wending our way

The house was filled with the cheer of Christmas carols playing this week, but instead of unpacking boxes of ornaments to decorate the house, we packed up boxes of our personal things and squirreled them away in our friend A's attic (many, many thanks, A, for storing our things!) for hibernation during our next term overseas.

Then we swept the rooms, raked the yard, and packed our suitcases, all while saying good byes left and right to people we love here in Savannah.  It seems a strange way to celebrate the season of Christmas.

saying good byes

 

to friends we love...

But in the midst of it all we found time for a few Christmas traditions, 

like a ferry ride across the Savannah River to the Westin 

to see the Gingerbread houses, 

a gingerbread library!  how great is that?!?

to Leopold's for some of Savannah's very best ice cream, 

 

watching The Muppet's Christmas Carol while snuggled under blankets, 

 

and a grand finale of beauty 

in the majestic Lessons and Carols service 

at church on Sunday evening.

Elise and Amy join the youth choir one last time

more good-byes

And now, as you read this, 

we'll be wending our way across the country 

to spend the holidays with our dear families in the Northwest.  

And soon afterward we'll begin our travels back to the Philippines!  

We treasure your prayers for us in all of the transitions.  

Saying good bye is hard. 

It just always will be.  

  

But as Dr. Seuss said, "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."  

So we'll smile and give thanks for all these wonderful memories.
We hope you'll give thanks with us!