Nellicia, after leaving the tap on a bit too long before washing dishes: Oh, bubbles!
Brandon, from the other side of the room: Do you know how to mitigate bubbles?
Nellicia: ...use less soap?
Brandon: You need to notice them to mitigate them, understand them to trap them, and think ahead to avoid them.
Nellicia laughs, utterly confused where this came from!
Brandon: That's how you respond to threats, and it sounded like bubbles are a threat.
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I can attest to the fact that laughter is the best medicine, especially when combatting high levels of stress! These moments of comic relief have helped to keep the mood light, even though it is becoming more noticeable that stress is in the air.
Ground school has started, which means that Brandon is shifting into a distinct training mode. Each day, he has two sessions of online instruction; in the morning with an instructor from Switzerland, and in the afternoon with an instructor from Australia. We are thankful that MAF made an exception and coordinated this online, since otherwise he would have already been in Uganda! Even as it is, the days are passing quickly and he will be off and away in just over a week.
Feelings are mixed on both ends as those "5 weeks" get closer. As a whole, I think the word unrest describes our state of minds a lot of the time. Brandon is excited for the opportunity to go to Africa and soak in as much learning and practice as possible in those five weeks. However, considering the fact that the only times he has travelled on commercial airlines have been our trip to Haiti and two trips to Ontario, the prospect of travelling to Africa solo is a bit daunting. The flight to Uganda includes five airports in four countries with three meals; enough to make anyone feel like a seasoned traveller! My emotions are also being thrown around in a blender (is that a good metaphor to describe mixed feelings?) -- there's a bit of everything at once. While at first there was some discussion about Nova and I travelling along to Uganda, we made the decision that Nova and I would stay in BC while Brandon went on his own. I am excited to have the time at home to continue to prepare for our move and also spend quality time with family; at the same time, I know that on the quiet nights after Nova is in bed the house will seem pretty quiet. Nova, on the other hand, is blissfully unaware of the many changes that will soon take place, and her constant chattering is the background music to our days. Whether she's peeking around something and saying "Boo!", looking for a "woof woof," or crawling under our chairs to "tickle tickle" our toes, there isn't a dull moment.
In the face of a chaotic few months, the joy and laughter that we continue to experience really does help to keep stress levels manageable. However, the reason we can transcend these stressful times is not really a silly comment or remark about bubbles; it is the fact that we can look into the future with a confidence that this journey is one we are meant to be on. We feel God's hand continuing to guide as well as provide for us, which allows us to face all of the changes that are coming with joy. David's Psalms have been a source of encouragement to me as of late, and one that I hold close is Psalm 139. While constantly asking God to try us to search out our heart and intentions, David affirms that God is guiding everything with His perfect knowledge. "If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me." This is the knowledge that can give peace and joy, whatever the chaos or turmoil we are experiencing.
