The big day is approaching. In 12 more days we will say goodbye to America and adventure off to the Kingdom of Wonder (Cambodia) as missionaries with Agape International Missions. Due to airline regulations, we get to take one 50 pound bag each and can pay an additional $100 for an extra bag. So we have thus elected to take 4 suitcases. We read David Platt’s Radical several years ago and always wondered what it would be like to sell it all and serve wherever He sent us.
Well, we’ve done it. The house now echoes, we’re sleeping on blowups, eating all carryout, driving borrowed cars, the dog is sleeping inside our suitcases (that made us tear up) and saying hundreds of goodbyes.
Now we’re down to the last 4 suitcases to take with us. I could wax all spiritual and eloquent, but instead have elected to share with you the” nitty gritty” of the important (not counting the 8 clothing sets we each took). If you had to put everything you needed in 4 suitcases, what would you take “ o rich young ruler”? 
I know you’re saying “what the heck”? As a teenager my granddaddy gave me a cutting off his aloe plant and I faithfully planted it in 1970. It is now one monster plant and has been given to a dear friend to babysit. This little cutting of that plant is going in a baggy in my makeup case to be transplanted in our new Cambodian home.
If you know me I am a coffee freak and am taking a stash of Starbucks instant me with (thanks Laura).
I have been devouring this book on cross culture teaching- it has become my education “bible” while this feeble, can’t speak Khmer teacher tries to teach other teachers. Pray for me. 
Have you ever thought of what you have to do with all your bills (US and Cambo), payments, receipts, the dreaded FASFA and US income taxes? Well, all this is faithfully going with us in a specially organized notebook (I am after all Notebook Queen). Man we lose this and we’re sunk!
We got rid of thousands of books (that was hard) and have it pared down to those super special to us. I have been holding this one aside as my airplane read. Yes, I already saw the movie. And I always tell my students NEVER SEE THE MOVIE FIRST!
Well, that’s the first 5…the next 5 to come. 