The Gift of Rest

You may not be hearing from us for a while.

No, we are not swearing off Facebook or Twitter or Blogspot or Instagram or...any other social media facet of our lives...for the sake of a June version of Lent.

No, we haven't joined a commune...although there are days where the idea seems tantalizing.

But yes, we ARE moving away to a far off land. For 10 days.

Let me start from the beginning...

About a year ago, Erik and I were sitting at a dinner that we had been invited to with some friends of ours, when I felt a subtle squeeze on my leg.

Erik tends to do this when he wants me to say something like, "This has been a wonderful evening, but we must be going now." I told him before we even got there that if he played this card...I would ignore him. (I know...sweet wife.)

So I continued in conversation, pretending that I didn't feel the squeezes getting harder and more anxious. Being the very understanding and gracious spouse that I am, I started bringing up new topics of conversation and asking more and more questions to our hosts. (Seriously...so sweet, right?)

As the night finally came to a close, we said our thank you's and goodbyes and hopped into the car to go home, about an hour after the squeezes began. I was about to lay into Erik with a huge lecture about how we had discussed this habit and its ceasing when he blurted out...

"JESSA!!! I think we have just been given a trip to Hawaii...plane tickets and all!!"

Um....come again?

Needless to say, the following 20 minute drive home included a lot of "WHAT THE HECK?!?!"s and a lot of screaming.

The good kind of screaming.

We have felt so blessed in unfathomable amounts of ways...encouraged, uplifted, prayed over, supported. Especially in this last year.

We have been overwhelmed with love and kindness. And as we look back and think about this moment (almost exactly a year ago), we see this awesome outpouring of God knowing exactly what we would need, exactly at this time.

Rest.

And we see a family, so generous, so caring, and so open to listening to God's call to love His children through what they have been given.

So, in approximately 48 hours, Erik and I will be boarding a plane to a far off land, filled with rest, relaxation, restoration, and well...just good plain ole fun. We will have space to laugh, enjoy each other's presence without interruption, adventurize, and spend some time with people we love very dearly (my sister and brother-in-law will be joining us for part of the trip)!

We want to be very clear that NON, NADA, NOTHIN', NOT A CENT, of the money that we have worked for, fundraised, and been given for our adoption is going toward this trip. We feel that it is super important to state this because there are a ton of people who have graciously supported us in our adoption journey and that is incredible sacred and special to us.

This trip is a gift. A huge gift of rest. A welcomed, anticipated, and completely humbling gift that we are ready and excited for.

Yes, my bag has been packed for 1 1/2 weeks...

...and yes...Erik is still yet to pack. 

So...I bid thee farewell. At least for a little bit. 

Need us? We probably won't answer. We will be at the beach. 

Aloha!