2003- The most life changing thing that happened to our family during 2003 didn’t happen in Togo, but in America. My parents and Bryan’s parents divorced after many married years. (It was odd that these divorces happened back to back. Satan was a work on many levels!) It was difficult, to say the least, to figure out how to relate to our parents after these events. It was also heart wrenching to be away from our siblings and mothers during this time. Our phone bills were off the charts expensive!
We went on furlough in the Spring. It was your typical furlough…travel, snippets of time with friends and family that you really want to be with longer, lots of restaurant food, travel, shopping, reporting on work in Togo and then some more traveling.
We returned to Togo just three days before the Harding interns arrived for the summer! While we were on furlough our teammates (bless their souls) moved our stuff over to a new house! So, I had only a few days to arrange the new place before guests arrived. Oh, and I was pregnant with my third child! I had no energy. So, my mood wasn’t the most pleasant that summer.
In the fall, the family and I drove to Lome (about 5 hours South) for a prenatal appointment every month. I could go into great detail about my experience with maternity care in Togo, but that’s for another time. Let’s just say for this post that I was way out of my comfort zone. (I have teammates and colleagues that have given birth here and all I can say is, “Wow! You are amazing!!!) The decision was made to return to the States for the birth of our sweet little girl. Yep, you read that correctly. We were told that we were having a girl!
2003/2004 -We lived with my grandmother in San Diego awaiting the arrival of baby for two months. Our little girl turned out to be a sweet little boy…James Owen, born January 12! We stayed in SD another month and then returned to Togo as a family of five plus one servant-hearted mother-in-law. She stayed for two weeks to help us adjust.
To be continued….
Bryan & Tracey, Hello from America. Tonight was the first time I came across your blog. I am not much of a blog person, but I read all the “Reflections” on leaving Togo. The word that caught my eye was “re-entry.” That conjures up an images of astronauts coming back to earth. Having never lived outside of Texas (except for 4 weeks of IBM training in Atlanta 21 years ago) the issues surrounding living in a different land for so long and then returning is something I have never pondered. I know how eagerly we at PRCC anticipate your return. You will be welcomed home with open arms. You have been in our thoughts and prayers regularly over the years and Pam, the kids and I can’t wait to see you here in Dallas.
I praise God for the lives you have touched there in Togo and am confident He has great things in store for you here in America.
See you soon, Paul