When CJ and I were engaged, my favorite day during all the wedding planning was the day we took our wedding invitations to the post office to mail them. We made a special trip on a warm, sunny, summer day down to the main post office in Nashville. Inside at the mail chute, I opened the mail box, placed the pretty envelopes with black calligraphy lettering gently inside and closed the door.
It was one of those moments when everything felt finally "official" - we really were getting married!
We had another one of those "official" moments today.
This journey has been long, yet with each milestone we know we are getting closer and closer to the job we've been called to do.
That's why today, after days and days of processing through a multitude of emails and phone calls cross-country, filling out mounds of paperwork, checking and double-checking every line of every page, we were able to mail off our visa applications for our future country.
Of course, it was pouring down rain today and blistery cold, so we bundled up to face the elements on our way to the FedEx office.
We walked down to the skytrain to discover, for some unknown reason, the skytrain wasn't running. Plan B - head to the bus station. We stood on the street corner in the rain waiting for our bus to arrive. You can't know the excitement it brings to see your bus off in the distance coming up the road towards you. I was so relieved to finally get out of the weather, but as the bus approached, we noticed its flashing sign across the top which read "Bus Full. Sorry."
It splashed water to the curb as it breezed by us.
Um, ok. Now what?
"We can walk or wait," were the two options CJ offered. Neither one seemed like a good choice, but what ya gonna do?
There was a small awning at a business behind our bus stop that offered some shelter from the downpour, so we decided to stick it out there til the next bus came. If the next bus was full, I don't know what we were gonna do, but thankfully within about 10 minutes, I saw another bus on the horizon.
"Please, please, PLEASE let that be our bus," were the words I was lifting higher as my toes tingled nearly frozen. Thankfully my request was answered. I wanted to kiss the bus driver when we finally boarded, I was so thankful to be inside and out of the rain.
Eventually we reached our stop, and the bus dropped us off right across the street from where we needed to go.
After we filled out the appropriate mailing slip and carefully placed all our precious documents into the envelope, we handed it over to a nice man behind the counter who smiled back at us and said, "Thank you. Have a nice day."
His words seemed a little ironic considering the weather we were about to endure again on our way home, but as we stepped outside, for just a brief moment, it seemed as if the sun was trying to peak through the dark, gray clouds.
It was still bone-chilling cold and the rain was coming down even harder, but there was a warmth in my heart at that moment that only comes from knowing that we're doing what Dad wants us to do.
"All of this is worth it," were the words I said aloud, although I don't think anyone heard me.
No amount of ugly weather would take away my smile for the rest of the day, knowing that we have one less obstacle to cross, and we're one step closer to our final destination.
Most of this process has felt very surreal, but today was one of those times when it feels "official" - we're moving to the other side of the world! Really!
At least we believe so, as long as there are no problems with our visas. Would you be remembering this request in your talks with Dad in the days to come... that there are no problems with our paperwork and everyone is approved to go.
On a separate note, did I mention that where we're going.... it's always warm there? No more cold weather! After being out in freezing rain all day today, it sounds like heaven to me!
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