This is a multi-purpose post since it's been so long since we last posted! Things have truly been very busy. We did make it to the US safely. Thanks for all your prayers! The trip went very smoothly--the girls slept well on the plane and survived our long layover in NY. We flew into Charlotte, spent a few days there with friends, drove to KY to see family, stayed there a little over a week, then drove to KC! We attended my sister's wedding reception (she got married on the beach in FL and just had a reception in KY) while in KY and did some traveling there too. After being here with friends for a few days, we got moved into an apartment where we'll live while here. The day after we moved in, Tim left on a trip to MN. Our church is having 10 year anniversary celebrations, which means lots of extra services over the weekend. Faith's started school (like a homeschool co-op), I've been to the prayer room a few times, we've been to the library, played with friends, etc. So, now you can see why we've been busy!!
We're loving our time in the States so far. The girls have adjusted well and fairly quickly. We really didn't have much jet lag, which was the mercy of the Lord! Again, thanks for the prayers! Haven has had the hardest time, just being around lots of other kids and trying out her 18 month old will on kids who are bigger than her and don't appreciate it very much! Faith is loving playing with old friends, though, and making some new ones, too. She really loves school and Haven and I enjoy the one-on-one time. On Thursday mornings, they have special prayer time in the prayer room for pregnant moms. I went this last week and really enjoyed it. Next weekend we have Tim's youngest sister's wedding in IN, so we'll be on the road again. We are all participating in the wedding (except Haven), which will be fun. Tim is conducting the service, I'm reading Scripture, and Faith is a flower girl. It should be fun! So, we're staying busy, but really enjoying it.
I haven't taken many pictures lately, but will try to get some posted soon.
Tonight, I have a very heavy heart for an old friend of mine. Krystal was a good friend to me when I was the new kid, in a new school, in a new town my senior year of high school. It was a tight-knit community that really wasn't very friendly to outsiders. I was very lonely. Krystal was there for me, though. We had a lot of classes together and she really made me laugh. I've always appreciated her for trying so hard to make me feel welcome when most people did not.
Fast forward 13 years (wow--how fast time goes!) and now Krystal has a growing family (as do we). She has two precious kiddos, and two more that she is in the process of adopting from Guatemala. She has had lots of heartache with court dates and waiting. However, she's now facing her biggest heartache with these boys. The place they were staying was recently raided and the boys taken somewhere else. She has no idea where they are or if they are together. You can read the story in her words here: www.braydenboy.blogspot.com. Please, please say a prayer for Krystal and her two precious boys. Pray that they will be found and be able to come home to her soon.
This last Wednesday we decided to go out for dinner. Usually Tim is at a prayer meeting on Wednesdays and Thursday is our normal going out night, so this Wednesday was unusual. Our outing was nice and uneventful, until the ride home. We got a really nice taxi for our ride home, so we were set. Let me explain, though. There are so many taxis here, mostly old and falling apart. There has been a big push by the government to replace these junk mobiles with new, metered taxis (you have to negotiate the price for the old ones). So, you can imagine how excited we are to ride in a new taxi--complete with working a/c, door handles, seats that aren't ripped, and one in which we don't have to negotiate! On Wednesday, we got in this nice taxi and are headed home. There's lots of traffic on the road, so the driver asks if he can go around it by taking the Ring Road, which, as the name suggests, goes in a circle around the whole city. We say, "sure" and are on our way. The Ring Rd is nice, wide, and not used much, so our driver is going really, really fast. Suddenly, Faith asks me if she can ride on my lap. She hasn't done this since we first arrived and she was "culture shocked." Since I was already holding Haven, I started to say, "no," but decided to let her. At the same time, we're doing our family devotions and I feel the Lord speak to my spirit, "I'm taking care of you guys." I just assume this is a general type thing and don't think much about it. So, we're flying down the Ring Rd, both girls squirming all over my lap, when all of a sudden--SCREECH--the taxi driver SLAMS on the brakes. He was probably going 60 mph or so and comes to a complete stop because of some stopped traffic. I didn't have my arm all the way around Faith at the time, but I did have one arm tightly around Haven (because she was squirming so much!). So, Faith and I hit the seat in front of us (Tim's seat), but neither of us were hurt. If Faith had been sitting on her own, though, she would have probably been pretty hurt. She had been sitting in the middle before my lap, so it would not have been good! Thank the Lord that He was watching over us and did "take care of us." Thanks to all of you who pray for us regularly, too. It does help!
DISCLAIMER: I realize this is why car seats are important, but really, they are impossible to use here, especially with us not having our own car. I will, however, from now on, have Faith buckle up in a seat belt when the taxi has one (because most times--they don't!).
We haven't taken too many pictures lately. We haven't been out to any really interesting places with it being so hot and Mommy being so sick. Actually, we've been sticking to familiar foods (i.e. American chains here) and air conditioned malls and restaurants. Doesn't really make for very interesting pictures, huh?! Anyway, here are a few:
Well, for those of you who read this blog, but are not on Facebook, I thought I'd share our happy news (as if you haven't already guessed!). We found out that we are expecting baby #3! Yahoo! We are super excited and have already talked it up to the girls quite a bit. When we told Faith, the first thing she said was, "already?" What is that supposed to mean?!
We don't have the for sure stats, because we haven't been to the doctor yet, but we think he/she will be due around the end of February or early March. Sadly, I will not be able to have another home birth. We may need to pray for my disappointed heart as I search for an OB/GYN and look at a hospital birth! :) I know I sound strange, but I really loved having Haven at home with a mid-wife. It was an amazing experience that I cherish and it will be hard for me to go back to "fighting" for my right to have a natural birth.
Anyway, we are thrilled. Little one has definitely been making himself/herself known with lots of "morning" (more like all day) sickness and fatigue. The girls have been very understanding and the hubby has been a huge help! Thank the Lord for them and this new little blessing!
