I picked up a book called the Last Arrow at my in-laws over the holidays. I am pretty sure the book is meant for fifty-year-old men, nonetheless I sat in the bath with a glass of wine and cried my eyes out. It was just what I needed. This last season has been hard and confusing and sometimes I just wanted to retreat because it sure seemed like we were losing the battle.
I’ve since moved to this beautiful country, and as I rooted myself into Ethiopian culture, I discovered it not only looks like how I imagine Old Testament times, but that God has always sought out Ethiopians, starting with the old covenant.
Ethiopia has been an amazing place to start a family. We have been so lucky to have had amazing adventures in this place. Here are the top ten things I will miss most about Ethiopia.
Quick Overview
Hike: Moderate, 1 hour.
Paintings: 14th century, lower paintings faded, but the ones out of reach are still vivid.
Views: Incredible.
What I Like: Different views, manageable hike, unique church, great painting.
Overall Experience: Top five.
Since I was small, I sat in my Grandma Walt’s library and gazed at photos of my grandmother in an elegant wedding dress and dreamed that one day I would wear that same dress. But the dress was forgotten and many of my childhood dreams buried in reality. Read more about why I will never regret wearing her grandmother's wedding dress as well as her great-grandmother's veil on the Upper Barn Blog.
It was a redemptive day for me as my family and friends pooled their joy in a celebration of the hope of Jesus Christ. I think everyone was astounded at what the Lord can do with so little in such a short amount of time, but no one was as astounded as me.
There he was, towering over the crowd. Short blonde hair. My heart leaped into my stomach the moment our eyes met. I knew he was my husband, but I had no idea how it would ever happen. We were both such a mess.
I love tradition, symbolism and meaning. They help me feel tethered and give me purpose. It was only fitting that my wedding would be full of the past as we celebrated the present, looking forward to the future.
Raising my first baby in a foreign culture has been an interesting experience. I didn’t know anything about babies when my girl was born. I remember thinking as the nurse ushered us out of the hospital, “Are you sure you want me to leave the hospital with this baby?” Read the rest of this blog on the Taking Route Blog.
It is easy to get burnt out while living overseas. I know that, you know that, but are we doing enough to make sure we don’t get burnt out? The answer for me is almost always “no.” Read the rest of this post on the Taking Route Blog.
Food is a central part of my family living overseas. There aren’t movie theaters, nice parks to stroll through, or hipster roof top hangs to watch the sunset from; so, we spend our time eating. And when we aren’t eating, we are figuring out how to create the food we don’t have access to. We have gotten good at it—a little too good for our waist lines. Read the rest of this blog at the Taking Route Blog.
Working out is the blight of almost any mom—we put on weight to have these precious babies, and then these adorable babies leave us with no time to ever go to the gym again. Working out seems especially hard for moms living overseas. In many western countries there are workout classes that incorporate the kids and help to keep the moms motivated. But where I live—and I am sure where you live too—there is no such thing. Read the rest of this post on the Taking Route Blog.
I remember when my husband and I drove fifteen hours from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to our new home in the north. I loved every minute of the heat, the god-forsaken hotel, and the lack of water when we arrived at our new home. I vividly remember thinking, “I am the luckiest person in the world that I get to have this life.” Fast-forward six months to a year later, and guess who was crying? ME. Read the rest of this post on the Taking Route Blog.
Quick Overview
Hike: Moderate, 1 hour to reach the church.
Church Structure: Completely rock-hewn.
Paintings: Well preserved, sometime between 13thand 17thcenturies.
Views: Open view of the Hawzen plain.
What I like: Moderate hike, great view, and unique church.
Overall Experience: Top five.