Welcome home Pat!

Welcome home Pat!  We are so proud of you for serving your country.  We are also thankful for your safe return.  We love you!

Summer in KC

Well, we've had a pretty great summer.  Our favorite part being our trip to Haiti in June.  We've also been able to hang out with friends, watch the royals play, and this weekend we are going to Lake of the Ozarks for some fun in the sun.  Ben's brother Pat flew in last weekend after serving in Afghanistan.  We were very happy to welcome him home and thankful that God has kept him safe over the past year.  

Crazy Love

Ben and I have been reading the book "Crazy Love."  Thanks auntie Pam!   We've just started but it has really got us thinking.  It talks about how small we are in comparison to God and his universe.  It has really reminded us that he created us and this world so perfectly.  He thought of everything!  Being just the right distance from the sun so that we don't go up in a ball of flames, the plants producing oxygen for us to breath, the earth spinning at just the right speed so that we don't go flying in to space, the fact that our bodies just function without us having to think about it!  It's amazing if you think about all the things that have to be just right in order for us to survive and exist.  God is amazing!  He really has thought of everything! 

You might be thinking, "DUH!" he's GOD.  But we often forget these things.  I know I do.  He has a perfect plan for us and I am constantly reminded of that and thankful for that.  He knew my name before I was born, he knows how many hairs are on my head.  If all this is true, then why do I have such a hard time trusting him sometimes?  Well, I'm working on it....and I'm thankful for his grace and love for me.  

The book also talks about God sending Jesus...his only son to die for us!  I don't know about you, but I don't think I couldn't send my child to die for someone.  Imagine watching your child nailed to a cross....suffering, so that the rest of humanity could have eternal life!  NO WAY!  You'd be on your own if I were GOD!  Luckily I'm not, and thankfully Jesus did die on the cross for us....so that we could have eternal life!  All we have to do is choose to follow him, and serve him!  Count me in....Thanks God!  

Ok, I'll end the sunday school lesson!  I was just really reminded of God's grace and love last night while we were reading.  I'm so thankful that he has chosen to love me....in spite of all my gross sin!  

Moving Forward

It's been awhile since we've updated.  My mom has been getting after me to update our blog.  So here goes!  We've both been a little under the weather this past week.  Suffering from a summer cold!  Not fun.  I think we are on the upswing of things now.  

We have really been missing Haiti and can't wait to go back.  Tonight we are meeting with a friend of ours who helps missionaries raise support for their mission.  We are hoping he can give us some ideas and help us raise money for our next trip and our future in Haiti.  We both are ready and willing to go back when ever the Lord calls us.  The picture above is of the twins that we would really love to have come live in our home.  Givens and Giveson!  They are sweet!

I'm getting ready to go back to school.....not as a student but as a teacher.  I start my new job with the bluevalley school district as a teacher in the autism classroom in August.  I am looking forward to that, but will miss the freedom that I now have being self employed.  It will be nice to have more adult interaction throughout the day.  I've always made many friends wherever I work, and hope this won't be any different.

Well that's it for now.  I've been bugging Ben about updating, so we'll see if he gives in and graces our blog with some love!

January in Haiti

I'm taking a break from our Haiti stories to let everyone know that we are trying to save money to take another trip to Haiti in January.  Since we've gotten back, we've had Haiti on the brain.  We dream about Haiti, think about Haiti, and talk about Haiti nonstop!  We can't wait to get back.  We miss the people, the roosters crowing at 4am, the other missionaries, the babies in the orphanage, and the long walks to the Jail to feed the prisoners everyday!  Everything about being in Haiti seem so right!  We know that if God wants us there the money will come.  We are thinking of ideas for fundraising events, in hopes that we will be able to return to Haiti in January.