I truly DO NOT like people who whine, so if you are anything like me you may want to skip this post. I plan on whining quite a bit.

First, a question... who thought it was a good idea to have 2 full weeks off of school in the middle of winter, when it is raining (and even snowing), when it is too cold to spend the day outside??? It could not have been a mother of 7 who is trying to pack 20 years of married "stuff". Especially one who is trying to put everything into 3 categories, 1) storage, 2) Charity and 3) 16- 50 lb. tubs to take to Haiti.

The charity part is pretty easy for me, we have wanted to purge for years. It's the tubs and storage that are causing all the problems. A lot of the stuff I need to take or put in storage we still need to live for the next 3 weeks. Things like our beds, couches, the TV, the dressers which all need to go in storage and sheets, towels, kitchen stuff, which all need to be packed for Haiti. Then I have to decide what do I take?? What can I buy there?? What can I live without?? How do you move a family of 9 to a third world country with only 16 tubs??? When I start whining about it, I feel a little guilty. I know there are missionary's all over the world who would LOVE to have 16 tubs of their own belongings. I know I'm being very "American" in my thinking, people live with way less then we can take with us all the time. I KNOW!!!! But, it doesn't seem to stop the war being waged in my head!

On top of it all, the kids are home from school, several have colds (me included), Isaiah has double ear infections and when we leave Carsen will be heading to live in a state I've never been, going to school somewhere I've never seen and I will only see her when she has the time. The next 3 weeks are probably the last 3 she will ever live with us. I'm profoundly sad about this fact. I mean, I know it's what we are meant to do. Raise them up right so they can go out and do the things God is calling them to do. But, it still stings a bit! She is my firstborn; she is my "baby". It was actually easier for me to send her to Haiti for 7 months. I knew she would be coming home, I knew I would see her regularly. But, this isn't just a new chapter in our lives; this is a whole new book!! Her book, not ours. This is the time in every mother’s life that we work so hard to get to yet dread it when it happens.

And, it doesn’t help that Jody still has not received official word about the job. His stress level is pretty high, making mine even higher!!

OK, I think I’m done whining now. Sorry to inflict that on all of you. I actually feel a little better!! Now, it’s back to packing, UGH!