A tough goodbye

Today is the day Tami and I have been dreading. The day we knew was coming, but somehow didn’t want to really acknowledge. Today Jessi, Barry, and our three grandbabies left Greensburg, Indiana in a U-Haul and headed for Katy, Texas. We’ve known for a few months they were moving. We knew it was going to be hard not having them a mere hour away. But until now it all just seemed like a bad dream. It wasn’t quite real. Today things got real. They really and truly have headed southwest to the Lone Star State. There is no doubt going to be a period of mourning and adjustment for Grandma and Goppa. We’ve never had any member of our family more than a short drive away. This all changes today. No more impromptu visits. No more last minute calls for babysitting. This is going to be difficult to be sure. But we also know this is in God’s sovereign plan. This is a good move for the Morton family. The benefits are more numerous than I have time to list. It’s a good move for them, but painful for us. But we’ve been saying in the weeks leading up to this move, “Who are we to argue with God?” He obviously has a reason for sending them to Texas. A reason we may never fully understand. But God is always good (even when it doesn’t feel good to us). God is in charge, and I am not. We should all take comfort in that knowledge. Today we say goodbye to the Mortons, and it’s sad knowing we likely won’t see them until summer. But we trust in the Lord and we know he will never leave us nor forsake us. I miss them already.

As I type this, they are on the road to Katy. Michael’s wife, Lauren is on the trip as well. With the Morton kids, an extra set of eyes, ears, and hands is always a good idea.