family of friends

This has been a beautiful--in many ways--24 hours in Amish country Lancaster, PA.  The corn fields are like the ocean, they just bring simple and peace home.  

And being with Uncle Martin and Aunt Sharon is always filled with lots of laughter and relationship and family fun and grateful hearts. 

To answer the question I keep getting: No, Uncle Martin and Aunt Sharon aren't actually family.  I don't even like saying that.  And no, Aunt Lori and Uncle Terry aren't actually family either. cringe.

Aunt Lori and Matt's mama are besties, and Matt grew up alongside Amy and Patrick like siblings. Everything Aunt Lori and Uncle Terry are providing for us--a peaceful house on the east coast, food unending, love, a yard, patience, friendship, grace, prayer, wisdom--it's because they love the Lord and love our family and loved Matt's parent's first, and they have BEEN family.

The day Matt and I moved to Haiti as whipersnappers in 2007, Martin was on our flight.  

He was visiting OMS for a two or three days with his paster, he was a stranger to us who said he'd heard of us and been praying and helped us move in.  Months or maybe years later, we met Sharon when she came to the field she grew up in, sometimes with her mom or dad, also OMSers, to visit and help others, and we all became friends.  Her heart for missionary kids, and our heart for her and Martin just became family, family who goes to the Caribbean in July to deliver and watch over babies and help me, family who travels all the way to Amish country to hang out with four small children and two odd parents for 48 hours, not 'cause they have to.

These uncles and aunts make NO sense, further proving they are from the Lord as family in our lives. The Lord gave us peace when we first left our families for Haiti that He knew our heartbreak and understood the pain and saw all the gaps and would meet us and meet our families.  He has given us that peace a thousand times since, and he continues to provide badly needed friends and family, and we praise the Lord. 

These aunts and uncles are our testimony of His grace and faithfulness. 

Back to Amish country, it is gorgeous.  We've attended an Amish auction. A theater production of "Jesus." Eaten amazing Amish baked goods, kissed a cow, chased fireflies, watched buggies, played dominoes, gone shopping, spent some time with Nikki, and enjoyed every minute.

Yes, that was Nora in the middle of the theater when Jesus angrily trashed the temple and then stormed off the stage with the disciples who yelled, "He needs to help clean up that mess he made before he leaves!"

Does that mean I'm parenting well, or parenting poorly?  I dunno.  

This farm across the road from the little house we're staying in is just beautiful.

Tomorrow we're off for buggy rides and a farm tour and whatever else we can find!

Thankful for these two days to enjoy His oceans of corn, His varieties of culture and His family of friends!