“How are you dealing with missing
family?”
-Papa Dan
The
next year was a rollercoaster. There
were some days that were easier than others.
We had to start selling most of our belongings. With a ton of yard sales and planning,
everything was a blur. Other than that
for a while life was pretty much the same.
When it came time to sell the house, things got really difficult. Eight
years of memories lived in that house.
The very fact that we were not going to have a house made the inevitable
a reality. After a while on the market,
lots of vacuuming, and impromptu trips out of the house, it was done. It was official. We didn’t belong there. That feeling was hard to shake. In July we moved out. Heartbroken goodbyes were pretty much a daily
occurrence. Neighbors, friends,
teachers, family you name it, we left.
We stayed in South
Carolina with my mom’s parents for a few weeks.
When the day finally came, I don’t think I’ve ever felt so sad. Papa Dan and Uncle Jason drove us and all of
our stuff to the airport. After saying
goodbye to Grandma Julie, Aunt Heather, Uncle Michael, Aunt Laura, Eva, and
DannyLynn, we got in the car. Stifling a
sob, I waved goodbye. In the airport we
passed customs and everything and we were officially on the way to our new
home.
Finally, we arrived in
Guatemala around midnight. Rushing to
our new home we had to stop to get jugs of water and snacks for breakfast the
next day. Even though it was past midnight,
I began to unpack and organize. This was
Sunday August 13, 2017. The next day,
Dad and Layla went out to look for a car, Mom, Jordyn, and me went
shopping. Somehow I managed to be
completely unpacked, organized, and decorated before dinner that day.
The following weeks
were full of language, culture shock, and facetimes. Today I still have days where I feel
homesick. I miss my friends and
family. I send them messages and call
them some. Though I have lost touch with
many of my friends and struggle to reach out to my family. Through this time God has shown me His love
and how He can be my best friend. Eventually God blessed me with some amazing friends who feel like family. God is so good all the time.
