Thank you for your prayers!

Please continue to pray for wisdom, length of days, strong health during our getting ready to leave. The word crazy busy describes us right now. That's why I am posting so little...but please continue to pray...we really are "feeling" God's peace through this busyness!!! Thank you!!!!

We are still here and packing!!

Our house is looking bare!!!! We don't have a table in it...have only two chairs, but lots of stuff still to pack or store!!! Friends of John's came over and helped move our bed and dressers and couches to storage tonight. So, we are setting up another bed(the last piece of furniture to sell). We take a picture, sleep on it til it sells or we have to go!!! HA!! We are still praying about the house---really standing in faith and peace that God is in control. We believe it will sell soon!!
When the kids come back this weekend, we will all be in sleeping bags till we leave a week from tomorrow--YIKES!! IT'S ALMOST HERE!!! We are so excited, so emotional, and so blessed by God and people!!

If I don't post for awhile....

Ok, time is crunched...God is my only day-stretcher---I need to pray for length of days!!! I feel a bit like I need the 36 hours in a day that researchers say we need to get everything we do done. We are preparing for a g-sale, packing, packing our kids to go see g-parents next week, and just sold our washer and dryer...and refrigerator(but this hasn't gone yet--Tuesday it is picked up!!). Thankfully, my friend Sarah said I could do laundry at her house!!! Oh, we are also trying to sell our house--it will go to sale/lease on Monday if some miracle buyer doesn't show up before then!!! Deep breath....ahhhhh...So, you see, we are busy--haha--that's an understatement. Oh, I forgot---our van is leaving us on Saturday---thankfully, we have found wonderful buyers for that...but I need to get the van cleaned before tonight!

Not too busy for a party though---we have a party for John's work tonight!! IF you think---what should I pray for---we would love prayer to remember to do all the things in time that we need to do!!

We have a wonderful friend that just informed us of where to go if we need medical help in Russia!! So nice to know ahead of time. I even have the address and phone number of the place!!! Ahhhhh---a big relief!!!

Ok, that's all for now--may not post for a couple of days--but I wanted to keep you all informed of what we are doing while we are not posting!!!

Two weeks from today--we head out...

It's hard to even type that. I had a melt down last night, but I made it through and thankfully John survived too. My question is---where will I go in Russia if I have a melt down??? On the balcony!!! We will be on the ninth floor--so it will be a true balcony!!! Yes, this is a hard move and exciting and more all in one. When you follow the Lord's direction--it's not always a smooth path that is always fun and happy. But, it is always Joy filled--b/c in His presence there is fullness of joy---and we need to stand and lean on that joy which is our strength!

It does help that my friends in Thailand and Germany have walked here before!! I am so happy for that help!!
We have packed 6 suitcases so far and have about the same about to go or more!! Crazy! I keep thinking---we have tooooooo many clothes...so they might be donated(some of them) to those that need more when we get there! It is amazing to me how blessed God has made us. We have been handed down so many clothes over the years that we truly have not felt the clothing need as much as should be expected.

What are we doing this last couple of weeks with the kiddos????---having lots of play dates with their friends!!! They have loved it!!!

God be with all of you!!

Our weekend!

• Shop for last minute items and take advantage of sales and no tax
• Share our Russian vision in our Sunday school class tonight and tomorrow morning!!!
• Made our power point for our presentation--with music!!--last night.
• Had a date!!! Thanks to Abby for babysitting!--last night
• Katie went to a b-day party!--last night
• Cousins are coming over today!
• Going out to eat with very dear friends tonight after our class!!!
• Home group--last one:(
• Eye Dr. appointment for me

Boy, our weekend is packed! We are getting our last things done this week before our big garage sale next Saturday! We are seeing how time flies. John says that he goes to work and looks up and it's already 4pm! He leaves around 6pm to come home! These are the last days in America for awhile:( and :).

What do I do these days??

• I have a four page long to-do list--it's not as intimidating as that--it's on a long skinny note pad.


• Today, I have changed mailing addresses for some bills that won't stop til we are gone.


• We are talking with the realestate agent about what to do with the house. Still for sale.


• I divided out the dress up clothes that the kids wanted to take with them and the g-sale items.


• I've packed a box of books(almost threw John's back out picking it up-haha!--not really--he's strong!!


• We have packed 3 large suitcases of winter clothes and such.


• I've packed away to store my cookbooks.

I know I do more than that...but you get the idea. Plus, I want you to read my post not get tired of long posts-ha!

I love what my Father in law had to say!

This weekend we went to visit John's family for our last shabang before Russia...on Saturday night, all the adults and one or two of the older cousins prayed over John and me. Before all the serious stuff started, John's dad said to not worry about finances and God's provision because and he quoted:
Psalm 37:25
I have been young, and now am old,yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken nor his children begging for bread.
Then, he said a funny which just flowed right after the scripture..."I've been rich and I've been poor, and rich is better!"
It was such a funny quote I just had to post it!

On a serious note, it was such a good and tearful prayer time...my third oldest nephew, Davis, sent me over the top in emotions...he prayed for us and then my father in law had Davis lay his hands on the tops of our heads while my father in law prayed. Let me just say--the tears would not stop!

How am I holding up?

I have a dear friend --Kay--that asked me how I am holding up--so, I am honest---I am very very emotional about this move to Russia. I think what is getting to me now is that we only have 3 weeks and a day left here. This makes me see how fast time has flown over the last year and a few months since we decided to move to Russia. I am going to take my friend Amy's advice and do more this week than the last week I have left...just so I can make this easier emotionally the last week. Another point of reality is John has 10 more days of work left! Yikes! He will be taking the last week off to help tie loose ends up.

My thoughts go to how much I will miss my family and friends and how much they will feel our departure. Sometimes I talk to the Lord about how His calling us as people isn't easy for the people that we know and love. It doesn't just affect us, it will affect all the people we hold dear to our heart. That does not make it easier to follow the Lord's path, but I know the Lord cares about everyone who is involved in our lives and will take care of them just as much as He takes care of us. I pray that the Lord will prepare them(I probably have prayed that more than I pray for me to be prepared). I know it's harder for the ones left behind than for those who move. It will be hard---I am a home-body from birth!!! And, yes, home is the USA for now. I am sure I will feel some of these feelings when the Lord has us return home to the US about Russia being our temporary "family". That will be a hard thing too, but I don't need to worry about "tomorrow" for today has it's own problems.

No movement on the house...still on the market.
That's all for now.

Latest Family Reunion

My beautiful inlaw family!! Look at all those grandkids-and just think one is missing!!!

We got to see everyone this weekend for our last weekend in their town before we leave for Russia for a time.

Jason Upton: Father of the Fatherless

This is a video of one of my favorite worshippers! I was introduced to his songs by my friend Amy in Thailand on her blog about a year ago. I love his songs--my favorite is No Sacrifice. His video that was from CBN last fall made me think of my brother in law. He and my sister in law shared that God really wanted him to be himself in his ministry, not anyone else. That might seem obvious to you, but often times we try to be what "people" expect of us and not who God made us to be. Hmmm....thought provoking. Click here to see the video if you can. It's about 6 or 7 minutes long, so just do it when you have a bit of time.

Any suggestions

I have been told lately that I must be busy!! Well, sorta(is that even a word??). But, really, I can't pack too much with our house being on the market and wanting to keep tidy. I still have to live..but does anyone have any thoughts on how to pack and still keep the needed things out ??? Or, do I just go to paper products??? I am thinking about getting our winter things packed---b/c obviously we don't need them HERE in 100 degree plus weather!!!
So, does anyone have any ideas? We are getting a storage unit for a few things, but that's like a bed and sofas...so we won't be getting it until about a week before we leave. Boy, that week is getting packed by the moment!! So, thoughts, advice???

Visas!! They are here!

Update: We got our visas!!! They do have the 90 day limit. So, we shall see about the timing...we will try to get a job to allow us to stay for about 10 months.
Thanks for your prayers!

Updates

Ok, here are a few updates:
We are expecting to get our visas in the mail this week!

We just got our ticket prices for leaving on the 2nd of September and it was more than a thousand dollars cheaper than a month ago's prices. We prayed the night before they came on an email and I asked the Lord for a certain price and they are a few(I think about 80!) dollars under that!!! Amazing--thank you Jesus!! Thank you also to Amy from Thailand for your advice to not hurry the date and buy the tickets!!! It's so nice to have friends in Thailand and Germany and more that have been through this and can advise from their experience!

Our house--the offer did not work...so, we wait and pray and trust! More details as we know them later.

Thanks for the continued prayers---we really need them.
Ideas to pray for : health here and in Russia, easy travel experience...it's a long flight, strong marriage, strong family, love for the kids that will live with us.

Money or Prayer or Life

You might ask yourself: Should I send, pray for or go to another place for missions work? I think that this depends on what the Lord has for you...we are going...but before we sent and prayed. This was on a blogger friend's site, and it's soooo good!! So, if you aren't supposed to go, then send and/or pray. Our heart is such: Give money or Pray---if you have to chose one, choose pray! God can arrange the money...but we NEED the prayers!!

I said,
“Jesus, I can't go to lands across the seas.”
He answered quickly,
“Yes you can—by traveling on your knees.”
He said,
“You pray, I'll meet the need.
You call, and I will hear.
It's up to you to be concerned for lost souls far and near.”
And so I did;
I knelt in prayer,
gave up some hours of ease,
and with the Savior by by side,
I traveled on my knees.

I am so proud of you!!

This is a clean pull-up!!! by the way!

Matthew did it!!!! He told me last night that he didn't want a pull-up and he wanted underwear! Ok, for those who don't know this...we have tried this on our part before--not his decision, and every morning I am changing sheets and clothes b/c it didn't work, so we went back to pull-ups. This morning--guess what???? He was DRY!!!! NEVER NEVER NEVER has this happened--even with a pull up!!! I told him, "I am so proud of you!" and looked right back at me and said, "I am proud of you too Mommy!" It made me laugh so hard that I had to come right upstairs and post this story!

By the way, he went a bucket this morning after holding it all night!!