We are almost ready to go, in the sense that we could ever truly be completely ready. Most everything is packed, we are taking our delivery bags to be delivered tomorrow (4 bags, 80 lbs each, $600+ from the UPS store in Lawrence to our home in Pusan), and we are going back to Lawrence in the morning to pick up a few things we accidentally left behind.
Saturday we (Dad, Horyon and myself) spent most of the day at the house in Lawrence, trying to sort out what we need to bring. We left a ton of stuff for Mom and Dad to go through. I am so grateful to them for how they've handled it. We dither about what to bring and what to store in their basement, and if I had a dollar for every time Dad said something along the lines of, "If it can be easily replaced at a future date, get rid of it, only bring what you absolutely need, and throw away some of this crap," I could afford to just put it all in storage.
Props to Mom for staying home with the kids all day. Granted, she had help from the 10-year-old girl to whom she gives painting lessons, and Bob and Diane came in the afternoon, and Quinten took a 2-hour nap (rare these days), but she was still here with the kids.
Today we went to Leavenworth First Christian Church. Another tough round of goodbyes, though not as heart-wrenching as last week at Lawrence F.C.C. The family went out to lunch at the China Buffet (let me tell you, we are going to miss Chinese buffets in Korea): Us, Mom and Dad, Bob and Diane, Doug, Tom and Debbie and Grandma Mary Lou. She gave me a special present: Grandpa's pen knife. A wonderful remembrance, as long as I don't lose it.
At home Aunt Becky and Uncle Don came for one last visit. We had a great time, and Horyon had a three-hour nap. Quinten got two. I got nothin', and now I'm writing on the Roblog.
And tomorrow (well, it's today already) we fly.
I don't exactly have doubts about this move, but I am sad. We really built a home here in less than four years, and now we're leaving it all behind. Don't get me wrong, I will be very happy once the house has sold. I am relieved to no longer have to worry about upkeep on cars which I don't understand. And going back to a country with a health care system that works for almost everyone, instead of just for rich and/or healthy people is a serious load off of my mind. And two full paychecks? plus overtime? plus private lessons? I would be lying if I told you I wasn't looking forward to the combination of job satisfaction and making money.
But my last 10 years in Korea never saw a church family like the one we are leaving here. In Korea it will never be as easy to buy the groceries I prefer as here. My parents won't be there, but they will try to visit in a year or so.
I will try to keep you all updated. I'm writing from my Dad's computer, so no pictures tonight. I will try to catch up as soon as I can after we arrive in Pusan.
Peace, Rob
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