So, tomorrow is the day. I can't believe we are but 20+ hours away from hitting the air and hopefully gliding over the pond to the UK {please, Lord Jesus, make it a SMOOOOTH, on time -- if not, accelerated flight!) and then a one hour train ride to st. pancras station and a nice three hour ride on the eurostar to Paris.
Praise God, the visas were ready today! All week, due to my father's sadness about us leaving and just my weird last minute misgivings, I've been telling myself that if the visas weren't ready, then we wouldn't go. I'd just chalk up what I've spent so far as a loss and take it as a sign that we simply are not supposed to go. Even though I still had this core assurance that I must follow through, the nerves were getting the best of me. But the visas were ready, so God's plans are moving forward. I do believe that. This ride we're on has nothing to do with any preconceived plans of my own. This is orchestrated by God to His glory and for His purposes. I've got to learn how to get out of the way and just rest and enjoy the view.
For our last day in NYC, we met with my best friend Lolita at her job near city hall, which really was a blessing. So glad she was able to take time away from her busy schedule to bid us a fond farewell. After that, we had an awesome lunch with a sweet, Godly woman from the online lifegroup I lead through my church (liquidchurch.com). Lourdes and I had a great time. She so blessed me. She was able to articulate the "why" of my assurance about going, even though I don't have absolute clarity on what will be accomplished through the grad pgm or my time with Jonathan overseas. She said that for everyone in my family to truly move forward, I have to leave. There are some things God needs to do but can't do until I'm obedient in this thing He has placed before me - as scary as it is right now for me. And I need to move forward to --- and Jonathan also needs to move forward. Uncanny how the Lord has managed to merge some deep, inner work in my family with the fulfilment of one of my dreams. That's our intricate, specific God for you!
After lunch, because it was such a beautiful day and because we were so close to the Brooklyn Bridge, Jonathan and I took one more stroll across the bridge down to Dumbo and the fun Pirate Park that's under the bridge. I took a cool video of Jonathan on a tire swing with a sweet little girl and would have posted it here, but my new phone - the one that I had to get after I dropped by Windows Go Phone - which was a replacement of another Windows Go Phone that died in May - which was the replacement of the 2nd iPhone that was stolen from me last year, and which I could not replace cause I don't have a legitmate AT&T upgrade scheduled till 2015 - well, it died. I just got it on Wednesday, so to say that I'm disappointed is saying the least I can at this point. I hope and pray that they'll replace the bad boy for free like the other phone. I got this one via this new plan that allows me to replace the phone in 18 months, and thus, allowed me to get an upgraded version of the Nokia Lumina Windows Phone with a nifty camera - great for taking pictures and videos like the great one I took today that is likely in the netherworld now. Oh well, just one minor glitch in a glorious day. Well...actually, there was one other thing.
At Penn Station, I managed, while doing my best to corral a very tired and fussy 3 year old, to book a UPS pickup of our stuff. I decided last week to unpack our huge, albatross of a suitcase and throw all that mess in a box. There's no way I'd be able to navigate an airport and two train stations with that suitcase, two book bags, a pillow pet, a lunch bag AND Jonathan. I figured the cost would be greatly mitigated by me not having a nervous breakdown trying to make all that work - and likely losing Jonathan in the process. That's actually one of my fears, that I will lose homeboy over there - though there are days when I wouldn't mind losing him...
Anyway, I booked the pick up for btwn 6-7 pm, knowing I'd be home by about 5:30 - just enough time to throw the remaining stuff in the box and seal it up good with tape. However, homeboy or gal must have had a hot date tonight, cause they arrived at 5:15. I wasn't there, so they left one of those UPS sticky notes saying they'd return on Monday. Well, if i want to make sure that Jonathan and I aren't wearing the same smelly underwear during the whole of our first week in Paris, that stuff needs to be in the air by tomorrow. I'm bringing the bare minium in our carry-on and checked baggage. Truth be told, what I primarily have packed are Jonathan's books and trains! Aint no way I'm going anywhere without those. I'd have to be on the next flight home if I left those in NJ (and Lawd please don't let them lose our luggage!)
As is stands now, I will, with the help of my awesome nephew, Anthony (who already did me the great favor of taking that heavy box down a narrow hallway and staircase with his girlfriend today while I was enroute back home from NYC), take it to the nearest UPS store tomorrow and ship it from there. And with that added task, our last official-official day in NJ before the move is getting packed, with the AT&T store visit, UPS store, breakfast with my brother and his wife, and visiting my dad - oh and stocking up on enough squeezable yogurt to last Jonathan till we officially move into the apt on Wed. It's all goodness, though - and all worthy of praise to God who allows even hinderances to bless us. I have to keep reminding myself of that to not get too stressed out!
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