Neuberger Family News: Another Chapter Comes To A Close...

Yesterday marked my final day with Eaton. What a bitter sweet moment. I have had a roller coaster of emotions through the past few weeks and I think I experienced every single one of them again yesterday as I said my good-byes and handed in all my work stuff. I really can't complain - I am leaving Eaton to do the best job in the world - to be a mom & wife. But it is so sad for me to leave the co-workers that have become my extended family. Since Tom and I were so far from family through the past six years, they all took us into their families and were always watching out for us. We are so grateful for their support, friendship, and love through the years. I will miss my work family tremendously, so I hope & pray that we will keep in touch with them after this move. And Eaton has been a great company to work for. I truly appreciate the experience I received during my eight years with the company.

But as this chapter closes, I am looking ahead to the great things to come. I know we (mostly I) have a couple more roller coasters to ride before the emotions settle down, like saying good-bye to our neighbors, friends, our daycare family, and our home. But soon a new chapter will start that I have been dreaming of since I became a mom - being home to care for my sweet babies. What a blessing I have received!

As I think about these past weeks - from Tom taking the job, to the home selling and buying process, to the end of my work, to the move, and to preparing the kids for our new home - I can't help but think of a particular Bible verse: Ecclesiastes 3:1-12.

There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens.
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant.

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to tear down, and a time to build.

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.

A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them; a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.

A time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away.

A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to be silent, and a time to speak.

A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

What advantage has the worker from his toil?

I have considered the task which God has appointed for men to be busied about.

He has made everything appropriate to its time, and has put the timeless into their hearts, without men's ever discovering, from beginning to end, the work which God has done.

I recognized that there is nothing better than to be glad and to do well during life.

I think this speaks appropriately to the ends and the beginnings we are experiencing right now - and to the plan that God has set out for us.

Our time in Washington is coming to a close quickly now. We have this next week, which seems to be filling up quickly with get-togethers. Then the movers come August 9 to pack and then back on the 10th to load. At that point, we'll hit the open road to make the trek to our new home in Wisconsin. We'll make a quick detour into Nebraska to see my family and pick up a car from my folks. Then Tom will hit the road in order to get to Wisconsin to close on our house on the 16th. The kids and I are going to stick around with my folks for a few extra days so we aren't in the movers way when unloading. And we are fortunate to have my parents coming along with me to handle the kids on the remaining eight hour drive and to help unpack boxes. The next two to three weeks are going to be a whirlwind!

Work Going-Away Party - Saturday, July 24 on Lake Sammamish