all the things

 1- Emma girl is the cutest, squishiest, smiliest, fussiest baby you ever did see.  This girl fusses and wails every time you put her down...put her in her carseat...and every night from 9-11:30.  None our babies (bar Sofie) were this fussy, nor gave me so little sleep.  Dear girl.  I'd give her to you in a heartbeat if she weren't so darn cute and grinny.  So, just come over ANY DAY you want to hold a baby.  

2- A woman we barely know, out of nowhere a few weeks ago, let us know that in her years of foster ministry she had felt like the biggest unmet need was one-on-one time with her kiddos.  She told me she wanted to come once a week for six weeks for three hours each time so I could take each of the six kids on   a one-on-one date night (plus Emma :).  Last night we did date number two, and this has been SUCH a gift.  We never DO get one-on-one time with these dear kiddos, and taking them where they want to go and listening to them for a few hours has been so good, so rich, so vital.  I am SO SO thankful for the Lord putting this on her heart, and for her obedience...even with her own kids at home!  One girlie wanted to go shopping and to eat Greek food, another wanted her nails done and Japanese...Ben-Ben can't wait for his Cracker Barrel date, and three more have SO many things they want to do they can't decide :)

3- Aunt Sharon is coming tomorrow for a few days, and we can't wait!  We've all missed her...Emma wants to meet her, and time with her is always so rich.

4- Emmaus has had a great start to the new school year despite renewed frustrations and manifestations  over fuel shortages. Almost 25 new students have joined our undergrad program!  I'll be sharing a letter from President Guenson this week.

5- Our new address is 924 Monterey Drive, Madison,  MS  39110

6- While Dad's finished all the chemo and radiation set out for him, the cancer isn't gone. So, he's had these few weeks to rest and recoup, and heads back to Cleveland Clinic on September 9 for full scans and whatever the next plan is...thank you for praying for he and Cindy, and for joining us in praying for complete healing for Dad.

7- Thank you for holding us up in prayer...there are corners of this current mission field that are far more challenging than Haiti ever was, and we need people holding our ropes for our family as we bring brokenness in...as Matt preaches and teaches several times every week...as we seek to minister to a lot of brokenness around us, as we fight darkness with Light. I'm so dependent on Him at work through your prayers.