Happy Thanksgiving!!

It was in the 80's two days ago! Today is SNOW!!! That's in Midland, of course...not Houston.

These are my cousins, Brady, Kaitlyn, and Lauren. We had a blast playing in the snow at Gran's house today!

I hope you are all enjoying a wonderful Thanksgiving. Know that I am so very thankful for all the wonderful friends and family I have been blessed with! May each of you experience the fulness of God's blessings in your life during this amazing season.

Flight Confirmed!

It's real! I'm really going to Kenya!

I'm trying a different itenerary this time. I've done both of the other iteneraries that are generally the options from Houston. Going British Airways, the Houston-Nairobi options are usually:
(a) a 8+ hour layover at London Heathrow (which was fine with a group, but no so fine trying to stay awake and alert in an airport alone for that long), or
(b) a 3 hour layover INCLUDING airport transfer from London Gatwick to London Heathrow (which is possible, but may be pushing it to get through customs and onto a transfer bus alone with a carryon, a big suitcase and three shipping containers...all of which will be packed to the max weight limit!

So, I am opting for trying a connection in Chicago. The time spend doing that will get me to London later, and I will not have to wait at the airport for so long. I would much rather be moving and trying to make an extra connection in Chicago than just sitting in London! And, this connection will not be in another country, so I won't have to go through customs. Yea!

I leave on Janurary 28th.

Swahili Time

The best friend in the whole world got me the best Christmas present...early! Kris bought me the Rosetta Stone Swahili program and it came in the mail. I've already installed it and started practicing! It is a very cool program. I feel like my PPCD and speech students when I use it! It teaches exactly the way we teach our children with communication delays.

The little Swahili that I did learn while in Kenya were basic communication phrases. Learning language through this program is very different. It uses pictures and vocabulary to build communication, rather than direct translation for specific phrases. It's very fun! There's even a voice recorder. It records your voice, then shows the sound wave-lengths for you recording and the native speaker's recording to see how closely they match. Very cool stuff.

So, what am I doing while I am home in Midland? Learning Swahili! Oh, I will so much more to learn, but this will be a great head-start. My friend, Shem, will help me get the language tutor when I get to Kenya. Exciting times!

Goodbye First Steps!

Today was my last day teaching 4 yr olds at First Steps in Katy. Although I'm not leaving for another two months, I need to be using this time working hard to raise support, and the drive back and forth from Midland is getting old. I've heard people talk about how hard it is, and I'm beginning to understand! I still have so far to go!

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time there. It has been so fun to just teach....no mounds of paperwork, no benchmark testing, no formal assessments, no leveled inventories....just teaching! And guess what...I still knew my kids! I knew where they were, what they knew, their strengths, their weaknesses, and how to guide teaching to best meet their needs! What an amazing concept! Just teach. Of course, the highlight was getting to know and love these kids. It was a pleasure to spend time with them. They have some awesome parents, too!

So, Miss Trena's Class (now Mrs. Lisa's Class)....I will miss you! I'll be back to visit and speak in chapel on December 11th!

What a great way to start the day!

I went to the Georlich's house for the first time as part of the Quad Squad this morning. I was on the 6am team! What a great start to the day...holding the tiny babies! They are two months old now. Noah came home from the hospital on Friday. So, their family is now complete at home, and the Quad Squad is staffed for feeding rotations. This morning, I had Cohen...the big guy, coming in at a whopping 10lbs! He is significantly bigger than all the rest. Before I left, I did get a little time with the other boys. I went from there to Wal-Mart to get my oil changed and tires rotated, and I could still smell baby on me! :-) What a sweet start to the day!!
Check out their blog at http://www.texasquadruplets.blogspot.com/

Camping?

Kris and I met my parents in Kerrville last weekend. We went "camping." Is it really camping when you have a fifth-wheel with a shower, microwave, full kitchen, and larger TVs and more sitting space than I had in my first apartment? But, Kris, in all her Kris-ness insisted on staying in a tent! She and Dad put it up in the dark. And, Dad did do all the cooking over the fire in his dutch ovens! It was GOOD! Kenan and Carrot even came to meet us on Sunday! Fun times!

The dogs went, too! They did GREAT! They didn't bark or disturb neighbors. They even got used to deer walking around! Yes, I'm a proud dog parent. :-)

Blessings...

I was blessed tremendously by the incredible response of wonderful friends who came to support me and my family in a time of sharing and prayer in Midland last week. I also had the privilage of sharing my God-story with several classes at First Baptist Church of Midland. There are so many wonderful people there who are amazing prayer warriors! I love getting to meet people and put faces with those my parents talk about! Not only do they support me in prayer, but they are a HUGE support for my parents!

I was also blessed to have the opportunity to return to First Baptist Church of Jal, NM. What a welcoming place! I was able to update them on some the great works the Lord has been doing in my life, how He blessed my time in Kenya this summer, and my plans for the future. This group has also been a great support to me in the past few months, as well...prayers, contribution, and a bake sale!! Thank you, First Baptist of Jal!

Tag Goes to School

(and Dot does too) It's been a long time, but he remembered the fun he used to have with the kids! Tag was a Pet Therapy dog in Abilene, so he enjoyed it very much. Dot, on the other hand, needed to keep her distance.

Since I was leaving for Midland right after teaching at my two-day-a-week preschool job in Katy, I took them with me. But that meant the poor babies had to be in the car all day. Praise God for the cold front!! It just so happened that the toddler class was doing a "Family and Pets" unit! What fun! Some of those little guys were so cute...not at all afraid of an 80 lb lab! Of course, I took my class out to play, too. It was a fun day....before the eight hour drive to Midland!!

So...?

Thanks to all of you who have been asking about my trip to Richmond, VA. It was an incredible experience! I had a wonderful time, overwhelming, but wonderful!
In the end, I chose to leave with no IMB position. My prayer was for God to open up a job for me in Kenya, or change my heart and give me a passion for another place or people group. I could have prayed that prayer while sitting at home, but it was something entirely different to have such an opportunity to actively explore other options. I spent hours and hours praying, researching and learning about jobs all over the world. I was able to talk to field personnel on the ground about specific jobs. There were so many jobs that sounded just wonderful! There were jobs all over the world…in amazing places, doing amazing things! Again, it was an incredible experience.
Through all of that, my heart was still pulled toward Kenya. Nothing else gave me the peace in my heart that I felt when considering options in Kenya.
One morning while there I was looking for a scripture I had written in my journal. I came across something I had written/prayed in early September. I remember having two very distinct feelings at one point: peace and disappointment. I knew that God would reveal His plan for me and provide for my needs. Yet, I felt a tinge of disappointment. I kept reliving the feeling of disappointment I had felt when I realized the MK Consultant job I had wanted was not a possibility. I asked God to give me discernment: was this coming from Him, preparing for disappointment that I would feel, or was this a distraction from Satan as he tried to cast doubt?
My prayer was this…
“May I leave Virginia in Your peace, knowing that whatever You have shown me is in accordance with Your good, pleasing, and perfect will. Whether it be going with the IMB or not, may it all be to Your glory and praise. May Your peace be what guards my heart and mind in Christ Jesus. As I pray and submit my requests and concerns to You, let me not be anxious or allow Satan to create worry or doubt. Let Your peace rule in my heart. Disappointment is different than doubt. I can leave Richmond disappointed that You have not given me a job, but I will not leave in doubt. I will not doubt Your Sovereignty, Supremacy, or call on my life.”
Prayer answered!! I am more certain than ever of God’s call on my life. I will most likely not be serving with the IMB, but I am still certain that God has called me to serve. I have started working on that whole process and will update later on where I am headed from here.
Thanks so much for all your prayers and support!!