Grateful

We had a wonderful time on Sunday night and couldn't have felt more supported than to see so many of our dearest friends show up to say goodbye.  Below is a collage of some of those who let me snap their photo -- there were many more who somehow evaded my lens!  In the midst of summer busyness, just showing up is more than you all know!  We love and appreciate you!  I want to give a public special thanks to Julie Jobryce of Entertaining Angels Catering who contributed a good deal of the yumminess served at the party.  I've known Julie from my days 'way back when' working in the Admissions office (before Nathan and I were married!) and she's a precious sister who has a huge heart for missions and service.  Thank you, Julie!  We are in Wilmore two more weeks before we leave for the next phase of our journey -- if we didn't get to see you Sunday, please drop by!

I'm also grateful today (and every day) for our Reni -- today (Monday) was his third birthday.  Working on that blog post next...

Quick Announcement!

Two things to share real quick --

Party at the Waggoners
We want to say goodbye to all our Kentucky friends before we leave, and so we're holding a get-together at the student center tomorrow evening (Sunday) between 5 and 7!  Our friend, Julie Jobryce, is making some mouth-watering heavy appetizers which we'll have out throughout.  You can come and go whenever you want, but between 5:30 and 6 we'll share a little bit about what we foresee we'll be doing in Albania!  You can RSVP here:
http://www.facebook.com/events/372874692780518/390198361048151/?notif_t=plan_mall_activity

We want to have photos of you, our dear friends, for our memory book, so bring your smile! If you want an updated family photo,  I'll be taking those between 6 and 7!   I'll send you a copy too, of course! 


We're on Facebook!
During our training a few weeks ago, it was recommended that we have a Facebook presence beyond our personal pages for sharing ministry news.  Come "Like" us here! Or click on the box in the right-hand margin of this blog.  We're already seeing it broaden our exposure to friends of friends! It's a blessing to see others take and interest in joining us and supporting us!

Back from Hoosier Land

We're back!  Back for our final stint in Kentucky before we no longer call Wilmore 'home'... That also means I'm back at my 'real' computer with so much more horsepower, dual monitors, and current software for faster processing of images than my laptop...  (alas, that doesn't also mean more time for journaling here [insert sigh]) 

After our visit in Eaton on Sunday the 15th, we drove a short ways to Marion where we spent five days soaking in learning tools for the next several months of this new ministry journey.  We both love learning and there was a lot to absorb and homework to take home!  While we sat in sessions (there were a total of seventeen participants comprised of veteran missionaries just returned from the field and new appointees like us) the kids had a fun time  under the supervision of college intern, Jenny, who planned their day's activities.  In the evenings we got together with friends like newly engaged Scott and Maria (Maria will be a senior at Asbury and was on our cabinet the past two years), and spent time with former co-workers Ruthie Bassett and Troy Simpson (and his wife Missy)!  You can see why our days were full!

breakfast in our room at the Abbott Center (WGM's guesthouse)

WGM has two ponds on its property and Ellie was very eager to find a replacement for the frog she had enjoyed in Wilmore

Uncle Ron Gouge (missionary to Argentina and regional director for WGM's Latin American fields) caught this for Ellie.  One evening after the kids fell asleep, I left our room to find a plastic produce box on the floor in the hallway in front of our door.  It was stuffed with grass... and this green fella.  Ellie was ecstatic when she awoke the next morning and hauled "Bob" around in her old hermit crab cage which she had brought up from Kentucky, optimistic that she'd find a new pet this week.

Bob was re-released to his frog family when we departed Marion on  Friday.

While Ellie was happy with Bob, Reni was happy to find a new collection of cars!

We're pictured here with our friend Ruthie.  She was a missionary to Haiti, then came to work at WGM's home office.  When we came aboard at the student center in 1999, she was the office manager for our department in Marion and did a fantastic job of helping us learn the ropes and feel connected to the greater team of homeland staff.

the kids with Jenny

I have several more folders of images to process and share!  Stay tuned!

Blessings in Eaton

If you receive our e-newsletter or our weekly prayer-requests, then you knew that this past Sunday we had our first public speaking engagement to share about what we will be doing in Albania!  We were very blessed to share at Eaton Church of God in Eaton, Indiana.  Uncle Jack and Aunt Ruth have been wonderfully supportive ever since we shared about following God's call over to Albania and told us they wanted us to come and share at their church if our travels ever brought us up to Indiana.  We were glad to receive Pastor Denniston's invitation to share in their church service and then to also share in an adult Sunday School class.

I was neglectful with my camera, unfortunately, and have little to share in the form of photos from the morning, but suffice it to say, we left Eaton so encouraged.  Our brothers and sisters in this congregation were very warm and welcoming -- we even got to meet a bloggie friend, Marilyn, who's been visiting our blog for quite some time!  Ellie quickly made friends with the Pastor's son and Reni really enjoyed the nursery! (both of those items were real answers to prayer).  Nathan shared a little bit about our family's story.  He started by sharing how in many circles we are becoming known as Ellie's mom or Reni's dad.  And just as we are known because of our children, so is the Heavenly Father known through His children.  And just as our children were brought into our family through adoption with the assistance of social workers, lawyers, judges, notaries, physicians, etc., God the Father relies on the Body of Christ to connect spiritual orphans to Himself, both in Albania and here in Eaton. 

After church we had lunch with Uncle Jack, Aunt Ruth, and Nathan's cousin, Kathi.  Kathi was a dear and brought her two dogs over to her parents' house for the kids to play with after lunch.  Needless to say, Ellie and Reni were thrilled!  Eventually though we had to leave so Reni could get a nap.  

Uncle Jack and Aunt Ruth -- thank you for championing our cause with your church family!  Your support of our family has been more of an encouragement than you'll ever know!

Loosey Goosey

Yep.  Finally about to join the ranks of her toothless friends.  If she has anything to say about it, we'll capture it on video because THAT'S how you get on AFV (America's Funniest Videos -- one of her biggest aspirations - ha!)!

Pucker Up

I was a little concerned about how the kids would spend their time with all their usual diversions in boxes three states away.  Turns out, it hasn't been too bad!  Look what Nathan found in the trash can today!

PUCKER UP! 

Ellie surprised me by touching her new little friend, eventually carrying him around!

No, Dad.  That's close enough!

That's cool!

Reni said, "Look!  He's smiling!"

Your turn!

Packing up the family tomorrow night and headed to Eaton (near Muncie), Indiana to share about Albania!  Then off for 5 days of meetings in Marion for some training, including putting together our presentation.  Yep, you read that right.  We just couldn't wait!  Your prayers are appreciated -- for our safety on the roads, for the presence of the Holy Spirit in our words and conversations, and also for Ellie and Reni as we get a little foretaste of what this next year will resemble, visiting churches and meeting new people!

What is in your hand?

I've had a thought running through my head since last night as I've reflected on the latest of God's blessings.  That thought comes from a sermon given by our friend, Dr. Roy Lauter.  In examining the story of the call of Moses, we all remember Moses' list of excuses for not qualifying as the chosen deliverer of the children of Israel.  In reply God asks him (Exodus 4), "What is in your hand?"  It was Moses' shepherd's staff, a staff that was turned into a serpent, was used to part the Red Sea, and draw water from a rock.  It was a rather simple tool but it was used mightily to show God's power.  Dr. Lauter's message challenge was to examine what was in your hand.  What did I have that God could use for his purposes?  

This weekend  we were blessed by someone who offered to use what was in his hand (a truck) to help us move our belongings out of the student center to storage on the farm in central Illinois.  And it wasn't just any truck, no, we basically could have moved all our worldly goods had we so desired.  Traveling down from Roanoke (IL), my parents' friend, Joe (now our friend too!), his driver David, and my dad (also) David came down Sunday evening and with the help of some amazingly selfless friends, loaded up the contents of our apartment.  What would have taken us much, much longer to do alone, friends were able to accomplish in just a few hours.

navigating our small parking lot to find a good parking place.

Pictured:  Peter, Thad, Bryce, and Ben M (not pictured:  Isaac, Siobhan, Jonny, Sarah, Ruth, Dr. C, and Ben S)

This super truck had a nifty hydrolic lift that provided us our Ellie quote of the weekend while she rode it up:  "I'm going up to heaven!" she exclaimed!

Reni kept a close eye on things.  We could tell he wasn't quite sure what to think of all this packing. 

We took a short break for Ale 8s and ice cream bars.  Loved how Reni joined in with the guys.

 I don't know if you can tell, but the sky was looking threatening pretty much the entire evening.  A few drops fell as we loaded the last of the items and then 10 minutes after going inside, the heavens opened (for only the third time since the beginning of May -- oh how we needed that rain)!

The kids were quite excited to check out the cab of the truck.

This morning after breakfast we got a quick pic by the truck.  You would have thought that the kids had helped with carrying boxes for sleeping in until past 8AM (VERY unusual).   Forgive the bedhead and mis-matched jammies -- we were pretty pleased that they had appropriate clothes at all given the state of our house.  Ellie begged to ride in the truck, so she got to take a brief trip while David negotiated his way out of the parking lot.  When we went to get her out, we couldn't figure out was was taking so long.  Turns out she had kicked off her shoes and crawled into one of the bunk beds in the cab and crawled under a blanket!  I think she's going to like RV-ing!

We received word that everything has been unloaded in Illinois this evening!  We are thankful for my parents, Joe, David, and a group of Stephen's friends who unpacked the truck on the other end.

Of course our empty apartment will not remain empty for long.  We are settling into new digs in the student center's lower level guestroom this evening.  Tomorrow we should finish moving out our few remaining belongings (mostly groceries) so Jonathan and Faith can begin painting and bringing in their own things to make it their new home.  So far the kids seem to be doing well with the change (aside from Reni being a bit more clingy than normal).  They are excited about the prospect of sharing a bed (we'll see if that even lasts one night) and they are finding new ways of entertaining themselves. The challenge remains explaining what the next days and weeks will look like!  For now, though, it feels good to have the move behind us!

Featured!

Our mission has a quarterly magazine entitled The Call.  This month's issue, "Love is a Verb", features four missionary families (including us!) in an article about love as shown through adoption!  You can click here to see all of the stories included in this current issue!  The Call serves as a great resource to encourage believers in their missions involvement.  If you'd like to receive a hard copy in your mailbox, click here to subscribe.  It's free!

On a side note, when Reni saw the cover of the magazine he said, "Uh oh!  They wrote on their HANDS!"

Last day of therapy!

21 months ago we started working with our wonderful physical therapist, Lee Ann, through First Steps.  Last Wednesday we finished therapy (for now -- additional therapy may be needed when Reni transitions to more sophisticated prosthesis).  Reni LOVES it when Ms. Lee Ann comes because she has the most amazing toys!  With those toys, she's able to guide Reni through exercises and show us practical ways to get him to work on new skills without it feeling like 'work.'

Like walking toys from one side of the room to the other...

... which requires one to stop forward motion, lean over and pick items up off the floor, rise back up again...

... and carry items using two hands...

... stop, and turn around!

Occasionally we need to take a break because it is hard work!

And given that Reni has mastered everything on his goals list, therapy came to an end!  We are so grateful for special folks that God has placed in our path to help our children reach their potential!  Thank you, Ms. Lee Ann!  We'll miss you bunches!

Visitors from PA!

Last week we had the joy of entertaining a visit from our dear friends, the McCreadys, who came to see us from western PA (we were in small group together way back in 2001/2002).  Before we knew of the impending heat wave, we planned a kayaking/canoeing trip for our families on the Kentucky River.

I learned some new things about my friend, Corrina, primarily that I pushed her way out of her comfort zone with this canoe trip (wink). She was a great sport and everyone seemed to have a great time.  I think we gave John some new sermon illustration material!

We stopped for a picnic lunch break on the bank and also enjoyed some swimming.  I love the photo below of John and Corrina.  Glad to see them still smiling in spite of testing their marital happiness when it came to steering a canoe. ;-) 

Ellie decided Jo-Jo (Joanna) was da BOMB!

Glad to see everyone was still smiling at the end of our 5-mile paddle! 

(below) A quick pic before walking out the door! Other than the canoe-ing pics, I was terrible at taking photos while they were here!

Our children were so sad when their friends had to leave.

Shortly after they left, Reni asked, "Are they coming back tomorrow?"

Thank you, McCreadys, for coming to see us!  We treasure your friendship and appreciate the encouragement you are when we're together!