Best of both worlds...

I love waking up to find a note like this from Luke! (yes-Luke gets himself and his breakfast ready and is out the door usually without our prompting by 6:50am) We really can't say that we trained him to do this, he is just one of those wonderfully annoying "happy" morning folks, who is self-motivated to get to school. Also, as evidenced by this note, God has given him the gift of encouragement! :)

This week we all have struggled a little more than usual to get out of bed and start our day, but thankfully the worst of the jet-lag is behind us. Our trip to Florida was very short, but really sweet! Neena and Memoo were troopers putting up with the chaos of kiddos constantly in and out of the pool and sand all over their floors!

While in Florida, we got to eat all of our favorite foods, hang out at some of our favorite places and love on some of our favorite people! I'll be honest, it is always heart wrenching to say goodbye. I hate watching our kids feel torn between 2 worlds. Fortunately, we have convinced our kids that they get the "best of both worlds" and they seem to really believe us! (sometimes I even have to convince myself)

The fact of the matter is, it is true. They get the privilege of benefiting from 2 countries. They love Austria. They love that they know German. They love their schools, their friends and how cool the parks are here. But they also miss their grandmas, cousins and aunt and uncle and their friends from our home church. (As we do too!)

It tugs at my heart strings as a mom, but I feel like the experience of living overseas has made us appreciate our relationships back in the States more. I also know that these experiences have developed in us all a real sense of being "citizens of heaven", and for that I can be thankful.