As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they remained in camp."