another bittersweet goodbye, for now

| Comments: 7

these two faces are soon to be very missed, as they travel across the country to a new home in a much sunnier state. our little brother and my dear friend, who became my sister, will leave a huge gap in our lives when they board the plane with just their suitcases and hopes.
their story is beautiful – settling far away to help beth’s health and caleb committing his life to helping her in any way that he needs to. and even in its beauty, we are so sad to see them part. 
caleb is with us 40 hours a week, a constant servant who is also incredibly gifted in his music. of caleb, ian says he is faithful to his church, his wife and his brothers. caleb has been an incredible caregiver to ian, helping him to do things that neither of them want to do, but doing it without complaint.
bethi is a dear fellow sufferer. she has lived in pain for too many years and without description, understands our bad days and the days that could be better. she is the sister that can just be with me, without needing to talk or host. she carries with her a beautiful gift of capturing life in her photography. she knows her God. she also has a lot of sass, which erupts at the best times.
most of our memories from the first two years of our marriage are with these two. dinners on red chairs in our dining room. laying around on the patio. movies. gigs. making fun of caleb. laughing at ian being ridiculous. and that doesn’t even count the whole lifetime that ian has spent with these two.
we will miss them, more than words.
thank you, bethi and kbob, for loving us well.
love
i&l

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  Comments: 7

  1. Speechless. Pondering. Amazed. Sad.

    Adding Caleb and Beth to my prayers.

    Thank you as always for sharing-

    Wendy in MD

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  2. Brian Forbes Colgate

    June 26, 2012 at 2:59 pm

    Incredible Love touched with Overwhelming Sadness <3

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  3. we are dispersing as well. me and my love stay back in the US. my sisters with their families in germany, my parents in south africa with my baby sister at 16. it is hard. so hard. but God calls us and if we dont go, we are not worthy of Him. which we are not anyway. i feel with and for you. much love and compassion. karise&steve in lancaster.

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  4. God bless you richly, Beth and Caleb!

    Still praying.

    Mary Ann K.

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  5. Larissa,

    I came upon your story by chance, and it flipped my heart inside out! I am so blessed not only by your sacrificial love that looks so much like Jesus, but also by how you advocate for marriage. I'm not married yet, but God has given me such a passion for the goodness of it and how it reflects Jesus' love for us. THANK YOU to you and Ian for showing me an example of what that looks like, because I didn't see it growing up.

    I know I should have asked your permission first, but I started a fundraising campaign for you and Ian, because I felt led to bless you guys in any way I can. If you will email me at brandee.rees@lipscomb.edu we can figure out a way for me to send you a check when the campaign ends in October.

    Know that I am asking and believing the Father for healing in Ian's brain and body and praying lavish blessings over your life and marriage.

    Love,

    Brandee Rees

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  6. May God continue to pour into your lives blessings that pour out into the lives of others. Praying for good success for your departing comrades and much to remember for you and Ian.

    God bless. You will be in my prayers.

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  7. We will miss your visits to Altoona, Caleb. However, I wish you the best. Never got to meet you, Beth, but you and Caleb have been in my daily prayers AND will continue. May the move bring you better health, may you find new places and people to share the Good News with! God's blessings on you both. Missing you already. Rene

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