Departure Preparations

Yesterday morning, I awoke to the sound of gentle rain. After a while, the rain stopped and I enjoyed the sound of soothing silence. I could not help but think that in a little over a week, silence would be a foreign concept, separated by an ocean. 

Five times a day, the call to prayer sounds from mosques all over the city of Amman. It will wake us at sunrise. There are other sounds too...people talking loudly, horns blaring, feral cats crying...Jordan is sound, not silence.

Our plans and preparations are almost complete. It has been a long stretch. Preparing to live in a foreign country means lists that seem to get longer, not shorter! Getting international drivers permits, updated passports, and travel insurance. Buying special vitamins and supplements that are not available in Jordan. Making sure our banking and finances are in order. Spending time with family that we won't see again for over half a year. Shopping for Christmas presents since we won't be here to buy them. Cleaning out and winterizing our RV, and storing our stuff. 

Then comes the packing. This is not your average packing for a vacation to Orlando. This is packing all of life's little necessities in four small trunks that can weigh only 50 pounds apiece. It is no small feat. We take the bare essentials, but choose wisely, not wanting to be without something we need while living abroad. 

During the last few weeks, amid the bustle of preparations, I have paused several times to process the move. We have been to Jordan before and feel better prepared mentally than we were the first time. I am trying to wrap my mind around knowing that family will not be as accessible as before. Although the flight from Jordan to the U.S. is only 12 hours and we are often separated from family for over six months here in the States, there is something about living in a foreign country that makes you aware that "home" is far away. 

Our lives seem to be one continuous flow of hellos and goodbyes. Yet, saying goodbye when we leave for a foreign country takes on an entirely new dimension than when we say goodbye to head to Minnesota, Georgia, or Maine. 

But here we go - with our little black trunks - to the land of falafels and kanafe, two of my favorite Middle Eastern foods. I am sad to leave, but I know that the time will pass quickly. 

For those of you who know us, say a prayer that our final preparations will continue to go smoothly. We appreciate the prayer support!