Family Finally!!

I’ve always been a huge believer in that God has a much bigger plan than we are aware of ourselves, and once again this reigns true. At the end of January I got a call from my Mociute that her brother had passed away. He actually lived in Kaunas but had been very ill for a long time so it was never possible for me to meet him. The rest of my extended family here lives in the city of Mazeikiai, about 2 or 3 hours away, and although I knew of them, and they knew of me, we never were able to get a hold of each other or plan a meeting. I was fortunate enough to be able to go to the funeral, and although it was a very sad time for the family, it was also one of the most meaningful times I’ve had here.

Even though I had never actually met these people before, they welcomed me in instantly like I was their own long-lost daughter (literally, they pulled me into their arms like off a movie). I got to meet Mociute’s two sisters and then a few other aunts, uncles and cousins. Luckily my cousin’s wife, Edita, speaks fairly good English so she was able to translate for us. I spent the whole day with them- first at the funeral, then for dinner, and then to a basketball game with a few of them. It really is hard to put into words the loving power that family has. I was so touched to have finally found my family members here, especially to be united with my Mociute’s sisters who remind me so much of her and who treated me just like their own granddaughter. If I can’t have my Mociute here, then they were the next best thing. :) My Mociute talks with her sisters pretty regularly and all my life they have heard stories about me from her, so I think it was just as special for them that they could actually meet me. I was also very happy that I could go to the funeral on behalf of my own Mociute. I know she really wanted to be there, so the fact that I could go for her and then tell her about it, meant the world to me (and I think to her too). So although it was a sad event that brought us together, God obviously had it in His plans, as my life was forever changed from that experience and from being able to connect with my Lithuanian family members.

Me with Mociute's 2 sisters. So happy! :)
(And yes, they're short just like her!! :) )