Look at these kids! Aren't they wonderful? Jesse will be 10 (10!) in July, Georgia will be 7 in August, Lucy will be 4 in just a few weeks, and Julia is 18 months. We love 'em.
Jesse and Georgia, of course, are more aware of the sacrifice of going to Uganda than the younger two.
Georgia is writing some very sweet and sad things in a diary she's keeping these days, and keeps us aware of her sensitive heart. She's the one who expresses most the grief of leaving Pennsylvania. Here in Sunnyvale, however, she has found a wonderful friend in Ritu, a schoolmate whose parents are from Nepal. She also finds daily joy in zooming down the zip line in the backyard, not to mention hunting for eggs and loving on the animals. There are days, however, when she misses PA deeply, and when she expresses fear and sadness about leaving here and going to Uganda.
Jesse did most of his grieving back in PA. One evening, after we read the story of the "Rich Young Ruler" out of the Gospel of Mark, Jesse remarked:
"You know, Dad, we're giving up the most important thing to follow Jesus. Friends." Jesse is the one who works hard not to complain and put a good face on everything, but he has been honest about not wanting to leave. We are so grateful for his growing friendship with Micah -- this will make all the difference for him in Uganda. (Our friendship with the Morrows will make all the difference for all of us.)
(This photo, by the way, is from Jesse's first soccer game
ever; he and I decided we needed to learn some soccer skills before relocating to Uganda.)
Lucy swings from being the most obedient child on the planet ("Yes sir, Daddy! It's a deal!") through reluctant, not-quite-sarcastic obedience ("Yes Master. What else?" said in a robotic voice), to all out, throw down fits ("Noooooooo!"). She plays, sings, dances, dresses up, discovers, paints, colors, and loves life and us with an unmatchable lightness of being. As Julia grows, they are becoming playmates and friends.
Julia. Oh, Julia. Cute and crazy. None of the others were like her with regard to her volume, loquacity, and penchant for getting into everything. We have to check toilets and trash cans regularly for what she may have thrown in there. We have to peek in bathtubs to make sure she's not sitting in there eating another bar of soap. We have to lock gates, doors, cabinets, and drawers to ensure she doesn't go wandering off somewhere on the 10 Acres of land with jewelry, q-tips, and kleenex in her hand. She brings us such laughter and exhaustion!
We want all four of these treasures to be fully a part of the life God has for us in Uganda. They're not just tag-alongs, kids forced to follow their parents on some frightening and undesired transplant. They're part of the Hines family, and part of Team Kabale, part of this small community called to live, love, and learn with our Ugandan family. That's the big reason we're doing the MTI training mentioned in my earlier post. Even as we prepare them on our own, we're looking forward to a more structured, formal preparation that will help them -- and us -- more fully embrace this mission in a way consistent with the size and shape of their hearts.
"You know, Dad, we're giving up the most important thing to follow Jesus. Friends." Jesse is the one who works hard not to complain and put a good face on everything, but he has been honest about not wanting to leave. We are so grateful for his growing friendship with Micah -- this will make all the difference for him in Uganda. (Our friendship with the Morrows will make all the difference for all of us.) 
