Leaving DC...
We are down to our last week in DC and it finally hit me last night over dinner with one of my favorite women how sad I am to leave! Even though we've been here only a little over 3 months, there are things I will truly miss about our life here. This caught me a little off guard because I have been really excited about our move and so much about our time here has felt transitory.
It's a bit different from how I miss Atlanta. Atlanta contributed to who we are as a couple. It's where we learned what being married meant for us. We had well worn paths in the community and seasonal routine that shaped our lives year after year. We established a home, and welcomed others into it when they were new or passing through.
We've never quite fallen into a rhythm here in DC, and our apartment has not felt like home (although it's been just what we needed). Honestly, though we have a few usual haunts, we've spent our time in the city more as tourists rather than residents.
What we'll miss most is the people who have made space in their lives for us as we dropped in for a few months. I think because of DC's extremely transitionary culture, building deeper relationships with people happens a bit quicker here than elsewhere in the country too.
We really didn't know what to expect relationally when we moved here in September, and I anticipated loneliness. In reality, it's been anything but. The Lord provided above and beyond- from reconnecting with friends we've known for years to new foreign service friendships that formed easily and naturally to an incredible church that has blessed us just by welcoming us for this short season.
I'm not exaggerating when I say of our final 2 weeks here, we will have TEN nights with dinner/party plans with different people. Despite still being in training Monday-Friday until the day before we leave and having to pack and prepare to make a transcontinental move, I wouldn't have it any other way.
It seems the same anxiety I felt wondering: who will I be friends with? in September as we left great friends behind in Atlanta is starting to build for the move to Shenyang. I know I can survive anything with good friends around, including my first white winter and subzero temps. I am trying to convince myself that, considering how extremely well our time in DC has gone, I should have the utmost confidence that everything we need (especially relationships) will develop in its own time in Shenyang.
The great news about leaving DC is we have it on good authority that we will be back through in a few years! Who's to say if the stars will align for all the great people we're leaving now to be here at the same time, but one can hope.
It's a bit different from how I miss Atlanta. Atlanta contributed to who we are as a couple. It's where we learned what being married meant for us. We had well worn paths in the community and seasonal routine that shaped our lives year after year. We established a home, and welcomed others into it when they were new or passing through.
We've never quite fallen into a rhythm here in DC, and our apartment has not felt like home (although it's been just what we needed). Honestly, though we have a few usual haunts, we've spent our time in the city more as tourists rather than residents.
What we'll miss most is the people who have made space in their lives for us as we dropped in for a few months. I think because of DC's extremely transitionary culture, building deeper relationships with people happens a bit quicker here than elsewhere in the country too.
We really didn't know what to expect relationally when we moved here in September, and I anticipated loneliness. In reality, it's been anything but. The Lord provided above and beyond- from reconnecting with friends we've known for years to new foreign service friendships that formed easily and naturally to an incredible church that has blessed us just by welcoming us for this short season.
I'm not exaggerating when I say of our final 2 weeks here, we will have TEN nights with dinner/party plans with different people. Despite still being in training Monday-Friday until the day before we leave and having to pack and prepare to make a transcontinental move, I wouldn't have it any other way.
It seems the same anxiety I felt wondering: who will I be friends with? in September as we left great friends behind in Atlanta is starting to build for the move to Shenyang. I know I can survive anything with good friends around, including my first white winter and subzero temps. I am trying to convince myself that, considering how extremely well our time in DC has gone, I should have the utmost confidence that everything we need (especially relationships) will develop in its own time in Shenyang.
The great news about leaving DC is we have it on good authority that we will be back through in a few years! Who's to say if the stars will align for all the great people we're leaving now to be here at the same time, but one can hope.
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