In August of 2021, our family of six uprooted from Grand Rapids, MI after eight lovely years and moved to Illinois so that I could pursue a PhD in Old Testament at Wheaton College. The move was difficult for us because Grand Rapids had become our home in a way that Adriana and I never expected. We bought a house, earned degrees, made meaningful friendships, and had our four children in GR. We came to Illinois with a goal: to earn a PhD so that we could return to Peru, where Adriana and I grew up, to serve the Peruvian church through theological education.
When we arrived, I had the lofty (and unrealistic) goal of posting regular updates so that our friends and family could keep track of us. And, I ended up writing one… the first week of the PhD program. It was sort of a “goodbye” to GR and a “hello” to a new life. And that was it! I guess I underestimated the busyness and difficulty of settling in, starting a PhD program, finding our groove as a family, and everything else. One post in 2 years. Wow!
Well, I think it’s time to try again. This time, we are in a much better place. I am now in the dissertation phase of the program, which means that I no longer am taking classes and just need to write a dissertation (essentially a 300-page research paper). The family is settled; we have a rhythm and know what to expect, for the most past, out of each week.
So, I will begin posting on this site on a regular basis. By regular, I mean at least every 2-months. Depending on how things go, I may post more than that. Unless something unexpected happens, it is unlikely that posts will go up less frequently. A big part of the reason that it is time to start again is that once the PhD is behind us (the goal is about 2 years from now), we will be moving back to Lima, Peru. Over these next two years, we will be preparing intentionally for this move. One part of that preparation is making sure that we stay connected to friends and family in the US. This site will play a role in that.
In April, Imara Urpi Panaggio Vilca, our 4th child (3rd daughter) was born.
In May, we sold our house, and I started an 8-week intensive German reading course that was supposed to take 35-40 hours per week (while working full-time).
In June, I left my job, we had a great long visit from family that lives in Peru, and we closed on our house.
In July, we packed up everything we own and tried to say goodbye to as many people as possible in Grand Rapids, MI, our home for the past 8 years.
In August, we went to Florida for my cousin’s wedding and for a family vacation.
On August 12, we moved to Carol Stream, Illinois, to a house that we had only seen from the outside.
Since we arrived, we have spent a ton of time cleaning, fixing, unloading, unpacking, arranging, etc. We are probably 70% of the way unpacked. Yet, it still feels like we have quite a long way to go. Moving is hard work!
These months of transition have taken a toll on our young family. We have all been tired, stressed out, a little too irritable, and in serious need of stability. And, as I sit in our new “master bedroom” (Adriana and I actually have our own bathroom!) with a fan keeping us cool (we’ll have A/C soon, just need to do an air-duct cleaning) resting on a yet-to-be unpacked box (which is right in front of a five-foot stack of other yet-to-be unpacked boxes), I wonder how long it will take for us to feel settled. How long will it take for this place to feel like home?
I also wonder, is this just a temporary stop on our long-term journey back to Peru. Or, is it more?
What will it take for this place to win our hearts?
A mini family history might explain why I’m having these thoughts. Adriana and I moved from Lima, Peru to Grand Rapids, MI in 2013. Our plan was for me to earn a Master of Divinity, Adriana to earn a Bachelor’s degree, and then to return to Peru as fast as possible. At first, we thought we could to it in 3.5 years. The first 8-12 months, we thought constantly about Peru and schemed about how and when we could visit. This impacted our decision-making and our settledness (I know that’s probably not a word, but it should be!). For example, we didn’t buy bikes because we thought, “for the price of bikes we could pretty much buy a plane ticket home”. This was an unhealthy way to live. But it is a pretty accurate description of the beginning of our time in GR.
However, once we realized we couldn’t continue living like that, several things changed. We began investing in our life in GR, and, 3.5 years turned into 8. Over this time, in many ways, Grand Rapids became our home. We made amazing friends, we bought our first house, we had four (!) kids, we were part of an incredible church that gave us so much life (shoutout to Redemption City Church), and much more. Grand Rapids will always own a part of both Adriana’s and my heart.
Will the same thing happen in Illinois? It’s hard to say. For the time being, we are working hard at making this house, which God graciously provided through Fellowship Church of Carol Stream, our home for the next several years. And, although transition is hard, we have a long list of reasons to be thankful:
For a place to live. A 3-bedroom house that, in many ways, came out of nowhere
For a dual-language public school for Aila.
For a church that has welcomed us with gifts and kind words.
For my PhD program that starts tomorrow!
For great friends and family who helped us move (Susie, Emily, Josh, Katie, Mom, Dad, Joshua you all were soooo helpful).
For an incredible friend who drove down from GR to Il to help us settle in.
Asi es la vida... 