We have snow! (And 3 beautiful kids!)

We went outside to try and take a family photo that looks wintry since it snowed.  The first attempt wasn't so great, but we tried again for the group pic a couple days later.  Love these beautiful kids :)

 The chosen family photo

 My girl - full of life

 She really is just excited to be alive.  I love that about her :)

 He'll be 3 in a few weeks...time really does go by quickly

The Polar Express

As a gift, the kids (and us with them) were given tickets to ride a train...during the Holiday season..  I tried to get the kids excited about the Polar Express idea...they seemed to like it.

We thought that we'd ride the train in Noblesville and then just go back to Anderson for Saturday night and Sunday -but we scheduled a presentation at a church for Sunday so we took the train and then drove back to Evansville...long night.  The kids loved the train ride.  Silas thought we were just sending him on the train -he seemed a little scared about that but ready to do it -and, quite relieved when he found out mom and dad were going too...

 The Bean's first Santa photo - she wasn't too happy...  :)

Black Friday?

I don't mind going to stores.  I really don't mind going to the stores when there is something I really like or want or need and it's a really great price.  But, I don't like the crowds.  And, I don't want to get up at 3AM to go fight a crowd.  I read something (I think on facebook) that said something about how only in America do we go out and trample others for sales exactly one day after being thankful for what we already have.  Ouch.  It's really true.  And, sad.

So, I didn't go shopping.  But, I did go with Andy to take some pictures of my sister-friend's dog for a gift.  I love his eyes!







And for the first time ever I had starbuck's hot cocoa.  With Andy.  It was almost a date!  And, it felt special.  (Or maybe, I felt special.)

All in all, I'm thankful.  For my friends, family, and super great husband and a little time to spend with them.

My Thanksgiving project :)

So, I was planning a surprise wedding shower for Andy's brother and his wife :)  It was fun...so, here are a few of the details.  It was pretty fun for them to show up to Thanksgiving only to find they were being showered with stuff -super fun for me, anyway.

 The great cupcake tower Andy made for me - he's a great guy :)

 The sweet treats for everyone to take

 Writing messages with tree pencils - made by Andy because he's (again) awesome :)

 The cupcakes - they were yummy.  Actually, I only ate the mint chocolate one, and it was so yummy I never tried the pumpkin

 Writing notes to hang on a "tree" we made out of limbs - the kids helped make that

 My super adorable niece...so cute

The Justison gang - November 2013 version

My heart is confused...

The death of Nathan makes me re-live a lot of the same emotions I have when I think of Aunt Beverly.  It's that mix between utter sadness for the loss of such an amazing, godly example and the relief that their battle is over and they have met their King.  It's a beautiful hard thing for me.

Today they are celebrating his life.  He touched so many people the celebration is being held at one of the largest churches in town.  A lot of the girls that I mentored at Mill Road ended up being in his youth group (he was the youth pastor) and some of them went to Moldova with him.  He was a detective with the local police and the stories of people he has led to Christ - including partners on the police force- continue to flood his Facebook page.  I feel connected to their family, for some reason even though I didn't know them personally.  And, my heart aches so badly for his wife.  My insides cry out because of the pain and my soul rejoices because of his faith.

Photo Credit- Lindsey Schroer

We didn't know...

We were contacted by Ron Washer - the director of Africa Missions for ABWE.  He was going to be at a medical conference in Louisville, KY.  He offered to drive to Evansville, but since he just returned from Africa and France we thought that we would just drive and meet him there.  Our family is usually up for a road trip anyway.  I was super excited to find a Thai Smile restaurant since I LOVE the one in Muncie.  It wasn't what I was hoping for, but it was still Thai food.  We got to Louisville a little early to visit the American Printing Press for the Blind.  Nora has now changed her desired future profession from "Mommy" to "work at the blind place".  It was cool, and I was amazed at how wonderfully behaved my kids were.  We ended up on a "special" tour because of the people in our group and my kids were amazing!  I need to remember that during those times when they are not amazing.  I am blessed.

What we didn't know.  We didn't know what our hearts really felt about staying in the States even longer.  Ron said that he wanted to encourage us.  We didn't realize that we needed encouraging until we started talking about it.  We hadn't.  Talked about it, that is.  It was a discussion that we'd had months earlier - if we reach training in November, Praise God.  If we didn't we would move to Tennessee.  The deadline came and went and we never discussed it.  We talked about it some on the drive home from Kentucky.  But not much.  It's kind of painful.  And I'm the kind of person that just needs to know why.  Ask my parents.  I'm okay with things (although maybe not happy about it all) if I just can understand the why...it's the same in nursing, in administration.  All the jobs I've worked.  I'm okay with how things are done if you can just tell me why and I can try to make sense of it.

The problem is, when you're following God by faith there isn't always an answer to why.  It just is.  It was great to meet with Ron.  Our spirits were encouraged and we really wished that we had more time to talk to him or other missionaries...but then that's hard sometimes, too.

In the meantime life continues and God has given me 3 beautiful and sometimes amazingly well behaved children.  And, I am thankful to minister to their hearts.  I long for them to truly understand God in ways far beyond what I will ever understand Him.

Mission Celebration

We've been busy with our home church's Mission Celebration this week.  This morning we were able to skype several of our overseas missionaries and Andy was interviewed "live" on stage...

Praying that God works in the hearts of the people of our church.

They're Here

Our box of new prayer cards arrived today.  Lena included!  The kids are excited because it's something new to pass out, and I'm excited because they arrived just in time for our church's Mission Celebration this weekend :)

On the air...

So, we were able to find a local Christian radio station that would let us record and air an interview about our journey and the ministry in Togo.  We are praying that God will use radio (the very thing Andy will be using in Togo) to reach people and help us connect with our future partners.

I have to admit - I was happy to do it, excited really.  But, I was a little afraid of saying something stupid.  All in all, it went very well.  It airs Sunday, and I'm so thankful for the opportunity to share!

Give it to the sick kids...

For the first time ever we cut Nora's hair.  She's 4, so I feel like that's kind of strange, but ever since she heard about "sick kids" who don't have hair she's wanted to grow hers to give.  So, she did.  And, then I decided to get in on the action, too.
(So, now that our new prayer cards are ordered we both have hair that is a foot shorter...oh, well.)

Family Photo Shoot

Okay, so we really need a new prayer card.  Silas is about 6 months old on the old one and Lena isn't even there...  But, I've been slightly resistant.  Mostly because I know that the kids will change so much so quickly, especially Lena.  But, we really needed to update.  So, our fabulous friend Kim took several pictures of our family in her yard.  It's hard to get 3 small kids and 2 distracted adults to all look at the camera at the same time.  But, I think we have some to chose from.  We'll be designing the new card this week.  (Oh, and just today the weather became quite chilly, so we were freezing outside during our little photo shoot!)

and then one of the two of us - we were laughing so hard at the kids trying to make us smile and freezing at the same time... ahh, memories :)

What, God?

Language school thoughts:

I wrote an email to our pray-ers today.  I gave them my heart.  Andy and I have prayed and prayed, and contacted and connected and done "nights in Africa" and prayed...and done all we can do to make it to Field Prep.  We (finally) finished all our required Bible courses - there is nothing left for us to do except attend the last training and receive "financial clearance".  (Technically, we have to be medically cleared, too but we've been to the doctors and they have told us several times that there is nothing to keep us from going...)

We were contacted by Peter, the language coordinator for our team.  He suggested that we look into a semi-immersion school in Tennessee.  My heart sank, my emotions took over.  Why?  Why would he doubt that God could raise up the finances needed for us to leave for Albertville?  Why does everyone look at the numbers and shake their head?  Don't they know I'm praying?  Don't they know that I want God to get us there?  Don't they know that my faith has been stretched and I have come so far?  Stay in the states?  What?  So, my e-mail was not crazy.  It was well-tempered and written as a plea for prayers as we sort through what the best option should be.

We have contacted the school - and actually, much to my disappointment (sort of) God has instead given us an amazing peace and excitement about attending the school.  What?  We have corresponded with those in charge and they will even be able to work out one-on-one schooling with me...and, I'm excited.  Excited about something that I didn't want to be excited about.

Andy's application is in and we're waiting until the end of the month (just to see if we'll make it to Field Prep) before we send in mine.  At this point, it looks like we'll be moving to Tennessee in January.  And, we're surprisingly happy about it.

Do you think they'll be scared?

We got an email from our host family for next week's mission conference.  She (the wife, who I'm sure is in charge of everything, really...right?) asked about food allergies, etc.  They also sent us a picture of themselves to introduce us.  Since we're losers without a picture of Lena on our prayer card yet (she's what...8, 9 months old?  I forget.) and we don't have a picture of the whole family we ran outside to try and take one to send back to them...  here's what we ended up with.

Do you think they'll be scared?

Playing in the rain

So, today I'm thankful for the rain and for this little mission house that God provided for us.  I'm also thankful that my heart doesn't long for my old house the way I thought I would - especially after that last night there cleaning.  We won't ever talk about that.  But, God has somehow allowed that to be a much easier thing than I ever thought it would be.

(But, as much as I'm thankful for the housing, I'm ready to move out and get on our way to Togo!)

pictures from the rainy day