Carlsbad, part Dos

Our Carlsbad home away from home

Noel with her birth grandmother, Betty, whom she met for the first time

Follow your cave-guide, Noel into the depths of the Caverns of her birth!

the "Natural Entrance".... from within!

Enduring the water-torture, Greg never gave up the names of his contacts

Scale:  floor to ceiling is approx. 280 ft.

A pool!  You can't see it in this photo, but this is "Mirror Lake"- the lighted placard is written so that it can only be read as a reflection in the pool

Carlsbad, NM leg o' the trip

San Antonio, since we were there for a week and a half, holds far too many memories-not to mention photos-that will have to be captured at a later date.

However, we have decided to go ahead and post our current whereabouts and goings ons.  Under the "Timeline" page link at the top, you can keep up with where we are on any given day and where we're headed the next ones.

Here's the Carlsbad sights:

Well... what more do you need?  Oh, I know, a better internet konnection!  thanks KOA for trying, you are a kampsite after all, not a Ho-Jo.  More photos to come, pfeiferpfiles! pfear not...

Now all that's left, pictures on the walls

Actually not even the pictures were left at this point.

The sight of our living room as our items slowly make their way to storage

For many days, even though, I knew that technically speaking, we had no "need" of photos or art on the walls and that it would be easy to pack, I refused to do it.  Greg was gone 4th of July weekend and I was left home to do much packing.  I got a lot done but when it came to the walls, I just couldn't bring myself to strip them just yet, especially not alone.  So I dragged my feet till Sunday when Mink came over and when she asked, "Hey, what should I pack?", I thought, "Aha! I can make someone else do it-it won't effect them."  But to my surprise, she retorted, "No.  That's so sad.  Let's wait."  I, not wanting to appear as taken aback at her sentimentality as I was, just said, "Okay, let's do the refrigerator magnets instead" :)  Please note: I was not surprised by this because she's a cold-hearted stoic...no, no, but rather because I realized I wasn't crazy for refusing to strip my home of our unique giftings to the walls and the furniture.  So, perhaps it was surprise at my OWN sentimentality in the situation.  I also realized that Greg and I are not the only farewellers in this situation and that there are plenty who will endure grief as well.

Sleeping in the living room for our last night in our 1st apartment

Several times during our last few months, I began doing several things: a) taking pictures of as many friends/acquaintances/strangers as possible, b) refusing to do anything which seemed mundane and wasn't in some way a "good-bye" to Chicagoland or friends or dairy queen or the pool or the zumba dance studio and c) subduing my emotions about leaving--something akin to not counting eggs before they're hatched or awakening grief before it's necessary.  Plus, it's hard to truly miss people until we're really gone and for now, it still seemed all a far off adventure.  All of these struck me as silly and yet, in some way, were, in fact, my grief.  That, and my incessantly bothersome heartburn :P

I've had this song (from which this post's title was derived) going through my mind since we hit the road.  At first, I thought, "Boy, that's kinda morbid, better not tell anyone about it."  But, here it is, echoing in the recesses of my gut, so I share it with you.  It's by a 90s christian band with whom I was obsessed and still fondly bust out their albums from time to time, a few of you, though I suspect not many, will remember Plankeye.

Goodbye, goodbye

Walk away it's time to say goodbye

Goodbye, goodbye

Walk away it's hard to say goodbye

Now all that's left , pictures on the walls

Memories and stories that are told

The more often told the bigger they get

Create a legacy lest we forget

Goodbye, goodbye

Walk away it's time to say goodbye

No longer can i hold onto this defeated change in heart, i swear

It's time to sing "fare thee well" to life as we know it

My voice it will be, you know i will be, yes it will be still

Something woke me up in the midst of dream and fantasy

Halfway there but He always fills my cup

And He lifts me up oh how He lifts me up

Goodbye, goodbye

Walk away it's time to say goodbye

I never took the time to stop and realize that death takes many forms

Even while alive

 

I was really hoping that this CD was in the car and that we could've used it for that moment when we dropped our apt. 113 and pool key off in the office drop slot and hopped in the car to drive away for always.  (Actually, that's not entirely true-we left our bike so we're gonna have to head back, but that doesn't really make the story as good, right?)  But, I probably would have cried anyway so maybe it's better.  As it is, I just fell asleep and Greg listened to a Chicago station until it was static as we drove down I-55.

 

But, don't worry, all of the memories and stories from you all will be told, probably through giggles and tears, and they'll get longer and longer and less believable.  And your pictures will be on our walls.  And we will glory in the fact that God has asked us to "come and die" to our lives in Chicagoland.  But, we will rise from the ash as He bears us up.  And we look forward to hearing of all your Life's deaths and resurrections even as we are far away.  But, it's great to me that we were so committed and so loved and so stuck in, that leaving is worthy of being called a "death".  So, thanks be to God and to all of you as well :)  Thanks for reading what is sure to be a rather melodramatic tale.  Blessings, friends.

The First of Many

Our impromptu decision was to leave at 1230am on Friday. Much like meeting paper deadlines during undergrad, it seemed to make more sense to stay up all night and get the job done instead of waking up early on the due date to get everything done. But we're older than we used to be and all-nighters should not be considered an option in our near future at Seminary. To make up for any lost time, we opted to drive straight through to San Antonio from Chicago and skip the aforementioned "kamping" in Janis, MO.  Whatever time we thought we gained by leaving when we did, was lost with the number of stops for resting. There's a moral to this story, but Greg isn't willing to admit it yet.

Lest the first 1,200 miles and 23hrs of our trans-continental road trip sound like all doom and/or gloom, let the reader understand that we had a great time crammed together with a month's worth of clothes, food, and other roadtrip accoutrement (pronounced with an outrageous French accent, por favor)

2 near-death experiences in Oklahoma, make us somewhat hesitant to drive thru again... though since we were on a major interstate, we certainly do not hold the Sooner State or her residents responsible. Since Greg is writing this particular post, I can add that I look forward to a balance of scoresheet in the Red River Rivalry to happen Sooner rather than “Long”er in history.

2 big encouragements from this trip: an increase of Sonic and Chic-Fil-A billboards and the reminder that not even smelly close quarters that unfortunately included our cactus stabbing me as I drove, uncomfortable sleeping arrangements, too many unproductive/unscheduled stops, and a finicky ignition switch... none of these things prevailed against the power of our marriage as long as we had 16 decent CDs to sing along with together, sufficient caffeine, and the overflow of love and forgiveness from the Lord our Strength, who once again has proven faithful to prepare our way and sustain us through the journey... Blessed be His Name!

You Said Goodbye...and we also said Goodbye

Friends enjoying the sun and our fun party

Our newly engaged and old-time married friends

The BBQ'ing Manly Men

More friends enjoying pfun and pfellowship

So we can have pictures of our pfriends for our new apartment's walls

Obligatory Mink-eating photo...also our dedication to the send-off party planner!

3 pfriends and a baby

pfun with bags!

Thanks for taking our advice during our speech and checkin' out our blog...and for listening to our speech...and for being great (we're only friends with the greatest of folks ;) )

Thank you for all your support, not just now, but over all of the years that we've been in the Chicagoland area.  We will miss you greatly and know we have yet to shed some tears over the loss of no longer worshiping in nearby aisles with you on Sundays, occasional jaunts to chicagoland locations and having your grace our home with your presence.  Love you, amigos!

See below for the written rendition of the poem Brad Pritts read to us at the Going Away event.  In case you didn't catch it all the first time :)

The Poetry of Bradfordiño & Lisa Pritts

ODE de P-P*    

It's a beautiful day for a barbecue
to say goodbye to some friends
and good riddance to a few.
Greg and Noel are leaving the two streams of Resurrection
for the three rivers of Trinity
and their spiritual direction.
Looking back there's a lot we could say, when we met Noel she was the MVP of the psudo-ECUSA, pre-ACNA movement at the GCSSA.


Greg kept the books as the Rez bean counter, but he needed something more,
which he found when promoted to manage...a bean counter.
But ultimately it was pull of the carts that brought us together and forced Brad and Greg to consume Golden Tee and lagers.
Yeah, Rezbearers makes you close, like sisters and brother,
especially Noel,
who dated one director and married another.
We even stood in their wedding and love the Pleur de Pfeifer Ying-Yahng,
Noel painted it on her leg,
now Brad wants to paint it besie his... (achem!) doorbell.
So now in truck and trailer they're off to grab a new chance,
Although based on their combined record, we hope they have insurance!
One assurance they can count on is straight from Don and Doña Bradfordiño:
You're part of the family -
if while here it was realized
in leaving, it's moreso.
You've gained our admiration and fondness, which time or miles can't take
and you'll remain in our prayers,
on our fridge,
and in our bathroom with your updates.

*Pritts - Pfeifers

Road Trip

So, many people have been wondering why we're moving our stuff into storage and when we're leaving officially. You can look up this information on the Timeline (following the tabbed links at the top) but you also can just continue reading.

July 23rd will be the official last days of work for the both of us. We will then photograph a wedding on the 24th. The 25th will be our last Sunday at Resurrection and then weeping and gnashing of teeth will ensue.

But once we've had our fill of sackcloth and ashes, we'll wave farewell to Chicagoland on Thursday, July 29th and head for the lovely little town of Joplin, Missouri...well, actually their KOA Kampground. Why they believe they can get away with spelling Kampground with a "K", I have no idea. Possibly because all of their Kampgrounds include gamerooms, flush toilets, resort style pools and plenty of RV space. Who knows? In any case, that's where we'll be.... Lest you think that Joplin is merely a tribute city to the late, great Janis, think again. It's actually just a pit stop on our way to San Antonio, the land of Miss Congeniality, the archnemesis of Lady Joplin (citation needed). There we will stay with Noel's family for several days and torment her poor retired Dad and chase their nephew around...and around...and around...but indoors, because Good God, it's humid!

Basically, we keep finding ourselves daydreaming about the Kampgrounds we will enkounter, the glorious majesty of El Paso/Juarez, the enchantment of New Mexico, the guano of Carlsbad Caverns (the handing over place of the lovely Katherine Noel Collins), the UFOs of Roswell, the salsa of Albuquerque, the mile-highness of Denver, the Shining hotel of Estes Park, the rapids of la Poudre River (pronounced "poo-der" [middle school giggle]), the camp (note: with a "c") where Noel worked as a young warthog, the glory of the DeZwaan aardvarks in Idaho, the yellow stones of Old Faithful, the evil that stalks the Badlands and our descent back to Chicagoland, some way, some how. Probably by the grace of God.

Then, grab our life from storage, stick it in a truck and complete our journey to Ambridge, PA. Well, it'll really be just the beginning....

Now, if we could only finish packing our stuff. Bleh. Prayers coveted and appreciated. Tata for now.


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