I have to be honest; my first night here was not pretty.
  My last 4 days of travel with Alexis, Emily, and Noah was, well…a nightmare. Cancelled flights, long lay overs, lost luggage, and standing in lines for hours that eventually equaled days.
  Noah was sick on the plane, we were hot, tired and desperately missing the men in our family.
  We landed in

South Africa
only to wait in the immigration line for over an hour.
  I batted my weary eyes and flew right through customs and into

Gary
's arms. I held him tight and let the tears flow; I did not have to be strong any more, reunited with my husband I could take a deep breath, and let him take care of everything.
  Jet lag makes you a little loopy, and the emotions of the reality of a whole new life added to that made me slightly weepy.
  Michael, Tyler and Caleb were taller, bigger and more like men than boys when they hugged and kissed me.
  They are experts on African living after only a month.
  The fella's know everyone it seems, from gardeners to restaurant owners as well as all the missionaries.
  They are thanking their dad daily for bringing them here and are now rugby and cricket experts. They were falling over themselves to get to us, and we welcomed their embrace.
  Caleb saw me from a far, "Mommy!" he screamed and nearly knocked me over.
  We spent the night in

South Africa
and headed out early the next morning for

Swaziland
. We stopped for lunch and stocked up on groceries.
  By the time we crossed the boarder it was dark, foggy and raining….hard.

We arrived at our friend's house, where we are staying until our house is ready.
  It was late, and everyone went right to bed.
  Laying there in a strange place listening to the dogs barking, I felt the sadness I had been avoiding for months.
  I could not just pick up the phone and hear my daddy's, mothers' or my sister's voice, my nieces and nephews would continue to grow older in my absence.
  I could not meet my best girlfriends for chips and salsa and soak up the wisdom and love that I desperately need from them. Or meet my in-laws and great-grandma for Sunday lunch.
  I felt like I did when I was a little girl on my first night at summer camp, I was homesick.
  I spent most of the night praying instead of sleeping.
  I woke to hot coffee and a kiss on the forehead from my favorite man in the world.
   I didn't have to say a word to

Gary
; he had experienced it all weeks earlier.
  He smiled at me, told me to read

Matthew 25
with the kids and then get dressed…I was instantly reminded of our purpose and our future.
 

Gary
put the kids and me in the car and drove all of 4 minutes up the road to show me the house we were to live in.
  Interesting that my boys all know me well enough that they can pick the house I will love.
  They know the kitchen is the heartbeat of the house for me, cooking and entertaining is the center of my ministry to friends, and most importantly, my family.

The balcony off the master bedroom over looks the entire city…"this is where we will pray every morning for this place".... "what do you think?" he was waiting on pins and needles for my responds….

"I love it, this is it, this is our home"…..