Transitions and farewells

I feel like this past year has been a huge transition year for us, and even as hard as living in transition can be it has been such a great year growing together and being around family for a year. Even though we've spent most of our year living on the road and out of a suitcase, I am beyond thankful for what this year gave us, especially with family.
My first niece Evelyn (Kalee and Dillon's first) was born 6 weeks after I arrived in East Asia, my first year there. A super early comer she was as she wasn't due until mid December and came September 30. So, living overseas for two years, we didn't really know each other, other than by our skype dates and the summer I came home and held her nonstop. This year of being home has been such a blast with her. She started walking just in time to walk down the aisle for our wedding, we got to celebrate her 2nd birthday at the beach, and we spent many days with her playing on her new bike and pretend cooking eggs. (She has a fascination with eggs)

This year not only gave me time with Evelyn but also time with her sister, Collins, my second niece. She of course also came early but not quite as early as Evelyn. I remember getting the call while at a Bible study with some friends of ours in clayton and immediately getting on the computer booking my flight home to be there for it all. I didn't just get to be there when she entered the world, but I also got to spend about a week there in the hospital with her and kalee! I will never forget the joy of holding her in the nicu and getting to feed her each day. I know she doesn't really know much about me yet and her view of knowing me will be from Evelyn telling her about me and our Skype dates, but you just can't take away the joy and connection I have to her by being there and being a part of everything.

As hard as farewells are and are becoming for me here lately, they bring experiences that I don't think I would have ever intentionally had with these two girls if I wasn't leaving them for several years. Just last week, we went to stay with the Peaks before flying to Colorado and Kalee let us come take the girls out of daycare for the afternoon. Words can't express how fun it was to go sneak into Evelyn's room and pick her up from nap time. Now, her excitement was very limited when we drove off and left mama at work, haha. But, after about 10 minutes of screaming "ba ba" she fell back asleep and awoke very excited to see her larlar and shushu!

We spent the afternoon having tea parties, cooking in Evie's kitchen, dressing and undressing our dolls, pointing out colors, and just having fun together laughing and hugging. By far the best part of it all was after dinner when she crawled up on the couch beside me and we watched Mickey Mouse clubhouse on my computer for about 2 hours straight! That experience was a great farewell as my time with her from here on is more limited. I hope for more time of cuddling on the couch watching shows but if it doesn't get to happen again, I have a great memory to always remember with her.

Another great thing about my last year with Evelyn is that she is now becoming a phone talker where even when I would be in North Carolina sometimes and she would be staying at my parents house, she would call to talk. Most times it was just a hey and a I love you but about a month ago it was a conversation! She told me she was at her papa and hoddie's house and told me a few things she had done that day and that she loved me. Now talk about melting my heart! That was when I realized that my not being here with her for 3+ years isn't going to stop our relationship together. Even though I will be a world away from her she can talk to me and it will grow to be much longer than I love you! We can still watch Mickey Mouse together one day, maybe not laying on the couch together but as she grows more and more she can tell me more and more about her new school and new home in Tennessee and most importantly she can tell Collins about larlar and shushu! I long for the day when she is older and we might just be able to convince her mama and daddy to let her come spend her summer with us at camp larlar and shushu! What a joy that will be!
Now, as great as this farewell stage has been so far, I know that come the end of July it will be heartbreaking. We are excited to meet our first nephew and Mallory (my sister) and Ron's first child, Hudson, and to spend a week with him. But, we know of all the kids, he will have the least memories of who we are. So, as hard as it will be to say goodbye to someone we just met, we will trust The Lord he will not forget who we are through the years of Skype and phone calls and he will love us just as much as Evelyn and Collins do. We won't be there in person for his big milestones but we know we will be just as much a part of his life as everyone else around us. I am most definitely already extremely partial to him as his name is so great! And I pray for him that he will one day be known for great works for the kingdom much like the Hudson who went before him many years ago. I long to one day be able to tell him stories of Hudson Taylor's work for The Lord and to have him come experience the life he lived with us. Hudson Davis Kelley you are and will always be very special to me.