3000 Miles, 8 States, and 2 Soccer Games?!
Nothing says spring break like a 40 hr road trip!
Quick Recap:
Here’s what has happened since our last update:
Wow… there have been a lot of changes since our last update! Since you last heard from us our house went on the market! But getting to that point was a crazy dash to the finish line (or is it the starting line??).
We met with our realtor and dear friend April on Monday, the 18th, to discuss getting our house ready to sell, what it would take, the price point, etc.
She asked if we would be out of town anytime soon, as it would be a great time to schedule showings. We mentioned that we were planning on driving out to the Dallas area and then Little Rock to meet up with some friends and supporters for spring break and were leaving on the 28th.
“That would be perfect! Do you think you can get it ready??” As Rachel quickly said yes, she looked at me to see the shock and realization of everything we would have to do, start to dawn on me. “We can do it babe!” (Those might be some of the most dreaded words a husband can hear, by the way).
The plan was to fix up our house, reduce the clutter to make it presentable, clean it all up (with four kiddos it gets messy quick, y'all), get the photographer over to take pictures, and then head out on our trip as the house officially hit the market. It seemed like a daunting task to undergo in 10 days.
But sometimes, you need to try the impossible—things that are so big that you HAVE to fail unless you have complete faith in Him. And wow… did He deliver!
We had painters at our house the next morning, mulch delivered on Thursday, carpet cleaners came in on Friday, one of our neighbors does pressure washing and came and touched up our patios and driveways, and handymen coming in to fix random things that I didn’t have time to get to. Things were moving!
And let's not forget our saving graces: Rachel's mom and our superhero sister-in-law Kristin, who swooped in to save our sanity. Without their Herculean efforts, our house would still be buried under a mountain of chaos.
3000 Miles and 8 States:
After we finished the last-minute cleaning of our house, we packed up the minivan and headed to Columbia, South Carolina, on Thursday afternoon to visit Rachel’s sister and drop off some things that she claimed from our most recent purge. Our plan was simple… just drive. After dinner, we drove 6 hours to Birmingham, AL to spend the night and then woke up the next morning to drive to Jackson, MS, to meet up with one of my friends and his family for lunch. After that, it was another 400 miles to DeSoto, TX, to meet some supporters of ours for dinner, and then on to our hotel in the DFW area.
DFW:
Our three days in the DFW area were great. Rachel and I both got to reconnect with dear friends that we hadn’t seen in a long time, and Rachel’s mom enjoyed a long-overdue reunion with her twin sister. We even got to attend an Easter service at a church that supports Rachel’s parents. And, of course, we had to get some legendary Texas BBQ at Panther City BBQ (any time you have a chance to try a top 10 Texas Monthly BBQ spot, you go check it out). And since we were in Ft. Worth, Rachel had to capitalize on her chance to indoctrinate the kids by showing them around the TCU campus.
Little Rock:
Our time in Little Rock was action-packed. Rachel got to present at grand rounds at her former hospital, and I got to present at my former workplace. I think we both went into each presentation with a mix of nerves and anticipation, unsure of what to expect. But you know what? We both came out of it with a sense of appreciation for getting the opportunity to come back and share our passions and just present what we feel like we have been called to do. It was great to catch up with friendly faces and answer some questions from those who were curious about this undertaking.
Our stay in Little Rock was made all the sweeter by the hospitality of our dear friends, the Jarvis family, who graciously opened their home to us for the week. It was a heartwarming reunion filled with laughter, reminiscing, and the joy of watching our kiddos become fast friends. In their company, every moment felt like a cherished memory in the making.
2 Soccer Games:
As we left Little Rock, we headed back to the Palmetto State to drop off the mother-in-law in Columbia. We then had to head to Charleston, SC, because our road trip wasn’t done yet. We had our last two travel soccer games of the season for Daniel as his team played a doubleheader in James Island. They won the first game 5-3 (it should’ve been 5-2, but one was an own goal, but c’est la vie), and the second game was a back-and-forth thriller that ended in a 3-3 tie.
Last Thoughts:
Reflecting on the whirlwind of our week, what struck us most was the incredible resilience of our kids. One might expect them to be tired or cranky after hours cooped up in the car, but instead, they surprised us all. It was a sheer delight to witness them effortlessly befriend the children of our friends, dive headfirst into shared adventures, and create memories that will surely last a lifetime.
In the midst of our travels, it was a sweet reminder of the enduring spirit of childhood. Despite the miles we clocked on the road, their energy remained undimmed, their enthusiasm infectious. Watching them forge bonds with new friends underscored the magic of youthful camaraderie – where a simple game or a question about Pokémon can bridge the gap between strangers and transform them into kindred spirits.
So here's to the unbridled joy of childhood, to the beauty of unexpected connections formed on the journey, and to the timeless lesson our little travelers taught us: that in the midst of life's hustle and bustle, it's the moments of genuine connection and shared laughter that truly make the adventure worthwhile.
Other good news:
We recently crossed the 75% mark on our monthly support needs and 58% on our departure costs! To all those who've joined us on this incredible journey—whether through your unwavering moral support, heartfelt prayers, or generous contributions—we extend our deepest gratitude. You're not just supporters; you're essential players in our story, and we're profoundly humbled by your belief in us.
Things to Pray For:
The application process for three of our kids (Daniel, Emma, and Isabelle) to get into an international school in Addis
Rachel can get her documents authenticated for her Ethiopian medical license
Visas for Frank and Karren, as well as for our family
We can finish up our pre-field requirements (bible classes, reading some books, etc)
Our sanity as we are now finding out how hard it is to maintain a “show ready” home with four kiddos plus two dogs
Just that our house will sell quickly and that we can quickly wrap up our support-raising
If you want to learn more about how to help us on this journey, please click the link below!
