So the last couple of months have been filled with lots of things! I really dislike getting so behind on the blog, but we were moving and were without internet for a while.
January 2012 started off great! We had lots of quality time with family during the holidays and we loved every second. It is always refreshing to get home and settled in. We were gone for a couple of weeks so I had LOADS of laundry to catch up. I also decided it was time to SHED another layer for Belgium. It is a new year and the kids have outgrown clothes and toys so it was time to donate some things. The grandparents love to spoil our children so we needed to make room for new toys and narrow down to the toys we will actually bring with us. We plan to dedicate one luggage bag to toys when we move. We want them to be comfortable since it will be a big adjustment and they are still very young. We have also been told toys are expensive in Belgium.
January 18th Jackson turned 1 year old! What a blessing he has been to each of us in the past year. God is so good. We are so thankful for his little life. He is now able to walk/run, climb up and down the stairs, he says Momma, Da Da, Bre or Bry Bry, Bye Bye, No No, Cookie, bubble and several more. He is becoming our little mockingbird. He nods his head Yes and No. LOVES to dance and giggle and turn in circles. He really likes Thomas the Train, Yo Gabba Gabba, Mickey Mouse, and Little Einsteins. He enjoys knocking down the houses and castles his sister makes with the blocks. They are definitely developing the "sibling" relationship which is precious MOST of the time. :) Below are some pictures from his Mickey Mouse Clubhouse birthday party.
He has changed so much since we brought him home from the hospital
After his birthday it was not long and he got pretty sick for a couple of weeks. He had a stomach bug followed up with pneumonia. We spent one scary evening in the ER. It was his first ER trip. We are so thankful God carried us through that. It was tough seeing him so miserable and the sleep deprivation begins to get to you after a little while. So glad he is back to normal. He had to take lots of breathing treatments, steroids, and antibiotics.
February 2012 we were so excited to be able to enjoy Romance and Roses that Lifepoint hosts each year. It is a night of Romance and fun with your spouse and friends. The food is always so yummy, music is great, and most importantly they help you remember what a Godly marriage looks like and work to hold us accountable to that. Below is a picture of part of our team that is still in the States! LOVE them dearly. It was such a fun night. Special thank you to my wonderful Aunt(Gigi) for watching the kiddos so we could have a night away.
We had originally planned or thought we would be leaving for Belgium in the spring of 2012. Our church has asked that we wait until Fall to actually depart. At first it sort of knocks the wind out of your sails a bit and then you realize who is in control. God is in complete control and as we have said throughout this whole process we trust his timing and we know his plan is perfect. We will be there on the exact day he has planned for us to arrive. We also trust our church leadership completely. They are wonderful to us. We also still need more funding before we can officially depart to Belgium so this gives us ample time to get all of our ducks in a row. If you are interested in becoming a monthly partner please contact us or the information is located on the right side of the blog at the top.
Since we received news that we would be in the States a little longer than planned we needed to come up with a game plan and try to figure out where we would live for the next 6 months or so. We needed a place where we did not have to sign a lease and preferably some place furnished since we have literally gotten rid of ALL of our furniture. God again opened the perfect door at the perfect time. We found out at the beginning of February that we were able to move into a completely furnished missionary house that was available in Murfreesboro, TN. We were so thankful for this provision. So we spent a couple of weeks getting settled in and got internet installed yesterday. The kids love it here and Tennessee weather has been beautiful so we have been getting out and walking and spending time at a Park that is nearby. Our teammates already in Belgium have said to walk as much as possible to prepare for life in Belgium since we will not have a vehicle there. We will depend solely on public transportation which is wonderful in Europe.
With every passing day we see God's fingerprints all over this whole process(which will be 3 years in May). We understand why we are still here and we know God is using this time to train us and prepare us for the time we will spend overseas. We have grown closer in our walk with HIM and feel a closeness to him that only comes from being totally reliant on him to guide us and provide for us. It is a closeness that I never want lose. While moving overseas may not be what he has called everyone to, I do urge you to really seek God and see what he has for your family. Saying YES to his plan can be a little bit uncomfortable at first, but once you start to see all of the ways he is working the peace you feel far surpasses those uncomfortable moments. I LOVE our savior so much. I would not trade one day of this journey. I am so thankful for a church that pushed us outside of our comfort zone to a place that is so much better.
Psalm 130:5-6
5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
6 my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
He answered: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" Luke 10:27
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11
more than watchmen for the morning
