One year ago today...

Do you know what today is? Today is one year since we got on the airplane and moved to Lisbon. Wow. It really seems crazy to think that we have lived outside of the US for a year - with likely many more to come.

Saying goodbye at the airport was nothing less than traumatic. After we finally said goodbye and walked to security the security guard asked me if I'd been running because it looked like I was hyperventilating from crying so much... I didn't laugh at his trying to be funny...

It was a bit of a crazy time to be traveling internationally. We had been planning to leave two days before but changed at the last minute when we were waiting to see when my mom's surgery would be. Then the craziness in London happened so our British Airways flight got canceled the day before we were leaving (maybe not such a bad thing as they're not our favorite airline). We were able to rebook with a random German airline that flew through Düsseldorf. Have you ever been to Düsseldorf?

It all turned out fine in the end. Highly emotional but we made it through.

I can't seem to find any pictures from that day but that's probably ok - I don't think we were at our best!

We arrived in Lisbon late Saturday and left early Sunday for a conference in France. Such world travelers!

Tomorrow we leave for the same conference in France with folks who work all over Europe, Russia, and a few other areas nearby. It'll be great to connect with these folks again. We have a great area over here.

It is neat to look back and see how far we've come this year. Learning a new language, trying to get used to a new culture, being far away from what is familiar and comfortable... Thankfully, this is much more comfortable now and more and more familiar too. We are thankful to be where we know the Lord wants us to be.

Well, thanks for remembering this momentous occasion with me!

All posts need a pictures so here's one of us in downtown Lisbon the week after we arrived...