Bitter-sweet Good-Bye

We had the privilege of spending a couple of days with our friends and future co-workers in Togo.  They are flying out soon to begin language school in France.  It was good (and scary) to see all that needs to be done before we leave.  We are so thankful that God has provided for them and has them on their way.  We are sad to see them go and a little disappointed that we're not leaving with them.  Our prayer is that we will join them in Albertville at the beginning of 2014.

So thankful that God called us both to work together!

From the wedding...

I only wish it didn't take so much time and space to type out what all happened right before and right after the wedding - like how I changed all my kids' clothes in the parking lot of the hotel we were planning to stay at but didn't because it only had 1 bed for all 5 of us...(there's so much more to this story).  Or, how when we drove a little ways and found a hotel that Andy finally decided to stop at (which wasn't far, but it had to be one of the worst) he came back and explained that the hall was scary but that the room was "okay".  That Nora prayed for God to give us "good food" after she saw the "continental breakfast" that this less than ideal hotel had available.  And, that when we promised to get her "good food" for lunch we ended up at some strange Mexican place where the food was enormous but really just mediocre.  There's so much more.  The weekend was packed full of "adventure".  Andy finally said, "You win some, you lose some."  We mostly lost that weekend.  All of them.  But, it's hilarious now when I look back and think about it all.  So, anyway.  Here are a few pics from the fabulous Richie/Stephie wedding.  They are happily on their way to Seattle now.

3 kids later...

So, August 6th we celebrated our 8th anniversary.  Eight years.  And, I've known Andy more than half my life.  That's crazy.  And, we still love each other, which is crazy, too.  Last year I did research about when most people get a divorce - wondering how many years many well-meaning couples make it after they claim to love the other person for always.  The statistics were sad, and I found most people didn't make it past the 7 year mark.

We hung out at the State Fair for our anniversary, which was fun.  I finally got to ride a ferris wheel and eat an elephant ear - 2 things on my bucket list that I got to check off.  Maybe next year I can ride a hot air balloon or something.  (As a side note, I think I really need to re-visit and revise my bucket list...)

We ended our anniversary week by attending a great wedding in Chicago.  It's always nice to go and remember back to what our little day was like.  But, here we are 8 years, 3 kids later with half our stuff sold, both employed by ABWE and planning to move across the world - and still love being together.

I am so thankful for the awesome friend, husband, and encourager God blessed me with as we do life together.  And, I'm so excited to see what life will look like in 8 more years!

August 2013

About the EMC training

So, we learned so much about church planting.  I wasn't really sure what to expect ( I only knew we were required to attend).  One of our objectives will be of course to help plant indigenous churches, but we are not the church planters.  We are a radio guy and a nurse.  The training was good, though.  I learned a lot, and I really love being with and around the other missionaries.  I struggled then (as I do frequently) with being a mom with mommy responsibilities and being engaged in grown-up conversations.  It's so hard, and I so long to be part of both worlds.  It's a task I don't feel that I do well....

It really was fantastic that Nora loved her class and teacher, too!