Basement windows and God's will

Last night we asked the kids what their prayer requests were in regards to fostering/adopting.

-That the boys would be able to move into the room downstairs (-clean up and put in a larger basement bedroom window)
-Add more rooms to the house!  ;)
-Playground...  heh.
-Concerns about what the baby will look like:  cute baby  :)
-That it's a girl!  
-That we would know God's will!  (this was their own request)

On top of their requests we pray that we'd be prepared and patient.  That our hearts would be soft and flexible.  That we'd have wisdom to know which path to take...  there are a couple different programs to go with that are similar but different, too!  That we'd be tight and united as a couple and a family.  That we'd understand the challenges these kids face and be able to help them through them...  and help our kids understand it all, too!  (A lot of talk about problems regarding meth at our foster meetings...)  That I'd be able to establish a connection between the church and the area foster kids.  That our finances would line up and not be a hindrance.

We're so thankful we serve a big God who has a heart for the "fatherless" and the "least of these".  Praying our hearts would beat with His.  Stepping out and fixing our eyes on Jesus!  Equip us with everything good for doing Your will, Lord.  Work in us what is pleasing to You.  Thank you that You are the God of Peace!  (You brought Jesus back from the dead...  what problem is too big for You to handle!?)


Hebrews 13:20-21
Now may the God of peace, 
who through the blood of the eternal covenant 
brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, 
that great Shepherd of the sheep,
equip you with everything good for doing his will, 
and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, 
through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

foster to adopt

This weekend we start taking our first big steps toward fostering to adopt!  We've already had one short meeting but this weekend we will start taking classes that will bring us closer to having a foster baby/child in our home with the hopes to adopt.  Crazy!

As I look back, I can see God's hand leading us here.  For Kevin, his side of the family has had a lot of experience with fostering and adoption.  Aunts and uncles have fostered and adopted.  And his parents have always worked with needy kids.  They ran a youth home while Kevin was growing up and have also worked with unwed moms and adoption.  His grandparents, as well, were involved in the same ministry to unwed moms.  He has a heritage of ministry to needy youth.

I've always just loved kids.  Babysitting, teaching and aiding in preschools and classrooms.  Together Kev and I taught Sunday School when we dated.  I've been involved in MOPS (Mother's of PreSchoolers) for years with our five babies.  And I also worked to earn my 4 year degree in Early Childhood Education.

This is one way I see God's hand leading me.  I had to pick a topic for a paper in one of my classes in college.  I picked Abuse and Neglect.  Heavy.  Why did I pick that topic?  Not sure.  Then as college rolled on it was just easy to build on the topic I already had researched so my final paper, along with several papers in between, was on Child Abuse and Neglect.  I even thought maybe I should pursue Social Work but my heart is really to be involved more personally in kids' individual lives.  (I know some Social Workers are involved personally, too.  Maybe just for a shorter period of time?  Maybe the job just seemed intimidating...?!)  Now I see how God was probably preparing me, 15 years ago, for this season in our lives.  He's so cool that way.

I have to say that I took several Special Needs classes, too...  Not quite enough for a second degree, though, but several.  Hum...

We have been blessed with our own special needs baby.  And we have worked in a special needs orphanage.  We have already pursued adopting two little girls overseas with special needs and been open to adopting a third little girl who we were told needed a family.   (The first two have families now and we are still open to adopting the third, though it looks like she has a family, too.)

We are excited (and nervous) to see what's next!

Following His leading with my eyes alert and my heart reflective.

We Love Snow!

March in North Dakota...  It can either be 70 degrees or -10!  This winter we've had a few good days of snow storms with even a blizzard or two.  Most people right now are talking about how tired they are of winter and how ready they are for spring!  It's the first day of Spring, anyway!  Where's the sunshine and tulips?! 

Well, our family dances to our own beat, I guess.  I told the kids today that we're supposed to get another 2-4 inches of snow in the next day or two...  Whoo-hoo!!  They were so excited!  They even wish we'd get more snow.  Their sleds are ready.  Their snowpants are getting holes.  They're on their third or fourth hat of the season...  Our kids make the most of the snow!  Forts, slip n slides, snowball fights, snow angels, sledding.  One of our kids even made a snow baby who has since melted/broken away....   While they were playing in the last snowstorm, I heard one say that they wished it was more windy!?  Ha!  One hopes we get enough snow to swim in!  More snow!  We love snow.

Snow is like manna from heaven for us!  It's like God just dumps tons of white imagination in our yard and we bundle up and play hard, come in and drink tea and hot chocolate and snuggle down to a movie or some such thing.  So fun.

Their excitement got me to thinking.  Why does our family love snow when the others are ready for summer already?!  Why do I like the snow?  Well, for one thing, I like it because the kids love it and have so much fun imagining and playing together.  They play hard and come in ready to snuggle down together.  Good for everyone, right?

I also think I like the snow, and even the storm, because when we are all home and safe inside, we look out the window at the wild wind and the white flakes flying by and we sip our tea and hot chocolate.  It's crazy out and cozy in.  Kind of like the life of a Christian sometimes.

We can have crazy situations flying around us.  Moves, financial problems, broken down cars, family or kids issues...  Life is flying at us.  But we can retreat and sip some refreshment in the Word.  Refocus.  The Lord is a safe, quiet place in the middle of chaos.  We an sit back and look at the storm around us with His Word in our lap and know that we are protected and safe.  He sees us and He sees our storm.  And He is our refuge, our provider, our comfort.  He is the shelter in the storm. 

I am reading the book One in a Million by Priscilla Shirer and a line popped out at me the other day.  "Often when external blessing seems to elude us, internal spiritual gifts come tumbling our direction."  That seemed to tie in with my snow storm pondering.  When life looks like a a mess and we're left under a pile of snow, that can be the time that we receive the most from the Lord.  Or perhaps, that's when we look up and notice the most of the Lord's blessings?  This seems to be the time we grow the closest to Him.  Picture driving up in front of a house and through the whiteout, your eyes make out a glowing light coming through the window.  You run up, open the door, and take off your coat and foggy glasses.  Outside is crazy.  Inside is cozy.

I love being safe and warm in the middle of the storm.  Kind of like - In yo face, blizzard!  You can be wild and out of control and I'll sit here with my tea, and the Word, and watch you - knowing that God's got it all under control and takes care of me. 

Maybe we'll just go out and build a snowman in the morning!?


Isaiah 26:3
You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.

family pics

 Fall 2012

us at the pumpkin patch in Grand Forks

 Crawford Christmas 2012

just us for Christmas this year...  part-a

Happy Birthdays!

Hannah turned 12 in October (she and Ruth are on the right)

Isaiah is One year old!!

 

Superman is 8!

How long an MK?

It's been two years since we've lived overseas as Missionary Associates in Armenia.  After having lived in a foreign country for two years, our kids have now been back in the states two years.  We are settled in pretty good.  They are in their second year of school.  All four of them have great grades and have made friends.  We're involved in church.   Sometimes we are just Americans.  Nice.  But other times they are still MKs.  For better or for worse.

Our kids have had experiences that other kids here just are not exposed to.  They spent time each week at a special needs orphanage.  They put on a puppet show there in the Armenian language.  They did ministry with balloon animals, play doh, face painting, etc.  They went to dance and basketball in a different culture, with teachers who spoke only Armenian.  (Besides the word "stOp" in dance class!!)  Our neighborhood was comfortable and we knew others who spoke English but at any given time we could have someone come up and not understand what they were saying.  All of the kids spent time in Turkey, growing with other MKs.  Doing new things.  Seeing new things.  Understanding in ways that kids in the states just don't get the opportunity to do.  I'm so proud of them and glad that God had that as part of His plan for us and for them.  Who knows how He will continue to use that in the future!?

But one of the downsides of our years away was that we also missed stuff here.  Our girls missed out on awards at dance this year that were given to the kids who had spent 5 years in dance.  Well, they have danced for five years, just some of that time was not in this country...  Hannah also missed out on being an Honor Star at church.  I didn't realize it as the year went on but when two of her friends were crowned, she shared her disappointment with me.  You need to spend 3 years in the Stars program and we were only states side for one and a half of those years.  Missed it.  There I sat with my arm around her thinking that I wasn't expecting to have MK issues still.  Now her little sister is working toward her Honor Star goal and we are remembering again how she just missed it. 

Benjamin played baseball last summer, too, after not even having a bat to swing those two years.  He almost just said forget it, even though he loved baseball.  He felt way behind.  But in the end he decided to try and did well.  He'll be playing again this summer, I'm sure.  Elijah might give it a go this year, too.  He didn't get to do t-ball or anything so he hasn't been sad about what he missed out on...  he doesn't know!  Heh.

We get settled back into life here but our kids will kind of be MKs forever, I guess.  Good or bad.  God has a plan for them and their tender hearts.  They missed stuff here that they just can't go back to redo but they also did tons of stuff overseas that I wouldn't want them to miss out on either.  All their experiences will be worked out for good.  And Armenia will forever be engrained in our hearts.  I like that part...  :)

Immediately...

This verse was saved as a draft a while back and I remember thinking it was important.  I will read it again and share with you how it speaks to me now, several months after the last impression.

Matthew 14 

Check out the three "immediatelies" in Matthew 14 and the story of Jesus walking on the water.  The first one comes right after Jesus feeds the 5,000 with five loaves of bread and two fish.  (v. 22)  "Immediately" he makes the disciples get in the boat and go to the other side of the lake while he dismisses the crowd.  I wonder if they wanted to stick around.  Maybe to help clean up?  Or to protect Jesus?  Or to see how he'd send the people away after such a great miracle?  Would the people go?  Did he need help?  (yeah...  um... 5 loaves and 2 fish...)  If I was at a conference as a leader, I know I'd be hesitent to leave immediately after supper...  There's still stuff to do, right?  But it appears that they obey and get in the boat and go.

The second "immediately" happens a little bit later.  (v. 27)  Jesus has dismissed everyone and has had some good alone time that evening praying on the mountain when there's a storm, or at least a great wind, and the disciples out on the lake are being tossed around.  Now it's the fourth watch of the night.  That means it's the last "watch" in the night which falls around 3-6AM.  I don't know about you but after spending many nights up with our babies, I can tell you that those hours are the longest, most exhausting hours to be up!  The disciples look out across the lake are "terrified" because they think they see a ghost.  It's Jesus.  And guess what he does?  "Immediately" he says to them, as they are crying out in fear, "Take courage.  It is I.  Don't be afraid."  He comforts them. 

Alright.  This is the one that kinda got me to think.  Immediately.  They are out on the boat.  Jesus sent them out alone.  He's not there.  The waves come.  They are afraid.  Terrified.  Where on earth is JESUS?  He should be here now.  When, immediately, there he is.  But they wanted him there just a few minutes earlier, right?  Like, before the waves got huge.  Before they were tossed around.  Before they were terrified.  That's when they wanted to have Jesus with them.  But when was he there?  Immediately.  Right when they needed him.  There he was.  He knew when the time was right to be there.  And when he shows up, what do they do?  Cry out in FEAR!  Heh.  So like us.  They doubt if it's him.  "Is it you?"  He already said it was.  So of course Peter asks to come walk out on the water with him.  (Love his courage.)  Yup, there he goes...  walking on water, too.  What does he do half way out?  Looks around and starts to sink.  Peter.  He's afraid again and cries out, "Lord, save me!"

Here's our third "immediately"...  (v. 31)  "Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him."  The he says to Peter, "You of little faith...  Why did you doubt?"  Hold up.  The guy just walked out on the WATER.  To Jesus.  Give him a little credit, right?  Heh.  But he did look around and sink, too.  Big faith.  Big doubt.  Isn't that just like us, too...  Uff. 

I can be all 100% full of faith.  Ready to do anything for the Lord.  "Use me!"  "I'm ready!"  "Yes, Lord!"  For me, "Send the orphans to us!"  And then I have to wait.  And I don't see Jesus working out the big stuff I thought we were going to do together.  Where is he?  Or I start going and then things come into the picture that weren't part of the plan.  They seem too big to overcome and I wonder if this will really work?  Has he still got me?  Is this still the thing?  But just then (and not before) he shows up.  Immediately.  If he had shown up earlier, I would have just thought, "oh good...  clear sailing!"  instead of "Wow...  only God could do that!"

As soon as Peter and Jesus get in the boat the wind dies down and the other disciples worship Jesus and say, "Truly you are the Son of God!"

Sometimes what we go through, or the times we just wait and stay faithful to Jesus, are all part of the set up for us and others to observe.  Then when he comes, in his own "immediately" timing, we see and worship and know that He is God.  I'm looking forward to seeing him show up in the middle of our faith.  'Cause when he does, it's gonna be big.  And we are going to worship.  Immediately. 

too busy with life

Okay!  I haven't written on here for. ever.  I guess I've been too busy with life!  Ha.  I have, instead, written a few blogs in my head, mostly while showering because that is my quiet place!  :)  When we were overseas there was a lot that was new and I knew there were several of you here in the states wondering what life was like over there!  Now we're back and stateside and our lives are pretty similar to most of yours again!  School, work, baby, church...  So maybe I'm not pushing myself to keep up with this thing here!  However, I will try to post a time or two each month instead of every 6 months!  :)  If you happen to be one who is still reading this...  Nice to see you again!  And thanks for caring about what's new in the land of the Crawfords!! 

Back to School...

Summer came and went!  Wow!  We were mostly busy doing, well, not much!  Sweet.  We did have a new niece born to Blake and Crystal, Laura Anne.  That's pretty exciting!  The rest of the summer was pretty basic stuff, like camps and parks and the pool...  Lijah learned to ride a bike!  We had a nice time sleeping in and doing whatever we wanted to that day!  Now it's back to the old routine!

The kids are at Trinity Christian School again and are loving it.  Ruth's disappointed that we have a three day weekend because she'll miss school on Monday!  Heh!  Teachers are fun and awesome...  and this year the kids are old pros.  They went to school last year and are pretty comfortable now.  (The previous three years we homeschooled so sending them to school last year was big stuff!)

Kev is back to school, too!  He's teaching Bible again at TCS as well as doing their tech/computer work.  It's been a busy month of preparation for the new year!  But now they're all off and running!

I'm home with little Mr Adorable.  We hang out with the puppies and try new things like applesauce and cheerios, sitting and rolling all over the house, and reading new books and singing songs together.  It's a pretty good deal!  :)

our five out at Springlake Park

first day of school...  2nd, 4th, 6th, and 8th grades!

Growing, growing...

Isaiah will be 4 months old on May 13th, Mother's Day, which is also the day he'll be dedicated at church!  He is growing sooo fast and is a happy, chubby baby.  Such a blessing to our family!  He's smiling and laughing and learning to use his hands to grab things...  Love that baby boy!

3 months old, with his monkeys

happy baby

Our family of seven after church on Easter Sunday

Blake, Crystal, Emma...  love these guys!

Gray Hair

Even to your old age and gray hairs 

    I am he, I am he who will sustain you.

I have made you and I will carry you;

    I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

Isaiah 46:4

I recently read this verse and thought of my parents.  So, even though we lived in the same town, just a few blocks apart, I wrote it out in a little note and sent it to them in the mail.  (My mom loves mail...)  She read it and said how she used to think that was far off...  now here it is.  


Now just last month, my parents moved into an assisted living home in Grand Forks.  God's timing.  We've been worried about them since we moved back to the states.  Mom's been in a wheelchair and needing extra help with things while Dad is in the early stages of Parkinson's Disease.  He continued to help her at home until he hurt his back/leg.  Then they were both in a wheelchair (or taking turns with the one they had!).  We called it.  


Together with my brother, Blake and his wife, Crystal...  we called around and found a place for them to live safely and easily.  Not in Williston.  They are on the waiting list for the place here but it will be a while before they move up and are able to move in.  They needed help right away.  So...  off they moved to Grand Forks where Blake and his family live!  They  had openings and would take them right away!  Crazy.  Unexpected.  Good.  Sad.  Relieved.


We'd checked into places here a year ago and thought they should get help and would eventually move in to a place here in Williston...  But off they went to the other side of the state.  My dad had been in pain for a month or so and to the doctors for a few weeks.  Blake and Crystal came to visit for Easter... and took them back with them!  


They are going to move down to the first floor in their building soon (from the third).  Someone's coming to help with dressing and bathing and diabetic needs.  They'll get help cleaning and with meds, if needed.  Meals are handy.  Both Mom and Dad have had Physical Therapy.  The people working there are treating them well.  They have their own little apartment and are having the walls painted with colors Mom picked out!  So overall, I think they're doing well.  But of course, they miss home.  And we miss them!  We'll make a few trips over there this summer to see them - and to meet our new baby niece who's due in July!  

Out to eat at Red Lobster for Mom's birthday!

I'm thankful they still are close to family able to enjoy them and that they're getting the help that they've needed.  But I'm mostly thankful that: 


Even to my parents' old age and gray hairs 
     God is He, God is He who will sustain them.
God has made them and will carry them;
     God will sustain them and will rescue them.

Breath

I love to feel Isaiah's breath as he breaths on my neck, or shoulder, or chest.  What is it about the simple inhale and exhale of air?  It's so peaceful and refreshing and good.

As I sat pondering that one day I got to thinking about the song Breath of Heaven.  How powerful is the breath of God?  Breathing life into creation.  Breathing truth and life into our lives still today.  Involved in our daily-ness.

In order to feel someone's breath, you need to be close to that person.  Maybe it's the intimacy of breath that's so sweet.  There's trust and tenderness in Isaiah's little baby breaths, or when I feel Kev breathing in the middle of the night...

Do I feel the tenderness of God's breath?  Am I close enough to enjoy that intimacy?

Pour over me your holiness.  Breath of Heaven...

Isaiah Mark!!

ok, so it's been a busy two months!  :)  let me introduce our newest blessing:

sweet baby boy

Isaiah Mark
January 13th, 2012
8 lbs 4 oz

He was born healthy, strong, and beautiful!   He even scored 10 on his initial apgar test!  We are all smitten!  He has slipped pretty easily into the Crawford bunch and is growing tall and slim so far!  We are enjoying smiles and coos now and getting about 5 hours of sleep between feedings at night!  He's growing fast!

all of us, just 2 hours after Isaiah's arrival!

I just have to look at Benjamin to see how fast this will go!  :)  Mr 13 this month!  He only has 5 more years with us!!!  Can that be right?  Ruth also had a birthday this month...  Little Miss 9 Years old!  And Elijah turned 7 just five days after Isaiah was born!  (his b-day was Isaiah's due date!)

Elijah's 7!

Ruth and the girls from her class celebrating at the park!

oh yeah, I had a birthday in Feb, too!!  :)

happy baby!

We have a growing family in more was than one!  Thankful for our newest Crawford!!

Soooooon?

about 38-39 weeks...  this is how Ruth thinks her mama looks!  :)

We are all pretty much ready to meet this little guy!  Hannie follows me around and asks if it's time yet.  "Are you having contractions?"  Elijah loves to feel the baby move and hiccup.  Ruth wants to be able to snuggle "like normal" again.  Benjamin just wonders how he'll get to his next basketball game, I guess!  Ha!  Waiting, waiting.  We thought he might come after Christmas.  I had some good, regular contractions...  but nope.  Still waiting.  Kev asks, "Did your water break?"  Nope.  Heh.  Not yet.  I'd like to be able to be myself again, too, but am trying to enjoy his movements and squirms.  Won't be much longer and he'll be right here in our arms hiccuping.  Exciting days are just around the corner at the Crawford house!

The other day Elijah whispered to my tummy while he lovingly rubbed it, "Soon you'll be here.  And I'll be your master..."  Ha!  We have a little Jedi waiting to find his place among the brothers...  :)  When Elijah was just born and still in the hospital, Benjamin came to meet him and whispered, "I'm your big brother.  And I'm going to take good care of you."  You can see where that's taken the two of them...  Master and Padawan!?  :)  Love our boys.  All three of them!  And our two little girl mamas, too!  (They'll help with everything - but diapers.  They heard boys spray!)

Merry Christmas!

Our Family on Christmas Eve

Christmas in Williston North Dakota!  Who would have ever imagined that we'd all be back in Williston to have another double Christmas with both our families!?  Wow.  Has it been 10 years since we've done that?  We usually do try to get to both our families to celebrate Christmas but this year everyone was right here.  Nice.  Otherwise we probably wouldn't have seen any of them unless they came to visit this 8+ month pregnant lady!  Heh.

The Johnson side of family 

We spent Christmas Eve at church with Kev's family and then at my parents' house for supper and presents.  It was great to be with them and also with my brother and his family.  Emma is two and a half and a busy, smart little curly headed girl.  The kids love their cousin!  We're fairly smitten, too.  Crystal is expecting again this summer and so between the two of us...  well, it's kinda pregnant city!  Ha.  My parents are also having some health issues and Mom fell a few times over the holiday.  That's kinda scary and makes us all concerned about their safety.  You can pray for them and us!  In our family picture at the top, Hannie and Kev are quickly turning their heads in response to her falling in the kitchen...  love my parents...

We enjoyed being together that evening, packed up and headed home to get settled much later than we usually do...  to get up and head over for more celebrations at Ed's and Sharon's place!  :)

Crawford side of family...  doing Nathan's smile!  :)

Kev's two brothers came up to spend Christmas with all of us while his other brother and his wife stayed in MO this year.  So we were just missing two of our family for celebrations.  The kids LOVED hanging out with their uncles.  We probably see these guys the least since they live in MO and OH.  But when we see them...  they are bffs!  :)  After breakfast and skyping with Scott and Saralynn, we all headed to OUR house and had a big double Christmas meal with both sides of our family!  I love that our families can do that.  Our kids are so blessed.  We are so blessed.

Double family Christmas dinner! 

Thankful for Jesus and God's grace and mercy this Christmas.  He is our greatest gift.  Everything we need...  Peace, Joy, Comfort, Wisdom, Hope...  baby in a manger.  He has blessed us with one blessing after another.  Merry Christmas!

December 6th

December 6th, 2010
-Left Armenia
-Packed all our things and our dog
-Flew over the ocean
-30 some hours in airplanes/airports
-Left home to come back home
-Left Autumn to come back to winter
-Reunited with family
-Bestamor died
-Given money to adopt!
-Hellos, Goodbyes...
-Coming, Going
-Highs, Lows

-Happy, Sad, Lonely, Excited, Confused, Nervous, Thankful, Blessed, Broke, Hurt, Encouraged,  Exhausted...

December 6th, 2011
-Living in our hometown, 2 bedroom house
-Settled but squished
-Daily routines, school, work, ministries...
-Baby on the way (no adoption yet)
-Still paying off the flight home...
-Working like 5 jobs
-Church family of believers
-Immediate family close by
-Missing family/friends in Armenia
-Surrounded by snow, thinking of Autumn

-Happy, Sad, Lonely, Excited, Confused, Nervous, Thankful, Blessed, Broke, Hurt, Encouraged,  Exhausted...  :)  We are still a lot of the same things although now at different stages...?!

We have been so blessed this year.  And so needy.  Can both of those things happen at the same time?  This year, it seems to be so.  We are thankful that we serve a God who knows what we need and knows how we feel...  and LOVES us.  He has provided for us in wild ways this year.  We are learning what it is to be content in every situation...  even when the situation holds both plenty and want at the same time.  (Phil 4:12)  We have a home, food, vans (someone just gave us their old van!!), family, the kids are at the Christian school...!  Sometimes we just shake our heads...  even when it seems like we're just getting by - we're always getting by!  And then along come surprises and blessings!  Like the gift of a van!  Or the gift of a check in the mail.  Or food at the door.  Or baby things!  Or a friend's encouragement.  Or a Word spoken to us in quiet time...  We are learning to trust the One who knows.  And to wait for His timing...  (that's hard... why is He always trying to teach me to wait...  that seems like a theme...  maybe it will always be my theme until we're actually "Home"?  Hum...)

Thankful to be "home" in North Dakota and missing our "home" in Yerevan.  Thankful for the abundant life God has ordained for us!  (John 10:10)  (Psalm 139:16)  Today I am pondering the past and looking ahead... Lord, go before and behind.  I'm so glad you are Immanuel, God with us!

One Year ago today...

...we were getting ready to leave Armenia behind...

Daddy and the kids walking around our block in Armenia.
-I'm standing on our front porch taking the pic...

This is part of a quick email I just found that I'd written to my Mom on Nov. 29th, 2010...

Had our last devotions at the office.

Kev sold some music gear to a church in Hrazdon... yea. About half price or
less and now will use that money to get some guitars for some church planters
here...

I haven't read that Karon book yet! I saved the Christmas book for on the
plane!

Trying to get the right kennel for Rocky. We went to check on a bigger one
today to see if we could trade (I think the airline wants it bigger than what we
have...). Vet was closed for today! Sigh. :) Again, tomorrow.

Iren is a penguin in a school Christmas program tomorrow. 

Band is coming over for one last time tomorrow. (They'll buy the drums.)
The international church will buy a few things, too... :) (money to buy
guitars...)
Last day of school tomorrow...
Mark and Kim might come on Wed. They bought our homeschooling desks!
Marine bought our big wardrobe. Hopefully she'll get that this week! heh! :)
The girls from the office are coming on Friday, I think.
Hakob is done working this week but wants to come say goodbye on Sunday!
Packing all throughout that! :)
Finishing up!

the day before we left,
we went downtown
one last time...

Reading all that makes me want to take a deep breath.  It was so hard to say good-bye to everyone!  Whew.  What a blessing that we were able to be a part of life and missions in Armenia.  What good friends we left behind there.  We are still in touch with most of then because of the internet.  Yea.  But it's still just not the same and being together.  Quite often now, especially when we sing songs about the nations, etc...  I think how great it'll be to be reunited forever in heaven.  God stretched open our thoughts of heaven, first when Joshua went before us, and now with a hint of understanding of what it will be like to celebrate Him together with the nations!  And with our good friends...  Whoo!  :)

Loving, and missing, Armenia this week...  xo

(what pics to I choose of everyone...  go back in the blog to a year ago and I think all of those are the ones I looked at just now!!)

Gestational Diabetes... or maybe not?

My blood sugar numbers were a little high for the routine gestational diabetes tests.  Hum.  So now I have the poker/tester thing.  But my numbers have all been fine for over a week...  (except for Thanksgiving day, I had a higher number after eating pie(s)!  Heh.)  So this week, we'll see what the doctor thinks of that.  Maybe I won't have to poke as often?  But I have learned some about diabetes!  Since it runs in my family, I guess it's good info to know, right?

Other than that...  Baby's doing great and is super active.  They'll keep their eye on him and me to be sure all is well.  Crazy to think that in less than two months, we'll be holding another little one.  The kids are all excited!  I told them we'd get to see the baby in the next few weeks...  "You mean, face to face!!??"  Yup.  Exciting days are ahead!

-I'll have to post a pic later...  :)  I must be getting bigger because everyone's been asking me, when are you due?!  Heh...  not too much longer!  January 18th.

Emotional week

I am not the type that is extremely emotional.  But this week, man, what's up with me?  Whew.  I am just feeling...  feeling.  Ha.  I know women say sometimes they just need a good cry.  Really?  I guess maybe this week?  I dunno.  I keep thinking, what's that all about?  Then realizing...  well, first of all I'm in the 8th month of pregnancy.  That alone could be it.  Heh!  Then, you know what, having your husband working 5 jobs is stressful, not just for him, but for me/us, too...  whew.  Lord, give us strength to pull tight when we're so busy and tired.  Four busy kids...  that could be it.  Another huge thing on my mind is my aging parents. Anyone have experience and encouragement?  Watching them need help and not knowing what to do...  whew.  Then, our four room house...  not four bedroom.  Four rooms.  Total.  We have no space.  Squished.  I'm blessed (for another month or so) with quiet time when everyone's in school but the other five who live here don't have that luxury.  We've decided that everyone (and some more than others) need that alone time to function well.  Hannie stays out in the van after school to do homework because there's just too much going on in the house!  Girlie.  She and her daddy.  Our doctor said that he's seeing more people suffer with anxiety these days instead of depression...  housing situations??  Squished can be stressful.  Possibly, we could be stressed over money, or lack there of...  not even gonna go there!  Bah.  Heh!

Anyway.  While I'm pondering all this, I'm like...  okay so then what?  In the middle of all that, we are incredibly blessed and provided for.  We have a house, when many in our area don't even have that!  There are lots of people around here living in cars and campers!  Crazy.  God has been meeting our needs even when we still feel like we have more needs.  He knows our NEEDS.  And He is teaching us things in the middle of whatever it is we're going through.  When we're stressed...   He is not.  He is in control and is always going to be.  I picked up my Bible the other day like, Lord...  tell me something!  And I read Psalm 42 that says (a few times),

Why are you downcast, O my soul? 
Why so disturbed within me? 
Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, 
my Savior and my God.

I felt better about talking to myself (and our dog) during the day, when I read that David did it, too!  Do you ever talk to your own soul?  Heh...  And he asked the same question - What's up with me?  Well, like David, I will tell myself today...  "Put your Hope in God and praise Him."  Thanks for the reminder, Lord.  I will do just that.  You are my Hope.  You are the same always.  You have good plans.  You lead us beside still waters, give us rest.  You are my Prince.  My Prince of Peace.  Im Der Jan...  my sweet Lord...

Commercials

Being overseas taught us many things.  One thing that I've noticed in the past year back in the states is that we don't watch TV.  And if we do, it's purposeful...  something we've decided to do.  We hardly ever just turn on the TV to see what's on.  We got used to choosing a movie or watching an old TV series.  The kids love the Cosby show and Kev and I have been watching Monk!  (Thanks instant NetFlix.)

Charlie Brown and Squanto!  :)

On Thanksgiving day we saw Charlie Brown had two shows airing.  Every time a commercial cut in, the kids were surprised and moaned!  Ha.  I thought it was really funny.  They totally are not used to commercials interrupting their shows!  After about the 4th or 5th commercial, Benjamin says sarcastically, "So it's Black Friday tomorrow..."  Hi, repeat yourself much?!  Ha.

Besides it being interesting to me, and funny, too, I got to thinking...  really we've spared them from so much wanting this and needing that.  They are pretty content with what they have.  They're surprised at all that other friends have.  They don't see all the images of what you should do and what you should look like and what you should have.  They just are.  Nice.  (They do want IPods...  heh!  Music is big at our house...)

Our family devotions this week was about commercials and how we should watch what we put in our head and watch what we think we need...  One of the questions was something like, Why do you want what you want?  The kids said because it was something that we've talked about.  Because Mom mentioned it!  (Nothing to do with commercials...)

I like that our family is the desire maker right now for our kids!  Heh.  And hopefully we can stay grounded in what the Lord desires for us.  He is the One who meets our needs and delights us with our desires, too!  What are we letting repeat itself until it becomes our desire?  Let us hunger and thirst for You, Lord, surround ourselves with You...  choose what we tell ourselves we need...