Something Old, New, Borrowed, and Blue

Hello, everyone!
This post is going to be a rambling session, so prepare to be bored. =D I figured I’d better write one last journal post, since the next couple weeks are going to be very busy and you’re probably going to hear little from me. Perhaps you heard the old wedding custom of the bride having something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue with her on her wedding day. Well, I’m going to have some fun with it today. (giggle)

Something Old
Where has time gone? On Oct. 14th it was one year since the Maynard family came to visit us and Russell and I met face-to-face. Oct. 15th was a year since I graduated. It seems like just yesterday that I was standing in the church’s kitchen, waiting to walk down the aisle to Pomp & Circumstance and Russell was passing by on his way to the front of the auditorium where he and his brothers were going to sing. I didn’t realize then what was going through Russell’s mind as my eyes met his gaze with a smile. Could I ever have imagined that he was praying about me being his wife or that 6 months from today we will be getting married? No…never! God is so very good to this girl to give her such a special young man.

Something New
The chilly days of autumn are upon us here in Holland. I think it has been unseasonably cold. We have been lighting candles just to take the initial morning chill off the room. Yesterday we finally broke down and turned the heat on, so we’re thawing out nicely now. (chuckle) It kinda sad when you find yourself huddled around a candle to warm your freezing hands. =D
The leaves on our currant tree, which were a brilliant display of gold and orange several days ago, have now fallen to the ground, marking the completion of another year’s growth cycle. I love that verse in Genesis 8:22 that says, “While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” It’s a blessing to know that, while this earth remains, the seasons we depend on will come and go has they have since God first established them.
We are enjoying the delights of the season. For family night last night we opened the first bag of pepernoten. Pepernoten (I guess the direct translation would be pepper nuts, also called spice nuts) are tiny, hard cookies with spices like cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger. You could say it is the Dutch people’s version of our American pumpkin pie--a similar flavor while having a different texture. Last year we invented this interesting game of throwing pepernoten into the air at whoever is sitting on the opposite couch and having them attempt to catch them in their mouth…kinda like basketball, only using cookies. (chuckle) You should see Dad! He’s really good! =D Well, that’s enough personal info on our family’s odd ways of having fun.

I got contacts on Tuesday! I like them well enough…as well as anyone can like a piece of plastic in their eye. (chuckle) Actually, except for my eyes feeling somewhat dry, they really aren’t that bad. It’s nice to have my peripheral vision back, which is something you miss out on with glasses. And I also discovered through the process of a painful day’s wear that regardless of what my optometrist says, my contacts do need to be gently rubbed clean in the new-and-improved “no rub” solution. I guess it was supposed to be one of these miraculous self-clean things, but…I have sad news! It doesn’t work! Not for me, anyway. But, praise God that things are going okay, because I would really like to wear contacts when a certain special day arrives, even though Russell tells me I look beautiful with or without glasses. =) He’s so sweet!

And that brings me to the next “something new.” My family and I are leaving to go to Florida in just 3 days!!! It will be so wonderful to see Russell again! When I think that we have only seen each other in person for a grand total of 2 weeks, I can hardly believe it. By the time we get married in April we will have spent 8 (possibly 9) weeks with each other. Is that wild or what? Russell’s and my courtship would be different enough if it was long distance State-side, but I must say that having an international courtship has made our relationship very unique indeed. I know most couples don’t have their wedding date picked out before their engagement, but in our case we had to.
Along with our other luggage, we have packed 4 large containers full of my belongings. We should be able to get all my things to Florida between this load and the next, when we leave for the wedding. If you think to, please pray that everything arrives safely and without breaking. After 14+ years of packing, Mom is quite the expert, but that’s not necessarily a guarantee when airport security rummages through our luggage and shifts it all around. They’ve just made luggage rules even more strict and have reduced weight limits per suitcase from 70 pounds to 50. Trying to pack so each suitcase doesn’t exceed the weight limit, is full enough so everything doesn’t shift around, and is packed well enough so it doesn’t break is a great challenge!!!
Anyway, our next 6 weeks in Florida are going to be packed with activity. I have a doctor appointment on the 23rd, the next week the Maynards’ church is holding a camp meeting, then the week after that our family + Russell is heading to NY to visit our family up north. By the time we get back to FL we will have used up about half our vacation. The next 2-3 weeks will be taken up with as much wedding preparations as we can get done, seeing as this will be the last time we are in the States before the wedding. There is so much to do. I’ll spare you all the details. (chuckle) As Russell so perfectly worded it, we are going to hit the ground running. Please keep our family in prayer if you think to! =)
I’m so thankful for the Maynards and all the sweet people in their church who have sacrificed time, money, and energy to get the house ready for our family to stay in. Several miracles have happened along the way as everyone has worked hard to make it livable again. I don’t know if I mentioned this before, but the house where my family will be staying is also the house Russell and I will be living in temporarily after we get married until we can move into Russell’s house which is bigger. I think the Lord worked it out perfectly--I will get to live in Russell’s and my house for 6 weeks and get used to the feel of things. Being a bride isn’t the only thing that’s going to be new for me in 6 month’s time. I’m going to be moving to a new country, new state, with new surroundings, new family, new church, new friends, and living in a somewhat-new house with a new husband and a new marriage. That’s a lot of new-s (no pun intended) for a 21, going on 22-year-old girl who has a hard time adjusting to change. I’m gaining more and more respect for Rebekah with each new day. What a brave girl!!! Though I have an advantage over her, what we both solidly have in common is the knowledge and assurance that fulfilling God’s will may not necessarily mean the most common way things are done and it may not be the easiest way, but the Lord’s grace is sufficient to carry us through the unspeakable joys of marriage and intense sorrows of longing for loved ones so far away.

Something Borrowed
I either took these pictures with Lydia’s camera, or I borrowed the pictures from her. So, this covers my “something borrowed.”

Standing strong! Stand strong, Christian, and let your light and beauty shine for the Lord! =)

My last summer at home... See Dad studying on the patio? I love this picture!

While in the process of making muffins, I couldn’t help but notice the date on this can of pumpkin...April 2010! Pretty important month! And, yes, I am sentimental...although I didn't go so far as to keep the top. (giggle)

Family that I love so dear,

Very soon we won’t be near.

Let’s cherish the moments within our grasp,

Reach for the hand that’s still there to clasp.

Our lives are on the brink of great change.

At first it’s going to feel very strange.

But the Lord will be with us even in this,

Making it easier when each other we miss.

Cause north or south, east or west,

Living in God’s will is always best!

Have you ever looked up the trunk of a huge tree and felt like you were going to fall on your bottom as the full impact of its height hit you? Do you see me--the little speck in the right corner of this photo? As I stood underneath these enormous trees, I couldn’t help but feel tiny and insignificant in comparison...and, yet, my God is so much greater than these puny splinters (as He must see them). The Lord is so much bigger than me and all my “big problems.” It makes me wonder why I so often lean on my own understanding instead of just trusting Him...He whose enormity exceeds these enormous trees a million times over. And then to think...that He would bother to take notice of me! Wow!

It's hard to believe we’re already half-way through the month of October! Isn’t my Cherished Teddy cute? I have a particular liking for bears...especially one great big teddy bear whose name starts with an R. (chuckle)

Yes, the leaves in the background really are that bright!!!

Something Blue

It may sound odd, but in some ways I’ve already started detaching myself from my family, as I know they are doing with me too. We’re all attempting to emotionally prepare ourselves for the separation we know is going to take place soon. In some ways I am mourning the inevitable loss of my family and childhood years that can never be recaptured. They went by so quickly. During dinnertime and the cozy evenings spent together in conversation, I find myself laughing and joking with my family or simply joining in on a serious discussion. Sometimes, as I listen to the merriment taking place around me, I picture in my mind’s eye the setting before me…but without me in it. Just Dad, Mom, Lydia, and Josiah. Lately I find myself turning away as tears fill my vision. At times I can’t even explain the conflicting emotions I feel of out-of-this-world joy and then unutterable sorrow that sweep over me, catching me completely off guard. Maybe I’m strange. Maybe not…I don’t know. Don’t get me wrong. I am thrilled about my upcoming wedding and the fact that I’m going to belong to Russell. He is the incarnation of all my dreams…and more! When the Bible says that God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think it sure was right!!! I could not be more blessed, and for that I thank the Lord!!! Well, this wasn’t something that was truly blue, as in the color blue, but at times it makes me feel a little blue, in a manner of speaking.

Now...for something that truly is blue!!! In just 3 days I’m going to see Russell’s blue (greenish) eyes! No more skype and blotchy web cams!!! Praise God! Goodness, if I didn’t know how handsome Russell is I’d really have to wonder about it when his face looks like a peach-colored ball with black holes for eyes. (chuckle) I will be SO glad not to use skype for 6 weeks. Thank the Lord! (glad sigh)

Well, this has gotten long…too long. I need to run. The packing continues! =) In the next few weeks I’m probably going to have very little time to do major emailing with those of you who I regularly keep in contact with. I’m going to try to do some picture posts and a general update about what’s going on while we’re in Florida.

Thanks for listening to my heart and thoughts!

Lord bless!
Hannah

P.S.

If you all would please pray for Bro. Mischa and Bro. Glenn, who are taking over the church in my dad’s absence, we would really appreciate that! No doubt, the devil is going to be working overtime. Please pray that the evil forces of Satan will be bound and cast into Hell where they belong.

Also, I’d like to thank those of you who took time to write me personal emails of encouragement regarding my previous posts. I hope you received my emails in response. Thanks for being a blessing to me! =)