In an eight month window starting in November 2008 we moved four times as we were preparing for and arriving overseas.  It was overwhelming and baffling to pack all our belonging into eight suitcases.

One year after that, we were packing again to move from Europe to Africa.

Two years after that, we were packing again to leave Cameroon to return to the USA in the midst of trauma.  Our time in the USA was a blink of an eye and we were packing yet again to return to Cameroon.

Now, our fifth time to pack all our belongings to move continents away – you would think it would be easy to sort, giveaway and pack everything into those eight suitcases, however, every time it’s stressful, overwhelming and baffling.

We moved from our home on Saturday into temporary housing to allow us to sell all our furniture, appliances, dishes, everything that doesn’t fit into the eight suitcases and be able to clean the house.  We had sorted before the move things into categories such as:  items we’ll use before leaving but not keep, items we’ll use before leaving and we want to keep it but it’s not ready to be packed, items ready to be packed, items like first aid and my built up pharmacy, etc…  The items that were ready to be packed were placed in the packing room.  Basically we put the boys in the same room and used the third bedroom as a packing room.  When I went in to face the challenge of putting some order to the items that are needing to be packed – it was overwhelming!  (the pictures are below) Not only because it’s all our belongings laid out, but it’s also not everything that needs to be packed, it’s just the items that aren’t being used before we leave and can be packed now.  While I was standing there the song, Letting Go by Suzy Bogguss was going through my head.  I re-wrote the lyrics to fit our situation.  You can listen to the song if you don’t know it to sing along.

We’ll take the wooden pigeon on the shelf
The one Florence gave as a gift
That painting Jonah did in Maternelle
We want to hold on to the keepsakes

We’ve had five times
To get used to moving overseas
We should be past the tears
We cry some anyway

Oh, oh, letting go
There’s nothing in our way now
Oh letting go, we have our exit visas
And even though, we know we’re doing God’s will
It’s never easy letting go

Colleagues surround us at coffee break
So many share their memories
Times helping and aiding
Now we must say goodbye

We’ve had five times
To get used to moving overseas
We should be past the tears
We cry some anyway

Oh, oh, letting go
There’s nothing in our way now
Oh letting go, we have our exit visas
And even though, we know we’re doing God’s will
It’s never easy letting go