... of cranial explosion

It is much harder to move out of the country than one would imagine.  I don't know, maybe you have imagined that it would be hard, but I had this delusion that we would sell everything, pack up some suitcases,  fly across the ocean and that would be it.  Not so much (or little, in this case).

The selling stuff is time consuming enough.  It got me started thinking about when Jesus told the rich young ruler to sell all of his possessions, give it to the poor, and follow Him and the man walked away sad because "he was one who owned much property".  I always thought that he was sad because he loved all that property so much that he didn't want to part with it.  And maybe that was the case, but I've started to think that maybe he walked away sad because he knew he just didn't have it in him to go through the insane process that would be selling all that property.  Maybe he was thinking about how many garage sales he would have to have in order to get a good amount of money for all that property so that he could give as much as possible to the poor.  And maybe he dreaded all of trips he would have to make to kids resale shops to see if he could get more than $.50 for any item of his children's clothing, only to be told that they weren't buying the exact ages and seasons of clothes that were in the three large bags he had just hauled in. Maybe he was overwhelmed by the thought of ebay and craigslist.  Maybe he knew how discouraging and brain frying and annoying that would be and he knew he just couldn't do it.  Maybe.  Maybe not.

If he did, I can sure sympathize with him.

However, it's not just the selling stuff.  It's the list of other things that you never realized you would need to do in order to move out of the United States including:
-Passports for babies
-Authenticating documents (marriage license, birth certificates, diplomas) at the state level
-Authenticating documents at the federal level
-Authenticating documents at the embassy for the destination country
-Applying for a work visa
-Readying bank accounts
-Property rental agreements
-Wills
-Power of attorney
-Guardianship of children
-Air travel
-Trip insurance
-ETC.

Even the selling stuff and the paperwork might not be all that overwhelming, but add a non-napping, gassy, and refluxing infant and a toddler who has learned how to whine and say no at the same time and you've got yourself a fine little nervous break-down in the making.

By the grace of God, I will be alive and my head will be in tact on August 4th when we are officially out of our house.  And I will live through visiting five states in two months with said children.  And we will get off the plane on the other side in a few short months and a whole new set of challenges will begin, I'm sure.  But He will see me through and will continually remind me that He is completely worth a little brain frying.  Maybe my brain needs a little frying so that I will stop relying on it so much and start relying on Him.  


Just maybe.

Here are a few recent photos of my difficult, wonderful, adorable children (and their handsome daddy):

Daddy and Selah.

Daddy and Abram playing "inai inai baa" (Japanese peek-a-boo) that our friend taught him the other day.

Now he walks around the house playing it with himself at random times and I just hear, "inai inai, inai inai... BAA!!"

Using any tactic I can to keep a busy toddler busy while I clean out and organize the bathroom.

Barricading us in with water jugs.

Checking each other out.

The collection of sticks Abram gathered on our walk around the block yesterday.

Relaxing in the swing we borrowed from a friend for Selah and gave back today.  He just hung out in it and swung quietly stroking his hair for at least 10 minutes.  Sweet, big boy :)