Grateful

John and Han with Marc's parents

John and Han with my parents

"These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." John 16:33

So a long drought, with no posts, then a flood of posts is evidently what is happening here. :) Maybe I just have a bunch to say! Or maybe I have nothing of any value to add to your life, but I feel like rambling. It's summer, and it's really, really hot in Central Europe, so if this is incoherent, forgive me, please.

We had an awesome anniversary yesterday. Nothing particularly big--just time together, exploring our city a bit more, strolling around beautiful Vienna. We were overwhelmed by so many really kind comments on facebook, and they really did add to our celebration. It's hard to imagine that we've been married 23 years and together 25, but that's the case. I don't feel old enough to have been married that long. Of course, I don't really feel old enough to have a married daughter. I guess what matters is how I feel, and not the actual truth of my age. Since I'm staring down a birthday on Sunday, I'm thankful to definitely NOT feel my age.

As we were strolling last night, we got to talking about the differences in what we thought our lives would look like 23 years ago, and what they actually look like. If you'd have told me all those years ago that I would celebrate my 23rd wedding anniversary in Vienna, Austria, I probably would have laughed or imagined that it was some kind of special trip. I certainly could not have envisioned my life as it is. Never. Not in a million years. As we said to the church we skyped with last night--nobody was more shocked than we when God interrupted our very ordinary, normal lives with a plan we could not have dreamed up on our own. But it's a really good life, one I love, one I was made for, that our family was made for. As we were in the States a couple of weeks ago, Hannah and I were riding down the road after church. We got into the habit of stopping at a particular gas station in Middleburg, where I could fill the car for a little less than in Jacksonville, and we could get 69 cent sodas. As we were sipping on the 69 cent goodness, Hannah sighed. "I love this town." That didn't surprise me, of course. We all love Middleburg, are proud to be from 'the Burg,' and enjoy our time there. But then she surprised me by adding, "But it's not where we're supposed to be right now. We belong in Europe. It's fun to visit, but here is not where we're supposed to be." I thought hard about that--and agreed. We do belong in Europe. We aren't Europeans, we're certainly not Austrian, Czech or Russian (the places we've lived), but it is clear to us that Europe is where we belong.

I would love a life that allowed me to be closer to my parents and SB and DJ. I would love a life that was easier for all of us. If you think the separation is easy, you haven't witnessed the goodbyes. They are terrible. We dread them. I cry, my parents cry, my kids cry...I hate the goodbyes with a passion. And the last couple of years have not been a particularly bright, sunshiney season for us. And I dig sunshine. I really do. I'm a beach-goin', sunshine-lovin' Florida girl. But there is comfort and deep, unexplainable joy in really assessing your life, your walk with God, your relationship with others, and finding that the shoes you're wearing, the journey you are on is the perfect one for you. This may not be easy, but it's RIGHT.

People in churches often thank us for our sacrifice. That's so kind. We appreciate that so much. And certainly, we have sacrificed being close to our family in order to live this life. But you know what? It is also a deep privilege to bring the Best News to people who really have not heard it. It is an honor to partner with national believers who are seeking to reach out to their communities with the Gospel. It's sometimes terrifying and way, way outside my comfort zone, for sure, but it's the great joy of my life that God unexpectedly, unpredictably stepped in all those years ago and changed the direction of our lives with one simple command: Follow Me. When we said yes to that command, it involved sacrificing some stuff that we really wanted for ourselves. But what we've gained--as individuals, as a family, as members of the Body of Christ--immeasurably better than the things we wanted. Even in the hot, sweltering Vienna summer, as we sweat and probably don't smell our best, I'm so, so grateful for this life He called us to, He commanded us to, and for the privilege to get to follow wherever He leads.

Well, it's going to be 100F again today, so I think I'd better get done what I'm going to get done while the getting is good and won't make me collapse from a heat stroke. Seriously, Europe--you can't do central heat and air? Really? I know, I know...you're too environmentally conscious for that. And I appreciate that about you as a continent, I really do, but I'm thinking that the noxious smells we are all wafting into the atmosphere certainly have to be having some kind of terrible environmental impact, too. :) Wherever you are in the world, I pray that you are happy and grateful to be leading your life, and that your weather is a little cooler than ours! Blessings to your and yours!

His,
Kellye

Mr. and Mrs. Rundio

One of my favorites of the bridal party--they were a fun group.

The beautiful bride and groom--and yes, he did grin like that all day!

Know therefore that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments...Deuteronomy 7:9

Well, my friends, it's been a while. I have obviously been taking a little break from this blog while we prepared for the wedding. Now that it's over and we are back in Vienna, I think it's time to get back to normal--whatever normal is on any given day.

So what to say about the big event? Goodness, so much that I'm not sure I have the right words. I think I had prepared myself that it would be such a bittersweet moment--happy for her happiness, but sad over our ever-changing family, at not being 'the five of us,' anymore, but 'the six of us.' I had steeled myself for that. But I have to be honest--I didn't experience that, and I don't think Marc did, either. In fact, quite the contrary--we were really overwhelmed by the joy of it all, by her love for him and his love for her, and by our love for them both. There were tears, definitely, but they were joyful, content, happy tears. The only sad tears were at the goodbyes, which never get easier for us. I think, though, that we've come to the conclusion that the deep relationships we have with our family--both immediate and extended--are worth the pain of goodbyes. I never want to be the person who keeps loved ones at a distance in order to not have to say goodbye to them.

We really enjoyed every single moment of the wedding and wedding week. Several friends whose children had already married sent me notes of advice to really focus on SB and DJ, on our time together, on every moment, and not to get so caught up in preparations that I missed it. I'm so happy to say that I really was able to do that. I am a notoriously stressy person--I am a perfectionist, and I want things a certain way, and when that doesn't happen, I can be a little testy. But I just didn't feel any stress at all. Even when it poured rain at the precise moment of the ceremony and it had to be moved inside the barn, I just didn't care--because Sarah Beth didn't care. One of my favorite moments was before the wedding, when SB and her bridesmaids were in the field behind the barn having their pictures taken. The clouds above were black and swirling, and we were clearly all concerned about the rain. One of the bridesmaids asked what we would do if it rained. Sarah Beth replied, "Get married." And that was really her attitude the whole week. Yes, there were things to get done. Yes, there were plans to make. But the focus of the week was her marriage to DJ, not the wedding. And it just made it a thousand times better to know that what they were excited about was being married, not whether or not they had the perfect wedding. And you know what? I actually think the ceremony was prettier inside the barn than outside at the gazebo. It was softly raining, and the barn was lit with thousands of Christmas lights. So beautiful. Plus, we could really hear Marc and the kids as they repeated their vows.

And just a brief word about Marc. You know I'm crazy about him and think he's so wonderful. But he does become emotional about his kids, so we were a little concerned about him getting through the ceremony. He was the man of steel. Seriously. Not a tear shed during the ceremony. He got a little choked up at one point, when Sarah Beth cried, but he did a beautiful job on the ceremony, and he gave Sarah Beth and DJ the wedding ceremony they wanted, working with them on what to include and what to leave out. He was perfectly composed...until we got home. When he opened up facebook and saw that Sarah Beth Hooks had become Sarah Beth Rundio, he had a little cry over that. But he really was impressive in his determination to give his girl the wedding she wanted, and we were all really, really proud of him.

If I had to give any advice out of my VAST experience as the mother of the bride, I would say focus on the kids, on the marriage, on the future, and not on making everything perfect. One of her favorite overseas 'aunts' had told Sarah Beth last summer that you don't have to spend a fortune to have a nice wedding, and she really, really took that to heart. She was very careful with money, and never asked for anything that was overly extravagant. She did a lot of stuff herself, and DJ helped with everything. And I would say to relax. Ironic at best coming from me, but it was my prayer to just enjoy everything, and I did. I looked around at the people in the room, and I just felt such love for and from everyone there. We had such a wonderful time with DJ's family, and our friends, and our own family...it really was just perfect. I saw one of the guests on Sunday at church, and he told me it was the most relaxed wedding he'd ever been to, which I took as a huge compliment. It really was fun and laidback, and--as her third grade teacher said--very, very Sarah Beth.

As we said our goodbyes on Tuesday at the Jacksonville airport, as I hugged my oldest for the last time for a couple of years, I did think this--she's not alone. I'm not leaving her by herself. Sarah Beth has had to fend for herself, in many ways, a common issue when parents live overseas and kids return to the States for college. And she's done a great job and made some great relationships. But can I tell you what a burden is lifted off our shoulders just by DJ being there? To know that he is taking care of her, that he is watching over her, sharing her life, making her happy, that they are making their own little family? So much happiness to see your child happy. And as we return to our overseas life, we are excited for the future--to watch the Rundios grow their own lives together, to watch Hannah continue to grow into the godly young woman she is meant to be, to go to BFA in the fall, to choose a university, to meet her true love, to watch John grow daily into the man God made him to be--it's all blessing, all goodness. Does that mean there aren't hard times ahead? Of course not! But it does mean that there is so much to look forward to, so much to be grateful for, that in the bad times and dark seasons, we can know that we have tasted and seen that the Lord is good, and that He does not change. He was good in the dark season. He is good in this season of light. His love does, indeed, endure forever.

Wherever you are in the world, I pray that you are counting the great blessings of your life, too, and that it is not going to be blistering hot where you are today. Blessings to you and yours!

His,
Kellye