and they're OFF!

My sister's family headed out this morning for their second term in Botswana, Africa. This term will be four years. It was a quiet ride in the van this morning. Everyone was quiet... maybe due to being tired... maybe not. We arrived at the airport early- between the five of them they had 11 suitcases to check and two carry-ons for each person. Check in went well- nice and smooth... but saying goodbye was hard. I am always the one to start crying first...... always. After lots of hugs and kisses... they headed through security. It was hard... but I think we all handled it pretty well. I was just looking through some of the pictures on my mom's computer and I posted a few below... these are from their first term there. The kids have changed a lot and have grown up- and I am sure will be even more different when we see them the next time.
Being here during this time of goodbye has been hard but so good. I seriously cannot even begin to count all the blessings in my life. I have an amazing family. My girls and I landed here on Thursday, so for the past five days we have all been staying in the same house- all TEN of us... and it has been great. We love each other. We love being around each other. These days, that is a rare thing.
I am also in awe of missionaries. What an amazing call. My sister's kids will get to see and experience things that not many kids get to. They have already been to many places in the world, have met many different kinds of people, and have big dreams for what they will be in their adult lives. I can tell that because of this, they already have a wisdom that most kids their ages do not seem to have. I know they also sacrifice for this lifestyle..... but know they will reap many blessings from those sacrifices.
I cannot wait to go visit. Not only to see them, but for my own kids to see more of the world, to see different kinds of people, and just maybe to see firsthand the amazing call that has been placed on this family's life.
Now that we are back from the airport, the house is pretty quiet- except for my five year old who was up at 4 this morning and has a runny nose- she is a bit cranky and also thinks that sniffing up the snot into her head instead of blowing it out in a tissue is the better way to go. It is noisy and quite frankly annoying. I think she sucks it up every other second. UGH.