Karen & The Busy Emotional Very Long Day

Thursday morning began after a sleepless night. Neither John nor I slept well. I know this because I woke up several times during the night and each time John was already awake. We were staying at our friends’ apartment and I suppose emotional stress in addition to a room that was much warmer than we are accustomed to was the cause of our lack of sleep. John went to our house before daylight to finish some last minute things. I went over around 8 AM.

Hannah and Holly spent the night at another missionary’s house. We picked them up at 10 AM and went to visit our friends Zineti and Adara. It was a brief hour and a half with awesome coffee and dessert. We said our good byes and we are hopeful to see each other again. Adara has a dream of going to Harvard. I think she someday she will.

By noon we went back to the apartment where we were staying and picked up Gabe. He wanted to spend time with his friend Catalin who goes to school at 12:30. We then headed to Viorica’s – our post office customs official (retired) who has become great friends with us. Thursday was Mother’s Day in Romania and we brought her a gift. She also had gifts for the girls and I, some beautiful jewelry. Later, we went to Viorica’s parent’s apartment and chatted for a few moments. Another exchange of gifts and goodbyes.

At 2 PM we met our friends Dana and her daughter Luiza for lunch at Pizza Hut. Unfortunately, Dana’s husband Ovidiu is still out to sea so we did not get to see him. We had a good meal, a good time talking, John sold her a mobile phone. Another goodbye. Another “If you’re ever in America, we have a place for you to stay, where ever we might be."

Then we went back to the house to load everything in the van and turn the keys over to the landlord. Afterwards we had a few moments to relax back at the apartment with Monica and Ion and family. Two more couples came to say goodbye. We had dinner and got things ready to leave. John took a two hour nap. Then we had the hardest part of the entire day, saying goodbye to Ion, Monica and family. Gifts and belongings packed, prayers said, tears shed; we were on our way to Bucharest by midnight. The long day was not over yet. We had to drop off luggage and other belongings and then head on to Brasov. We arrived here at 6 AM, tired and ready for a physical and emotional break.