We have travelled thousands of miles all over the country, and not had as much as one fender-bender or missed flight or lost bag.
We have done all of this travel in my third trimester and with three little ones, and have had no major sicknesses or health issues.
We have eaten so. much. good. food., and the girls have gotten their happy share of rice and beans :)
We got to spend several really good hours with each of my grandmothers, and that time was so precious to all five of us.
They are both in their nineties and I'm just so thankful for the good, rare time.
We got a full week with Matt's parents, brother, sister-in-law, niece and nephew in Florida!
We got an actual real vacation in Williamsburg for five days, with family and in a beautiful timeshare.
Lily and Sofie got to go to the zoo, ride waterslides, rollercoasters, motorcycles and four-wheelers, go to see the new Incredibles movie, and got to spend good time with every single one of their cousins and lots of almost-cousins.
We were privileged to worship with such faithful and encouraging, praying family at Seeds of Greatness, NorthRidge Church, New Bedford Presbyterian Church (last night), Cornerstone Church, First Assembly of God church, Seven Mile Road Church and this weekend at Grace Church.
We were so blessed to have only had to stay a few different nights in hotels, mostly benefitting from the warm, generous, loving, encouraging hospitality of beautiful friends.
We only had to rent a car for three days the entire 5 weeks, again, benefitting from the generous sacrifice of many friends and family.
We managed to not lose Lambie over all these different beds, the one and only possession that one of us can't live without :)
We have had so, so, so many people grab our hands and pray for us. Out loud. In person. What a gift, what a necessity, what an anchor for us.
We have had beautiful men and women across America hand us just about every single thing Ben could possibly need, from adorable onesies to a handmade blanket, from a little sign for his room to little outfits for church. We've even had people help us collect the medical supplies we'll need for his delivery, give us Amazon cards for future needs, and best, again, had dozens of people pray for him, and promise to pray for him.
The Lord has helped me stretch and trust this very-pregnant season, trusting Him with our children and this pregnancy and the birth plan He has truly opened all the doors for.
We have had good coffee and good conversations with so many of you that we were just desperate and longing for...from Kansas to Florida to Philly to Williamsburg to Jersey to PA to Ohio, we had hoped and prayed for good time with so many of you, and we have GOTTEN it...never as much as we'd like, but we cherish each and every of those moments.
We have had lots of dentist appointments and this week have lots of doctors appointments, and as non-fun as those are, good, accessible, reliable medical care is SUCH A GIFT that we live without 93% of our lives. So thankful.
Our family in Haiti, all the teams who have stayed at Emmaus the past 5 weeks, all the construction and all the transitions happening on our team, have been going WELL. Bill and Julie's adoption has finally gone through (hopefully they will be returning to Haiti the end of August), Phil and Emily have been running things wonderfully and are almost packed and prepared to move back to NJ, the new-to-EBS couple living in our home is packed and prepared to move into the Heckman's house, our beautiful Haitian staff has been competent and flourishing and carrying all the various jobs and responsibilities well...Lily's precious cat is still alive. We're thankful.
We got to be with sweet Evie on her 4th birthday!
Matt was able to be a part of fantastic board meetings for EBS in Philadelphia.
Matt beautifully, voluntarily cancelled being a speaker at OMS's Illuminate Conference this upcoming week, the 27th to the 30th, and while I hated to see him do this, I am so, so thankful not to be going back to Haiti 38 weeks pregnant alone with three kids.
um, yes.
I am thankful for those who have held our ropes, who have held our hands, who have fed our family, who have prayed for us, who have encouraged us on to great faith, who have patiently loved on our kids, who have found little ways to bless us, from making rice and beans for the potluck to stashing a pint of ice cream in their freezers, and most, for all of you who have been praying and who have reminded me that you will be.
We are tired and ready, but also very renewed by your encouragement and prayers and presence, and are feeling very rich by your relationships. Saturday we're catching up with several Ohio friends, Sunday we're speaking at Grace Ministries, Monday and Tuesday we have doctor's appointments, and Wednesday we fly from Columbus, Ohio to Haiti in one day.
We return the 27th, the Heckman's leave the 28th, our new baby help and grace in Aunt Sharon comes on July 3rd, and our OBGYN friend Jen comes on the 4th.
God's got this, as always, one day at a time.
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