Our unexpected Wisconsin visit

As some of you know, Meggan, Andrew, and I have made an unexpected trip to the U.S. for my grandpa's funeral. Today is our last full day here, and it has been a real blessing to be able to spend quality time with family. Before planning our trip, we wondered how long to come, whether our time here would be able to feel restful, and whether it would be okay for us to be here from the standpoint of continuing our healthy transition to life in Spain. After a good chat with Ed and Sheryl, we decided to make it a two-week trip, cancel our plans for Dublin, and make this our summer vacation. That turned out to be a very good decision. We have had a lovely time with both sides of our family, and I feel particularly refreshed. I also feel a sense of "we can do this" between now and the next time we get to see everyone, whenever that may be. Thanks be to God for a great trip.

Thanks be to God even more for the life of my grandpa, Bill Ward. He was a good man and a wonderful grandpa. A farmer, a family man, a servant, an intellectual, a craftsman, an historian, a lifelong learner. He was the most insatiably curious man I have ever known, and he was always willing to engage in a friendly conversation with a stranger who might be able to teach him something interesting. Grandma and Grandpa came along with our immediate family on numerous family vacations, and he always kept a detailed journal of each day's happenings. He continued learning new things throughout his life, from taking flying lessons at age 50 to picking up stained glass as a hobby in his latter years. I think it's time for me to put a little extra effort into learning something new myself - I've picked up the guitar again, and I'm gonna try to give it what it takes this time. We went through the journey of Alzheimer's as a family with him in his last years, and it is a comfort to know that he has been released from that disease. I look forward to spending time with the curious, loving man I knew when the resurrection comes. Here is the touching newspaper article commemorating his life.

We apologize for not being super open about our travel plans in advance of our trip. I hope you can understand that this needed to be a family-centered trip, and as such, we didn't spend any appreciable time with friends or ministry supporters. We appreciate your prayers for a good month of readjustment and planning back in Madrid before the ministry year shifts into gear.