Jon is in his last week of his career at Snohomish Family Practice Medical Clinic! There was a grand reception for him on Sunday where thirty-five years of caring for patients was lauded by many guests. The sun even shone gloriously! Retirement is becoming more REAL. He had his last weekend on call, has covered the nursing homes for the last time, and has three more days of work after today. He will miss the people he has grown to know and love, but welcome the reduced schedule load, the electronic records being done by someone else, and choices to make on how and where to spend his remaining time.
The coming year abroad will be like a bridge - still doing medicine, but teaching young doctors. He is a good teacher of many things. We love travel and experiencing new cultures. We will get to see, hear, taste and feel the Muslim culture in Afghanistan and the Buddhist culture in Nepal. Mountains link the countries though the topography is quite a contrast.
So, how about the packing process at home? Today the inspector from the Everett Housing Authority passed us for rental to our potential renters! What a relief, as this helps tremendously in paying the bills. Jon has been making repairs to the house in minor ways, and there are only a few things left. Most closets, cupboards and drawers are packed up, waiting for rental to be finalized. Now we can get serious about taking everything to the basement for storage! TWo bedrooms hold it all...with a bit to the loft of the garage and loans to friends. Whew!
Marita has made shopping trips to Goodwill and Value Village for clothes, also ordering the many pairs of long pants to be worn everyday under everything, the boots (for indoors in cold winter and another for outdoors)Size 12 women's is not to be found overseas. Now it's sorting thru what I have for three climates and countries (Thailand vacation in March). AND, there's the chocolate chips, the scented candles, the hot water bottles, the prescriptions filled for a year ahead, and my CRAFTS! I have to have something for my hands to do....so I'm preparing small projects to save space...like embroidery work, crocheting itty bitty doll clothes, knitting socks,and then purchased socks for creating animals. With plenty of padded mailing envelopes to send these goodies home to grandchildren when people visit from the US. I have a Kindle and will learn to do without the comfort of paper pages. These's much more, but.....
Devin, our eldest,co-led and summitted Mt. McKinley on Sunday with his team. We are grateful it was safely done since the team accident last month that killed two and injured two.
Cosman will be flying home from Arizona Thursday for a family gathering around Father's Day. We are glad for his yearly visit!
The next three weeks will become a blur as we empty the house, attend special farewell functions, sort our stuff, agree on how to pack it, and try to get some rest before leaving so we don't arrive in Kabul July 7 on fumes! Jon will have 5 days to learn the ropes before Dr. Tim leaves, and then 3 weeks before Dr. Bill comes. Transitions...life's great opportunities. Please remember us in all this as we do you.
In His Will,
Jon and Marita
