In 2015, Jeremy and I decided that we wanted to start
pursuing our desire to live abroad with the kids. There were multiple reasons for deciding to
pursue the desire. It would be an
injustice to my readers to say it was not partially due to the political
climate that was in the US at the time.
We have very strong beliefs about rights for families and parents to
make decisions based on personal beliefs. We saw rights being taken and threatened each
day in the US and thought it would be a good time to live abroad and see what
would happen in the following years. With
these thoughts, we started to research countries we would be interested in
moving to and living in. We wanted the
freedom to home school, if we chose to continue doing so, and we wanted the
freedom to make medical decisions for ourselves and kids, specifically
regarding vaccines. We came up with a
few countries and decided to look for a job in New Zealand first. No rhyme or reason to our choice, we just
thought it would a place that would make an easy transition for the kids. Having worked overseas, I thought it would
take years for Jeremy to find a job and consequently us move. Jeremy started updating his resume and looking
for jobs late February/early March. By
April, he had 2 interviews lined up with 2 different companies in NZ. Even with this, I thought there was no way he
would get a job quickly. After
interviewing with both companies, Jeremy was offered the positions in
June. I was in shock. I just had a baby June 3rd and the
thought of moving overseas seemed insurmountable. Thank goodness God had given me such great
friends with great organizational skills and drive. I couldn't have accomplished this move
without them. We sold our rental
property the first week it was on the market.
Our residence sold the first day it was listed. We sold both cars, no issue. We sold most of our household items. We packed up two 5x5x5 crates and shipped
them to NZ. Our visas processed in record time. Our visa adviser told us it would
take 4-6 weeks to process visas.
Jeremy’s was applied for first and it came back approved in 2 weeks. The visa adviser was in shock it happened so
quickly. The rest of our visa
applications were then sent in. They
were approved in ONE DAY! This was
unheard of! It truly was amazing. A process that our visa adviser had never
seen processed faster than 4 weeks was completed in 2 weeks and 2 days. The move became really "real", quick. I spent weeks preparing for the move but not
processing the move emotionally. The
week before the move, the emotions came on strong. The thought of leaving the friends that God
had put in my life was overwhelming and I began to grieve as if someone had
died. How could God want me to move my
young family across the world so far away from my mom, my sisters and my
friends! God made it very clear that
this was his plan for our family.
EVERYTHING fell into place with no pushing from our end. All the doors were wide open even to the
smallest details.
Today as we arrive in NZ, I am in awe of God’s provision and
calling. He had prepared the way. We had too much weight in our carry on
luggage and we would have had to pay hundreds of dollars to take it but God
provided an agent who waived the fee. The
kids were wonderful on the 12 hour flight from LAX to Auckland. We had great seats with room for them to
move.
I don’t know what God has in store for us. I do know it hurts more than I can express to
leave the ones I love and I am so close to.
I am excited for the adventure but pray God brings me close friends
soon. Some one asked me what I was
worried about the most in moving my family to NZ. It is not about
the house, schooling for the kids, climate, culture etc but I worry about
finding friends that can help fill the expansive chasm in my heart right now. I feel so much pain and agony in the thought
of never living with those same friends surrounding me again. It hurts to my very core. Today I truly realized how blessed I am to
have such a hurt. Because this hurt
means one thing, I have been blessed to have been so close to so many
beautiful, encouraging, loving women.
Many long for this type of friendship and I have been given many. I will treasure those friendships
forever. I will rest in the knowledge
that I will once again live with those woman when we enter eternity.
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| Annabeth was not happy in the carrier so we held her A LOT during our travels. |
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| The boys managing the luggage (each bag was 50lbs and each carry on 15lbs). They each pushed a cart |
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| Johanna tired of the traveling |
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