STAS TICKETS....BOO-YAY

Wow, it has been a while...

My name is Patsy, I have a blog, I confess I am too busy for a blog, not really, I am just a procrastinator... I am ashamed to say that it has been 3 months since my last blog post...

We bought our STAS tickets today(for those who dont know) that is short for Stateside Assignment (formerly known as furlough). On one hand it is super exciting, on the other, sort of a downer, SO BOO-YAY...


Why oh why does my life have to be filled with so many mixed emotions.

I love my family there. I love America. I love American soil. I love American English. I cannot tell you the number of times we have returned and just hearing the southern accents in Houston or Atlanta airports, bring tears flooding. I remember once how we helped translate a conversation between a Britian, who spoke perfect british English, and a sweet black Georgia lady. Michael felt so "important and needed" He still loves to tell that story.

I also remember traveling back once in July and there was the sweetest Russian couple, who traveled all the way from Moscow with us to Jackson MS for the first time. They spoke no English. What fun it was to help them on the plane to communicate and tell them about our wonderful state. We tried to warn them of the July temps/humidity, but they just didnt get it... We made sure to stay close to them so that we could see their expressions when they entered the outside. It was priceless and indescribable, like someone had taken their last breath as they tried to breath in the wonderful Ms summer air (or lack thereof). They literaly gasped and looked at us like, "Do people actually live here?" I must admit, I felt a little revenge and pride. Yep, cause we felt the same thing when we got off the plane in our city in January last year and it was already -30 F. Amazing how we can adapt, huh?

Yes, I love STAS, I get to see my mama, and now our grown boys and their wives, and other family and friends. It is a feeling like no other. I cannot even begin to explain the silly things we miss. I once cried when the walmart greeter said, "Welcome to Walmart!" She had no idea how her words touched this crazy woman's heart.I really wanted to hug her, but refrained, thank God.

BUT... STAS brings on another opposite flood of emotions. We will miss our little apartment, our little stores, our church, ministries, our many friends and ministry partners here. They have become like family and it will be hard to say goodbye. Especially since every time we have ever left, they honestly think we might not come back and the grief is like saying goodbye for forever sometimes. Even our closest family friends think we are crazy for choosing to live here and still shake their heads in disbelief at how much we love it here. We will miss speaking and hearing Russian. We will miss the beautiful fall months, but still plenty of winter will be waiting when we return in January.

It will be even harder this time as we will be leaving our Sasha for almost 6 months. My heart aches that he cannot go back with us, but there is nothing we can do and it seems that it is His plan and we will just have to accept it as such and trust Him. He is after all, totally and completely trustworthy and has proved Himself adequate in caring for us in every way, even when we didnt completely understand. Grace said yesterday that he asked for her phone to call "Mama" oh be still my heart. Love is a beautiful thing. Being called "Mama" by my four children and now by our Sasha, is a miraculous blessing.

And like the last 2 STAS times (i get a lump in my throat just writing this) we will leave our third child charm in the states for the beginning of her journey without us. It will be good to be there with her for 6 months, sort of near her, 14 hr drive away, but the hardest part of all will be returning to our apartment next January without her. It proved true with both boys and will be just as true this time.

Well, I will not think or even write of that now !! I am blessed beyond measure !!

Praying for all my readers to be blessed and be a blessing on this Mother's Day. Pray for someone who has lost their mother, pray for someone who wants to be a mother, but for whatever reason isnt, cant or couldnt, pray for someone who has adopted children. Pray for someone who is newly expecting (if you dont know anyone, pray for our sweet Hannah)