“Goodbye Elyria Water Tower!” 

When our kids were very young, we lived in Elyria, Ohio. For ten years I ministered at Open Door Christian School and Church of the Open Door in Elyria.

Whenever we would leave on vacation, we would pass the Elyria water tower and all say, in a sing-songy voice, “Goodbye Elyria Water Tower!” When we returned home from vacation, of course, we would sing and shout out, “Hello Elyria Water Tower!” 

When we moved from Elyria to Taneytown, Maryland, were I served as a pastor and professor for a combined 18 years, we passed the water tower one last time, and we sang out, “Goodbye Elyria Water Tower!” 

“Goodbye Auburn, Washington” 

If you haven’t read our updates, then here’s the latest. Tomorrow, May 8, our daughter Marie will drive us to SeaTac airport for our flight to Florida as we move from Auburn, Washington to Port Charlotte, Florida.

Yesterday, Shirley and I, being a very nostalgic couple, drove around Auburn, and as we saw various sites from our years in Auburn, we would sing out, “Goodbye Auburn ____________!”

Our Move

Why the move? We shared about that in detail in this post: Kellemen Update: 2024 Move to Florida.

Briefly, we’re moving for better weather for better health for Shirley. Seattle is beautiful four months of the year. It is damp, dreary, drizzly, and cold for the rest of the year. That 8 months of cold weather is incredibly hard on Shirley’s body as she continues her stroke recovery.

We’re sad, of course, to leave our daughter, our son, and his family. But we are thankful for the opportunity to move to Port Charlotte with it’s twelve months of warm weather, and with family and friends nearby.

Updates Along the Way 

Here are some links that we have shared over the past three years about Shirley’s stroke and stroke recovery.

• Please Pray for Shirley: This was our first post, just after June 4, 2021, when Shirley had her serious, life-threatening hemorrhagic stroke. At that point, nearly half-a-dozen doctors warned us that Shirley might never walk again. By God’s grace, Shirley has been walking for nearly two years—sometimes with a cane, and sometimes even without a cane!
• Shirley’s Scriptures: In this post, shared when Shirley was still in the hospital, we listed some of the many Scriptures that God was using to minister to her, to me, and to many people—including hospital staff.
• 19 Months: A Godsend and a Shirley Update: In this post, Shirley and I talked about how Marie had moved back in with us right after Shirley’s stroke, and what a blessing she had been to us—and how Marie, after 19 months, was moving back to Bellevue where her church, friends, and work were.
• A Shirley Update at Two Years: Walking Hand-in-Hand with Jesus: Two years after Shirley’s stroke, we wrote about how God had drawn us closer and closer to Him and to each other.
• Kellemen Update: 2024 Move to Florida: Then, about half-a-year ago, we wrote about our planned move to Florida.
• Moving Sale Rocking Horse Blessing: Just a couple of weeks ago, we shared yet another blessing among so many over the past three years. This blessing related to God allowing us to bless another couple with health needs, even as they blessed us.

A Three-Year Post 

Today’s post is close to a three-year post. In mid-May, 2021, Shirley and I were in the Port Charlotte area. We had hoped to go to Hawaii for our 40^th Anniversary. But it was still the COVID era, and much of Hawaii was still shut down. So, we did the next best thing—we spent our 40^th Wedding Anniversary at the most beautiful beach in the world—Siesta Key.

My parents had lived near Siesta Key, in Englewood, Florida, for decades when our kids were young. We would vacation there every summer. We had talked for decades about retiring some day to the Gulf Coast of Florida, somewhere around Sarasota, where one of my brothers lived.

One week after returning from our anniversary celebration, Shirley had her stroke.

Now, three years later, we are returning to the Siesta Key, Sarasota, Englewood, Port Charlotte area to begin the next leg on our journey together.

What Are You Getting Each Other for Your 43^rd Anniversary??? 

Our new home in Port Charlotte closes on May 23, 2024. That’s our 43^rd Wedding Anniversary! So, we kid each other and say, “I’m getting you a new home for our anniversary!” 

Thankful 

Shirley and I are thankful to Christ for His many blessings in our lives. We are most thankful for life together these past three years. It was literally “touch and go” the first 72 hours after Shirley’s stroke. Our stroke neurologist was very upfront in sharing the terrifying statistics about Shirley’s chances of survival over the first three days and the first three months.

And here we are enjoying the next three years together!

And tomorrow, Lord willing, we will begin enjoying life together in sunny Florida!