The sad goodbye

So as some of you know, moving to Africa for us has meant we need to give away our dog. He is a 3 1/2 year old wonderful chocolate lab names Sanka. We could physically take him with us, but his quality of life would plummet. The heat, the bugs, the disease, not to mention no place to go for runs or swims, and people who would hate him and try to poison him (im not even joking). So we had to make the hard choice to love him enough to give him a good here where he would be happy. I am getting tears in my eyes all over again even typing this.

Well our good friends Clark and Jenn and their son Carter are taking Sanka. I am reassured that he will be well loved, maybe even spoiled, and still have a great life. But letting go of him was sooo hard. We told Bennett to say bye to sanka, that he was leaving to go live with someone else, and Bennett gave him huge hugs and love while Paul and I watched and both cried. Then sunday night we brought him to C & J's house and left him. I cried for a long time. We love our dog. WHy is letting go so hard? If we clearly didnt know that this was what we were supposed to do in life we would never put ourselves through the torture.

We also had to leave Bennett and Arielle behind with the grandparents for a few weeks while we are in training which is killing me too. We have never been away from bennett more than one night. I know they will be having lots of fun, i just hate not being there with them. This too shall pass.

SO I guess I am going through a natural process of grieving. I know it will continue to happen, especially as we leave our family when we fly to Niger. *sigh* I know grief is natural and God is with me through it all. But its still awful and we appreciate your prayers.

Giving the love